Civil Affairs Handbook Belgium Section 1

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ARMY SERVICE FORCES MANUAL

SCIVIL AFFAIRS HANDBOOK

BELGIUMSECTION 1: GEOGRAPHICAL

AND SOCIAL BACKGROUND

WDissemination of restricted matter. - The information con-

tained in restricted documents and the essential characteristics of restricted

material may be given to any person known to be in the service of the United

States and to persons of undoubted loyalty and discretion who are cooperating

in Government work, but will not be communicated to the public or to the press

except by authorized military public relations agencies. (See also par. 18b,

AR 380-5, 28 Sep 1942.)

HEADQUARTERS, ARMY SERVICE FORCES.

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21 APRIL 1944

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Ciil Affair

CIVIL AFFAIRS HANDBOOK

BELGIUM:

SECTION1: GEOGRAPHICAL

AND SOCIA BACKGROVND

HEADQUARTERS, ARMY SERVICE FORCES, 21 APR IL 1944

911111W&~. . Dissemination of restricted matter. - The Information con

taiined in restricted document's ..and the essential characteristics of restricted

material may be given to any person known to be in the service of the United

States and to persons of undoubted loyalty and discretion who are cooperating

In Government work, but will not be communicated to the public or to the press

except by authorized military public relations agencies. (See also par. 18b,

AR 380-59 28 Sep 1942.)

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ARMY. SERVICE FORCES MANUAL



NUMBERING. SYSTEM OF

ARMY SERVICE JORCES MANUALS

The main subject matter of each Army Service Forces Manual is indicated

by consecutive numbering within the following categories:

Ml~ 1M99

M4100 - M4199

M4200 - M4299

M4300 -M399

M4400 - 14499

M4500 - M4599

14600 - M699

M4700 - M4799

1i800 - M899

M900 up

Basic and Advanced Training

Army Specialized Training Program and Pre-

Induction Training

Personnel and MoraleCivil Affairs

Supply and TransportationFiscalProcurement and Production

Admini stration

Mi scellaneous

Equipment, Materiel, Housing and Construction

HEADQJJARTERS, ARMY SERVI CE FOP.C3S,

Washington 25, D. C. 27 April 1944.

Army Service Forces Manual 14 - 361 - 1, Civil Affairs Handbook-

Belgium, Section 1, Geographical and Social Background., has been prepared

under the supervision of The Provost Marshal General, and is published for

the information and guidance of all concerned.

Espx 461 (21 Sep 43).JBy command of Lieutenant General S0MERVELLt

W.* D. STYER,

Major General, General Staff Corps,Chief of Staffs

01F1 CIAL:J1. A. ULIO,Major General,

Adjutant General



urn-iii. -

This preliminary study on Geographical and Social Background in Belgiumwas

prepared for the

MILITARY GOVERNM1ENT DIVISION, O7?ICE Of TRt PROVOST MARSHAL GENERAL

by the

EUROPEAN UNIT, BUREAU OF PORFI GN AND DOM)ESTIC CO.MEROi,

UN I TID STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

OFFI CERS USING THI S MATERIAL ARE BMQUESTED TO MAK.E ST5GGESTI ONS AND

CRITICISMS INDICATING THE REVISIONS OR ADDITION.S WH!ICH WOULD MAKE THIS

I4LTEhIAL MORE US:EFUJL FOR THE~IR PURPOSES. THESE CRITICI SMS SHOULD BE

SENT TO THE CHIE~F OF THE1 LIAI SO N AND STUDIES BRANCH, MILITARY GOE1INM NT

DIVISION,PMGO, 2807 MUNITIONS BUILDING, WASHINGTON 25, D. C.



iv -

INTRODUCTION

Purhose if the Civi l Affair Handbook.

The basic purposes of civil affairs officers are (1) to assist the

Commanding General by quickly establishing those orderly conditions "which

will contribute most effectively to the conduct of military operations,

(2) to reduce to a minimum the human suffering and the material damage

resulting from disorder and (3) to create the conditions which will

make it possible for civilian agencies to function effectively.

The preparation of Civil Affairs Handbooks is a part of the effort

to carry out these responsibilities as efficiently and humanely as is

possible. The Handbooks do not deal with plans or policies' (which will

depend upon changing and unpredictable developments).' It should be

clearly understood that they do not i ply any given official program of

ac=in. They are rather ready reference source books containing th e basic

factual information needed for planning and policy making.

Revision for Final Publication.

The material in this preliminary draft was prepared by th e EUROPIAN

UNIT, BUREA OF FOREfIGN AND DOMESTIC COMMERCE, UNITED STATES DEPARTM NT Or

COMMERCE. If additional data becomes available it will be incorporated

in the final draft of the handbook on Belgium.



V.

C 1IIL A FFA I RS H A ND B O .K S

TOPI CAL OUYTLINE

1. Geograrphical and Social Background

2. Government and Administration

3. Legal Affairs

4. Government Finance

5, Money and Banking

6. Natural Resources

7. Agricultuxre

8. Industry and Commerce

9. Labor

10. Public Works and Utilities

11. Transportation Systems

12. Communications

13. Public Health and Sanitation

14. Public Safety

15. Education

16. Public Welfare

17. Cultural Institutions

This preliminary stdy, n Geographical and Social Background in Belgium

was prepared for the MILITARY GOVERITh NT DIVISION, OI'?IC1 07 THE PROVOST

MARSHAL GPFN7RAL by the 1EURCPryAN IIIT, BUREFAU 0? FOREICGN AND DOMESTIC COMM9RC1,

UNI TED STATES DEPART MEET OF COMMERCE.



- i -

TABLE OF COI7 ENS

Page

I. INTRODUCTION

II. THE LAND

A. Boundaries an d Frontier Distric.

1 Boundary Disputes

2. Telephone an d Telegraph

3. Roads

4. Railroads

5, Automotive Transportation

6, Airlines

7, Ports of Entry

8, Steamship Lines

9. Cables

B, Territorial Divisions

1.. Topography

2. Economy

3. Small Land Holdings

4. Administrative Divisions

III. THE PEOPLE

A. Family and Sex

B. Church and Religion

1. Religious Holidays and Manner of Observance

C, Social Stratification

D, Education

1. Illiteracy

E. Outstanding Qualities and Habits

1. Use of Alcohol and Tobacco

F. National Holidays and Festivals

G. Popular Sports and. 1ntertainment

1. Fairs and Popular Events

H.. General Living Conditions

I. Attitude Toward the War

J. Attitude Toward the United States

Languages

Racial Conflicts and Discriminations



-vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS (cont' d)

IV, TABLES

1. Population Movement2. Population by Provinces3. Foreign Residents

4. Populations of Cities and Towns5. Occupational Census

6. Population According to Age Groups

7. Percentage of Illiterates by Age Groups8. Languages According to Provinces

9. Languages Spoken in Belgium

V. MAPS

1. Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg

2. The Railways of Belgium~3. lbert Canal

4. Ethnographical Divisions of Belgium

Page

OwNwr



I. INTRODUCTION

A favorable geographical situation, a temperate climate,excellent

transportation facilities, a rich African colony, and a people with a

remarkable aptitude for hard work have been among the principal factors

influencing Belgium's economic destiny and making it one of the most

financially sound and progressive countries of the world.

Situated at the-crossroads of European commercial routes, with well-

developed waterways, railroads, and highways, Belgian manufacturers have

been in a position to sell to and buy from other countries without diffi-

culty,

Belgium lies close to Germany; in the past participated in the life

of the German Empire, and is still the nearest outlet for many of Germany's

western industries. It lies close to France and has played its part in

French history, having been part of the French Empire at one time, and is

linked to France by a common tongue. It once formed an integral part

of the Netherlands (then the United Netherlands) and in many ways their

economies are similar - especially commerce and shipping. From the early

Middle Ages it has been intimately bound to England by the closest economic

ties. The estuaries of the Thames and the Scheldt face each other, and can

be reached by boat in less than four hours,

U--



-2-

Although handicapped in many ways by a lack of essential raw materials,

Belgium was able, because of the temperament of its people, to compete

with the better equipped and more richly endowed neighboring producing

countries. The traditions and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church have

molded a conservative people, willing to work for small wages in a market

where living standards were comparatively low and local purchasing power

was limited. Owing to the division of the land into small holdings,

particularly in Flanders, the overwhelming majority of the Flemings remained

attached to the soil, and the attraction of the large towns was not nearly

so strong as in other countries. The number of farm laborers was relatively

small, every farmer endeavoring to cultivate his plot with the help of his

family.

Being one of the most densely populated countries in the world and

at the same time poor in natural resources, Belgium was traditionally an im-

porter of raw materials and foodstuffs and an exporter of manufactured and

semi-manufactured goods. It has been truthfully said that Belgium lived main-

ly by its manufacturing industries, and had it not been for the ability to

sell its products in foreign lands, the Belgium people could not have exist-

ed under normal conditions.

