Cité de Bosquétia - Frameries

Have fun looking up the name of famous people born in Frameries. The fingers of both hands are not enough to count them. So much talent - between the knights, painters, writers, architects, industrialists, politicians!
 
Did you know that Paul Hankar, the famous architect and master of Art Nouveau in Belgium was born in Frameries? Just as the writer and journalist Louis Piérard and the painter Germain - Joseph Hallez, author of the painting of St. Barbara in the Sainte-Waudru church. The poet Georges Rodenbach, was not born here but he married a Framerisoise. It is his dear and beloved Anna who introduced Emile and Marthe Verhaeren to the Caillou-qui-Bique!
 

Frameries, land of talent

In reality, many personalities were born or have marked the history of Frameries. Great politicians forged their commitment here. Firmin Pierard and Désiré Maroille, two leading figures in socialism, were born here. Désiré Maroille, one of the founders of the Belgian workers party, worked in the mines from 11 to 15 years-old. It is in the Borinage that he built his political career and found the direction of his commitment. Maroille is at the forefront of the great miners’ strike in the Borinage in 1885 and then the general strike of 1886.

Dufrane : the bard of Frameries

But if you had to remember only one name: that of Joseph Dufrane appears inevitable. All the Framerisois know him, and for good reason. He is the author of the song “Enn c’est nie co Frameries”, the municipal anthem! A monument, a square or a street honour him. But here in Frameries,he is mainly known under the name of Bosquetia. The poet has written an impressive number of comedies and fables in dialect inspired by Aesop, Molière and Jean de la Fontaine that he signed Bosquetia, squirrel in the patois of Frameries.
A versatile artist, the musician was also a songwriter and composer.
 

Artist of many talents

When he moved to Brussels for business reasons he felt the need to write in patois. Dufrane initiates the first  almanach of the Borinage (Armonaque Borain) in 1880. He is also the chief editor of Tambour battant, a newspaper for the working class. At the end of the 1880s, he adapted the fables of La Fontaine and Molière plays in Borinage dialect. His Cocu imaginaire [the imaginary cuckhold] experiences true popular success. A master of vaudeville, he then creates original work, both in prose and songs in operettas and plays. Very attached to his town, he never stopped to pay tribute to it.

 
« Enn c'est nie co Frameries »

It was during a ducasse in July 1879 that he sings for the first time « Enn c’est nie co Frameries » to the tune of Dieu des bonnes gens (Bela). Ever since, the Framerisois sing  their Bosquetia’s song all together every year. Through his writings, he introduced Frameries and the Borinage everywhere in Belgium and in the North of France. When he died in 1906, the municipality of Frameries gave him a touching funeral. 

Good to know

The town hall dedicates one exhibition room to the famous figures of Frameries.