Belgium Under German Occupation During WW1 I THE GREAT WAR On The Road

Visit the Ijser museum: www.museumaandeijzer.be/ijzert...
Indy talks to Peter Verplancke about Belgium during World War 1, in particular the German occupation policies.
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» WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WORLD WAR I AND WHERE ELSE CAN I FIND YOU?
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We are also happy to get your feedback, criticism or ideas in the comments. If you have interesting historical questions, just post them and we will answer in our OUT OF THE TRENCHES videos. You can find a selection of answers to the most frequently asked questions here: bit.ly/OOtrenches
» CAN I SHOW YOUR VIDEOS IN CLASS?
Of course! Tell your teachers or professors about our channel and our videos. We’re happy if we can contribute with our videos. If you are a teacher and have questions about our show, you can get in contact with us on one of our social media presences.
» WHAT ARE YOUR SOURCES?
Videos: British Pathé
Pictures: Mostly Picture Alliance
Background Map: d-maps.com/carte.php?num_car=6...
Literature (excerpt):
Gilbert, Martin. The First World War. A Complete History, Holt Paperbacks, 2004.
Hart, Peter. The Great War. A Combat History of the First World War, Oxford University Press, 2013.
Hart, Peter. The Great War. 1914-1918, Profile Books, 2013.
Stone, Norman. World War One. A Short History, Penguin, 2008.
Keegan, John. The First World War, Vintage, 2000.
Hastings, Max. Catastrophe 1914. Europe Goes To War, Knopf, 2013.
Hirschfeld, Gerhard. Enzyklopädie Erster Weltkrieg, Schöningh Paderborn, 2004
Michalka, Wolfgang. Der Erste Weltkrieg. Wirkung, Wahrnehmung, Analyse, Seehamer Verlag GmbH, 2000
Leonhard, Jörn. Die Büchse der Pandora: Geschichte des Ersten Weltkrieges, C.H. Beck, 2014
If you want to buy some of the books we use or recommend during our show, check out our Amazon Store: bit.ly/AmazonTGW
NOTE: This store uses affiliate links which grant us a commission if you buy a product there.
» WHAT IS “THE GREAT WAR” PROJECT?
THE GREAT WAR covers the events exactly 100 years ago: The story of World War I in realtime. Featuring: The unique archive material of British Pathé. Indy Neidell takes you on a journey into the past to show you what really happened and how it all could spiral into more than four years of dire war. Subscribe to our channel and don’t miss our new episodes every Thursday.
» WHO IS REPLYING TO MY COMMENTS? AND WHO IS BEHIND THIS PROJECT?
Most of the comments are written by our social media manager Florian. He is posting links, facts and backstage material on our social media channels. But from time to time, Indy reads and answers comments with his personal account, too.
The Team responsible for THE GREAT WAR is even bigger:
- CREDITS -
Presented by : Indiana Neidell
Written by: Indiana Neidell
Director: Toni Steller & Florian Wittig
Director of Photography: Toni Steller
Sound: Toni Steller
Mixing, Mastering & Sound Design: www.above-zero.com
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A Mediakraft Networks Original Channel
Based on a concept by Spartacus Olsson
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Contains licenced Material by British Pathé
All rights reserved - © Mediakraft Networks GmbH, 2018

[@periodicpenguin9767]

“Don’t quote me on that.” -Indy

[@rogerscott8211]

lol

[@soulscanner66]

ooo ... you ... you ... smartypants ...

[@MrCordycep]

The tiny piece of Belgium that was unoccupied... reminds me of Asterix and Obelix. 😄

[@emperorkarl1933]

Hehe

[@TheCimbrianBull]

The Romans are crazy!

[@MrBigCookieCrumble]

It's the same place... probably!

[@emperorkarl1933]

@@MrBigCookieCrumble i think asterix is in normandy

[@emperorkarl1933]

@De Klauwaard ummm. No... i think it's in normandie

[@Nakrin27]

Interesting fact...future U.S. President Herbert Hoover formed the Commission for Relief in Belgium, which shipped millions of tons of vital food supplies to prevent German-occupied Belgium from national starvation during World War I. Unlike his reputation in American history (especially during the Great Depression), many Belgians consider Hoover a national savior.