As the once workable mineral deposits of Belgium became exhausted, these

of the Belgian Congo were explored, with the result that Belgium was able

to establish new projects for the processing and refining of ore from the

newly developed mines of the Belgian Congo. Thousands of tons of copper

ore, lead ore, and tin ore began to pour into Belgium, as well as smaller

quantities of the rarer metals such as cadmium, tantalum, ana radium.



-3-

The discovery of diamonds in the Congo enhanced the position of Ant-

werp as the center of the diamond cutting and polishing indtustry of the

world by providing raw material from a national sorce. Yet with the wealth

of the Congo at hand, Belgium industry as A whole remained, largely

dependent upon foreign countires for the greater portion of its indis-

pensable raw materiels.

Being a large producer of coal, but with other mineral deposits be-

coming gradually depleted, Belgian industry, in order to maintain its posi-

tion, became more and more a transforming industry. As already noted, the

mineral wealth of the Congo aided this development. Further, in order to

foster and maintain this position, the Government, in the face of increas-

ing protectionism in other countries, followed a liberal customs policy.



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II. THE LAND

A. BOU1WDARILS AND FRONTIR. ISTRICTS

Belgium has an area of 11,754 square miles, including 382 square

miles added by the Treaty of Versailles, and approximates the combined

areas of the States of Maryland and Delaware,

It lies slightly north of the Straits of Dover and along the southern

waters of the North Sa in Continental Europe. It is bounded on the North

and northeast by the Netherlands, on the east and southeast by Germany and

th e Grand Duchy of Luxemburg, and. on th e south by France.

Its land frontiers measure 793 miles divided as follows: the Nether-

lands 269 miles, Germany 60 miles, Ltemburg 80 miles, and France 384 miles.

In addition it has a sea coast of 42 miles along the North Sea. England is

only about 65 miles across the Channel by direct water route, and between

Dover and Ostend it usually takes a channel boat 3 hours,

In the north there is no natural boundary with the Netherlands, Until

the revolt of the Belgic provinces in 1830, present-day Belgium was a part

of the United Netherlands with the Dutch house of Orange-Nassau as the

sovereign head, The present boundary line has existed practically unchanged

since the Treaty of London dated April 19, 1839, which settled the irritating

boundary disputes emanating from the 1831 treaty and protocols of separation.

By the 1839 treaty Belgium lost a considerable portion of the Province of

Limburg including the Maastricht enclave which was essentially Belgian by

tradition and sentiment,

The Meuse(Maas) River divides Belgium and the Netherlands for about 23

miles on the East until the arbitrary line is reached which forms the

extreme eastern boundary between Germany and the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg.

No natural boundary, likewise, exists for the southern frontier with France

Y , 4~'~-i~i~~



except. where th e River Lvys separates th e countries for about 12 miles.

At th e end of World War I, Belgium was granted Eupen, Malmedy, and

IMoresnet, three districts of strategic importance acquired from Rhenish

Prussia in 1919, and,as already stated, added 382 square miles to the king-

dom. The inhabitats were predominately German-speaking, bu t it was claim-

ed by the Belgians that they were originally Walloons who had been de-

liberately Germanized in th e course of a century.

The cession of Malmedy took the frontier eastward to the watershed

between the feeders of the Meuse and those of the Moselle and Rhine, while

the cession of Eupen removed the frontier from the vicinity of Verviers to

that of Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle). By an oversight in the Treaty of Vienna

in 1815 Moreanet, a small district, was not assigned to either Belgium or

Prussia . As a consequence, it remained neutral territory between the tw o

countries but directly under German influence. It comprised little over

3,000 inhabitants, according to the census of 1910. While Germany acknow-

ledged the cessions, according to the treaties of that time, she always

maintained mental reservations and cherished the idea of re-uniting these

districts with the Reich at the propitious moment, Immediately upon the

capitulation of the Belgians, Germany claimed these districts as integral

parts of the Reich,

1. Bounry Disputes

There are no traditional boundary disputes between Belgium and her

neighbors, though various treaties have been negotiated between Belgium

and the surrounding countries regarding boundary adjustments s ince the

treaty of separation in 1831. The fact that th e Netherlands controls the



-7- 7 "

mouth of the Scheldt which otherwise would have given the countries a

natural boundary fo r considerable distance causes much dissatisfaction

among the Belgians, yet the conflicts and grievances are over the use of

a common waterway rather than a boundary line.

The greater portion of the boundary line between the Netherlands and

Belgium, especially that which involves the Scheldt, was the boundary es-

tablished in 1789 between the Republic of the United Netherlands and the

Austrian Netherlands (which embraced th e greater portion of present-day

Belgium) before Napoleon changed European borders. At the dissolution of

the United Netherlands into the present states of the Netherlands and Bel-

gium the old traditional boundary was more or less accepted.

The River Scheldt (Escaut) rises in France and flows for a consider-

able length of its navigable course through Belgium, but finally passe.

through Dutch territory and enters the North Sea by two mouths - the Eastern

Scheldt and the Western Scheldt or Hondt. The latter is the direct access

of the port of Antwerp to the sea. The estuary forms the home waters of

the Province of Zeeland, Netherlands, a province which had been connected

with the adjoining Province of Holland from very early times by the closest

bonds, and the inhabitants are essentially Dutch.

The fact that the last 40 miles of the course of the Scheldt flows

through Dutch territory has been the cause of much controversy between the

Dutch and the Belgians and is popularly known as the "Question of the

Scheldt". Disputes, negotiations, and agreements between Belgium and the

Netherlands regarding the various phases of this problem have recurred through-

out the existence of Belgium as an independent nation.

4-.EI-- .



-8-

A few other minor boundary questions with the Netherlands have arisen

and been settled from time to time, the latest being in 1912. Several

boundary accords have also had to be reached with France and Luxemburg, and

with Germany (in addition to the Versailles Treaty award regarding Eupen,

Malmedy, and Moresnet).

2. Telephone and Telegraphs

Belgium had a well-developed telephone system which, prior to the

German Invasion, connected with the important centers of Europe. At close

of the fiscal year ended February 1938, there were 1,954,677 miles of tele-

phone wire as compared with 1,928,697 for the preceding year, and th e number

of telephoneswas 393,528 as compared with 361,685.

There were 34,753 miles of telegraph wire at the close of the fiscal

year ended February 1938, as compared with 34,675 a year earlier. The number

of messages sent during the year totaled 6,563,358 as compared with 6,487,024

in the preceding year.

3. Roads

The net-work of roads in Belgium, among the most numerous in Europe,

connected with the most important commercial and industrial centers of the

neighboring countries. At the end of 1938, there were about 19,000 miles

of roads, of which 5,592 miles were owned by the State, 979 by the provinces

and the remainder by the cities and communes.

Hundreds of roads cross the international borders in all directions,

but the most important radiate from the principal industrial centers. From

Antwerp a main highway extends northwardly until it reaches the border town



-9-

of Wernhout which connects with the principal centers of the Netherlands.

From Hasselt extends a highway which joins the Dutch town of Maastricht, a

few miles on th e other side of the border.

A number of roads radiates from Liege into Germany, the most important

of which passes through th e town of Gemmenich in Germany and thence to Aix-

la-Chapelle (Aachen). On'August 15, 1903, Belgium signed an agreement with

Germany to improve the 'iacadamized oads which cross the two countries.

From Arlon in the Province of Luxemburg several principal highways

extend into France and th e Grand Duchy of Luxemburg, but the most important

one extends southwardly through the Luxemburg town of Capellen to the capital

city of the Grand Duchy.

From Charleroi a main highway extends southward, which crosses the

international border a fe w miles south of Bruly (Belgium) and connects with

the impor tant French city of Rheims. The main connection with Paris passes

through Mons and the French town of Maubeuge a few miles inside France.

Another road to Paris leaves the main highway in Belgium at Leize, Province

of Hainaut , and unites with Valenciennes in France, thence to Paris.

Roads from Yores, :rennin, and Tourna i all connect with Lille. A main

highway passes through PRousbrugge, Province of West Flanders, at the French

border town of Qosteappel and joins Dunkirk and other French towns.

4. Ralroads

Belgium. was the first continental country to provide" itself with rail-

ways on a carefully thought-out system. The first line was opened fo r traf-

fic between M~alines and Brussels in 1S35, and this was the beginning of the

network of railways which has long made Belgium notable for its facilities



REFERENCE

SSCI I °° Z '; aBELGIANNATIONALRAILWAYS

WWI tx O L e L A \ I) TWOORMORETRACKS

N 0 R T f! ,"T..,, ti SINGLE RACK

S IEeLOEE1tSAUR k ------ " PROPOSEDR UNDER CONSTRUCTION

(Y CHIMAY RAILWAYJ E A ZEEBRUGGE KNOCKs,MEA RNE'UN .. a MALINES-TERNEUZENRAILWAY

ELAMNEKGE SENAUGAE - - t - TURNHOUT NOECTRICGE LINES

xlASan t v "" t "" " ELECTRIC LINES

^' ". "w "'° 1 OTHERRAILWAYS

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ERCM

Th e railways of Belgium



of transport and communication.

