Fransquillons

The Fransquillons (of Flemish Dutch Franskiljons , which can result roughly in “Small French”) are a minority of Belgium rather little known, more especially as it does not have an official recognition. They result from the Flemish Région.

They are Flemings culturally unilingual French-speaking people or many bilingual Flemings of native tongue Dutchwoman but having made the choice be expressed primarily in French. The unilingual ones often adopted the French language at the 19th century, with in an individual capacity or family; for others, it is about a recent linguistic adoption.

The historical role of Fransquillons in the economy and the culture of the Flanders

Historically, since the independence of the Belgium until the years 1960, Fransquillons often occupied the key positions of the Flemish economy. They were in particular large industrialists, jewellers, bankers, lawyers, doctors, frameworks. Primarily urban, they were concentrated in the Flemish big cities: Ghent, Antwerp, Bruges, Courtrai. They constituted part of the Flemish middle-class which was identified with the middle-class (dominant at the time) Walloon and Of Brussels and which had consequently adopted the French language.

Today, their economic role is definitely less important than formerly, because of the neerlandisation of the Flemish economy, the regionalization of the education and a change of mentality in general in Flanders. Their number strongly fell and continues to do it.

They played a part in economic development and industrialist of the Flanders, but were shown by the Flemish movement to be too related at the Belgian State and thus to the interests of French-speaking Belgium and to want to be distinguished from ordinary Flemings all while scorning them.

Fransquillons also gave to the Flanders writers of international repute ( to see the list of some Fransquillons famous ). Sometimes this is why one speaks about a Flemish literature of French expression .

Fransquillons today

Nowadays, there is approximately 1 more to 2% of Fransquillons in Flemish Area (source: J.W. Lapierre, political economist and specialist in the use of the languages), are approximately 60.000 to 100.000 people. The majority result from the Flemish upper middle class. Some are artists or work in the world of the culture, in particular several writers.

The cultural identity fransquillone is not that of the French-speaking people of the periphery of Brussels

The 120.000 French-speaking people of the Périphérie of Brussels are not of Fransquillons, because they are French-speaking people (Of Brussels or Walloon) who were established in Flanders since only one about fifty years.

Should not be confused either individual Francization, élitiste and very localized of the Flemings let us fransquillons (of which the total forever exceeded 2 to 3% of the population in Flanders) with massive, diversified and quasi-generalized Francization (middle-classes, then popular classes) which characterized the population of current Région of Brussels-Capital at the end of the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century, Inhabitants of Brussels being today French-speaking with 90%. This is why the 900.000 French-speaking Inhabitants of Brussels are not, them either, of the “Fransquillons”; more they are not defined as Flemings and the area-capital does not form part of the Flemish area.

Fransquillons (Flemish Area), on the other hand, were always regarded as Flemings that they never ceased being, they are proud of their cultural originality: i.e. at the same time Flemish and of French expression.

Fransquillons famous

(list to be supplemented)

Bonds

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