[@andrewschuh4790]

Nakrin27 At his presidential library in West Branch Iowa theres a statue of the Egyptian godess Isis donated by the people of Belgium for his relief efforts during the war, which I found very cool.

[@Edax_Royeaux]

@Nakrin27 He also saved so many from starvation in Russia as well. Shame he couldn't be bothered to help his fellow desperate Americans though. I guess handouts are Un-American.

[@diarradunlap9337]

Frankly, I think Hoover got shafted.

[@Edax_Royeaux]

@Diarra Dunlap Well Hoover earned that shaft. By opposed direct federal relief efforts, he ensured the most desperate Americans suffered and his violent assault against the WWI veterans that were in dire need of relief earned his reputation. There's a bitter irony that he seemed to be more compassionate to the citizens of other nations then his own countrymen. Somehow starving Soviets got bread while starving WWI vets got a bayonet and a dose of tear gas.

[@JanuszKrysztofiak]

Herbert Hoover is also fondly remembered in Poland for his help for Polish children in 1918-1921 and the UNRRA relief in 1945.

[@codenaam49]

About that language difference... My great grandfather fought for the Belgian army in WW1, and as a matter of fact, in and near Diksmuide. He was made corporal for the sole reason his second language, besides Dutch (Flemish) was French. That way, he could translate the French commands of the officers for the Flemish soldiers. Great episode, thank you Indy and team!

[@stanmarche7971]

@Rodycaz I'm Belgian, and I would say that some divisions exist ... Every time I go to Flanders, I have no problem with the Flemish. We usually get on well. We both try to use the language of the other and, in last resources, we use English as lingua franca. I really don't feel a division on the people level. But on the political level, everything is different: federal government gives more and more powers to the regions, which leads to different policies between north and south. And when you see that the most popular party in Flanders is the NVA, a nationalist separatist party, you can imagine that sometimes, tensions can arise. Hopefully, we Belgians won't forget that our national motto is "Union makes strength". It is not in our interests to see a split between Flanders and Walloonia, whatever the separatists might say 🙂 After all, the main difference between Flemish and Walloons is the language. When you get over it, we are not that different on many levels 😉

[@codenaam49]

I'm from the Flemish part of Belgium, and I have to say that most of the time, my French comes in real handy if I have to talk to someone from Wallonia. In my experience, I haven't met that much French-speaking people that know Dutch very well. Of course this is not to be generalized. But I believe the problem there, lies in the education difference between the 2. In Flanders we have 8 years of obligatory French classes, before we finish secondary school. If I'm not mistaken, in Wallonia it's optional. :) Now what concerns the political split. In my opinion it just has to be there. As we comment here underneath a video about WW1, we can say that because of certain events then, you can't deny the fact that Flemish people were not placed on the same social level as French-speakers. So it was inevitable that the Flemish would want more independance. Well that has grown over a long time to what we have now, and it is what we want. But if you just have a look at it, I think Flanders as well as Wallonia is doing very well now, each mostly doing what they want separately, but still being in one country. :)

[@codenaam49]

tiestu Well I just don't think it is an obvious choice of the Walloon government(s) to give the students that choice. The second language of your country is somewhat a basis for us, and in my opinion, it should be the same for you. That's how respect for one another is created. And as Brussels, a city where there are no more than 10% Dutch-speakers, I find the statement of "the Flemings took our jobs..." somewhat hard to believe. :)

[@lorenzodocx4021]

NVA is the most popular because it actually tries to represent a option to vote for right leaning people that don't want to vote for either socialist parties or extreem right parties.

[@Real_Claudy_Focan]

it's flemish propaganda ! This AVV-VVK tower is a mausoleum for flemish independentists !

[@polyglot8]

There's an old half-timbered house in downtown Leuven (Louvain) that was the only one in the city never entered by the Germans because they flew a big American flag from the window, even though the occupants ties to America were a bit distant. People in town still call it "The American House".

[@phil9265]

My great Uncle fought during the First World War in the Belgium Army .I can't recall where but I do know that he was injured in a gas attack and for the rest of his life he had to be near a window to breathe.

[@Ashfielder]

Not far off that 1 million subscribers actually.

[@joryjones6808]

Toby Wood when he’s almost done with the war.