Brussels is the principal railroad center. Its lines connect with all

frontier stations through such impor tant centers as Antwerp, Verviers, Arlon,

Dinant, Charleroi , Mons, Courtra i , Ypres, and Fumes . At Ostend, the prin-

cipal channel port. connections could be made with all European capitals.

At Antwerp the main line crosses the border fo r Rotterdam and The

Hague, while another extends eastwardly through Moll (Belgium) to Roermond

in the Netherlands en route to Duesseldorf , while a third extends southeast-

wardly to the Dutch border town of Maastricht to Aix-la-Chapelle, thence to

Cologne.

The principal lines to Paris either pass through Courtrai via Lille

and Douai or through Mons via Maubeuge (France), St. Quentin, an d Amiens,

or from Chimay (Belgium) to the French border town of Hirson thence through

L an (France) to Paris. The main line to Rheims passes through Dinant

(Belgium) to th e French border town of Givet.

The main lines to the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg are from Liege through

Gouvy (Belgium) to.the border town of Trois-Vierges in Luxemburg or through

Arlon an d the border town of Sterpnich to the city of Luxemburg.

5. Automotive Transportation

Bus transportation was non-existent in Belgium before World War I

with th e exception of the shor t line between the Nord an d Midi stations in

Brussels, which was operated with autobusses running on solid tires.

Owing to the disorganization of railroad transportation immediately

after War World I, a few bus lines were put into operation in 1918. The

lines developed with considerable rapidity, until it was found advisable to



S12

enact a law in 1924, regulating public transportation by autobusses.

In June 1926, there were 45 authorized bus lines, nearly all operating

in the Province of Antwerp. From that time on, development was extremely

rapid, until the German Invasion when more than 300 lines operated in all of

Belgium.

6, AirJ is.

Commerc ia l aviation in i3elium, which comes under the control of the

Ministry of Transport, was entrusted to -n e company, known as the SABENA

(Societe Anonyme Belge d'Exploitation de la i avigation Aerienne). This

organization maintained prior to the German occupation three distinct ser-

vices. First, were the lines directly connecting vrious European centers

including London, Amsterdam, Basel, Ctlogne, Hamburg, Malmos, and Prague.

Second, were the :rvices operating in the Belgian Congo, connecting different

points in that area-with Leopoidville. Third, was the service between Bel-

gium and the Congo with Brussels and Elizabethville the two extreme termini.

7. Ports Ent ry~1

The extensive system of waterways in Belgium has been adapted as an

economic necessity to provide adequate means of transportation at moderate

cost to supplement the railway systems. Contacts are maintained between

most of the towns and cities. Eight connections with waterways of France

have been established, direct service with the canals and rivers of the

Netherlands is available, and plans were considered for improving the con-

nections with the Rhino.



-13. -

Antwerp on th e Scheldt is not only the great commercial port of Bel-

giumn, but also one of the chief entrepts an d distribution centers for

western Europe. Its only rival was Rotterdamn which by nature has a more

favorable channel for ocean-going vessels, Other principal North Sea ports

are Ostend (principal Channel por t from England), Zeebrugge (the port for

Bruges), an d th e minor ports of La Panne, Blankenberghe, Heyst , Nieuport ,

an d Knocks.

The port of Antwerp is 55 miles from th e sea , an d because of the

narrowness of the winding Scheldt River most vessels must proceed to berths

in the inner basins of th e port before unloading, thereby, increasing th e

length of their stay in port. Below Antwerp, as already mentioned, the

Scheldt passes through Dutch territory. The Government has proposed connect-

in g Antwerp to the sea by means of a canal pass ing entirely through Belgian

territory, but as th e project has been under consideration for a number of

years, it is not likely to materialize within the near future. No warships

can go up or down th e Scheld t without th e consent of th e Dutch authorities.

Antwerp as a free port was amply equipped to handle all demands upon its

port facilities, having modern docks, sheds, warehouses, and other installati

as well as transportation connections with all points in Europe directly from

the quay. The m unic ipa l ity spent large sums annually in maintaining standard

and improving facilities, spending in the peak year more than 95,000,000 fran

for these purposes.

All of Europe was the hinterland, but more especially Germany, rrance,

Switzerland, and the Netherlands. The principal goods which passed in transi

to the hinterland were grains, petroleum products, automobiles and accessorie

unmanufactured copper, raw cotton an d waste, tobacco, an d many miscel laneous



- 1 -

perishable goods from overseas which could be shipped by fast freight direct

from the port.

Germany dominated the inward transit traffic and received annually through

Antwerp large quantities of raw materials and semi-manufactures such as

minerals, metals, and chemicals to supply the Ruhr area and other industrial

concentrations in the west. In 1937 goods amounting to 6,333,700 metric tons

passed through Belgium into Germany, but the movement declined to 5,069,200

tons in 1938, partly owing to the fact that in that year the Norddeutscher Lloyd

abandoned entirely the port of Antwerp fo r Rotterdam. In 1939 there was a

further decline to 3,162,000 tons.

France, second in importance as a destination, received 3,372,800 metric

tons in 1937, 3,079,400 tons in 1938, and 2,336,900 in 1939.

In the outgoing transit traffic, France sent goods through Antwerp in

1937 amounting to 7,089,700 tons, Germany 3,733,500 during the same year, and

the Netherlands 1,054,000. Switzerland also made great use of Antwerp as an

outlet for exports.

A few years prior to the invasion the importance of Antwerp was somewhat

impaired by a reduction in the working day to seven hours, coupled with an

increase in hourly wages. No similar measures were introduced at iotterdam

and this circumstance was one of the reasons why Rotterdam exceeded Antwerp

in the matter of total net tonnage shortly before the war. During1938 the

movement of sea-going vessels at the port of Antwerp declined by 5 percent in

number and 3.8 percent in tonnage as compared with 1937, while the movement

of vessels at the port of Rotterdam increased by 7 percent in number and 5

percent in tonnage.

4;



Ostend, about midway along the Belgian seaboard, has been an important

harbor fo r th e cross-Channel passenger service from Harick, London, Dover,

and Hull, and th e starting point of express trains for all parts 'of Erope

It has a large tidal harbor and is situated about two miles inland. A ship

canal, fourteen feet deep, connects Ostend with Bruages.

Zeebrugge - the foreport of industrial Bruges and th e harbor fo r th e

summer-crossing channel service from Harwick - is connected with Bruges

with a canal 3 miles long. Zeebrugge also receives in normal times a great

many ocean-going vessels through the year.

Bruges has a port containing docks which provide about one-.mile of

accommodation for vessels drawing less than 14 feet of water. The impor

ance of Bruges as a port was greatly increased by th e construction of the

Zeebrugge-Ostend canal during th e latter part of the nineteenth century.

At one time there was a direct steamship service from. Hull to Bruges =via

the Zeebrugge canal.

Blankenberghe is two miles west of Zeebruigge and is a small fishing

port with a tidal harbor of from 6 to 10 feet at low water and over 12 feet

at high water.

Nieuport -is situated on th e lY abut 10 miles southwest of Ostend.

The port is about two miles inlan4 froe th e old mouth of the Yser, and is

tidal.



10.

q /

*qft. *

*1

AA'r

L.o u vio %,I

NMAP of the ALbE T CAN~AL.

J'cle 4oc'. o0

444*"~4

Coe~ ¢ 31i

Cca Mirne

Coal( Port

01w Coi ^ c

S P . G-., st

z o4+Q

NovHt Ql7-'0

rslaiar

Wir74w9

HarSr

r/9 I(

4'197

LIE~t



17 -

Until th e completion in 1939 of the Albert Canal, Ghent was the most

important-inland port, receiving mostly freight from Great Britain and

-other countries through its many canals . But Liege, with its favorable

situation on the Meuso River and as the eastern terminus of the Albert Canal,

is now not only able to receive from and dispatch goods to the Netherlands,

Germany, and France, bu t through the western terminus of the canal at Antwerp

can send the metallurgical products o f its industries to all parts of the

world.

The head of naviga t ion on the Muse is Verdun in France, and another

Belgian inland port along its navigable length is Namur in the province of

that name.

Brusse ls is not usually known as a seaport, nevertheless, by means of

a canal it has access to the North Sea, and there was fairly regular service

to Great Britain. As early as 1560, Brussels was connected by th e Canal de

Willebrouck with th e River Rupel, a tributary of th e River Scheldt. A

canal also connects Brussels with the coal fields in the south. The present

canal between Brussels .and th e River Rupel is known as th e Brussels Canal

and after th e link with Rupel is made, boats can either proceed to either

Antwerp or to Ghent thence to the sea.

Ghent, one-t ime second port of the kingdom, is connected with the es-

tuary of the Scheldt by the Terneuzen ship canal. The length of the canal

is 2Oj miles of which 9 miles are in Dutch territory.

8. Steamshi Lines

The merchant marine flag of all sea-faring nations docked at Antwerp,

the strength of the port was in the large number of regular s teamship lines

-rn



- 18 o

which made Antwerp a regular port of call.

