1873 in Belgium

Events

• 13 January
• * Convention with The Netherlands for building water defences on the Zwin comes into effect.
• * Treaty with The Netherlands for the building of a railway line from Antwerp to Mönchengladbach over Dutch territory signed in Brussels.
• 18 May – Law allowing the formation of limited liability companies.
• 29 June – Mass demonstration in support of the right of Jozef Schoep, labourer, to use the Dutch language to register his child's birth.
• 10 July – Paul Verlaine shoots at Arthur Rimbaud, slightly injuring him.
• 8 August – Paul Verlaine sentenced to two years in prison for injuring Arthur Rimbaud with a fire arm.
• 23 July – Commercial treaty with France.
• 17 August – Law allowing the use of Dutch in courts of law.
• 27 December – Formal opening of the Bourse Palace.

Publications

• Ministry of Public Works, Chemin de fer de l'état. Postes – Télégraphes. Compte-rendu des opérations pendant l'année 1872.
• Henri Guillaume, Histoire des bandes d'ordonnance des Pays-Bas
• Jules Helbig, Histoire de la peinture au pays de Liège
• Émile de Laveleye, Des causes actuelles de guerre en Europe et de l'arbitrage
• Eugène Van Bemmel, Patria Belgica: Encyclopédie nationale, vol. 1

Art and architecture

• Léon-Pierre Suys, Bourse Palace
• Concert Noble ballroom, Brussels

Births

• 9 February – Maurits Sabbe, man of letters
• 28 February – Georges Theunis, politician
• 17 June – Clara Ward, Princesse de Caraman-Chimay
• 23 July – Marie Janson, politician
• 25 July – Henri Meunier, graphic artist
• 26 July – Pierre Nolf, scientist
• 16 September – Alfred Bastien, painter
• 14 December – Joseph Jongen, composer

Deaths

• 30 January – Emile Pierre Joseph De Cauwer, painter
• 5 May – Albert Goblet d'Alviella, politician
• 6 June – Ignatius Josephus van Regemorter, artist
• 1 December – Augustin de Backer Jesuit bibliographer
• 9 December – Martinus Dom, abbot of Westmalle