[@richardsinger01]

Toby Wood they should be there by the time of the spring offensives next year...

[@TheCimbrianBull]

We must immediately begin universal conscription for every able-bodied young male KZbin subscribers to like and share this channel!

[@jamesbunn751]

48 days to get to 1 million subs. I commit my last 2 secondary channels to this fight. Come on boys - one last effort to win for The Great War.

[@onardico]

this means that this channel will be about second war 80 years ago in the next year. only have to a little adjust in the name

[@JustSomeCanuck]

"They started by making their tombstones in Dutch" - cut to a tombstone that reads "Here lies Joe English"...

[@brianoreilly3001]

Will Indy talk about the Belgium Congo during WW1 how Congo supported Mainland Belgium and the African theater of the War?

[@arozes8324]

I hope so

[@ihmejakki2731]

"Thousands of Belgians were killed by German electric fences" - Read all about Indy Neidell's latest quote!

[@TheCimbrianBull]

@wood1155 I actually tried doing that many years ago. I was standing in a wet field behind some bushes to take a wizz. Hidden behind the bushes was an electric fence. Talk about being surprised!

[@robertneven7563]

Ihme Jakki, whit the help off the Dutch gouvernement

[@tullin2531]

I very much like this video of indy and Peter and when i met both of you it was alot of fun and now seeing this makes me even prouder to have been there

[@louisdonaghy9820]

I absolutely love your youtube channel. I think people really don't appreciate how all this information about the first world war could be lost during this generation. So i thank you for sharing this channel with us all so we can continue to tell the tales of the first world war and remember those who fought. on every front, for every nation.

[@user-gn6wz9fe1c]

such a interesting video discussing topics typically overlooked, the quality of content from this channel is very impressing .

[@gilbertavalos6835]

Awesome! Thanks guys!

[@hildoschutte6200]

A short reference was made to the "... thousands of Belgians killed by the electric fence...". Unfortunately, one of the facts not mentioned in this episode is the fact that during the Great War around one million Belgians sought refuge in The Netherlands, which had a population of about 6.5 million at the time. I think this puts the present-day discussion about granting asylum for refugees in quite an interesting perspective... .

[@xyz6170]

Yes. Those refugees came from the neighboring country, modern asylum seekers venture across countries and continents until they find a place with extensive social welfare (except the actual refugees who still move to nearby countries).

[@ericcarlson3746]

I wonder if there is any "remembrance" / monument / event to day where Belgium remembers the kind acts of these gentle Dutch

[@hildoschutte6200]

In 1916, already during the war, in the town of Amersfoort, work was started by interned Belgian soldiers on what later turned out to be the largest monument ever built in The Netherlands in appreciation to the Dutch for their hospitality. There's quite a history about this monument and due to political strifes between the two countries after the war, it was only officially inaugurated by the Dutch Queen and Belgian King in 1938 (!) Smaller monuments commemorating local camps can be found in Ede, Bakhuizen, as well as an inscription on the former town hall of Den Bosch.

[@stefa4013]

These Belgium refugees spoke the Dutch language and had a very similar culture which made integration far easier than it is today

[@indianajones4321]

Great video

[@elonmush4793]

Very informative.

[@lps2013]

Great video as always

[@Dinguspool]

Oh gawd, Diksmuide. Lived near it for a few years. Great WW1 history, the tower is worth a visit. But that's all the town has going for it these days. Great channel! You got yourself a new sub!

[@arozes8324]

Great Video!

[@Messiah114]

Interesting as always!

[@IrishPartizan]

Hi Indy and the crew! Thanks for doing a great job over the last 4 years. I have looked forward to every Thursday without fail for the past 4 years. You guys rock! BTW, how long will this channel go on for? Will you guys end it on the 11th November next or will you carry it into 1919 to cover the Treaty of Versailles, Trianon etc and subsequent knock-on events? I will miss you guys.

[@Boutneus12]

SPOILERALERT! Lol

[@Tsumami__]

Partizan they may cover post armistice on the other channel where they do “in between” the two wars

[@IrishPartizan]

And what is the name of that channel?