In 1938, of a total tonnage of 24,144,705 which entered the port,

17,670,000 tons, or 73,18 percent belonged to regular l ines, and 5,545,000

tons or 22.96 percent to tramp vessels, the remaining 3,8 percent being con-

posed of except ional calls, During that year , the classification of flags

which entered the port of Antwerp was as follows-: Germany 25.3 percent ,

Great Britain 23.7 percent , France 8.8 percent, Norway 7.6 percent , Nether-

lands 7.4 percent, Belgium 4,8 percent, Sweden 3,7 percent, Denmark 3,6 per-

cent, United States 3 .1 percent, Greece 2.1 percent, an d Japan 2,1 percent .

Besides the trans-oceanic vessels which docked regularly in Belgian

ports, there were th e channel crossings from Dover to Ostend, from. Harwick

to Antwerp, from London to Zeebrugge, from Hull to Zeebrugge, and from Hull

to Antwerp. In addition there were periodic sailings from Goole, Grimsby,

and Newcastle to Antwerp.

The Black Diamond Line was the most notable American Line which made

regular sailings to Antwerp prior to the war.

Belgium maintained a merchant marine of some importance, the most out-

standing line being 1Compagnie Nationale Belge de Transports Maritimes",

better known in the United States as the Belgian Line. It was subsidized

by the State. fgu ai sailings were made to the principal world centers,

with direct sailings to the Congo. For a number of years, however, it was

well known that the Belgian merchant marine was antiquated and inadequate

for the potentialities of the country.

Other Belgian steanship companies were: Agence Maritime Walford,

Antwerp; Oceane, Societe Anonyme Belge d'Armement et de Navigation, Antwerp;

Compagnie Royale Belgo--argentine, Antwerp; Societe Anonyme Ghent-Lloyd,

$woo~



m19

Ghent; Compagnie darrner ent et de Transports, Antwerp; and Societ6 Anonyine

John Cockeri l l (Ostend-Tilbury Line).

9 Cables

There were six Government-owned cables which connected the country

with Great Britain, that, is, one from Middelkerke, Belgium, to Dumnpton Gap,

Great Britain; three from La Panne, Belgium, to St. Margaret s Bay, Great

Britain; and two from La Panne to Dumpton Bay. An I tal ian-owned cable line

extends from La Panne to S. Amaro, Portugal, an d there are two owned by th e

Soc. Anon, Beige de Cabe Tele rphiquea. with one Utki de1kr with

Dumpton Gap, The other is outside of the territorial limits of Europe and

extends from Banana, Belgian Congo, to S. Thorne-Loanda, Angola.

Be TMITORIAL~e~ DIVIfSIONS

Unofficially, Belgiun with its nine provinces is divided into two

parts along ethnographical lines - Flanders and Wallonie. Flanders, con-

sist ing of the Flemish-speaking population, embraces th e five provinces of

East and test Flanders, Antwerp, Liburg, and Brabant, while Walloonie

comprises the French-speaking provinces of Hainaut, Namur, Luxemnburg, and

Liege. Inasmuch as the country is nearly 100 percent Roman Catholic, no

demarcations are apparent along religious lines.

The heavy line in th e accompanying map indicates the ethnographical

divisions of Belgium, the upper portion being Flemish and the lower Walloon.

smm



4

w'5

1 Irncl Elucui, 2o Mile,.



-21-

Until modern t imes both Flanders and Walloonie had separate histories,

Flanders for a long tieL was an independent sovereignty under th e rule of

a hereditary line of counts, while some of the provinces of so-called

Walloonie have enjoyed independence from time to time or under a succession

of foreign rulers.

1, Topography

The short coast is washed by a sea so shallow that the depth does not

exceed 5 fathoms until at least 5 miles from th e shore. 'The shore itself

is entirely composed of sand, very low and uniform, but suitable for the

establishment of sea-side watering places. For some .distance from the sea

the land is flat, being little above the level of the sea, At one point

near Fumnes it is 7 feet below, The same description applies more or lees

to the northeast, but in th e south of Hainaut and the greater part of Brabant

the general level of the country is about 300 feet above the sea, with

altitudes rising to more than 600 feet. South of the reuse, and in the distric

known as th e Sambre-ieuse plateau, th e level is still greater, and the whole

Province of Luxemburg is about 500 feet, with altitudes up to 1,650 feet. In

th e southeas tern part of the Prov-ince of Liege, there are several points

exceeding 2,000 feet. The highest of these is th e ;araque de Michel close

to th e German frontier, with an altitude of 2,3>20 feet. The Baraque de

Fraiture, northeast of La Roche, is over 4:,000 feet. While the greater part

of western and northern Belgium is devoid of the picturesque, the Adrennes

and the Fagnes districts (between the Saibre and the reuse) and Liege contain

much pleasant and romantic scenery. The principal charm of this region is

derived from its fine and extensive woods, of which that known as St. Hubert

is the best known,



- 22 . -

There are no lakes in Belgium, but otherwise it is exceedingly well

watered, being traversed by theMeuse for th e greater part of its course,

as well as by the Scheldt and the Sainore. The numerous affluents of these

rivers such as the Lys, Dyle, Dender, Ourthe, Ambleve, Vesdre, Lese, and

Semnois provide a system of waterways almost unique in Europe.

The canals of Belgium are scarcely less numerous or important than

those of th e Netherlands, especially in Flanders , where, they give a distinc-

tive character to th e countrys ide . But the most striking feature in Belgium,

where so much is modern, is found in the older cities with their relics of

medieval greatness and their record of ancient fame. These, in their order

of interest, are Bruges, Antwerp, Louvain, Brussels, Ghent, Ypres, Courtrai,

Tournai, Fumes, Oudenarde, and Liege.

Belgium lies between 49( 30 ' and 510 31' North, and 20 32' and 60 71

Fast, The climate is temperate and approximates that of southern &igland,

though somewhat hotter in sunmner and a littler colder in winter. At Ostend

the mean annual temperature is 49.30, while at Baraque Michel (2,19$ feet

above sea level) the figure is 43.20. The average number of days with

frost is 50 on the coast, as against 134 in th e Ardennes. The Campine

(that district in the Province of Limburg noted for its minerals) despite

its low-lying position has 94 days with frost, owing to its distance from

the sea. The rainfall increases towards the interior; th e average on th e

coast is 27.5 inches , at Baraque Michel it rises to 59.9 inches. The great-

est amount of snow falls in the Ardennes where depths of 27 inches have been

recorded.



-23

Belgium is essentially a manufacturing country. The econoxmy prior to

the German. nvasion was approximately 65 percent industrial and 35 percent

agricultural. Manufacturing is found in all nine provinces as well as agri-

cultural pursuits, but farming is more prevalent in Filanders than in "Wallooni

The cen~ter of the great incdustrial activity was the Province of Liege

which comprised the heart of the metallurgical, industry. The coal deposits

there are practically underneath the iron and steel plants in operation. The

Flesnish provinces were noted for textiles and many of the handicrafts which

made Flanders famous during the Middle Ages.

3, S 1a2 and Hli

Blelgium is essentially a country of small farm holdings. According to

the 1930 census of~ agriculture, the total area of farm lands was 1,997,-578

hectares (1 hectare 2,471 acres), with 1,131,146 holdings, averaging 1.766

hectares each. The larger estates are in the French-speaking provinces owned

by the ;7alloon landlords, while the smaller farms are in Flanders as the tradit

al heritage of the Flemish peasant.

The following table shows, the sezes 0f the farm3Saccording to the 1930

census :

Area Number of Farms

More than 100 hectares 46450 to 10 0 2,026

30 to 50 3,656

20 to 30 7,010

10 to 20 27,8832

5 to 10 56,311

1 to 5 194,914

less than 1 838,883

1,131,146



4, A nistr.a' 8e Di , ion

The nine provxinces of the kingdom are subdiv~ided into 342 cantons and

2,623 communes, The provinces are administered by 'a governor nominated by

the kig* The canton is a juidicial division for marking the limt of the

j sd ci n a h j e p 'X , a d th omn s t e a t a i e1nit,

p osse ssing self-governmen in all lo ca l matters. Fo r each comm une of

5, (X) 5.nhabtants or over, a burgomaster is appointed by the commiunal1 councl

A§twih i chose: by the electors of the coxe~

The following table shows the 9 provinces and their capitals:

East F ih.nder 9wa!m "n !" b.. .Buges

West Zianders~ .. .. Q'ommm'ob®m® hent

Brabant . b.9' "6OO6U ....... 0m Brussels

Luxemg 0 .... Arlon



25 -

III. THE PEOPLE

Belgium is the most densely populated country of Euroe, with an es-

timated population in 1938 of 8,386,553 on an area of 11,754 square miles,

as compared with 8,092,004 at the last official census of 1930. The density

in 1938 was placed at 713 per square mile, an increase of 25 persons per

square mile over the 1930 census. Each year the population has shown a gain,

with a good margin of births over deaths, and with the exception of 1934 an

excess of immigration over emigration.

