The Dutch-French Language Border in Belgium

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The Dutch-French Language Border in Belgium The Dutch-French Language Border in Belgium Roland Willemyns Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Germaanse Talen, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium Thisarticle is restricted to adescriptionof languageborder fluctuations in Belgium as faras itsDutch-French portion isconcerned.After a briefdescription of theso-called ‘languagequestion’ in Belgium thenotion of languageborder is discussedin general. Then comesan overviewof thestatus and function of thelanguage border in Belgium and of theactual language border fluctuations as they haveoccurred up to thepresent day. Two problem areas:the ‘ Voerstreek’and theBrussels suburban region are discussedin moredetail. Afterwards language shift and changethrough erosionin Brusselsare analysed as wellas thepart played in thatprocess by linguisticlegislation, languageplanning and sociolinguisticdevelopments. Finally a typology of language borderchange is drawn up and thepatterns of changeare identified in orderto explain and accountforthea lmostunique natureoftheBelgianportion of the Romance-Germanic language border. 1. Introduction Belgium (approximately10 million inhabitants) is a trilingualand federal country,consisting of four different entitiesconstituted on the basisof language: the Dutch-speaking community(called Flanders;58% of the population),the French speaking one (called Wallonia;32%), the smallGerman speaking commu- nity (0.6%)and the Dutch-French bilingual communityof Brussels(9.5%). Since regionalgovernments have legislative power, the frontiersof their jurisdiction, being language borders, are defined in the constitution (Willemyns, 1988). The Belgian portionof the Romance-Germaniclanguage borderis quite remarkablefor mainly two main reasons: (1) itsstatus and function have changed considerablysince the countrycame into existence; (2) itspresent status andfunction arealmost unique ascompared to all the otherportions under consideration.Because of thatit has frequently caughtthe attention(and imagi- nation)of scientistsof variousdisciplines (although,for a long time,mainly of historians;Lamarcq & Rogge,1996). It often servedas a parspro toto for the Romance-Germanicborder as a whole andmany researchers have tried to explain itsgenesis basedon itsBelgian portion(see Van Durme in thisspecial issue). Arealbreakthrough hasonly been achieved fromthe momentlinguists have entered the debate.Maurits Gysseling in particularis to be mentioned in this respectbecause of hisidea to use the oldestlinguistic sourcesavailable (including toponyms)and for the skill displayed in doing so.His work is now being continued –withno less skill –by hisformer student Luc vanDurme (there are references on the work of both in Van Durme’s article in this issue). Thisarticle is restricted to a descriptionof language borderfluctuations in Belgium asfar as its Dutch-French portionis concerned. Language contactin Brusselsis treated in Treffers-Daller, andthe trilingualcontact between German, 0143-4632/02/01 0036-14 $20.00/0 © 2002 R. Willemyns JOURNAL OFMULTILINGUAL AND MULTICULTURALDEVELOPMENT Vol. 23, Nos. 1&2, 2002 36 Dutch-French Language Border in Belgium 37 French andDutch in Belgium’s easternpart in Nelde andDarquennes, bothin this issue. 2. The Language Border and the so-called ‘Language Question’ in Belgium The ‘language struggle’which wasgoing todominate Belgian politicallife startedshortly after 1830, the yearin which Belgium hadbecome anindependent constitutionalmonarchy with a parliamentarysystem dominated by the bour- geoiselite, andwhich secured itsposition by adoptinga poll-taxsystem (out of 3.5million people, only 46,000had the rightto vote; Witte & Van Velthoven, 1998).Although the new constitutionprovided for‘ linguisticfreedom’ , itwas obviousthat this ‘ freedom’was profitable only tothe richand the powerful, i.e. tothe bourgeoisie fromWallonia and Flanders, all of whomwere French speakers.For this bourgeoisie, French wasanaturalchoice as the language ofthe state.The governmentappointed only French-speaking civilservants and the discriminationof Dutch throughoutthe 19thcentury wasgeneral andvery delib- erate,despite the factthat Dutch speakersconstituted the majorityof the popula- tion.There isnoroom here toelaborate on the genesis of thissituation (for more information see Van de Craen & Willemyns, 1988). Aso-calledFlemish Movement startedup