Flamenpolitik

The Flamenpolitik is a policy practiced by the German authorities of occupation at the time of the Première and Second world war in Belgium in order to allow its destruction and its Germanisation.

The Germans based this policy on the exploitation of the linguistic problems in Belgium, in particular the discrimination of the language Dutchwoman in progress before the First World War and on the Pangermanisme.

First World War

The Flamenpolitik consisted at the beginning with the transposition of the German laws in the languages of Belgium, but as from 1916, a new plan was developed in the idea that Belgium is not any more one obstacle, and this in a permanent way, and that Germany is surrounded by States inoffensive and opened with the German influence. This German plan implied the division of Belgium in two elements Flemish and Walloon and thus required that more radical measures are taken.

One founds with Ghent the first only Dutch-speaking university which one baptizes of the name of the general governor Moritz von Bissing. The chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg encouraged the Flemish nationalist leaders to declare independence and to integrate the German sphere and in same time the German occupying forces were helped and encouraged by the movement Walloon and Flemish nationalists. The governor von Bissing constituted a commission to prepare the division of this country and, by a decree the March 21st 1917, separated then Belgium in two administrative areas: the Flanders and the Wallonia. Taking again the decision of 1912 of the Walloon Movement to recognize Namur like the most central city of Wallonia, it establishes the seat of the Walloon administration there. The Walloon entity is then made up of the 4 Belgian provinces of the south and part of the province of the Brabant, the district of Nivelles. The Flemish entity has like sits Brussels and is made up of the 4 provinces of north as well as district of Brussels and Leuwen. It is the first attempt to divide Belgium into two linguistic parts, Dutch-speaking and a French-speaking person. It should be noted that these geographical methods of the German occupant are inspired in particular by the federalistic projects of the Walloon Mouvement. She were thus taken again naturally later by this same Walloon movement - for different reasons as the German reasons - at the time of the federalisation of the country, the Flemish Communauté and the Walloon region having today same the capitals and practically the same territories as the administrative entities of Flamenpolitik.

For an outline of Flamenpolitik German of the First World War, we on the occasion to see of it a good summary of the hand of the general governor Von Bissing in a letter sent to the emperor Guillaume II on April 6th, 1917:

“ In accordance with the indications of Your Majesty, I apply all my energy as soon as possible to develop the Flemish policy ordered by Your Majesty. After me to be intended to the measures to take, the 17 of the month spent, with the representative of the chancellor, the Secretary of State inside, I established a commission which must prepare the division of the old partly Flemish Kingdom of Belgium and Walloon part. Like first step, I have, according to the opinion of this commission, divided, by ordinance of the 21 past one, the territory of the general government in two administrative areas, Flemish and Walloon. By taking for base the linguistic limit, these two territories are limited by the borders of the provinces and there is only the Brabant which will be divided into two.
As the progress of the work allows it, the Walloon ministries will be transferred to Namur, while Flemish will remain in Brussels. According to our forecasts, one will start with the displacement of the Walloon ministry of Industry and Work with Namur. As of now, one takes measures to find buildings with Namur. The separation of the ministries will be followed other measurements of separation. It is advisable to announce the legal organization particularly.
With measurements of separation of the Belgian authorities will join the nomination of two German chiefs of administration, for the Flanders and Wallonia, and this designation even will be done, as of now. The hopes based on the creation of a delivered Flanders of the influence of the Walloons will be, hope, carried it out and will then serve certainly the German interests.
I allow myself however, to add that it would not be good to give up with its fate the delivered Flanders from there domination of Wallonia, or to regard it as an object of bargaining in the peace talks which are imminent. If the German Empire does not take guard there, the fate of Wallonia will be that of an enemy of Germany, entirely francized. Wallonia returned to the French influence would become automatically an instrument of English domination and would serve as a pretext for the English aimings on the coasts of the Flanders.
the extension of the German power and the German influence in Wallonia appear less important to me than in Flanders. Economically, Wallonia is worth even more for Germany that the Flanders, because of its industry, in particular because of its coal mining which I maintained in full activity. Undoubtedly, the economic value of Flandres will grow considerably when the coal treasures of Campine are exploited. It should be shown, moreover, that there is between Flemings and Walloons much economic relations which must continue after separation, if it is not wanted that both, or at least one of both, do not suffer damage. The Walloon population is easier to handle and direct that Flemish. The Flemings are naturally heavier and more inclined with resistance. The Walloons are lighter and, if they gain much, if they have some welfare benefits, if they can enjoy the life, they are easy to control. Consequently, I regard as a duty towards Your Majesty and the fatherland to point out that it is necessary to have care to preserve Wallonia organized well beside a well organized Flanders. ”

Second world war

Hitler again practiced this policy of destruction of Belgium. This Flamenpolitik news was also justified by the aryanisation of the Belgian territories.

Within the framework of this policy, the German authorities decided to release all the Dutch-speaking militiamans (“ Flemish ”), like all the warrant officers and warrant officers of reserve who were prisoners of war following the capitulation of Belgium. Any soldier of these categories making a success of a linguistic test accepted his Entlassungschein allowing him to return to their home. Even if practically all the Inhabitants of Brussels as of other French-speaking soldiers made a success of the test, the majority of the French-speaking people remained in the prison camps until the end of the war. This discriminatory and vexatious measurement was applied to exacerbate the Belgian Community problems and to have a better collaboration of the inhabitants of the North of the country. It was facilitated by the fact that in 1938 the Belgian army had been divided into Flemish and Walloon regiments.

One also includes in Flamenpolitik the decision of the German army not to bombard the Dutch-speaking communes of Belgium and to circumscribe the damage with the French-speaking people, but it can also be explained by the utility of these bombardments: Not only their destruction weakened the allied troops, but the destroyed cities involved also many civilians on the roads, which made difficult the movements of the armies allied which were to be put initially on the Antwerp-Namur line as it was agreed between the Belgian and French Staff in the event of German invasion. This “exodus” was of a weight by no means negligible on military operations of combined during the Bataille of France. The cities of the South of Belgium were thus much strategic to bombard. Nevertheless an order was given by von Brauchtisch on May 22nd, 1940 to save the Flemish cities, being given the political policy to hold decided by Führer whereas most of Belgium had already fallen and that cities as Leuwen had been shaven.

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