Description

Belgian judo pioneer, credited with introducing the sport to Belgium. Studied judo formally for the first time in Berlin in January 1941 at the school of Erich Rahn, the first Belgian to do so, continuing until 1943. Founded the first Belgian judo club, the Judo and Jujutsu Academy Bushido-Kwai, at Schelle on 20 May 1946; a Mechelen branch followed on 14 March 1951 and in 1996 the club became the first in Belgium to be granted the Royal predicate. Promoted to shodan in September 1952 and from that year a first-generation, dedicated student of Tokio Hirano. Pioneer of judo instruction to the Belgian police from the early 1950s and of children's and women's judo programmes. His notable students include Carl De Crée and Jeannine Meulemans. The city of Mechelen named its new combat sports hall after him in October 2012, following his death in August of that year.

Teachers (3)

• 
  Erich Rahn

  linkJūjutsu 3

  Confirmed

  English Wikipedia documents that De Smedt joined the Jujutsu and Judo Verein Erich Rahn in Berlin in January 1941 - the first Belgian to study judo formally - and practised there until 1943; the club historiek confirms his instructor diploma from Rahn's school.

  (1941-1943)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  English Wikipedia documents that De Smedt joined the Jujutsu and Judo Verein Erich Rahn in Berlin in January 1941 - the first Belgian to study judo formally - and practised there until 1943; the club historiek confirms his instructor diploma from Rahn's school.

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "In January 1941, he studied judo formally in Berlin, and was the first Belgian to have done so. ... De Smedt was impressed the demonstration and in January 1941, he became a member of the Jujutsu and Judo Verein Erich Rahn ... He continued his practice until the movie theatre was bombed in 1943."

  — Felix De Smedt - Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo
• 
  Jean de Herdt

  linkKōdōkan Jūdō 3

  Confirmed

  English Wikipedia records that De Smedt increased his expertise under Jean de Herdt, who promoted him to blue belt 2nd kyu in November 1949 and to brown belt 1st kyu in June 1950.

  (1949-1950)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  English Wikipedia records that De Smedt increased his expertise under Jean de Herdt, who promoted him to blue belt 2nd kyu in November 1949 and to brown belt 1st kyu in June 1950.

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "In November 1949, de Herdt promoted De Smedt to blue belt 2nd kyu, and in June 1950 to brown belt 1st kyu."

  — Felix De Smedt - Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo
• 
  Hirano Tokio

  linkKōdōkan Jūdō 3

  Confirmed

  English Wikipedia states that De Smedt was introduced to Tokio Hirano by Ger F. M. Schutte and became a first-generation and dedicated student of Hirano from 1952 until Hirano left.

  (1952)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  English Wikipedia states that De Smedt was introduced to Tokio Hirano by Ger F. M. Schutte and became a first-generation and dedicated student of Hirano from 1952 until Hirano left.

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "De Smedt was introduced to Tokio Hirano by Schutte, and became a first-generation and dedicated student of Hirano from 1952 until Hirano left."

  — Felix De Smedt - Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo

Ranks (2)

• linkKōdōkan Jūdō

  military_tech2 dan 3

  Confirmed

  English Wikipedia records that at his death De Smedt held the judo rank of nidan (2nd dan), to which he had been promoted by Tokio Hirano and which had been recognized by the Belgian Judo Federation through its technical director Ichiro Abe. The date of the promotion is not recorded.

  Dan-Kyu System

  granted by Hirano Tokio

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  English Wikipedia records that at his death De Smedt held the judo rank of nidan (2nd dan), to which he had been promoted by Tokio Hirano and which had been recognized by the Belgian Judo Federation through its technical director Ichiro Abe. The date of the promotion is not recorded.

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "At the time of his death De Smedt held the judo rank of nidan (second degree black belt) to which he had been promoted by Tokio Hirano and which had been recognized by the Belgian Judo Federation through its technical director Ichiro Abe; he also held the rank of 6th degree black belt in his club's Judo-Karate fighting system, based on a combination of Kodokan judo and Ashihara karate."

  — Felix De Smedt - Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo
• military_tech6 dan 3

  Confirmed

  English Wikipedia records that De Smedt also held the rank of 6th degree black belt in his club's Judo-Karate fighting system (BKFS), based on a combination of Kodokan judo and Ashihara karate. This is a rank of the Bushido-Kwai club system, not a Kodokan or federation dan grade; it is attributed here to the club organization that bestows it, per database convention.

  Dan-Kyu System

  granted by Royal Judo & Karate Academy Bushido-Kwai Mechelen

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  English Wikipedia records that De Smedt also held the rank of 6th degree black belt in his club's Judo-Karate fighting system (BKFS), based on a combination of Kodokan judo and Ashihara karate. This is a rank of the Bushido-Kwai club system, not a Kodokan or federation dan grade; it is attributed here to the club organization that bestows it, per database convention.

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "At the time of his death De Smedt held the judo rank of nidan (second degree black belt) to which he had been promoted by Tokio Hirano and which had been recognized by the Belgian Judo Federation through its technical director Ichiro Abe; he also held the rank of 6th degree black belt in his club's Judo-Karate fighting system, based on a combination of Kodokan judo and Ashihara karate."

  — Felix De Smedt - Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo

Students (1)

• 
  Carl De Crée

  linkKōdōkan Jūdō 3

  Confirmed

  De Crée's own Judo Pour Tous biography names Felix De Smedt as his principal teacher at the time he obtained his black belt at 16; independently corroborated by the English Wikipedia biography of De Smedt, which lists Carl De Crée among his students.

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources

  fact_check

  De Crée's own Judo Pour Tous biography names Felix De Smedt as his principal teacher at the time he obtained his black belt at 16; independently corroborated by the English Wikipedia biography of De Smedt, which lists Carl De Crée among his students.

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "À 16 ans, il obtient la ceinture noire de jùdô. Son professeur principal à l'époque était Felix De Smedt (1923-2012), fondateur de la Jùdô et de la Jujutsu Academy Bushido-Kwai Mechelen."

  — Carl De Crée. Carl de Crée - page de présentation (Judo Pour Tous)linkinfo

  "Among his students are: Gustaaf De Waele, François Van Onckelen (-60 kg), Jeannine Meulemans (women's -56 kg), Carl De Crée (-78 kg), and Sonja Maes (women's -72 kg)."

  — Felix De Smedt - Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo

Sources