[@brutalnyas5639]

There is world war 2 channel already

[@ABPHistory]

Partizan inbetween 2 wars

[@erikthomsen4768]

Could you do a video about how Prussian identity was changed during and after the First World War?

[@brokenbridge6316]

Interesting to know what was going on in Belgium during WWI. I was expecting Belgium resistance to be more violent than what I heard in this video. But hey this was a pleasant surprise. I liked this video. Always nice to know more about rarely touched upon subjects. Nice job.

[@GruntTV1776]

Nice video

[@americanexcursions3542]

You should have asked him about the Baarle-Hertog Belgian enclaves inside neutral Netherlands. What was life like where the borders went back in forth in Baarle-Hertog every few steps?

[@rubengallardomusic]

You should do a special about Luxembourg and it's minor but still important significance in ww1

[@tbc168]

I went on a day long guided tour Brussels to Ypres, we stopped here on the way. Didnt go into the museum though. There is a pile of old shells near the bridge

[@archdornan3339]

Very cool :)

[@WildBillCox13]

I wish all wars were parsed into weekly installments. Then, maybe, we could all stay home until the peace treaty is signed. My personal idea is to hold a giant boxing match between our country and "theirs". Have both presidents duke it out in the middle of the squared circle for the heavyweight nation of the worrrrrld! Then we could sell tickets. I bet a lot of folks would buy them . . .distribute the money to the poor in both nations and have a holiday . . instead of a senseless blood bath.

[@ruben.1111]

That first part sounded like it was in all quiet on the western front

[@siestatime4638]

That separation and discussion continues in Belgium to this day.

[@carlcassidy185]

Belgian Parliament was so 50/50 for while, there was literally no government! don't know what it's like now; not been to see my friend for a while...I'll be surprised if Belgium as-is lasts; it's only really stayed together so long due to the EU being based in Brussels

[@Rehn98]

And it always will until one identity/culture is destroyed

[@chainehistoire7616]

Still without government

[@chainehistoire7616]

@Panter Panta I'm sure we will obtain a second world record (the comment I have answer to is visibly not more here)

[@Eamonn2305]

@Panter Panta nothing lucky about it to be honest.

[@Brendissimo1]

Speaking of WW1 museums in Belgium, the "In Flanders Fields Museum" in Ypres is great.

[@ragucav]

FIRST.......LOVE THE SHOW HAVE WATCHED EVERY EPISODE

[@nathannguyen1456]

Almost 1 million sub! But it's funny that you currently have 911l subs :D

[@hlynnkeith9334]

I would like to hear more about Beglians fighting in the Great War.

[@thomascortvrient8332]

our king at that time was callt the soldier king

[@gss8532]

You should continue te Channel after This series, but talking about another war

[@timmmahhhh]

There were certainly many effects of the war that affected the world. The show could keep going by addressing those.

[@Mattanja1992]

They started with World War II on another channel already. Can`t advertise it here though due to contract or different producer....

[@TonyBongo869]

In late 1918, during the last 100 days, on the pursuit to Mons, Canadian troops were surprised that Belgian towns were in better shape than those across the border in France. The reason? Germany planned to annex parts of Belgium into their empire so they were careful to not damage the buildings or upset the occupants too much.

[@johnwilkins11]

Will you keep on making videos on this channel after the 11th November? (I know there's the other channels but I have more interest in WW1 than anything)

[@91jvdb]

Looking forward to the week of October 25-26th when my great grand parents were liberated by the Belgian Army in Ursel and Aalter, Belgium

[@godji9396]

Last time I was this early Franc Ferdinand got killed

[@mareksicinski3726]

6:54 well also gaining suport

[@bert4838]

Hey I live very close in Veurne

[@hoangkimviet8545]

It sounds like Belgium was the bridge for the German and French attacks to each other in world wars :-0

[@Redfield199]

It was. As far as I know, Belgium was neutral in WW1. So they allowed both Germany and France to enter their country. But I could be wrong about that.

[@hoangkimviet8545]

@@Redfield199 At least, with Switzerland, Belgium became the safetest countries in the world wars. At least in Europe :-0

[@driesgelis]

No they didn't, they were neutral so they refused German troops entering their country to get to France so Germany declared war on Belgium.