almostimmediately and fought a long-lastingbattle for cultural and linguistic rightsfor Dutch speakers.It took until 1889for the ‘gelijkheidswet ‘todeclare Dutch andFrench the twoofficial languagesof the country. Afterwardsthings developed faster:two sets of lawsin 1932and 1963 guaranteed what had been the ultimategoal of the Flemish Move- ment,i.e. the officialand complete ‘Dutchification’of Flanders.The Walloons havingbeen opposedto widespread bilingualism throughoutthe country, Belgium graduallyturned tothe territorialityprinciple modelto accommodate itsvarious linguistic groups.It officialised the language frontieras adomestic administrativeborder, made it virtually unchangeable andaccomplished the linguistic homogeneity of the language groups and regions. The Belgian language struggle hasnever been anexclusively linguistic problem but hasalways been intertwined withsocial and political issues as well. Yet,a considerablechange in natureis to be discerned fromthe early 1960s onwardwhen the language problems were replaced by so-called‘ community problems’and the borderbetween Walloniaand Flanders ceased to be amere linguistic one in orderto become asocialone aswell. Thiscan be accountedfor by majordomestic economic changes. From the late1950s onwards a dramatic industrialdevelopment waswitnessed in Flanders,turning thisformally agri- culturalterritory into a highly industrialisedregion, largely dominatingthe domesticpolitical, social and economic scene. Atthe same,time the outdated industrialequipment ofWallonia was slowly breaking down,giving wayto a seriouseconomic recession from which ithas not yet recovered.In 199674.5% of the industrialgross added value wasgenerated inthe Flemish region (58%of Belgium’s population).Consequently, the culturaland linguistic balanceof power shifted towardsFlanders (Willemyns, 1992).The present-day socialand economicimbalance between Flanders,Brussels and Wallonia is to be consid- ered potentiallydisruptive forthe continuationof Belgium’s existence, since it 38 Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development requires aconsiderableamount of so-called‘ solidaritytransfers’ from Flanders toWallonia (for 80%)and from Flanders to Brussels (for 20%).Most of these transfers occur in the field of social security financing (De Boeck, 1999). Revisionsof the constitutionin 1970and 1980 provided for cultural autonomy anda considerableamount of self-determinationfor the linguisticallydivided partsof the country.Subsequent constitutionalchanges in 1988and 1993 finally turned Belgium into the federal country it is now (Alen & Suetens, 1993). 3. Language Borders The notionof ‘language border’which isessential in thispaper andin this volume isnot easy to define. Asis often the casewith, for example, the related notionof ‘dialectborder’ , itmighteven beargued thatlanguage bordersdo not actuallyexist, since itis obvious that language areasare but seldomseparated by aclear-cutline. Usually,there issome kind oftransitionalzone between them, anda demarcationline, therefore, will alwayshave a somewhatarbitrary char- acter.Moreover, it is obviousthat in transitionzones a socialvariable, rather than ageographic one,may be decisive forlinguistic ‘ affiliation’. Dialect-geographers arevery familiarwith such problems andto cope withthem they tend tomake use notso much ofatheoreticalbut ofapracticalsolution, which may differ from one region toanother.In thispaper too,the variouskinds oflanguage contact under investigationwill be decisive forthe particularuse which ismade of the concept of ‘language border’. Yet,both in ahistoricaland a contemporarysense, it may be necessaryto refer towhatGoossens (1968) calls an ‘intuitive consensus’on language borders.In the caseof French-Flanders forexample, there isa general consensusamong scholars toconsiderthe isoglossused in dialect-geographicstudies as the language border between the Romanceand the Germanicdialects in the region (it isreproduced in,among others, Pé e, 1957).The sameapplied toBelgium up to1963, the yearin which the language borderwas laid down by law.From then onwardthe notion of‘language border’is used in asociolinguisticsense, meaning thatit separates tworegionsin which either Dutch orFrench isthe officiallanguage, disregarding anypossible bilingual communicationwhich mayactually occur in the transition zone:the language bordercoincides with the borderseparating two administra- tive entities. Asregards the changeswhich are discussed in thispaper, twoessentially different types