The natural increase in the population, however, has tended to slow

down in recent years. The annual birth rate dropped from an average of 20.5

per mille in the 5-year period 1921-25 to a low of 15.2 per mille in 1936,

with slightly higher rates in the three years following. Since the German

occupation the birth rate is reported to have declined materially being below

13 per mille in both 1941 and 1942. The death rate, on the other hand, droppe

to only a slight extent, from an average of 13.4 per mille in the 1921-25

period to about 13 per mille in the period immediately preceding the present

war. In 1940, 1941, and 1942 the death rate rose appreciably (16.1, 14.6,and

14.6, respectively, per mille), with a resultant decline in the total popula-

tion, in addition to that caused by migration of workers to Germany.

Both the birth rate and thedeath rate in the period preceding the

present war were well below the European average.

The following table shows the movement of the population for each year

from 1930 to 1937:



VON.

- 26 -

?a le No. 1.

Population

8,092,004

8,159,185

8,213,449

8,247,950

8,275,552

8,299,940

8,330,959

8,361,220

P T3LATION MOMVE~NT

Increase Excess of

births

67,181

54,264

34,50127,602

24,388

31,019

30,261

46,874

43,716

39,603

30,114

34,88524,172

23,916

21,332

Excess of immigration

i) or of emigration-)

+24,842

+12,794

+ 7,926

is 3,096

do2,492

+ 157

+ 4,145

+ 7,986

The area of the 9 provinces and the population by sexes with the density

or each province are shown in the following table fo r 1937 (latest available

to the invasion) in comparison with the 1930 census:



T'able No. 1, P PLTIOI ACCORDING To PROTINOM'

Provinces

Antwerp

Brabant

WRest Flanders

East Flanders

Hainaut

Li ge

Luxemburg

Namnur

Area sq.

mile

1,104

1,268

1,249

1,147

1,437

1,525

930

1,706

1941.3

Men

582,718

811, 268

444,334

568,952

641,045

483,581

189,124

110,794

175,602

Women

590,645

868,797

457,254

580,247

629,186

489,450

178,518

110,126

180,363

1930 (Census)

Total Inhabitants

per sq. mi.

1,173,363 1,063

1,680,065 1,325

901,588 723

1,149,199 1,002

1,270,231 884

973,031 638

367,642 395

220, 920 129

355,965 252

Men Womnen Total Inhabitants

per sq. mi.

617,811 627,240 1,245,051 1,128

849,983 914,501 1,764,484 1,392

474,907 485,775 960,682 769

589,444 599,202 1,188,646 1,036

622,942 620,847 1,243,789866

479,563 492,191 971,754 637

210,669 199,311 409,980 441

110,604 109,387 220,441 129

175 002 181,391 356,393 252

TOTAL 11 8 V"4007, 18 08 86 8,092,004 687 J 0 925 & 20029 81361,220

~/includes certain natural bodies not calculated in area of 11,754 square miles as givenelsewhere in text,

692



The aLl i r id ng in Belgium i n 1.930 numnbered 31"),,230, of whoim the

greator porticn czs1 prised Dutch subjects and French aand. Polish citizens. The

following table shows the residents by country, of nationality and the propor-

tioci to each 1!,000 inhabitants

Tab No O

ROILGS fit

Couintry of

France

The Netherlands

Poland

Italy

Germany

Great Britain

Czechoslovakia

Others

Total.

1910

80,765

70,950

4,490

572010

6,974

34,93

254,547

19202

67.009

39 ,051

5 ,329

3,723

7,960

6,246

71.2

19,347

1.x.9 677

-L930

72,163

6~,2

12,070

11,99

10 866

61,2 --L

319,~230

1910

10.88

9®56

o06o

?.68

G.).

4.)63

34.29

Proj2prttors La 1000irbi tants

19202/ 1930

9.("9 9.TL7

0®72 6,26

1.08 1,49

0.8) L,43

0110 1.34

2.63 7,56

20.21 39®45

~/Territory accqired by Treaty of Ve.rsailles not' incLucdd,



_ 29 -

Belgium has only four cities of over 100,000 population, but, consider-

ing the small area of the country, has a large number of towns of moderate

size. The 34 cities with more than 25,000 inhabitants, according to the

December 31, 1938 official estimate, are tabul-atr d below.

Table No. 4. PCPULATIN .07 CITIIS

Brussels and suburbs 912,774 Tournai (Doornik) 35,463

Antwerp (Anvers) 273,317 Namur 32,831

Ghent (Gand) 162,858 Hoboken 32,592

Liege 162,229 Roulers (Roesclare)30,334

Mechlin M~erkser 29,870

'(Me chln-Maline s) 62,311

Turnhout 29,305Deurne 56,664

Jumet 28,919

Borgerhout 54,626

Lierre (Lier) 28,631

Bruges (Brugge) 51,884.

Charleroi 27,274Ostend 50,263

Genk 27,021Berchem 45,576

Herstal 26,885

Seraing 42,981

Hasselt 26,828Verviers 42,931

Mons 26,17

St. Nicolas 41,933

Vilvoorde 26,110Alost 41,131

Wibiyk 25,752

Courtrai 40,979

Lokeren 25,398

Louvain (Leuven) 37,141

Ronse (Renaix) 25,261

Mouscron 35,722

The marked predominance of industry over agriculture in the Belgian

economy has often been pointed out. The following table showing the distri-

bution by occupations of the active population indicates the extent of this

predominance as well as the relative importance of other branches of the

economic life of Belgium:



'table b. 5. OCCUPATIOKAL C3NSUS -BELGIM

Active

Agriculture and

forestry

Fishery

Industry

Commerce

Liberal professions

Public service

Domestic service

Professions unclassified

sub-total

Non-Active

Capitalists, pensioners,

unemployed

Dependents

Sub-total.

TOTAL

Men Women

489,517 133,555

2,894 66

1,412,016 332, 682

215,599 129,936

66,898 49,683

152,622 21,355

40,076 121,594

41,639 21,669

2,421,261 810a L

57,840 50,591

1,194,642 2,930,94

62, 8 3.792,0

Total Percent Men

623,072

2,960

1,744,698

345,535

116,581

173,977

161,670

63,308

3.231,801

108,431

08 4,125,550

9 4,233.981

62~6 82

19.3

0.1

54,0

10.7

3.6

5.4

5.0

1.9

100,0

494,507

2, 65

1,670,181

315,299

73,698

143,084

38,021

20,600

~2 2955

Women

140,525

7

377,724

228,458

66,638

25,577

145,775

7,626

229AMQ

1930

- 212,881 194,080

- 1,036,582 2,898,176

Total Percent

635,032 16.9

2,572 0,1

2, 47,905 54.6

543,757 14.5

140,336 3,7

168,661 4.5

183,796 4,9

28,226 0.8

3750,285 100.0

406,961 -

3,934,758-

8022,00

1920



- 31 -

The composition of the population according to age groups is shown below.

POPULTIO1N ACCORDING ~0AGG GROTJPS

Age Group 1920 1930Males Females Total Males Females Tot

Less than 5 years 260,066 253,799 513,865" 335,872 331,615 667,4

From 5 to less than 10 320,465 318,461 638,926 348,672 342,637 601,3

" 10 to ' " 15 349,295 347,464 696,759 252,427 247,960 500,3

i 15 " ' ' 20 364,161 363,494 727,655 326,485 323,427 649,0

" 20 " " 25 341,854 344,733 686,587 357,159 346,499 703,6

" 25 I i 30 292,053 308,511 600,564 366,363 354,023 720,3

" 30 i i ' 35 271,507 282,100 553,607 335,918 335,633 671,5

It 5 i i " 40 267,439 271,148 558,587 286,408 301,114 587,5

It 0 " 5 250,498 2549414 504,912 262,831 273,346 536,1

i 45 to t " 50 227,612 232,217 459,829 255,429 261,293 516,7

It 0 " " " 55 194,748 201,175 395,923 233,820 240,620 474,4

i 55 It i 60 160,322 169,988 330,310 204,313 213,297 417,6

.I0 a 65 128,401 142,948 271,349 164,714 175,858 340,5

it 65 i W 70 90,386 107,382 197,768 122,978 137,786 260,7

" 70 ' " t 75 61,700 76,787 138,487 83,344 99,578 182,9

" 75 a ' 80 39,083 50,936 90,019 43,953 58,422 102,3

" 80 i " i 85 16,053 23,398 39,451 19,348 28,339 47,6

" 85 I " o 90 4,744 7,318 12,062 6,159 10,519 16,6

" 90 '" t 95 785 1,469 2,254 1,081 2,298 3,3

it 5 i i if 100 126 229 355 -14 276 3

More than 100 4 14 18 7 16

~/ It is evident that the smallness of this age group is primarily a result of

conditions during aorld -var i



- 32 -

A. FAMILY AND SAX

The general characteristics prevalent on the Continent regarding domes-

tic life apply in general to Belgium. The man is the head of the household

and exercises far more authority than the average American father.