[@hoangkimviet8545]

@@driesgelis Hmm..... And are the Belgians more afraid of Germans than French? :-0

[@thebenis3157]

Tyrannosaurus Rex Nope, actually Germany invaded Belgium because they didn't let German troops move through their territory

[@W-SS]

Indy, where’s the workout video? I’m hoping you’re still working on it

[@elliotnordling2835]

Finally bramisimo!

[@cillian1408]

Question for ott what role did film and photography play for military application during the war greetings from Ireland and give indy a raise

[@brucemccormick8635]

And a day off

[@darkgreendemocracy]

(Baarle-Hertog an enclave in holland was also not occupied. Belgium had a radiotower in the enclave. The radiotower send messages from the resistance to the governement in not occupied Belgium or to London)

[@rtsgod]

What about unoccupied Belgium? What about after the war for the people that got education in the German founded dutch speaking universities, was there repercussions for them as collaborators? Thx!

[@henriashurst-pitkanen8735]

I was about to make breakfast in my kitchen and I was thinking "I wonder what Belgium was like during WWI. I hope The Great War have a video on it", and here we are.

[@floris812]

Yes! More Belgian stuff!

[@Milos89kv]

What happened with Angel and Snake after 1916?

[@philmbridges]

What a great place

[@NastyCupid]

Very interesting video, I just came from my FLEMISH lessons in the FLEMISH university of Ghent, Thanks Germany! :D

[@rottenradish5459]

wanna watch all of your videos but where do I start the best??

[@hjalmar4565]

At the start of the series?

[@Jarod-vg9wq]

Was there a Belgium resistance? Was it large or was it just small groups causing trouble.

[@the12th68]

Small groups causing trouble i think

[@ToonVandeputte]

There was, but rather limited. You should look up "Francs-tireurs"

[@ericcarlson3746]

There are sources around discussing 1914 german paranoia about this which resulted in extreme overreaction a k a the infamous "rape of Belgium"

[@wisecoonie]

Toon Van de putte the story of the so called francs tireurs (literally translated “unlawful shooters”) was a fable, a right-out lie coined by the invading German army to justify their brutal execution (killing) of hundreds of innocent belgian civilians in numerous towns and cities. In fact, most shooting incidents involving German soldiers were not due to “terrorist activities” but to nervous Germans shooting at their own compatriots, thinking they had enemy contact. These bungling up incidents were covered up by putting the blame on the local defenseless population and seeking revenge on them. The real resistance consisted in carrying letters with secret information about German army positions and troop movements across the Dutch border.

[@tf2664]

Who is that one dislike

[@menitobussolini659]

Helmuth Von Moltke

[@joostfrank152]

Young hitler

[@edrickjohnson2857]

Paul Von Hindenburg

[@CaptainHarlock-kv4zt]

A guy I 've met 3 years ago in Paramaribo..i think his name is Eduardo.

[@e.c.9468]

I can confirm that my ancestor, a belgian soldier sent some letters to his family by Holland.

[@glm0142]

sorry for being late, I was in school

[@ericcarlson3746]

For the lady viewers Peter Verplancke is best thing to come along since Markus Linke guest starred a couple months ago

[@leavemealoneyoutube1707]

Hey Indy, can you tell us about what Otto Frank, father of Anne Frank did during the war? I know he fought at The Battle of the Somme and Cambrai and was promoted to First Lieutenant, but do you know anything else about his service? What honors were bestowed upon him? Thank you and your crew for all the word you've done, hope to see more of you after the war is over.

[@johnferguson7235]

You missed a chance here to provide more information about what life was like for the average citizen in occupied Belgium. This episode was more than a little thin.

[@TheGreatWar]

excuse us our expert for now being available the whole day

[@ericcarlson3746]

what life was like? severe food shortages. King Alfonso XIII and Spain and other neutrals tried to help; during US neutrality Herbert Hoover tried to help.....

[@Charlie-up8hy]

Many examples of restrictions: you had to have paperwork for everything, to get food, to rent a bike for a day, even for a pinch of salt, gathering enough food to survive took an entires day work(American soup kitchens saved many people. Forced labour in Germany, they could just send you away. When the Germans entered a town they would cut the telephone lines so there was no outside communication, no post. All men between adult men (and even younger I believe?) had to register daily or near daily to keep watch and prevent them from escaping to fight.

