##Jan Frans Willems:
liberal-minded man of letters, local government official and “Father of the Flemish Movement” (1793-1846). Willems devoted himself to the study of Flemish folklore, play-writing and the question of the spelling of Flemish. He is the supposed author of the 1840 petition. The Willems Foundation – a pro-Flemish cultural association set up in 1851 – was named after him.

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