Biographies

Hendrick Chin A Sen: Surinamese leader during the 1980–1982 transition Hendrick Chin A Sen Overview of Hendrick Rudolf 'Henk' Chin A Sen (1934–1999), Surinamese politician of Chinese descent who served as President of Suriname from 15 August 1980 to 4 February 1982 and h…

Hendrik Conscience: champion of Flemish literature and popular historical novelist Hendrik Conscience Belgian novelist Hendrik Conscience (1812–1883) popularized Dutch-language fiction in 19th-century Belgium through historical novels and accessible storytelling that helped revive…

Hendrik Antoon Lorentz Hendrik Lorentz Dutch theoretical physicist celebrated for the Lorentz transformations, his electron theory, and the 1902 Nobel Prize (with Pieter Zeeman) for explanations of the Zeeman effect.

Hendrik Verwoerd: Prime Minister of South Africa and Architect of Apartheid Hendrik Verwoerd Overview of Hendrik F. Verwoerd (1901–1966), National Party leader who shaped apartheid policy, led South Africa’s transition to a republic, survived an earlier attempt on his life…

Hendrik Willem van Loon Dutch-born historian and popular children's author (1882–1944), best known for the illustrated book The Story of Mankind and as the first winner of the Newbery Medal.

Henri "Heng" Freylinger Heng Freylinger Luxembourgian wrestler Henri “Heng” Freylinger (1926–2017) competed in Greco-Roman welterweight for Luxembourg at the 1952 Helsinki Summer Olympics and is remembered in national sp…

Hengist and Horsa Semi-legendary 5th-century brothers traditionally associated with the early Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain and the founding of the kingdom of Kent; their story mixes history and…

Henk Faanhof (1922–2015): Dutch road cyclist and Tour stage winner Henk Faanhof Profile of Henk Faanhof, a Dutch professional road cyclist from Amsterdam who rode in the postwar era, won a 1954 Tour de France stage, competed at the 1948 Olympics and had a nota…

Henk Hofland Dutch journalist, commentator and essayist Henk Hofland (1927–2016) was a leading voice in postwar Netherlands, often called the éminence grise of Dutch journalism and named 'Journ…

Henk Krol: Dutch journalist, publisher and politician Henk Krol Profile of Henk Krol, Dutch journalist and politician known for founding Gay Krant, leading 50PLUS, LGBT activism, business ventures, and parliamentary service in the Netherlands.

Henk Overgoor — Dutch footballer best known for his years at De Graafschap Henk Overgoor Profile of Henk Overgoor (1944–2020), a Dutch professional footballer who played for Go Ahead Eagles and spent most of his career at De Graafschap; context, career outline and lega…

Henk Schouten — Dutch midfielder from Rotterdam (1932–2018) Henk Schouten Henk Schouten (1932–2018) was a Rotterdam-born Dutch football midfielder who played for Excelsior, Holland Sport and Feijenoord during the mid-20th century; he died of pancreatic c…

Henk ten Cate Dutch former footballer and coach known for his assistant role at FC Barcelona and head-coaching spells across Europe and the Middle East. Recognised for attacking tactics and work…

Henk Weerink — Dutch association football referee (1936–2014) Henk Weerink Hendrik “Henk” Weerink was a Dutch association football referee who officiated more than 450 national and international matches between 1967 and 1983.

Henk Wesseling — Dutch historian of modern Europe and imperialism Henk Wesseling Overview of Henk Wesseling (1937–2018), a Dutch historian, Leiden professor, rector of NIAS, and member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, noted for work on con…

Henning Carlsen (1927–2014) Henning Carlsen Danish film director, screenwriter and producer known for Hunger and People Meet and Sweat Music Fills the Heart; two-time Bodil Award winner and influential figure in postwar Dani…

Henning Jensen (Danish footballer) Henning Jensen Danish forward Henning Jensen (1949–2017) played for top European clubs including Borussia Mönchengladbach, Real Madrid, Ajax and AGF. He won multiple trophies and scored nine goal…

Henning Mankell: Swedish novelist, playwright and creator of Inspector Wallander Henning Mankell Swedish author Henning Mankell (1948–2015) wrote novels, plays and television scripts. Best known for the Kurt Wallander crime series, he was also active in theatre, humanitarian w…

Henri Becquerel — discoverer of natural radioactivity Henri Becquerel French physicist who discovered spontaneous radioactivity in 1896; co‑recipient of the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics. The SI unit becquerel is named after him.

Henri Bergson: philosopher of duration and creative evolution Henri Bergson French philosopher (1859–1941) known for the ideas of durée (lived time), élan vital (creative life force) and the primacy of intuition; influential in literature, psychology, and…

Henri Biancheri — French footballer and sports executive Henri Biancheri Henri Biancheri (1932–2019) was a French professional midfielder who spent 14 seasons on the pitch, seven with AS Monaco, and later worked as commercial director at Adidas from 196…

Henri Coandă Romanian inventor and aerodynamics pioneer best known for the Coandă effect and the experimental Coandă-1910 aircraft; his work influenced fluid dynamics, aviation design, and late…

Henri "Rik" Coppens — Belgian striker and inaugural Golden Shoe winner Henri Coppens Henri "Rik" Coppens (1930–2015) was a Belgian striker, a prolific goalscorer for Beerschot, the first Belgian Golden Shoe winner (1954), a Belgium international and an influencer o…

Henri Cornet: Youngest Winner of the Early Tour de France Henri Cornet Henri Cornet (born Henri Jardry) was a French road cyclist best known for being declared winner of the scandal‑marred 1904 Tour de France at age 19. This article reviews his life,…

Henri Cueco: French painter, writer and political satirist Henri Cueco Overview of Henri Cueco (1929–2017), his major painting series, political engagement, writings and role in the Coopérative des Malassis; artistic style and lasting significance.

