The Meyboom (a type of tree)
The planting of the Meyboom (a symbol of “youth” awakening to life and growth) is an old tradition in which the Meyboom must be planted before 5pm on the evening of August 9th (the eve of the feast of St Lawrence). The festival is based upon a seven centuries old tradition that is supported by several legends and remembers a victory of Brussels men over Leuven men. According to some it recalls a wedding ceremony where a nobleman from Leuven married a girl from the Bass Fond district of Brussels. He gave money to the city of Brussels to celebrate St. Lawrence Day and for the planting of a Meyboom. The legend that is remembered however, is very different. On a day in 1213 a honeymoon took place at an inn in Brussels. During the celebration guests noticed a gang of troublemakers from Leuven hanging around. A fight ensued and the men of Brussels were almost defeated by the men of Leuven until the companions of St Lawrence suddenly assisted the men of Brussels. The men of Leuven lost the fight and the Duke of Brabant gave the companions permission to plant the Meyboom annually on August 9th. They would lose this privilege, however, if the men from Leuven could make themselves Masters of the tree and plant it in Leuven before 5pm on August 9th. Although the legend is situated in 1213, only in 1308 did it become an annual recurring event. 2013 will be the 705th planting of the Meyboom, the 40th time in Leuven since 1974. What this means is that in 1974, Brussels (which had had 665 plantings up to that point) lost the privilege to plant the Meyboom. The men of 1929 (men who were born in the decade of the 1920’s) decided in 1974 to take this privilege away from Brussels and bring the Meyboom to Leuven. Disguised as journalists the men of Leuven discovered which tree the men of Brussels had selected for the Meyboom planting that year (1974). At night they went to Brussels and chopped down the tree and brought it to Leuven. On the stump they left a note: “Men of Brussels here your tree stood, but the men of Leuven have taken it.” On August 9, 1974 (for the first time), the Meyboom was planted in the Groot Markt in Leuven before 5pm. The inhabitants of Brussels didn’t bother much about the incident and selected another tree and continued with the planting of their tree. Both cities now claim that they have the privilege to plant the “real” Meyboom. The type of tree that is planted in Brussels has no importance, but in Leuven a silver birch is chosen each year because it remains green longer. In Brussels the tree is taken down the day after it’s planted. In Leuven, however, the tree stays up until after the second Sunday of September, the jubilee day of the “Vriendenkringen Mannen van het Jaar” (Men’s friendship circle for the year) and “Het Verbond der Jaartallen” (The birth year association). In Leuven the Vriendenkringen Mannen van het Jaar continues the tradition of planting the Meyboom each year. Following the men of 1929, the men of the years 1939, 1949 and 1959 continued the tradition. In 2010, the torch was passed to the men of the year 1969 (men born in the 60’s), and the Leuvense Meyboom companions. These are the current Leuvense Meyboomplanters.
The planting of the Meyboom (a symbol of “youth” awakening to life and growth) is an old tradition in which the Meyboom must be planted before 5pm on the evening of August 9th (the eve of the feast of St Lawrence). The festival is based upon a seven centuries old tradition that is supported by several legends and remembers a victory of Brussels men over Leuven men. According to some it recalls a wedding ceremony where a nobleman from Leuven married a girl from the Bass Fond district of Brussels. He gave money to the city of Brussels to celebrate St. Lawrence Day and for the planting of a Meyboom. The legend that is remembered however, is very different. On a day in 1213 a honeymoon took place at an inn in Brussels. During the celebration guests noticed a gang of troublemakers from Leuven hanging around. A fight ensued and the men of Brussels were almost defeated by the men of Leuven until the companions of St Lawrence suddenly assisted the men of Brussels. The men of Leuven lost the fight and the Duke of Brabant gave the companions permission to plant the Meyboom annually on August 9th. They would lose this privilege, however, if the men from Leuven could make themselves Masters of the tree and plant it in Leuven before 5pm on August 9th. Although the legend is situated in 1213, only in 1308 did it become an annual recurring event. 2013 will be the 705th planting of the Meyboom, the 40th time in Leuven since 1974. What this means is that in 1974, Brussels (which had had 665 plantings up to that point) lost the privilege to plant the Meyboom. The men of 1929 (men who were born in the decade of the 1920’s) decided in 1974 to take this privilege away from Brussels and bring the Meyboom to Leuven. Disguised as journalists the men of Leuven discovered which tree the men of Brussels had selected for the Meyboom planting that year (1974). At night they went to Brussels and chopped down the tree and brought it to Leuven. On the stump they left a note: “Men of Brussels here your tree stood, but the men of Leuven have taken it.” On August 9, 1974 (for the first time), the Meyboom was planted in the Groot Markt in Leuven before 5pm. The inhabitants of Brussels didn’t bother much about the incident and selected another tree and continued with the planting of their tree. Both cities now claim that they have the privilege to plant the “real” Meyboom. The type of tree that is planted in Brussels has no importance, but in Leuven a silver birch is chosen each year because it remains green longer. In Brussels the tree is taken down the day after it’s planted. In Leuven, however, the tree stays up until after the second Sunday of September, the jubilee day of the “Vriendenkringen Mannen van het Jaar” (Men’s friendship circle for the year) and “Het Verbond der Jaartallen” (The birth year association). In Leuven the Vriendenkringen Mannen van het Jaar continues the tradition of planting the Meyboom each year. Following the men of 1929, the men of the years 1939, 1949 and 1959 continued the tradition. In 2010, the torch was passed to the men of the year 1969 (men born in the 60’s), and the Leuvense Meyboom companions. These are the current Leuvense Meyboomplanters.