haveto be discerned (Willemyns, 1996):(1) language shift resulting in achange ofthe locationof the border,meaning thatplaces which used tobe partof the transitionzone have, in the courseof time,definitely moved intothe monolingualzone on either side of the border;(2) language shift resulting in ‘erosion’, meaning thatthe contactsituation has decisively been changed in the courseof historyalthough the ‘language border’(in the tradi- tionalsense) hasnot changed itscourse. Since in Belgium the constitutional notionof language bordernot only refers tothe demarcationlines between monolingualterritories but alsoto the demarcationlines between monolingual andofficially bilingual zones,‘ erosion’is also used tocharacterise
Recommended publications
  • Challenges for Flemish Agriculture and Horticulture
    LARA '18 LARA '18 CHALLENGES FOR FLEMISH AGRICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES CHALLENGES FOR FLEMISH AGRICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE The seventh edition of the Flemish Agriculture Report (LARA) was published in 2018. The report deals with the challenges for Flemish agriculture and horticulture. At the same time, it pro- vides a detailed description of the subsectors. A SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) also takes place per subsector. Between the chapters, experts from policy, research and civil society give their vision on challenges faced by Flemish agriculture and how the sector should deal with them. This is a translation of the summary of the report. You’ll find the entire report in Dutch on www.vlaanderen.be/landbouwrapport. © Flemish Government, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Platteau J., Lambrechts G., Roels K., Van Bogaert T., Luypaert G. & Merckaert B. (eds.) (2019) Challenges for Flemish agriculture and horticulture, Agriculture Report 2018, Summary, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Brussels. D/2019/3241/075 1 CURRENT SITUATION AGRICULTURE IS CHARACTERISED BY ECONOMIES OF SCALE, SPECIALISATION, DIVERSIFICATI- ON AND INNOVATION In 2017, Flanders had 23,225 agricultural businesses, 78% of which were of a professional nature. Compa- red to 2007, the number of agricultural holdings has decreased by slightly more than a quarter, a decrease of 3% per year on average. In particular smaller farms stop their activities, which leads to a constant increase in scale. In 2017, agriculture and horticulture as a whole covered an area of 610,971 hectares. Thereof, the largest part is accounted for by fodder crops (maize and meadows) and cereals, with 56% and 21% respectively.
    [Show full text]
  • Landslides in Belgium—Two Case Studies in the Flemish Ardennes and the Pays De 20 Herve
    Landslides in Belgium—Two Case Studies in the Flemish Ardennes and the Pays de 20 Herve Olivier Dewitte, Miet Van Den Eeckhaut, Jean Poesen and Alain Demoulin Abstract Most landslides in Belgium, and especially the largest features, do not occur in the Ardenne, where the relief energy and the climate conditions seem most favourable. They appear in regions located mainly north of them where the lithology consists primarily of unconsolidated material. They develop on slopes that are relatively smooth, and their magnitude is pretty large with regard to that context. An inventory of more than 300 pre-Holocene to recent landslides has been mapped. Twenty-seven percent of all inventoried landslides are shallow complex landslides that show signs of recent activity. The remaining landslides are deep-seated features and rotational earth slides dominate (n > 200). For such landslides, the average area is 3.9 ha, but affected areas vary from 0.2 to 40.4 ha. The exact age of the deep-seated landslides is unknown, but it is certain that during the last century no such landslides were initiated. Both climatic and seismic conditions during the Quaternary may have triggered landslides. The produced landslide inventory is a historical inventory containing landslides of different ages and triggering events. Currently, only new shallow landslides or reactivations within existing deep-seated landslides occur. The focus on the Hekkebrugstraat landslide in the Flemish Ardennes allows us to understand the recent dynamics of a large reactivated landslide. It shows the complexity of the interactions between natural and human-induced processes. The focus on the Pays the Herve allows for a deeper understanding of landslide mechanisms and the cause of their origin in natural environmental conditions.