[@HojozVideos]

I can hear a strong Belgian/Dutch accent. Cool to see that there are also people from these countries in the episodes

[@Gliese380]

Flemish accent

[@wisecoonie]

Yeah, way too strong. Plain farmers accent really.

[@DBarks38]

Finaly!

[@hetspook666]

Please call it Netherlands not Holland, holland is just north and south holland combined, Zeeland where a lot of refugees went is not a part of Holland. There was no fence between Holland and Belgium they're not connected at all.

[@annadelsiena]

Stop being so whiny about it. It's just for convenience

[@koptelevoon]

As a Dutchman i can say that it doesnt matter that much. Sometimes i call it Holland myself and i live in Friesland.

[@MrSvenovitch]

They're - their - there, leer godverdomme het verschil dombo

[@hetspook666]

@@MrSvenovitch wat grappig, een spelling-trol op jijbuis. Luistert naar Samson & Gert en andere studio 100 kindermuziek, wordt je daar op school niet mee gepest? Anyway if you criticize someone's English grammar, do it in English.

[@koptelevoon]

@@MrSvenovitch jongeh sven rustig man het is maar een spelfout

[@filip2165]

Please do video ,, Serbia under Austro-Hungary and Bulgarian occupation " !

[@CCRipberger]

What was it like for the small area of unoccupied Belgium? Between the Allied naval blockade and the Germans occupying most of the country, being in unoccupied Belgium had to be rough. Where did Belgium's government go? Did it stay in the unoccupied area or go to another Allied country?

[@Gliese380]

The Belgian government relocated to the French coastal city of Le Havre. King Albert I considered that it was inappropriate for a King to leave his own country and and did not join his government in exile. Instead, he established his heardquarters in the Flemish town of Veurne, just behind the Yser Front, in the last strip of unoccupied Belgian territory.

[@Jekubman]

I always wondered what happened to Baarle Hertog, a Belgian municipality which is spread out over lots of enclaves surrounded by Dutch territory, during the first World War. Where did their food and water come from and how did they pay for it? How where they governed? Did Baarle Hertog function as a small independent nation like Andora during the war?

[@hjalmar4565]

Well Baarle Hertog wasn't occupied by Germany for the simple reason the Germans couldn't reach it. Because of this nothing really changed for the people there. The Food and other goods they could import from The Netherlands.

[@rogerscott8211]

i love WW1 history

[@yentl8509]

🦁

[@MultiZirkon]

What happend in the German speaking villages and towns of Belgium after the war? Some of these still speak German today, don't they?

[@hjalmar4565]

Well there were no German speaking villages in Belgium. Those villages were part of Germany before the Great War.

[@BennekeClaes93]

Hmm, it has been a long time since I visited the Ysertower in Dixmude, but seeing it is private museum with AVV-VVK on the top, I advise every one to take this video with a pinch of salt. The history of Flemish Activism (collaboration with Germans) is very complex, just as the the history of Flemish nationalism in general. The "In Flanders Fields Museum" in Ypre would have been a better visit, I believe.

[@wisecoonie]

The AVV-VVK monument is a testament to Peace (the inscription means "Everything for Flanders, Flanders for Christ", which primarily refers to the strong Catholic inclination of the Flemish people right after WWI). The tower is NOT a glorification of Flemish nationalism, but after it was bombed by French saboteurs (who got away with their respectless act), the significance of the monument was "recuperated" by Flemish nationalists who started to gather over there (in a rather pompous and slightly ridiculous fashion) for their yearly remembrance day. Please retain the message, "Nooit meer oorlog" ("Never repeat war") and forget the Flemish nationalist "touch", because this was NEVER intended as such by the original builders...

[@davidsachs4883]

Odd, machines says two comments, but I read four

[@davidsachs4883]

I left the “s” on the end of machine, so I deserved being the brunt of a joke.

[@Thefungusjunkyard]

What will you do when you reach 1 million subs

[@brendenwymer3976]

Question for out of the trenches: I've heard from several sources that the Belgian people liked the German occupation of their country during world war two. And we're bitter towards the allies as they liberated Belgium. What changed between the wars that caused the Belgian people to not like the Germans in world war one, and then go and like the Germans in world war two?

