Jean-André van der Mersch

January Andries Vander Mersch ( André, Jan Van der Meersch ) ( born February 10, 1734 Menen, † September 14, 1792 in Dadizele ) was the leader of the Brabant patriots in the Brabant Revolution, 1789.

Vander Mersch first emerged in the French military service, in which he mitmachte the Seven Years' War with distinction, then in 1778 in Austria, from which he retired in 1779 with the character of a colonel. In 1789 he joined the discontented with the Austrian administration of Belgians, took command of the insurgent army and defeated the Austrians at Turnhout (October 26 ), captured Ghent and Brussels and was appointed thereto by the Belgians to the commanding general of all the troops. As a result of suspicion on the part of clerics he was in March 1790 but was arrested and imprisoned in the citadel of Antwerp set and received only by the advancing Austrians his freedom. He died on September 14, 1792 on his estate in Menen. He wrote memoirs, which were published by one of his officers ( " Mémoires historiques et pièces pour justificatives Mr. van der M. ," Lille 1791, 3 vols ).