    [Show full text]
  • Flemish Art 1880–1930
    COMING FLEMISH ART 1880–1930 EDITOR KATHARINA VAN CAUTEREN HOME WITH ESSAYS BY ANNE ADRIAENS-PANNIER PATRICK BERNAUW PIET BOYENS KLAAS COULEMBIER JOHAN DE SMET MARK EYSKENS DAVID GARIFF LEEN HUET FERNAND HUTS PAUL HUVENNE PETER PAUWELS CONSTANTIJN PETRIDIS NIELS SCHALLEY HERWIG TODTS KATHARINA VAN CAUTEREN LUC VAN CAUTEREN SVEN VAN DORST CATHÉRINE VERLEYSEN Hubert Malfait Home from the Fields, 1923-1924 Oil on canvas, 120 × 100 cm COURTESY OF FRANCIS MAERE FINE ARTS CONTENTS 7 PREFACE 211 JAMES ENSOR’S KATHARINA VAN CAUTEREN WHIMSICAL QUEST FOR BLISS HERWIG TODTS 9 PREFACE FERNAND HUTS 229 WOUTERS WRITINGS 13 THE ROOTS OF FLANDERS HERWIG TODTS KATHARINA VAN CAUTEREN 253 EDGARD TYTGAT. 65 AUTHENTIC, SOUND AND BEAUTIFUL. ‘PEINTRE-IMAGIER’ THE RECEPTION OF LUC VAN CAUTEREN FLEMISH EXPRESSIONISM PAUL HUVENNE 279 CONSTANT PERMEKE. THE ETERNAL IN THE EVERYDAY 79 THE MOST FLEMISH FLEMINGS PAUL HUVENNE WRITE IN FRENCH PATRICK BERNAUW 301 GUST. DE SMET. PAINTER OF CONTENTMENT 99 A GLANCE AT FLEMISH MUSIC NIELS SCHALLEY BETWEEN 1890 AND 1930 KLAAS COULEMBIER 319 FRITS VAN DEN BERGHE. SURVEYOR OF THE DARK SOUL 117 FLEMISH BOHÈME PETER PAUWELS LEEN HUET 339 ‘PRIMITIVISM’ IN BELGIUM? 129 THE BELGIAN LUMINISTS IN AFRICAN ART AND THE CIRCLE OF EMILE CLAUS FLEMISH EXPRESSIONISM JOHAN DE SMET CONSTANTIJN PETRIDIS 149 BENEATH THE SURFACE. 353 LÉON SPILLIAERT. THE ART OF THE ART OF THE INDEFINABLE GUSTAVE VAN DE WOESTYNE ANNE ADRIAENS-PANNIER SVEN VAN DORST 377 THE EXPRESSIONIST IMPULSE 175 VALERIUS DE SAEDELEER. IN MODERN ART THE SOUL OF THE LANDSCAPE DAVID GARIFF PIET BOYENS 395 DOES PAINTING HAVE BORDERS? 195 THE SCULPTURE OF MARK EYSKENS GEORGE MINNE CATHÉRINE VERLEYSEN 6 PREFACE Dear Reader, 7 Just so you know, this book is not the Bible.
