Gaspard Théodore Ignace de la Fontaine

Théodore de la Fontaine

Gaspard-Théodore-Ignace de la Fontaine (born January 6, 1787 in Luxembourg ; † February 11, 1871 ibid) was the first head of government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , which was linked in personal union with the Kingdom of the United Netherlands , which also included Belgium .

From 1807 to 1810 de la Fontaine studied law in Paris and in the same year he set up as a lawyer in Luxembourg City. In 1816 he became a member of the États provinciaux . When the Belgian Revolution broke out, he was on the side of William I and was appointed to the government commission that controlled the city of Luxembourg.

From 1841 to 1848 he was governor of the Grand Duchy. On August 1, 1848, he became the first government president of Luxembourg and was also responsible for external relations, justice and culture. On December 2, 1849, the government fell. De la Fontaine was a member of the Luxembourg City Council between 1849 and 1851, and in 1857 he was appointed the first President of the newly established Council of State, which he headed for 11 years.

The sons

Edmond de la Fontaine , known as "Dicks", was a lawyer and writer of comedies, poems and songs in Luxembourgish. The other two sons were the botanist Léon de la Fontaine and the zoologist Alphonse de la Fontaine .