[@ThePandaJG]

Belgian here. Like in every country, a few love the invaders and many hate them. My grandpa was in the belgian resistance near Bastogne and the father of my grandma hide many pilots and soldiers. I grow up with these stories and that's the same for a lot of people I know.

[@testimonialicochique]

As my grand-grand-grand-father died as forced labour in a german camp during 1st WW near the front, atrocities in general have been terrible for Belgians. However, during 2nd WW, seems that Germans weren't able or not interested anymore to do the same. My grand-grand mother said that german soldier during this time were very polite (maybe they had instructions to change behaviors because of the past) in comparison of US soldiers "that killed cows for fun and behaved like criminals" as she said to me.

[@hoangucanh8935]

Pls do indochina

[@austinlong2698]

Hey do any of you at BF1 for Xbox?

[@yperman2025]

Even more interesting fact - Flemish beer is the best if the World!

[@Gressethegreat]

AVV-VVK

[@johncoffin9354]

Clearly, the Walloons did speak French. Is Flemish really the same as Dutch? Or just close?

[@bv2623]

Flemish and Dutch share the same grammar and spelling. Only pronounciation and vocabulary differentiate somewhat. And then you have the many subdialects in Flanders and Netherlands ;) Also Walloon isn't exactly French too, it's a dialect. Comparable to Quebecian French.

[@robertbray8590]

New Zealand could not go home

[@jorenramboer8428]

I live in diksmuide, too bad I did not come across you

[@pontan8084]

What about the occupation of the German colonies? What about that?

[@Vienna3080]

I wish you guys talked about some of the positives

[@trednax_7789]

Leve de Vlaemsche Republiek!

[@CrimsonDragon15]

Belgians: Almost all of our country was occupied so we couldn't go home. Serbia: That is so sad. Please tell me more.

[@kensenkensen7297]

+Noobster Noobster.. Bosnia not Austro Hungary. .. But I bet you support the chetniks concentration camps......

[@johngalvano5895]

well it's not a suffering competition

[@MrBigCookieCrumble]

@@johngalvano5895 This is WW1, it's ONE BIG suffering competition!

[@gandalftheblue6353]

more then 100 years have past since the end of the great war, yet Belgium is still divided ,... poor planet ..

[@closetglobe.IRGUN.NW0]

How so?

[@gandalftheblue6353]

@@closetglobe.IRGUN.NW0 There are still huge differences ... Economic, social , mentallity , Wallifornia is pro socialism , while Flanders wants to move on and get rid of the huge costs of the south ...many examples ... then there are 6! different governments ... its a disaster for the common people ... corruption has become nr 1 export product ...

[@darkgreendemocracy]

It is very important to know this monument is a Flemish nationalist monument and their is something like a flemish myth with exagerations of actual historical facts. It is true most officers are french speakers but it is a myth that they didn't want to communicate their orders to dutch speakers only in french. This would be very problematic in frontline stituations. The flemish nationalist movement has a lot of his heritage/history formed during the two german occupations during the two world wars. Flemish identity was partialy formed during the two occupations. Being flemish was something else before 1914 and after 1918. Before 1914 it had more to do with the historical county of flanders (2 language county) during the middleages after 1918 it was inspired on the language divide in Belgium. The flemish identity was starting to form with a book from Henri Conscience (a son of french immigrants) published in dutch and very popular called the Lion of Flanders (1838). It is about 1302 and the battle of the Golden Spurs. This book made the flemish "learn" to read dutch. It is after the world wars Belgium started to envolve from a unitary state dominated by the french speaking bourgeoisie into a federal state devided along language borders and the emanicipation of dutch into an official language of Belgium.

[@RobotRockedYou]

Allen Voor Vlaanderen, Vlaanderen Voor Kristus!

[@MrSvenovitch]

yes the so called all powerful Christ who lets war happen in the first place. Why doesn't he show himself? I'll give him a piece of my mind.

[@carlcassidy185]

I've been there, on a WW1 tour; it's not too far from Newport. Interesting site. The tower was blown up in 1946 because all Flemish Belgians were blamed for the actions of a few by the French Belgians. The Pax Gate is made from the remains of the original monument

[@ultraranger1286]

If Belgium could support its army during the 4 years of the war, who is paying for it and how? Foreign creditors?