    [Show full text]
  • Sociaal - Economisch Profiel Van De Limburgse Gemeenten Ana Lyse Inhoud
    Februari 2021 SOCIAAL - ECONOMISCH PROFIEL VAN DE LIMBURGSE GEMEENTEN ANA LYSE INHOUD 1 Bevolking 6 1.1 Aantal inwoners 8 1.2 Bevolkingsdichtheid 9 Uw gemeente in 1.3 Aandeel jongeren (0-18 jaar) in de totale bevolking 10 1.4 Aandeel ouderen (65-plussers) in de totale bevolking 11 1.5 Doorstromingscoëfficiënt 12 23 sociaal- 1.6 Vaststellingen bevolking in de Limburgse gemeenten 13 2 Arbeidsmarkt 14 economische 2.1 Werkzaamheidsgraad 16 2.2 Werkzoekendengraad 17 2.3 Niet-beroepsactieven 18 indicatoren 2.4 Werkgelegenheid (jobs in loondienst + zelfstandigen) 19 2.5 Jobratio 20 2.6 Sectorverdeling (%) van de arbeidsplaatsen 21 2.7 Spanningsgraad 22 2.8 Gemiddeld fiscaal inkomen per inwoner 23 Wist u dat van alle Limburgse gemeenten Beringen het meeste 2.9 Vaststellingen arbeidsmarkt in de Limburgse gemeenten 24 jongeren telt onder haar inwoners? En Tongeren en Herstappe het meeste 65-plussers? Of dat in Nieuwerkerken verhoudingsgewijs het 3 Economische activiteit 26 hoogste aantal inwoners aan het werk is? En dat er in slechts 3.1 Bruto toegevoegde waarde per inwoner 28 5 Limburgse gemeenten een hogere bruto toegevoegde waarde per 3.2 Vestigingsgraad 29 3.3 Sectorverdeling (%) van de bedrijven met personeel inwoner wordt gecreëerd dan gemiddeld in Vlaanderen? 30 3.4 Ondernemersgraad 31 3.5 Aandeel (%) bedrijventerreinen in totale oppervlakte Achter de globale Limburgse economische prestaties gaat een grote 32 3.6 Bedrijventerreinen: omvang, bezettingsgraad subregionale diversiteit schuil. POM Limburg verzamelde voor 23 en actief aanbod 33 sociaaleconomische indicatoren de prestaties van de Limburgse 3.7 Oppervlakte voor bedrijvigheid t.o.v. gemeenten. Per indicator kan u kijken hoe uw gemeente het doet en totaal bebouwde oppervlakte 34 welke andere gemeenten gelijkaardig, beter of minder goed scoren.
    [Show full text]
  • Interes Ng Languages Facts About the Dutch Langua
    www.dutchtrans.co.uk [email protected] Dutch Trans Tel: UK +44 20-80997921 Interes�ng languages facts about the Dutch langua The main language! There are many ques�ons in regards to the Flem- ish language and how is it different from Dutch. We will give you some Flemish language facts to clear things up. With three-fi�hs of the popula�on being na�ve speakers, Dutch is considered to be the majority language in Belgium. Dutch speakers mostly living on the Flemish Region have created the Dutch variety commonly referred to as "Flem- ish". Quick Flemish language facts The usage of the word "Flemish" to refer to the Dutch variety in Northern Belgium is con- sidered informal. Also, linguis�cally, the term "Flemish" is used in other different ways such as an indica�on of any local dialects in the Flanders region, as well as non-standard varia- �ons of the Dutch language in the provinces of French Flanders and West Flanders. 1 www.dutchtrans.co.uk [email protected] Dutch Trans Tel: UK +44 20-80997921 Dialects... The usage of the Flemish in reference to the Dutch language does not separate it from the Standard Dutch or the other dialects. That's why linguists avoid the term "Flemish" to refer to the Dutch Language preferring the usage of "Flemish Dutch", "Belgian Dutch" or "Southern Dutch". Flemish formally refers to the Flemish Region, which is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium. Flemish Varia�ons! The Flemish region has four principal varia�ons of the Dutch language: East and West Flemish, Bra- ban�an and Limburgish.
    [Show full text]
  • Belgian Identity Politics: at a Crossroad Between Nationalism and Regionalism
    University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Masters Theses Graduate School 8-2014 Belgian identity politics: At a crossroad between nationalism and regionalism Jose Manuel Izquierdo University of Tennessee - Knoxville, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes Part of the Human Geography Commons Recommended Citation Izquierdo, Jose Manuel, "Belgian identity politics: At a crossroad between nationalism and regionalism. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 2014. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/2871 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a thesis written by Jose Manuel Izquierdo entitled "Belgian identity politics: At a crossroad between nationalism and regionalism." I have examined the final electronic copy of this thesis for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree of Master of Science, with a major in Geography. Micheline van Riemsdijk, Major Professor We have read this thesis and recommend its acceptance: Derek H. Alderman, Monica Black Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R. Hodges Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official studentecor r ds.) Belgian identity politics: At a crossroad between nationalism and regionalism A Thesis Presented for the Master of Science Degree The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Jose Manuel Izquierdo August 2014 Copyright © 2014 by Jose Manuel Izquierdo All rights reserved.