The career woman in Belgium is a rare exception. In the best social

circles, the employed woman is considered declasse. Employment of women.

among the bourgeois and lower classes in industry and business, however, is

quite common. In the small enterprises characteristic of Belgium, the wife

and husband work daily side by side in their small shop or at a handicraft,

and install their progeny early in the same endeavor. The peasant woman

labors in the fields with the man, and it is not uncommon, to see a woman

working under ground in the coal regions.

The man attains his majority at twenty-one years. The privilege of

voting is granted to a ll subjects over twenty-one without distinction of sex,

The Belgians are strictly a monogamous nation, though among the affluent

the keeping of mistresses is not uncommon. The continental double standard

is recognized and accepted by the women. Prostitution is looked upon as a

necessary evil and is legalized. The conservatism of the Catholic Church

and its opposition to divorces maintain legal separations and divorces at a

minimum, yet the State does not prevent the dissolution of marriages by the

courts.

B. CHURCH AND L1 GI ON

No religious census has been taken recently in Belgium, but the country

is more than 95 percent Catholic. On January 1, 1937, there were 87 higher

clergy of the Roman Catholic Church and 6,387 inferior clergy; 31 Protestant

ministers; 9 Anglican (Church of England) clergy; and 17 Jewish rabbis,



-33_-

Agnosticism is found only in th e highly industrial centers and in the

seaport towns, as an outgrowth of coinunismn, of which Belgium has its share.

In 1939 three communists sat in the Senate or Upper House of the legislature,

and nine. in the Chamber or Lower House,

The Church and State are tw o separate and distinct entities in Belgium.

The State Constitution provides for absolute liberty of conscience, and does

not interfere in any way with th e internal affairs of either Catholic or

Protestant churches. The 'country is so overwhelmingly Roman Catholic and

the Protestants and other faiths in such a minority, that religious, racial,

or economic conflicts are practically nonexistent. Part of the income

of th e mirnis.tare of all denominationl8 is paid from the national

treasury.

The hierarchy of the Church of Rome is composed of one archbishop

(Archbishop of Malines) and five bishops, all heads of their respective

dioceses, The 6,474 clergy in th e six dioceses, as of January 1, 1.937, were

distributed as follows: Malines, 1,635; Bruges, 717; Ghent, 899; Tournai ,

910; Lige, 1,256; Namur, 1,057.

Besides the regular Catholic clergy there are the members of the

numerous monastic and conventual houses, engaged principally in educational

and charitable work.

The following table shows the number of monaster ies and convents and

their members in 1930 (latest available) as compared with 1920:



- 34 -

Number Members

1920 .12930 1920 ~ 30

Monasteries,,, .. 320 436 9, 58 1 082

Convents .,.,,,,, 1,443 1 81-7 4Jt, 653 47 R'!!®

Total......... 1,763 2,303 54 511 58,973

Belgian priests, irrespective of birth ard ancestry, are on an equal

social level. Belgian cler T as a rule is a cultured class, having simple

habits and a sane point of view, On the whole the Flemings are more staunch

supporters of the Church than the Vialloons, but in all parts of the country

the Catholic Church possesses nominal hold on the population, largely because

it controls education and th e children come under its influence from their

very early years.

The Protestant (Evangelical) Church is under a synod. There is also

a Centra l Jewish Consistory, a Central Committee of the Anglican Church, and

a Free Protestant Church.

1. 1 Out H~id~s d er of Ob eance

Many of the processions and. religious festivals, which at present play

an important part in the social life of the masses, have been preserved by

the Belgians since medieval times, The most popular of these festivals

are the annual ermesses" which have a great deal in commo with the French

"pardons". Two great religious processions c at ntes and at Brugs -e are

outstanding. Then there are curious pilgrimages Ik1~e that at ftkendover,, and

finally the "marches militairq, " or processions of holy relics with armed

escorts which are distinctive features of the Seobre and Meuse regions. Old

mystery pigys are given at various places throughout the country, particularly

in the Ardennes.

I C-



35 -

Each town has its "kermesse", but in recent years it has been largely

robbed of the religious significance and at present is more in the nature of a

Lair with th e usual side shows, merry-go-rounds, and similar amusements. The

word comes from Hkerke misse", meaning high mass, and is celebrated on the

day of the local patron saint.

In addition to the peculiar relgious festivals, the other feast days

of the Catholic Church common to the Catholic World are celebrated, such as

Christmas, Baster, Ascension, Whiteunday, and All Saints Day.

C. SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

The German House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha has been th e ruling house of

Belgium since Leopold of Saxe-Coburg, the widower of Princess Charlotte of

Bngland, was elected King by a national Congress on June 4, 1831. At that

time he was a Protestant, but his subsequent marriage to the Catholic dauxghter

of the French King, Louis Philippe, vith the proviso that any issue of the

marriage be raised in the Roman Catholic faith,has made the ruling house

solidly Roman Catholic.

In addition to the royal house, a few remaining old noble, hereditary

houses of both the Flemish and Walloon province maintain a prominent place

in the social life of the country. Below the nobility there is a distinct

aristocrztic class which, with the nobility, constitutes the rank and fashion

of the upper strata. There is also the moneyed bourgeois class of merchants,

bankers, doctors, lawyers, and other professional groups which formerly could

not penetrate the houses of the nobility and aristocracy, but this has been

changing.



- 36 -

The conservative continental code of society which does not admit th e

members of the learned professions to the upper circles still persisted in

Belgium, but prior to the German occupation some changes were gradually being

made in this respect with the continued rise of certain social classes.

Any one connected with official life in Belgium is regarded with great

respect and to be in a Government office is considered the height of respecta-

bility.

The peasants and the industrial and mining laboring classes which have

developed from the original peasantry constitute the largest group of th e

population. Intermarriage within the class has been common fo r generations,

producing a more or less stolid and in general, somewhat ignorant group.

Occasionally members endowed with certain acumen have been able to improve

their social position.

The Walloons tend, with little justification, to regard themselves as

superior to the Flemings. The latter are primarily of Dutch stock, while

the former, who speak a French dialect, are descended from a branch of the

Celtic race.

D. EDUCATION

Schooling was free and compulsory for all ooys and girls under 14 years

of age, but in 1935 in order to reduce unemployment and to keep the younger

generation off the streets, a decree was passed raising the age to 16 years.

It was to continue for two years, when it was to be modified according to

circumstances. The law, however, did not reach all corners of the kingdom

and it was only in the cities and industrial centers that it was enforced to

any extent.



- 37 -

At one time there were 20 Royal Athenees, 7 communal colleges, and 8

private colleges which more or less compared with the better American high

school. Universities numbered four - Ghent, Liege, Brussels, and Louvain.

The latter had the largest student body and was first in the liberal arts.

Liege was foremost in engineering and other technical subjects.

It was only after World War I that elementary education was made com-

pulsory, and at that time Belgium was the only country in Europe except th e

Soviet Union which had no compulsory system of education. In large towns

attendance was almost universal, but in the country districts, especially

in Flanders, it was alleged that many children hardly attended at all. It

was certain that those who did attend did so with long intervals fo r helping

at home and in the fields, and'that the average number of days' attendance in

the year was well below 200.

1. Illiteracy

The number of inhabitants who were unable to read and write at th e

1930 census was 1,270,578 or 15.7 percent of the total population as com-

pared with 16.9 percent in 1920. Illiteracy has always been considered more

serious in Flanders than Walloonie, with the highest percentages in the Pro-

vinces of East and West Flanders. Illiteracy among the soldiers from Flanders/

in the World War I was found to be as high as 30 percent.

The following table indicates the illiteracy by age-groups in th e

various provinces in 1930:



Table No. 7.

PIRC iTA~GOF ILL! .. L By GOP

Flanders

Flanders

7 to less

4,34

2,95

4,80

4,70

3,65

1,52

1.84

4.13

2,85

3,57

15 to less

0.75

0095

1,60

1,53

1,63

1.08

0.97

0,63

0.63

1,17

21 to le

3,o26

4.06

6,25

6,46

6,43

3,07

3,38

1.40

1,67

4,57

13,30

13,88

24,15.

23897

20,63

9,58

12.92

40

5.50

16.58

Total

15,78

13,66

19,60

18.50

16,09

12.10

19,81

13,16

11.95

15.70



-39-

E® TSTAGDINGT Q.UALIIS AND WABITS

The Belgians are in general less sociable than the French. Their out-

standing characteristics are sturdiness and insistence upon their rights -often forgetting th e rights or point of view of others. With this insistence

go a tenacity and independence of character which upon occasion becomes ag-

gressive. They are penurious, with a very determined idea of obtaining the

best value for their money and even the upper. classes live mostly in a modest

and economical manner. It is a well known axiom among tourists - "always count

your change in Belgium".

Antwerpians differ in many characteristics from the Bruxellois. Gen-

erally speaking, Antwerpians are more affluent and are inclined to spend money

more lavishly and enjoy themselves more freely. They are more hospitable and

their life is marked by less formality than the Iruellois. The principal

stock exchange is at Antwerp which is the financial and connercial town of the

Kingdom. In the other large cities - Ghent, Liege, Namur, and Louvain - there

are certain groups of distinction and culture.

