Everything about German Speaking Community In Belgium totally explained
The
German-speaking Community of Belgium (short
DGB) is one of the three federal communities in
Belgium. It is the main part of the so-called
East Cantons (German
Ost-Kantone) of Belgium. It has an area of 854 km², and a population of over 73,000, of which almost 100% are German speaking (traditionally
Ripuarian-speaking). Its capital is
Eupen; it's part of the
province of
Liège and borders on the
Netherlands,
Germany, and
Luxembourg.
History
The area known today as the
East Cantons consists of the German-speaking Community and the municipalities of
Malmedy and
Waimes (Weismes), which belong to the
French Community of Belgium. The East Cantons were part of the
Rhine Province of
Prussia in
Germany until
1920 (as the counties (
Landkreise) of
Eupen and
Malmedy), but were annexed by Belgium following Germany's defeat in
World War I and the subsequent
Treaty of Versailles. Thus they also became known as the
cantons rédimés, "redeemed cantons". The peace treaty of Versailles demanded the "questioning" of the local population, about their political status. This process wasn't carried out as an anonymous plebiscite. Instead those locals who were unwilling to become Belgians and who wanted the region to remain a part of Germany were required to register themselves along with their full name and address. In fact the Belgian military administration, headed by
Herman Baltia, prevented an equitable carrying out of this "questioning" and many locals feared
reprisals or even expulsion after enlisting.
In the mid-1920s there were secret negotiations between Germany and Belgium and the kingdom of Belgium seemed to be inclined to sell the region back to Germany as a way to improve its finances. A price of 200 million
gold marks has been mentioned. The Government is headed by a
Minister-President, who acts as the "
prime minister" of the Community, and is assisted by the Ministry of the German-speaking Community. The government currently formed by four Ministers:
- Karl-Heinz Lambertz, Minister-President and Minister for District Authorities
- Bernd Gentges, Deputy Minister-President and Minister for Vocational Training and Employment, Social Policy and Tourism
- Oliver Paasch, Minister for Education and Research
- Isabelle Weykmans, Minister for Culture and Media, Monuments and Sites, Youth and Sport
Municipalities in the German-speaking Community
The German-speaking Community consists of the following nine municipalities:
Amel
Büllingen
Burg-Reuland
Bütgenbach
Eupen
Kelmis
Lontzen
Raeren
Sankt Vith
List of Ministers-President of the German-speaking Community
Flag and coat of arms
In 1989, there was a call for proposals for a flag and arms of the Community. In the end the coat of arms of the Community was designed by merging the arms of the Duchy of Limburg and the Duchy of Luxembourg, to which the two parts of the community had historically belonged.
A decree adopted on 1 October 1990 and published on 15 November 1990 prescribed the arms, the flag, the colours as well as the Day of the German-speaking Community of Belgium, which was to be celebrated annually on November 15.
The coat of arms, in heraldic blazon, is: Arms: Argent, a lion rampant gules between nine cinquefoils azure. Crest: A royal crown. The flag shows a red lion together with nine blue cinquefoils on a white field. The colours of the German-speaking Community are white and red in a horizontal position.
Further Information
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