| Adolphe Van Glabbeke | |
| Birth Date: | 8 August 1904 |
| Death Date: | 5 July 1959 (Aged 54) |
| Birth Place: | Ostend, West Flanders, Belgium |
| Death Place: | Zanzibar, Tanzania |
| Office: | Mayor of Ostend |
| Term Start: | 10 January 1953 |
| Term End: | 6 February 1959 |
| Predecessor: | Louis Vandendriessche |
| Successor: | Jan Piers |
| Primeminister1: | Achiel Van Acker |
| Term Start1: | 23 April 1954 |
| Term End1: | 14 January 1955 |
| Predecessor1: | Oscar Behogne |
| Successor1: | Omer Vanaudenhove |
| Office2: | Minister of Public Health |
| Primeminister2: | Gaston Eyskens |
| Term Start2: | 11 August 1949 |
| Term End2: | 8 June 1950 |
| Predecessor2: | François-Xavier van der Straten-Waillet |
| Successor2: | Alfred De Taeye |
| Office3: | Minister of Justice |
| Primeminister3: | Achiel Van Acker |
| Term Start3: | 31 March 1946 |
| Term End3: | 3 August 1946 |
| Predecessor3: | Henri Rolin |
| Successor3: | Albert Lilar |
| Office4: | Minister of the Interior |
| Primeminister4: | Achiel Van Acker |
| Term Start4: | 12 February 1945 |
| Term End4: | 13 March 1946 |
| Predecessor4: | Edmond Ronse |
| Successor4: | Joseph Merlot |
| Office5: | Member of the Chamber of Representatives |
| Term Start5: | 1936 |
| Term End5: | 1959 |
| Party: | Liberal Party |
| Education: | Université libre de Bruxelles |
Adolphe Gustave Maximilien Ernest Van Glabbeke (8 August 1904 - 5 July 1959) was a Belgian politician from the Liberal Party who served in several government positions including Minister of Justice and Minister of the Interior, as well as serving as the Mayor of Ostend from 1953 to 1959.[1]
Van Glabbeke was born on 8 August 1904 in Ostend, West Flanders, Belgium to sea Captain Gustave Alexandre Van Glabbeke and Angèle Ernestine Huyghe. He studied law at the Université libre de Bruxelles and graduated with a degree in maritime law and financial science. He also studied at Princeton University thanks to a scholarship before beginning his career as a lawyer in 1929.[2]
Van Glabbeke first worked for the Ministry of the Colonies as a private secretary in 1930 while he became active in the Liberal Party. It was for that party that he was elected to the Chamber of Representatives in 1936 for the Ostend-Veurne-Diksmuide area. He remained in this position throughout the occupation of Belgium in World War II and was even an active member of the Belgian resistance. Following the liberation of Belgium in 1944, Van Glabbeke became the chairman of the General Confederation of Liberal Trade Unions of Belgium, a position which he would hold until 1959. During a debate concerning the Royal question in 1950, Van Glabbeke who was opposed to the return of King Leopold III was involved in a fistfight with Les Engagés politician Jules Descampe who was in favour of the King's return.[3]
Van Glabbeke achieved his first ministry appointment in the Government of Prime Minister Achille Van Acker, and was appointed Minister of the Interior on 12 February 1945. He held the position until March 1946 when he was instead appointed as Minister of Justice until the appointment of the next Government in August 1946. Van Glabbeke would find work in the Government again in 1949, when he was appointed Minister of Public Health by Prime Minister Gaston Eyskens. He held the position until 1950 and was elected as a city council member in Ostend two years later. That same year, Van Glabbeke served as an Alderman in Ostend until his election as Mayor of Ostend in 1953. Van Glabbeke would end up holding one more ministry position as he was appointed by Prime Minister Achille Van Acker in 1954, however Van Glabbeke resigned from the post the next year due to allegations of favouring his in-laws in state assignments.[4]
Van Glabbeke's term as Mayor of Ostend ended on 6 February 1959, but he was still serving as a Member of the Chamber of Representatives and chairman of the General Confederation of Liberal Trade Unions of Belgium when he travelled to Zanzibar and Belgian Congo on a diplomatic mission that same year. While in Zanzibar following his visit to Leopoldville, Van Glabbeke died unexpectedly on 5 July 1959 at the age of 54. His body was brought back to Belgium and Buried in Ostend.[3]