    [Show full text]
  • Belgium-Luxembourg-7-Preview.Pdf
    ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Belgium & Luxembourg Bruges, Ghent & Antwerp & Northwest Belgium Northeast Belgium p83 p142 #_ Brussels p34 Wallonia p183 Luxembourg p243 #_ Mark Elliott, Catherine Le Nevez, Helena Smith, Regis St Louis, Benedict Walker PLAN YOUR TRIP ON THE ROAD Welcome to BRUSSELS . 34 ANTWERP Belgium & Luxembourg . 4 Sights . 38 & NORTHEAST Belgium & Luxembourg Tours . .. 60 BELGIUM . 142 Map . 6 Sleeping . 62 Antwerp (Antwerpen) . 144 Belgium & Luxembourg’s Eating . 65 Top 15 . 8 Around Antwerp . 164 Drinking & Nightlife . 71 Westmalle . 164 Need to Know . 16 Entertainment . 76 Turnhout . 165 First Time Shopping . 78 Lier . 167 Belgium & Luxembourg . .. 18 Information . 80 Mechelen . 168 If You Like . 20 Getting There & Away . 81 Leuven . 174 Getting Around . 81 Month by Month . 22 Hageland . 179 Itineraries . 26 Diest . 179 BRUGES, GHENT Hasselt . 179 Travel with Children . 29 & NORTHWEST Haspengouw . 180 Regions at a Glance . .. 31 BELGIUM . 83 Tienen . 180 Bruges . 85 Zoutleeuw . 180 Damme . 103 ALEKSEI VELIZHANIN / SHUTTERSTOCK © SHUTTERSTOCK / VELIZHANIN ALEKSEI Sint-Truiden . 180 Belgian Coast . 103 Tongeren . 181 Knokke-Heist . 103 De Haan . 105 Bredene . 106 WALLONIA . 183 Zeebrugge & Western Wallonia . 186 Lissewege . 106 Tournai . 186 Ostend (Oostende) . 106 Pipaix . 190 Nieuwpoort . 111 Aubechies . 190 Oostduinkerke . 111 Ath . 190 De Panne . 112 Lessines . 191 GALERIES ST-HUBERT, Beer Country . 113 Enghien . 191 BRUSSELS P38 Veurne . 113 Mons . 191 Diksmuide . 114 Binche . 195 MISTERVLAD / HUTTERSTOCK © HUTTERSTOCK / MISTERVLAD Poperinge . 114 Nivelles . 196 Ypres (Ieper) . 116 Waterloo Ypres Salient . 120 Battlefield . 197 Kortrijk . 123 Louvain-la-Neuve . 199 Oudenaarde . 125 Charleroi . 199 Geraardsbergen . 127 Thuin . 201 Ghent . 128 Aulne . 201 BRABO FOUNTAIN, ANTWERP P145 Contents UNDERSTAND Belgium & Luxembourg Today .
    [Show full text]
  • Hasselt – Hoeselt – Kortessem Openingsuren: Maandag
    Cordium Gouverneur Roppesingel 133, 3500 Hasselt Alken – Bilzen – Hasselt – Hoeselt – Kortessem Openingsuren: Maandag- en donderdagnamiddag 13.30 uur tot 16.00 uur Woensdag- en vrijdagvoormiddag 8.30 uur tot 12.00 uur Tel 011/26 45 60 Hacosi Gouverneur Roppesingel 53, 3500 Hasselt Hasselt – Diepenbeek – Wellen Openingsuren: maandag-, woensdag- en vrijdagvoormiddag 9.00 tot 12.30 uur Tel 011/28 83 10 Nieuw Sint-Truiden Gorsemweg 53, 3800 Sint-Truiden Sint-Truiden – Gingelom – Nieuwerkerken Openingsuren: maandag, woensdag, donderdag en vrijdag van 8.30 tot 11.30 uur dinsdag van 14.30 tot 17.30 uur, of na afspraak Tel 011/68 33 79 Woonzo Hasseltsesteenweg 28/1, 3700 Tongeren Tongeren – Riemst - Borgloon – Voeren – Heers Openingsuren: alle werkdagen van 8.30 tot 12.00 uur inschrijvingen: maandag en dinsdag 8.30 tot 11.30 uur en woensdag 12.30 tot 16.30 uur Kempisch Tehuis Ringlaan 20, 3530 Houthalen-Helchteren Houthalen-Helchteren – Zonhoven – Hechtel-Eksel – Lommel – Overpelt – Neerpelt – Hamont-Achel – Bocholt – Bree – Peer – Meeuwen-Gruitrode Openingsuren: maandag : 08.30 tot 12.30 uur en 13.00 tot 17.00 uur dinsdag / woensdag / donderdag: 08.30 tot 12.30 uur Tel 011/81 07 00 Kantonnale Bouwmaatschappij Beringen Violetstraat 15, 3580 Beringen Beringen – Ham – Halen – Heusden-Zolder – Herk-de-Stad – Leopoldsburg – Lummen – Tessenderlo Openingsuren: maandag van 9.00 tot 12.00 uur en van 14.00 tot 16.00 uur woensdag van 9.00 tot 12.00 uur vrijdag van 9.00 tot 12.00 uur Tel 011/42 24 61 Nieuw Dak Grotestraat 65, 3600 Genk As – Genk – Opglabbeek