Great contrasts are apparent between the races, Th e Fleming is generally

less sociable and does not enjoy the same facility of expression and the same

vivacity of mind. The physical and mental processes of the Fleming are

deliberate, and he never hurries either in his work or in his decisions. He

has a more taciturn and ser ious frame of mind than the Walloon. In the matter

of food, th e Fleming is insistent upon quantity and th e Walloon on quality.

He is bois terous , prefers broad humor to the sparkling w it of the Walloon.

The Fleming is closer to peasant life than the Walloon, so therefore

possesses a greater capacity for patient labor, and applies himself with

enduring energy to his undertakings. He delights in gay and brilliant colors

inhis dress which often do not blend.



- 40 -

The Walloon peasant has gone mostly into industry or int, th e mines, and

thus has lost the traditional definition of a peasant, as the tiller of the

soil. It is difficult et first to overcome th e reserve of a Flemish peasant -a reserve derived partly from shyness and partly from distrust. He is devoted

to the soil to which he is bound by tradition and long memories. His religious

fervor is tainted with superstition and fanaticism, but it lightens a life of

hard toil. He is poor and usually works longer and harder than either th e

British or American farmer. His pleasures lack refinement, but they are the

necessary outlet of a boisterous nature.

Rationalism has made but little progress among the Flemish masses, even

in the large towns, and the attitude of tolerant scepticism often adopted in

Walloonie is almost unknown in Flanders. Most of Belgium's p .-t are of

Flemish birth, while most of her lawyers, scientists, and organizers come

from the Walloon provinces.

The Walloon is alert, energetic, and of quicker intelligence than his

compatriot the Fleming. He expresses himself more easily and is considerably

more sociable and communicative. He can nearly always be induced to talk if

one is prepared to satisfy his inexhaustible curiosity and thirst for informa-

tion. He does not take life so seriously, and enjoys a joke more than any-

thing else. He laughs at you and at himself. In Walloonie one finds larger

estates than in Flanders and the passion for the soil is not so prominent.

1. Use of Alcohol and Tobacco

In the better homes, wine is generally served at the midday and evening

meals. It is said that nowhere on earth is there a sounder knowledge and

appreciation of wines. A certain quantity of wines is put away when a child



- hl -

is born, usually with something special to be served on a girl's wedding day

or a son's coming of age. The stock is increased in each good wine-year, so

that a young man setting up housekeeping usually has a cellar such as is

rarely to be found in other countries.

After World War I the cocktail invaded Belgium, but its popularity was

only short lived, and retreated with the return of the traditional sherry and

Madeira.

The laboring classes areheavy drinkers. The miners and factory workers

indulge in a variety of gin of a very potent nature called schnick or genievre.

Drinking by children begins at a comparatively early age.

Cigarettes and tobacco are used by all classes, but as a general rule

indulgence is less prevalent than in the United States. Smoking by women of

the lower classes is less common than among the fashionable and bourgeois

women of the cosmopolitan centers. The number of drug addicts is about the

same as in other civilized countries.

t. NATIONAL HOLIDAYS AND TESTIVALS

No country can boast of so many interesting traditional observances.

The Belgians have a passion for dressing up for civil and religious proces-

sions to a stirring accompaniment of music and color display. Most of the

great pageants and carnivals have come down from ancient times and they play

an important part in the social life of the masses.

In addition to the religious festivals already discussed, there are a

number of national holidays. The Fete Nationale on July 21, to celebrate

the national independence of the Belgians from the United Netherlands, and



ha -

the F'ete Nationale and, Fete Patronale of th e King on Novemiber 11, are th e

two main national festivals. Other national public holidays are New Year's

Day, Faster Monday, Ascension Day, Whitmnonday, Assumption, and All Saints'

Day.

The gayest carnival is th e Gilles de Binche. It originated in 1549.

Mary of Hungary, Regent of th e Low Countries, then in residence at Binche,

celebrated the visit of her nephew, Philip II of Spain. The town fo lks

were allowed to join in the festivals and since then the celebration has

been renewed each year, Every one is in costume and street dancing continues

throughout the dayr and night .

There are also local celebrations in, each town and village. Among them

are the processions of the municipal giants, the marriage market at tcaussines-

Lalaing, the competit ions of the archers' clubs, and others.

The cafes, public parks, or gardens, as in France, are very important

features of the life of the populace, an d almost every small town and even

many of th e villages have a band of some sor t to entertain the inhabitants

on Sundays an d fee days.

Archery is the typical national sport of the Belgians . Archery socie-

ties are numerous and are the direct descendants of the volunteer bands of

archers and swordsmen of th e thirteenth century which were the sole defenders

of the small towns and villages. But as a rule sports and pastimes in th e

country districts are much less indulged in than in th e United States. Boat-

ing is only indulged in on the rivers and canals to a limited extent, a l though

at Ghent there is a very famous rowing club and rowing is popular at Liege



143 -~

On the I Meusend at Antwerp on the Scheldt. Shooting and hunting are a princip

sport with the well-to-do in the Ardennes. Bicycling is popular.

On Sunday, as well as on the var ious fete days, th e peasants and indus-

trial workers don their better clothes and after a more or less substantial mid

day meal including a few extras not indulged in every day they sit at a cafe

or in a public garden or square of their town where a band may be playing .

1. Fairs and Popular Events

The most impor tant annual fair is the International Fair held at Brussels ,

formerly known as the "Brussels Commercial, Official, and International Fair",

held usually for two weeks each spring. In 1937 there were more than 1,700

stalls in which foreign participation accounted for 46 percent , with an attend-

ance in excess of 600,000.

From t ime to t ime various special fairs or exhibits are held , especially

the International Water Exhibi t ion held at Liege during the summer of 1939 to

celebrate the inauguration of the Albert Canal connecting Liege with Antwerp.

Attendance from May 20 to August 20, when it was closed, owing to the outbreak

of the war in Europe, approximated 5,000,000 persons, of which 1,000,000 were

foreigners.

Each fashionable watering place along the North Sea, such as Ostend,

Nieuport-Bains, La Panne, Blankenberghe, Zeebrugge, Heyst, and Knocke-sur-Mer

has its Kursaal where gambling and the other characteristic attractions of a

continental casino are featured.

. IIERAL LIVING CONDITPIONS

All types of housing and living conditions exist in Belgium from the

wealthy and highly cultured classes of Ccntinental society to the crude and



-. 4 -

rustic farm houses of the peasant farmers. It n be said, however, that the

laboring and farming classes live more simply than the corresponding classes

in th e United States.

In Flanders where there are no quarries, bricks are in general use. The

walls are whitewashed, the doors and shutters painted green, and this scheme

of color is completed by the red-tiled roofs. In Walloonie local stone of

a gray or brown color is used, and slate being plentiful, the blue-gray note

is repeated in the roofs, so that the villages, instead of shining brilliant-

ly in the sunlight as in Flanders, appear like dark patches against the green

background.

One peculiar characteristic of Belgian domestic life is that in homes,

except those of people in the highest rank of society, almost invariably there

is a show room filled with expensive furniture. This room, in which the owner

takes great pride, is scarcely ever used by the family and is kept only for

the purpose of entertaining visitors.

Around Mons and Charleroi and in the vicinity of Liege and in the Meuse

Valley lie the great coal fields, known as the "Borinage" or th e Belgian

black country and here one finds the physical and moral standards of the

people extremely low. The mining population are stunted and ill-developed,

while their homes, in consequence of the drinking habits of men, women, and

even children, are ill-kept. Waomen actually work in the mines, and children

begin to work at an early age.

In the country districts the work day begins very early and the first

meal is far lighter than that of the average worker in the United States.

Breakfast is usually coffee and bread, with a little butter if it can be af-



- 45 -

forded. About ten in the morning, a piece of bread and butter or bread and

cheese is eaten. The midday meal consists of bread and a piece of cheese,

bacon, or herring. In the evening, the supper is often merely soup and

bread. On Sundays and fete days, the midday meal consists of a meat, a few

vegetables, and occasionally a salad.

Notwithstanding the frugality of such menus, as a general rule the coun.

try people in normal times appear to be adequately nourished. Statistics

prove that ill health is comparatively rare among the Belgian peasants and

longevity is by no means unusual.

I. ATTITUDEI TOWARD THE WAR

Prior to the invasion of Belgium by the German troops on the morning

of Friday May 10, 1940, Belgium maintained a rigid neutrality, although

underneath the apparently placid surface, many subversive forceu were at

work, When the invasion occurred, the majority of Belgians were as un-

suspecting as the other victims of the Nazis.

Some military observers have said that the Belgian Army fought only

half-heartedly. In any event, the invasion progressed at almost incredible

speed. Within three days after crossing the frontier, German advance parties

had reached within 15 miles of Brussels. Five days later both Brussels and

Antwerp were occupied. General disillusionment followed. Many could not

understand why the enormous military expenditures of recent years had failed

to save their country.

