Belgium (België, La Belgique) has a population of about 10 million, of which 60% speaks Dutch and 40% French. Less than one percent speaks German or Letzeburgisch (German dialect of Luxemburg).
Dutch is spoken in Limburg, Antwerpen, Vlaams Brabant, Oost Vlaanderen en West Vlaanderen. French is spoken in Liège, Luxembourg, Namur Hainaut, Brabant Wallon. German is spoken in a small area of Liège along the German border and Letzenburgisch in a small area along the border between the province of Luxemburg and the country of that same name.
Belgium is part of the low lands (the netherlands) which consisted of all of the present Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg and good chunk of northern France. France gradually conquered some of the southern parts of the netherlands, while the religious wars of the 16th and 17th century caused the division between ‘Nederland’ and ‘België’.
After the separation between north and south what is now Belgium was ruled by the Austrian branch of the Habsburg royal family. From 1815 the newly formed Kingdom of the Netherlands included all of Belgium, Netherlands and Luxemburg, but this fell apart in 1830 when after an uprising of the French speaking bourgeoisie Belgium became a kingdom ruled by Leopold von Sachsen-Coburg.
The French speaking bourgeoisie that rebelled in 1830 did not just come from the French speaking provinces but also from the Dutch speaking part. Even in my Dutch province of Limburg many middle and upper class people used to speak French. Dutch or Flemish was considered to be an inferior dialect only spoken by a bunch of ignorant peasants.
It was in the French speaking provinces of Liège, Luxembourg and Hainaut that the early industrialisation took place. The central government, based in Brussel, originally a Dutch speaking city, spoke French, the officers in the army spoke French and Bishops and other church ‘princes’ spoke French.
A lot has changed since those days. Now the Dutch speaking part of the country is the most affluent and most of the early industries of the French speaking part are closed. Belgium is a federal state, and Belgium could be a peaceful country, or two separate countries that would live peacefully together with the Netherlands and Luxemburg if it was not for Brussel.
Brussel was a Dutch speaking city, now it is an ever expanding French speaking area overwhelming the Dutch speakers left inside its borders and the Dutch speaking towns around it. Iskander (Alexander) sorted out the Gordian knot with his sword, Belgium needs a modern Iskander who will peacefully solve the Brussel conundrum.
Sat Shri Akal
Dear Harjinder Ji
Thank you for putting Belgium on the map! Thank you for giving so much spotlight on the sangat in Sint-Truiden.
You made a good analysis on Belgium. Only i missed that people in the Dutch speaking part are called Flemish (and they speak Flemish, which is “rounder” way of speaking Dutch). The French speaking ones are Walloons.
i am Flemish, i can feel this when i am abroad, really. But when i am here in Belgium i often feel that my identity is taken by the extreme right wing nationalist party. So i admit my Flemish roots but what i really am is a worldcitizen, who can live anywhere and is glad with the company of any other nationality. These right wing national parties want Flandres only for the Flemish, it is an idea i hate like hell. Their policy is very against any foreigner (including sikhs, moslims, hindus etc)
So i am Limburger and Wereldburger!
And you too! (U2)
Dear Manpreet Kaur,
Vahiguru Ji Ka Khalsa Vahiguru Ji Ki Fateh
I do not know if you are Flemish, as I am confused about the meaning of this word. Flanders as far as I know consists of two provinces in the west of Belgium, a small sliver of the Netherlands and a small area of North Western France, and although you lived in Ieper I do not think that your roots are either in French, West, East or Zeeuws Vlaanderen. Correct me if I am wrong !
We both have our roots in the Netherlands, not as in the present meaning of that word but as in the 17 provinces that made up the pre-reformation Netherlands, the lowlands that were mostly part of the German Holy Roman Empire apart from Flanders which was part of the French Kingdom. The lowlands through a process of conquest and marriages ended up being ruled by the Dukes of Burgundy and after them by the Habsburgs, in whose empire the sun never set.
The Netherlands and Flanders historically consisted of a majority Dutch speaking area and a substantial minority French speaking area.
There were many dialects of Dutch, which are now rapidly disappearing. The official language of the Dutch speaking part of Belgium and of the present Netherlands is ruled by a Belgian/Dutch committee that rules on grammar and spelling.
We speak the same language, but there is a difference between ‘Netherlandish’as spoken in Belgium and the Netherlands. I am all in favour of the southern variety of our language, seeing that I was born and grew up in Dutch Limburg. The dialect of Zeeland is much more like Flemish as spoken in Flanders than the language of either Dutch or Belgian Limburg.
I agree with you that it is distressing that the parties that claim to defend our language and culture do this by attacking incomers. It is stupid, counterproductive, and cannot be reconciled with any faith and belief system.
Some Sikhs in Panjab equally think that you can defend Sikhi by attacking immigrants.
It is very sad indeed,
Love, Gurfateh,
Harjinder Singh
Dear Manpreet Kaur,
First a Human Being, then a Sikh.
I am a Dutchman, I have roots in Amsterdam, Limburg and Zeeland, I lived in Ireland and Panjab and I am now about to enter my ninth year in West London. Who knows where I will end up between now and the end of this life.
Gurfateh,
Harjinder Singh