Henri de Baillet-Latour Belgian count and third president of the International Olympic Committee (1925–1942), who led the IOC through the interwar years and the politically charged 1936 Berlin Games.

Henri de Contenson (1926–2019): French archaeologist Henri de Contenson French archaeologist Henri de Contenson (1926–2019) was Research Director at CNRS and assistant director on Middle Eastern excavations from 1951–1976. His fieldwork influenced stud…

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec: Painter and Poster Artist of Montmartre Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec French Post-Impressionist (1864–1901) celebrated for candid paintings and lithographic posters documenting Parisian nightlife, cabarets, dancers and the margins of fin-de-siècle so…

Henri Dirickx Belgian footballer (born Hendrik Paul “Rie” Diricx), defender and Belgium international who played for Union Saint-Gilloise and appeared at the 1954 FIFA World Cup.

Henri Emmanuelli French Socialist politician (1945–2017), long-serving deputy for Landes, President of the National Assembly (1992–1993) and First Secretary of the Socialist Party (1994–1995).

Henri La Fontaine: Belgian jurist, bibliographer, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Henri La Fontaine Belgian lawyer and parliamentarian who advanced international peace, social reform and the organization of knowledge; co-founded major bibliographic initiatives and won the 1913 No…

Henri Landwirth — hotelier, Holocaust survivor and philanthropist Henri Landwirth Henri Landwirth (1927–2018) was a Belgian‑American hotelier and humanitarian best known for founding Give Kids The World and Dignity U Wear; a Holocaust survivor who built a lifelo…

Henri Matisse: Painter, Colorist and Innovator of Modern Art Henri Matisse Overview of Henri Matisse (1869–1954), his artistic development from Fauvism to cut-outs, characteristic use of color and line, major works, and lasting influence on 20th-century a…

Henri Michel — French football midfielder and coach Henri Michel Henri Michel (1947–2018) was a French footballer best known as a midfielder for FC Nantes and as a long-serving France international who later had a wide-ranging coaching career.

Henri Murger (1822–1861) Henri Murger French writer best known for Scènes de la vie de bohème, a vivid portrayal of poor artists in Paris that inspired major operas and shaped the modern idea of bohemian life.

Henri Namphy — Haitian military leader and head of state Henri Namphy Henri Namphy (1932–2018) was a Haitian general who led the post-Duvalier provisional government and briefly served twice as head of state during a period of political transition an…

Henri Pirenne Henri Pirenne (1862–1935) was a Belgian historian whose work on medieval cities and the transition from antiquity reshaped European historiography; best known for the Pirenne Thesi…

Henri Poincaré: French mathematician, physicist and philosopher of science Henri Poincaré Overview of Jules Henri Poincaré (1854–1912): his life, major mathematical and scientific contributions, influence on topology, dynamical systems, relativity, and his lasting legac…

Henri Richard Henri Richard (1936–2020) was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who spent his entire NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens, winning a record eleven Stanley Cups and later…

Henri Rousseau: Self-taught painter of vivid jungles and naive vision Henri Rousseau Henri Rousseau (1844–1910), nicknamed Le Douanier, was a French self-taught post‑Impressionist painter known for boldly colored, dreamlike jungle scenes, still lifes and portraits…

Henri Termeer: Biotech Executive and Orphan Disease Pioneer Henri Termeer Dutch‑born CEO of Genzyme who built a business model around biologic therapies for rare genetic disorders, shaping modern orphan‑drug strategy and influencing the biotechnology ind…

Henri Troyat: French novelist, biographer and historian Henri Troyat Henri Troyat (born Levon Aslan Torossian) was a prolific 20th-century French novelist and biographer of Armenian origin, noted for historical portraits, popular novels and long-ter…

Henri Vieuxtemps: Belgian Violinist and Composer (1820–1881) Henri Vieuxtemps Henri Vieuxtemps (1820–1881) was a Belgian violin virtuoso and composer whose concertos and chamber works expanded nineteenth‑century violin technique and repertoire.

Henri Weber (1944–2020) — French politician and public figure Henri Weber Overview of Henri Weber, a French politician of Jewish-Polish descent, his career as a senator and Member of the European Parliament, political evolution, and legacy.

Henri of Luxembourg: Grand Duke and Constitutional Head of State since 2000 Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg Profile of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, head of state since 2000: his accession, constitutional and ceremonial duties, international role, family background and public service

Henrieta Farkašová — Slovak visually impaired alpine skier Henrieta Farkašová Slovak visually impaired alpine skier, World and Paralympic champion who won multiple golds in visually impaired downhill, slalom, giant slalom and super combined, often guided by…

Henrietta Maria of France (1609–1669): queen consort, exile, and cultural patron Henrietta Maria of France French princess, youngest daughter of Henry IV, who became queen consort to Charles I. A Catholic and political figure, she supported the Royalist cause, lived in exile after the C…

Henrietta of England (1644–1670): princess, Madame d'Orléans, and court influencer Henrietta of England Henrietta of England (1644–1670), youngest daughter of Charles I, married Philippe I of Orléans. She was a prominent presence at Louis XIV's court, a diplomatic intermediary and a…