The interwar period

In this way, freedom of the press was significantly restricted. German newspapers were no longer allowed to circulate, and editors who were too pro-German were replaced. At the same time, the new fatherland was promoted by investment in the construction of schools, churches, dams, etc., and by promoting new economic sectors. The transitional government also tried to respect the German language and culture.

But disillusionment set in among the Belgian public to a certain extent when they realised that the ‘rediscovered brothers’ only spoke the language of the former enemy, Germany, hardly understood French, and were rather reserved towards Belgium.

There were also differing opinions in the Belgian parties: The Socialist Party advocated a new, democratic referendum. Politicians of the conservative parties called for the Francisation of the new citizens. The French language was to be gradually introduced in schools and the administration. This basic attitude arose from widespread colonial thinking at the turn of the century, which linked sovereignty with an imposition of one’s own values, culture, and language.

After its incorporation into the Belgian state, what is now East Belgium became a full part of the Belgian state. Belgium had already had a very liberal constitution since 1830 and was a progressive democracy. However, the government did not continue its integration policy. Hence, from 1925 onwards, German governmental agencies promoted German culture, press, and economy in East Belgium. In 1929, 75 per cent of East Belgian voters voted for parties that advocated a new referendum and a return to Germany.

After the Nazis came to power in Germany in 1933, the promotion of pro-German opinion groups was replaced by National Socialist propaganda. The population was divided. On the one side, there were those who had settled in the new fatherland of Belgium; on the other side, others advocated for a return to the old fatherland of Germany, and from 1936 on, the latter increasingly radicalised in their nationalism. This image of history also became firmly established in the collective memory.

From today’s perspective, the Belgian state attempted to integrate, but did not succeed – not least because of German propaganda. Belgium responded too little to the interests of the population. The state failed to accept and actively promote the German culture of the new minority as part of the Belgian state. Moreover, the Belgian constitutional state was faced with the question of which democratic instruments it could use against those people who opposed it.