Auguste Tilkens
Auguste Tilkens | |
|---|---|
| Governor-General of the Belgian Congo | |
| In office 27 December 1927 – 14 September 1934 | |
| Monarchs | Albert I (1927–34) Leopold III (1934) |
| Preceded by | Martin Rutten |
| Succeeded by | Pierre Ryckmans |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Auguste Constant Tilkens 1 October 1869 Ostend, Belgium |
| Died | 1 December 1949 (aged 80) Brussels, Belgium |
civil servant who served as Governor-General of the Belgian Congo
from 1927 until 1934.
Biography
Auguste Tilkens was born in 1869 into a large family in the
Air Force. In 1927, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general.[1]
In December 1927, Tilkens was named Governor-General of the Belgian Congo, the senior civil servant in the colony, and retired from the Belgian Army.[1] He held the position during the state visits of both Albert I (1928) and the Duke of Brabant, later King Leopold III (1933).
Tilkens' tenure as Governor-General coincided with the start of the
economic crisis. With the Congo's budget cut by the Belgian government, Tilkens decided to reform the entire colonial administration to create a more cheaper, more centralized system. The reform was unveiled from June until December 1933.[1] The number of provinces was increased from four to six and the number of subdivisions (territories) reduced sharply.[1] This proved unpopular, especially among the Congo's European population.[1]
In 1934, Tilkens returned to Belgium at the expiration of his term. Leopold III promoted him to a position in the
Special Committee for Katanga (Comité Spécial du Katanga, CSK). He remained in Belgium during the German occupation in World War II. Tikens died on 1 December 1949.[1]
References
Bibliography
- "TILKENS (Auguste Constantin)". Biographie Belge d'Outre-Mer. Vol. 6. Brussels: Académie Royale des Sciences d'Outre-Mer. 1968.
External links
- Gouverneurs du Congo
- Congo (Kinshasa)
- Auguste Tilkens, Royal Museum for Central Africa