Hubert Biermans (b. 1865 [1] in Herkenbosch - d. February 12, 1953 [2] in Monaco) was a Dutch and Canadian businessman.
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Born in 1865, Jean Hubert Biermans is the son of Frans Biermans and Hubertina Ruyten [3]. His father is a baker in Herkenbosch, a village in the province of Limburg, in the Netherlands. In 1877, at the age of 12, Hubert begins working for a Belgian railroad construction company. From then until 1888, he works at various railroad construction sites in Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, France and, from 1886 to 1888, in Algeria, where he is given the direction of the works [4].
In 1889, in Brussels, he enters at the service of the Compagnie de chemin de fer du Congo, of Belgian businessman Albert Thys. From 1890 to 1898, in Congo, Biermans works on the construction of the Matadi-Léopoldville Railway, linking the port of Matadi to the Stanley Pool and to Léopoldville [5]. At first, he is chief of an advanced survey team. He is later promoted to director of the superstructure team.
Back in Belgium, he is commissionned by the Banque d'Outremer for exploring railroad projects in different countries, from 1898 to 1900.
On November 9, 1900, Biermans arrives in Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada, to evaluate the advancement of the construction of a pulp and paper plant [6]. He becomes director of the Belgian-owned Belgo Canadian Pulp & Paper Company ("the Belgo") [7]. On December 12, 1907, he marries Berthe Lapôtre, in Middelkerke, Belgium [8]. He obtains the Canadian citizenship. He runs for the Legislative Assembly of Quebec in the 1919 Quebec general election as an "independent liberal" candidate, in the district of Saint-Maurice, but he is defeated by the official liberal incumbent [9]. That would be his only attempt at politics. He retires as director of the Belgo in 1926.
Having accumulated a considerable fortune, Biermans settles in Europe, living in his houses in Paris, Monaco, Salneuve and Brussels, and managing his investments in many companies. Leaving Europe at the beginning of the Second World War, he lives near Montréal during the War, after which he returns to Europe. He makes donations to several institutions and leaves instructions for his fiduciairies that the rest of his fortune be donated after his death. He dies in 1953.
His donations brought him many honours. He was made Commander of the Légion d'honneur (France), Commander of the Order of the Crown (Belgium), Grand Officer of the Order of Leopold (Belgium), Grand Officer of the Order of Leopold II (Belgium), Commander of the Royal Order of the Lion (Congo), Grand Officer of the Order of the Oak Crown (Luxembourg). Streets are named after him in Shawinigan and in Herkenbosch. Buildings are named after him in Paris, Québec and Montréal.
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