POTTER United Families

Frans de Potter (1834-1904) was a Flandersrooted
Belgian history researcher. With his
profound study of the Flemish roots, he became
a key player of self-empowerment of the
Flemings.
To understand the philosophy of Frans de
Potter, one has to frame his enormous work in
the context of the 19th century, with a
challenging textile city of Ghent, and, at the same time, one must also
take into account the exceptional personality of the researcher.
His childhood and youth took place in a turbulent period. After the
declaration of independence in 1830, an undemocratic authority
came into the hands of the "rich and upper" French-speaking classes.
Social abuses were reflected in bad housing, illiteracy and in moral
decline of workers. Industrialization that developed and attracted a
multitude of workers to the city experienced periodic crises with high
unemployment and low wages.
Failed harvests in 1845-1850 led to starvation and were the cause of
physical weakening and illness. The defencelessness of the workers
and their dissatisfaction resulted in social riots in the winter of 1834-
1835.
The mother of Frans was not wealthy and could only let him go to
primary school. The evening school allowed him to become
proficient in French, but it was mainly through his own study that he
could broaden his knowledge and mind.
In other words, he was a real "self-taught" who, in time, even became
a historian.
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