    [Show full text]
  • VOORSTUDIE - SCREENINGSNOTA RUP “Klavertje 3”
    VOORSTUDIE - SCREENINGSNOTA RUP “Klavertje 3” Bilzen COLOFON Opdracht: Voorstudie - screeningsnota RUP “Klavertje 3” Opdrachtgever: Stad Bilzen Deken Paquayplaan 3740 Bilzen Opdrachthouder: Antea Belgium nv Posthofbrug 10 Jaarbeurslaan 25 2600 Antwerpen 3600 Genk T : +32(0)3 221 55 00 T : +32(0)89 74 11 00 F : +32 (0)3 221 55 01 F : +32 (0)89 74 11 01 www.anteagroup.be BTW: BE 414.321.939 RPR Antwerpen 0414.321.939 IBAN: BE81 4062 0904 6124 BIC: KREDBEBB Antea Group is gecertificeerd volgens ISO9001 Identificatienummer: 2222623006/sd Datum: status / revisie: november 2011 Voorstudie - screeningsnota Vrijgave: Wim Smeets, Account Manager Controle: Roland Vanmuysen, Projectleider Projectmedewerkers: Marijke Gorissen, Adviseur Sofie Claerbout, Adviseur Antea Belgium nv 2011 Zonder de voorafgaande schriftelijke toestemming van Antea Group mag geen enkel onderdeel of uittreksel uit deze tekst worden weergegeven of in een elektronische databank worden gevoegd, noch gefotokopieerd of op een andere manier vermenigvuldigd. INHOUD 1 INLEIDING .................................................................................................................. 2 1.1 OPDRACHTOMSCHRIJVING ...................................................................................................... 2 1.2 SITUERING ........................................................................................................................... 2 2 JURIDISCH KADER .......................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The Impact of the Extension of the Pedestrian Zone in The
    THE IMPACT OF THE EXTENSION OF THE PEDESTRIAN ZONE IN THE CENTRE OF BRUSSELS ON MOBILITY, ACCESSIBILITY AND PUBLIC SPACE Imre Keserü, Mareile Wiegmann, Sofie Vermeulen, Geert te Boveldt, Ewoud Heyndels & Cathy Macharis VUB-MOBI – BSI-BCO Original Research EN Since 2015, the Brussels pedestrian zone has been extended along boulevard Anspach. What impact did this have on travel and visiting behaviour, the perceived accessibility of the centre, and the quality of its public space? Brussel Mobiliteit (Brussels Capital Region) commissioned a large-scale follow-up survey to VUB-MOBI & the BSI-BCO to answer this question and monitor the effects before and after the renewal works. Brussels Metropolitan Area (BMA) inhabitants, city-centre employees and pedestrian zone visitors were questioned. This paper presents the most important findings from the 4870 respondents of the pre-renewal survey. A more detailed analysis will be available in the full research report (forthcoming, VUB-MOBI – BSI-BCO & Brussel- Mobiliteit). In general, more respondents were in support of a car-free Blvd Anspach than against it. Most visitors go to the new pedestrian zone for leisure-related purposes. Overall, the users are also mostly regular visitors, including inhabitants of the city centre and other Brussels inhabitants. In terms of appreciation of public space, the most problematic aspects are cleanliness and safety concerns whether during the day or by night. Furthermore, 36% of the BMA respondents stated that the closure for cars has influenced their choice of transport when going to the city-centre. Many of them use public transport more often. Lastly, the authors put forward recommendations to improve the pedestrian zone considering the survey’s results.