When,contrary to popular feeling, the King surrendered and became a

prisoner of the Germans instead of escaping to an allied nation to establish

an exiled Government, he was publicly acclaimed by many. Messages were sent by



46

thousands of his subjects, thanking hi fo his Vis ueiulation and

saving Belgi'om from becoming a battle field. o in 'y hundreds p .rsce4

wreath after wreath of flowers at the entrance to is palc n token of

their loyalty and approval.

Belgium~ was the first occupied country to 8~id labox'rr to Grmany. Aforeign service officer who was in Belgium from the occupatio ntil the

closing of the United States consular and diplomatic offices stated that the

general atmosphere was of passive resistance and the laxis did not display

the resentment of the Norwegians and the Dutch,

J. ATTITUDE TOWAR1D T911 TT ITID STATES

In general the Belgians yae the highest regard for the Uni te . States, yet

in trade and commerce there is that feeling of resentment for aur fi ivn~ci.

and industrial resources, ability to accomplish things in less time than thow

selves, and the general sensitiveness that a small nation would have aginst

a large and powerful competitor in world markets.

Inasmuch as Belgium was the entrepot of much of the commerce enter

western Europe, its relations with other countries were for the main part

amiable. Relations with Great Britain had always been friendly, for Great

Britain was not only one of the guarantors of its neutrality prior to Worl

War I, ut was one of the principal makts fo r Belgia maufactured goods..

In recent years them4 was a slight orientation towards Gen - perhaps

fostered by clever German propaganda As most of the ships which cleared

at Mntwerp were of the German flag, it was frequently said that "A prosperous

Germany meant a' prosperous Antwerp".,



47

K.t LANGULTAaOI

Belgium is a bilingual country. Until 1921 French was the only official

language, but as a result of pressure from the nationalistic Flemish movement,

Flemish was recognized by law as one of the official languages. The knowledge

of both languages is compulsory in the Army, the law courts, and central ad-

ministration. All official documents are now published in both languages.

The same law of 1921 made Flemish the administrative language of th e

Flemish-speaking districts, but French might be used as well as Flemish in all

communications. to the public whenever a request to this effect was made by one-

fifth of the municipal electors.

Although Flemish is now recognized as an official tongue, French continue

to be spoken by th e educated and commercial groups, and is ditintlLy tJi*

language used by the upper classes.

Flemish is a Low-German language closely akin to Dutch and possesses many

dialects. Literary Flemish, since the spelling reform of 1864, differs but

slightly from literary Dutch. It has only been since Flemish has been

recognized as an official language that there has been a movement to standard-

ize it, and even today two Flemings from different localities, or a country

Fleming and a speaker of literary Flemish, may easily be compelled to fall

back on French as the only language comprehensible to both.

Walloon is an independent but kindred language t. French - somewhat

analogous to that of Provencal spoken in the former Province of Provence and

still used today by many in that section of France. The Walloon-speaking

population is, however, in one way more closely connected with the French than

the Flemish-speaking population with the Dutch, for, whereas polite Dutch is

not spoken by most Flemings, Walloons almost always speak French in addition

to their own language. Roughly speak ing, all the4 upper and educated classes



-s 48

in Flanders know French, but in WTalloonie only a smal l percentage know Flemish.

At present approximately 53 percent of the populat ion speaks Flemish as

their mother tongue, 46 percent French, and 1 percent German. Th e predomi-

nantly Flemish-speaking provinces are East and West Flanders, Antwerp, Limburg,

and Brabant, while the predominantly French-speaking provinces are Liege,

Hainaut, Luxemburg, and Namur. The German-speaking area of the province of

Liege Is concentrated in the portion recovered from Germany by the treaties

fol lowing World War I. A table in the Belgian Statistical Yearbook (Annuair e

Statistique) for 1939 shows th e distribution by language or (in the case of

bilingual or triingual inhabitants) language preference of the persons speak-

ing French, Flemish, or German (excluding children under 2 years old, persons

not speaking any of the 3 languages, and those not indicating a preference,

constituting 4.24 percent of th e total in 1930). This distribution, in per-

centage of the total population, apper in table No. 80 on th e followi P e



.Tabl1e No. 8.

LANGUAIS ACCORDING TO PROVINCES (ExCUSIV LT OR PCA)

Provinces

Antwerp

Brabant

West Flanders

Let Flanders

Hainauit

z ge

mburg

Luxemburg

Namur

TOTAL

Percent of InhabitantsSpeaking French

1910

3.42

38.47

6.16

2.28

93.16

90,93

4,53

81.58

95086

1920 1/

3.65

43.74

6.67

3.51

93.77

86.62

4,38

85014

96.47

42.8 43.92

1930

4,08

45.83

8.34

3.37

93.08

87.11

4.63

87.26

96,05

k.2

Percent of Inhabitants

Speaking Flemish

1910

90.32

56.48

88,59

92.87

2.86

3.30

89.33

0.23

0.40

19201~/ 1930

90.68

50,26

87.04

92.55

2,60

2.74

86.35

0,17

0,40

51.10

91.08

52.47

88.78

92.03

2.81

2.91

90,32

0.20

0.38

Percent of InhabitantsSpeaking German

1910

1.18

0,81

0,07

0.07

2.17

0.18

13.67

0.06

1920 ~/1930

0.60

0.31

0,03

0.02

0.10

6.26

1,61

8,65

0.02

0.08

0.08

0,01

0,01

0.01

6.68

0.03

10.91

0,02

I/ ncludes inhabitants of territory acquired by 'World ar I treaties.

S



-"50

The following tablet from the same source as the foregoing, shows the

linguistic distribution of the population of Belgium as a whole on the basis

of the three principal lanauaes and combinations thereof:

Table No, 9,

LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN BE~LGI'UM

Absolute Figures Percent of Total

1920 1930 1910 1920 1 13

only 2,850,825 3,039,3l15 38,16 38,24 37.56

only 3,185,100 3,473,291 43.38 42,66 42,92

only 16,863 69,033 0,42 0,83 O,85

and Flemish 967,813 1,045,601. 1l1. 12,96 12,92

and German 45,206 67,140 1.01 0.72 0,,83

and German 2,336 933 0.12 0.03 0.12

national languages 33,862 54,086 0.71 0,146 0.67

of 3 national languages 303,564 334,206 4.46 4.10 4,13

7,05,69

territory acquired by ,world

children less than 2 yearsany of the three languages,

8,092 004

Oar I treaties,

of age as well as

100.00 100.00 100.00

inhabitants who do not



Except in out-of- the-way districts the traveler who knows no language

but English will meet with noinsuperable language difficulty. English is very

generally understood in the towns, especially at th e hotels, and even in th e

country districts a knowledge of English has been spread by War 5World I and

by the return of refugees from England.

French dialects are spoken also by th e Walloon populat ion of southern

Belgium, including the Ardennes, where a slight knowledge of French is almost

essential for the traveler. German dialects prevail in a fe w districts of

eastern and southeastern Belgium and especially in the Province of Luxeunrg

among the Luxemburgers from the Grand Duchy who have migrated there or those

;,ho have settled there and have retained their privileges as Luxemburg subjects

L. bACIAL CONFLICTS AND DISCRIMINATIONS

Although th e Belgians to the casual observer as a whole would seem to be

knitted together not only by economic and political interest but by a common

tradition and religion, a distinct social and political difference exists be-

t ween the iiloons and th e Fle'rin s m In reality, they are tw o distinct

groups with varying characteristics living under a sovereign head, with he les

numerous one holding th e upper hand socially and until a short time ago most

of th e political influence.

It was the religious distinction which was th e main reason in the

sixteenth century for the cleavage of the Northern Netherlands between Holland

and Flanders, and again in th e nineteenth century religion was one of the

principal conflicts which caused political and social differences from 1815

to 1830 when Flanders and Via±±oonie were a part of th e United Netherlands under

theProtestant

Houseof Orange. ToY Ly Caathcl:. ,cim is closely



52_~

with the main characteristics of the Belgian temperament.

Racial types are more consistent in Belgium than among any otherwestern

people, and if no language distinction existed, ethnographic dissimi-

would certainly mark th e differ'enc.s, Intermarriages between th e two

are frequent, but as a rule th e two have remained apart, ?lhen inter-

do occur, the characteristics and convict ions of the Flemings are

pronounced or are of a stronger strain, so almost invariably th e off-

possess more Flemish traits and become Flemish rather than Walloon

The Flemings of the bourgeois and perhaps other classes have nourished

generat ions a traditional hatred for the organized authorities and the

position of the WaLloons. The so-called Flemish quest ion has been

well-known issue within th e kingdom since its establishment in l830, bu t

more acute after the introduction of universal suffrage by the law of

15, 1920. Although in 1921 Flemish was recognized as an official lan-

that by no means settled the 4 Ga*t Of. Various agents of th e national-

Flemings continued to cause distrust and misudert aldi lfwith the Walloons

d the official government. Among this dissatisfied group the Germans found

and active fifth columnists for their work prior to the invasion of

y 1940 and thereafter,

No discriminations, whether legal or extra-legal, occur in Belgium

Flemings and .Walloons in law-court, business, school, home,and other

Civil Affairs Handbook Belgium Section 1

Documents