Félix Fuchs

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Félix Alexandre Fuchs (25 January 1858–23 February 1928) was a Belgian civil servant and governor-general of Belgian Congo.

[edit] Career

Born in Ixelles on 25 January 1858, Fuchs started his career working for Congo Free State in June 1887 and in January 1888 he went to Africa to work at the Department of Justice, and also as a supplementary judge of the Court of Appeal. He became a member of the executive in 1889 and in 1891 he became vice-governor of Congo Free State. In April 1892, Félix Alexandre Fuchs was appointed director-general and in 1894 he was appointed state inspector. In November 1908, Congo Free State was handed over to Belgium by Leopold II of Belgium and became Belgian Congo. In May 1912, he succeeded Théophile Wahis as as governor-general of Belgian Congo until January 1916.

When World War I broke out, he was instructed to preserve a strictly defensive attitude, as Belgium wished to preserve neutrality in its colony. However when hostilities broke out, the northwestern part of German East Africa was conquered by Belgian native troops.