    [Show full text]
  • The Dutch-French Language Border in Belgium
    The Dutch-French Language Border in Belgium Roland Willemyns Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Germaanse Talen, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium Thisarticle is restricted to adescriptionof languageborder fluctuations in Belgium as faras itsDutch-French portion isconcerned.After a briefdescription of theso-called ‘languagequestion’ in Belgium thenotion of languageborder is discussedin general. Then comesan overviewof thestatus and function of thelanguage border in Belgium and of theactual language border fluctuations as they haveoccurred up to thepresent day. Two problem areas:the ‘ Voerstreek’and theBrussels suburban region are discussedin moredetail. Afterwards language shift and changethrough erosionin Brusselsare analysed as wellas thepart played in thatprocess by linguisticlegislation, languageplanning and sociolinguisticdevelopments. Finally a typology of language borderchange is drawn up and thepatterns of changeare identified in orderto explain and accountforthea lmostunique natureoftheBelgianportion of the Romance-Germanic language border. 1. Introduction Belgium (approximately10 million inhabitants) is a trilingualand federal country,consisting of four different entitiesconstituted on the basisof language: the Dutch-speaking community(called Flanders;58% of the population),the French speaking one (called Wallonia;32%), the smallGerman speaking commu- nity (0.6%)and the Dutch-French bilingual communityof Brussels(9.5%). Since regionalgovernments have legislative power, the frontiersof their jurisdiction, being language borders, are defined in the constitution (Willemyns, 1988). The Belgian portionof the Romance-Germaniclanguage borderis quite remarkablefor mainly two main reasons: (1) itsstatus and function have changed considerablysince the countrycame into existence; (2) itspresent status andfunction arealmost unique ascompared to all the otherportions under consideration.Because of thatit has frequently caughtthe attention(and imagi- nation)of scientistsof variousdisciplines (although,for a long time,mainly of historians;Lamarcq & Rogge,1996).
    [Show full text]
  • The Lion, the Rooster, and the Union: National Identity in the Belgian Clandestine Press, 1914-1918
    THE LION, THE ROOSTER, AND THE UNION: NATIONAL IDENTITY IN THE BELGIAN CLANDESTINE PRESS, 1914-1918 by MATTHEW R. DUNN Submitted to the Department of History of the University of Kansas in partial fulfillment of the requirements for departmental honors Approved by: _________________________ Dr. Andrew Denning _________________________ Dr. Nathan Wood _________________________ Dr. Erik Scott _________________________ Date Abstract Significant research has been conducted on the trials and tribulations of Belgium during the First World War. While amateur historians can often summarize the “Rape of Belgium” and cite nationalism as a cause of the war, few people are aware of the substantial contributions of the Belgian people to the war effort and their significance, especially in the historical context of Belgian nationalism. Relatively few works have been written about the underground press in Belgium during the war, and even fewer of those works are scholarly. The Belgian underground press attempted to unite the country's two major national identities, Flemings and Walloons, using the German occupation as the catalyst to do so. Belgian nationalists were able to momentarily unite the Belgian people to resist their German occupiers by publishing pro-Belgian newspapers and articles. They relied on three pillars of identity—Catholic heritage, loyalty to the Belgian Crown, and anti-German sentiment. While this expansion of Belgian identity dissipated to an extent after WWI, the efforts of the clandestine press still serve as an important framework for the development of national identity today. By examining how the clandestine press convinced members of two separate nations, Flanders and Wallonia, to re-imagine their community to the nation of Belgium, historians can analyze the successful expansion of a nation in a war-time context.
    [Show full text]