[@the12th68]

UltraRanger America and britain helped with that and probably the Congo helped as Well and Germany paid for it After the war.

[@Gliese380]

Most of the Belgian gold reserves were saved and were transported to England. Belgium was one of the only occupied countries that was able to fund their own troops in exile.

[@onardico]

Belgium was occupied only because of its chocolate

[@gunterxvoices4101]

What?

[@onardico]

well, you should meet the belgian chocolate like the leonidas or corné for example...

[@ericcarlson3746]

a nation overrun, thousands shot or starved to death, cities destroyed, and some teen thinks its all a joke

[@onardico]

yes, funny isn't? millions people dying around the world because a serbian killed a austrian. Tragicomedy

[@TheMrPeteChannel]

5th!

[@johngalvano5895]

Franc-Tireurs!

[@wisecoonie]

John Galvano nonsense!

[@WolfyOfHonor]

so hard to listen to Peter. I know it's hard when English is not your mother tongue, but still.

[@THO-BRO2000]

Belgians talking English is soooo funny, because the accent is 50% Dutch and 50% French lmao

[@Bellg]

It's a little atrocious... but he's trying.

[@MrSvenovitch]

It's laughable for a man in his position and not representative for Flanders. He's from West Flanders and due to their bad teachers in kindergarten and grade school silly accents many of them can't even speak Dutch properly.

[@wisecoonie]

Yes, i do agree. Talking about “tomstones” for instance. Plain silly accent. Unfortunately these museum curators are often not the greatest of academics but ww1 enthusiasts put in place by local politicians. The man has the aura of a boring noob.

[@ar312no8]

Sven waarom denk je dat west-Vlamingen slechte leerkrachten hebben ? En geloof me west-Vlamingen kunnen perfect algemeen Nederlands spreken. Die man is gewoon nerveus en hij is perfect verstaanbaar dus stop met huilen

[@daniel_4541]

can you guys look at navel warfare

[@blobs5440]

first commenter

[@trednax_7789]

I cringe so much when hearing us (belgians) talk English.

[@MrSvenovitch]

vergelijk niet iedereen met deze niet welbespraakte zenuwachtige nerd aub

[@trednax_7789]

@@MrSvenovitch ik weet het ma das vaak zo da wij echt raar klinken, zo iets tussen een duitser en een fransman

[@wisecoonie]

Gruwelijk boers accent heeft ie. Maar dat geldt ook voor piet chielens (curator in flanders fields) en die vindt zzelf duidelijk een geweldige Engelssprekende Vlaming. Beschamend.

[@sindidun]

If you don't have balls you have underground newspaper. If you have the balls you have Toplica uprising!

[@tf2664]

What if the US didn't always have to ruin Germany's chance at glory? like srsly

[@Duke_of_Lorraine]

@TF2 Germany should have kept their submarines in leash instead of torpedoing anything that moves. The Kaiserreich storyline uses that as a point of divergence, Germany doesn't use unrestricted submarine warfare which means the US doesn't enter the war. I don't know how credible it is but basically nothing of note happens in 1918, Germany stays defensive on the west and crushes the Reds in the russian civil war (and with some hindsight neutralises the Salonika front), then in 1919 they turn all of their resources on a push against France. They cannot defeat Britain so they sign peace 2 years later

[@johnhall8364]

Interesting, the way the occupation is discussed here is strikingly different from the Allied stories about German atrocities that are in all our history books. I guess that was mostly just Allied propaganda?

[@AtParmentier]

Though Allied propaganda exaggerated the situation a bit, it was bad. The Flemish got little bit better life relative to the Walloons during the war, but it was still a harsh period. A little bit of the Flammenpolitik can still be felt at that particular museum. The Yzertower is a place of pilgrimage for Flemish nationalists.

[@wisecoonie]

The British exaggerrated the situation to draw sympathy from their own population to act and intervene against the Germans. Most British people were initially strongly opposed to a military intervention On European mainland. But it remains a fact that the German army killed hundreds of belgian civilians and burned cities and towns in the first weeks of the war. That is well-documented fact and not fantasy.