Talk:German-speaking Community of Belgium

Is Eupen-Malmedy another name for East Cantons? -- Dissident 02:30, 29 Feb 2004 (UTC)

Eupen-Malmedy is the term used by the German nationalist movement to describe the lands lost to Belgium after WWI. The vast majority were German speaking but some were French. It is a former region of the Prussian Rheinland. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 125.84.182.95 (talk) 10:49, 15 June 2010 (UTC)

No, It isn't that are just names of some of the villages but I have another question. Are you shure it always belonged to Germany berfore? I always tought it came to Belgian with the Belgian indipendance in 1830 from "de verenigde provinciën" and was given to Germany in 1839 with "het verdrag van de ... artikkelen". I'm not shure so I didn't wrote it on the mainpage but can someone check it out? Gitaarfreak(Dutch wikipedia)

"Are you sure that it always belonged to Germany before?"

I am not sure about the specific situation of the area before the French Revolution (although I believe that the Holy Roman Empire comprised most of what is now Belgium, anyway), but I am positive that the region formed part of Prussia as from the time of the Congress of Vienna (i.e. as from 1815) With regard to Malmedy and Waimes (the only francophone towns in the area) the Prussians were liberal enough to accept the use of French in administrative matters.--136.8.150.6 (talk) 09:09, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

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Hullo even though your a 'random' folk like you are a credit to wiki. In Britain, Belgium and Luxemburg are unhealthly seen through Francophone eyes - imperialistic and dumbed-down, always good to come across more truthful takes on the Benelux, I have my suspions about both Waimes and Malmund - would reckon the state of French there was enhanced at the expense of its native German speakers, Wondering if the nature of French in administrative matters for the aforesaid towns was/is along the lines of how the French tongue is artificially imposed on administrative and educational matters in the nation of Luxemburg. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2.121.254.236 (talk) 19:06, 15 October 2015 (UTC)

May we have a map indicating where the East Cantons are? -- Kaihsu 16:34, 2004 May 7 (UTC)

Interpretation

I'm not sure how to interpret The East Cantons were part of the Rhine Province, Prussia, Germany until 1920, from the article. Does it mean 'the Rhine province of Prussia in Germany', or were the East Cantons a part of Rhine Province at one stage, which was replaced with Prussia, and then later with Germany? or something totally different? Felix the Cassowary 30 June 2005 12:37 (UTC)

The Rhine Province belongs to Prussia and Prussia belongs to Germany. I guess this is a US idiom, they write things like "Seattle, Washington" all the time, meaning: Seattle, which is in Washington. --Chl 30 June 2005 14:06 (UTC)

Thanks! I've reworded the article so it's clear. (I'm familiar with that American idiom, but I don't think I've ever seen it before with more than two places so it started looking like a list.) Felix the Cassowary 1 July 2005 11:23 (UTC)

WALLONIA, FRANCE, GERMANY AND EUPEN

I suppose that if Wallonia joins France, Eupen and the German-speaking community will join Germany...that´s logical.

Not necessarily. The area of Sankt Vith has much more historical links with Luxembourg. Furthermore, the local dialict that is spoken there is very close to Luxembourgish language. --Lebob-BE (talk) 16:02, 29 July 2008 (UTC)

If in fact Standard German is used as the official and legal language, whereas most or all people also speak dialect (Luxembourgian variant) this would pose a problem if this region left Belgium and Wallonia for Lux. The majority language by far in Lux. is French. What if any role does French have in the region? I understand the historical and cultural links but the links to Germany via standard German and history or just as strong. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 222.212.69.87 (talk) 14:41, 10 November 2010 (UTC)

"The majority language by far in Lux. is French" What! no way is French the majority language in the nation of Luxemburg> French is artificially imposed in administrative, Educational, media, and other stuff 'on the ground' to give off an air 'Frenchness'. Basically needless imperialism to rub French egos and make Luxemburg seem like some kind of kosher 'Francophone' nation. My far the eveyday language of everyone is German or Luxemburg dialect. Your almost evil, the way you lied to folk whom don't know any bette. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2.121.254.236 (talk) 19:19, 15 October 2015 (UTC)

huge blank space

Just a cosmetic problem,might want to fix it.Raspberrysnapple 04:11, 4 May 2007 (UTC)

Include languages

I think it would be a good idea to add the different languages spoken in the area (Limburgish and Luxembourgish) - I was surprised, when I visited Eupen and St. Vith most people there don't speak Standard German, Limburgish seems to be somewhat closer to Dutch.Johnny2323 (talk) 02:27, 18 April 2009 (UTC)

I thought they teach standard HIGH German in all the schools in the DGB? What you heard is local middle German dialect. I assume they can speak both like in many parts of middle and Upper Germany. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 119.85.101.45 (talk) 08:12, 21 June 2010 (UTC)

Name

Why is the Community named "German-speaking Community of Belgium", while the French and Flemish ones are named French Community of Belgium and Flemish Community? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Dotfiret (talk • contribs) 08:53, 4 June 2011 (UTC)

The word "German" refers to the German language, but it also refers to Germany. I think "German-speaking" has been chosen to emphasize the difference, Germany had quite a bad reputation in eastern Belgium, the area had been occupied by Germany during WWII and the result was the destruction of many cities and villages in the area - including many civilian casualties. Another possible explanation: The community comprises two separate territories (see the map in the article). Historically, the two territories belonged to the Duchy of Luxembourg and the Duchy of Limburg, people living there spoke (and many still speak) different dialects, which means the community is not as coherent as the French or Flemish community. Johnny2323 (talk) 02:55, 15 September 2011 (UTC)

You get some very political correct people that refuse to speak of Germans. The Germans inhabiting the Eupen Malmedy area are also quite timid. I've been told that this was for reasons for intimidation by the Belgian occupation personnel. Not sure what that all included, I can just guess. --41.151.241.243 (talk) 13:41, 8 August 2012 (UTC)

"You get some very political correct people that refuse to speak of Germans"

If true, this is not good guys, sounds like intimidation, brainwashing, minorities being leant-on - scared and wanting to please their new masters. It amazes me how Francophone imperialism gets away with it. Stuff like this should be used has an example and reported to the UN. You can tell it is a people driven to idiocy, in that these selfsame folk would not except it if Belgiums of Congolese roots took the same attitude towards French-speaking Belgiums.

"The community comprises two separate territories"

There is so much ongoing 'Frenchification' in Belgium but I don't think historically the separation (as seen on a map) is natural. I imagine lots of 'Francophone imperialism' by dint oversetting roadsigns, placenames, imposing of French in schools and so forth. Also, I reckon historical Francophone imperialism / their the Walloon overlords saw to it that the two sundry German-speaking communities borders were wrought asunder and no longer hit oneanother. Basic divide and rule. Indeed, would make a good living example on any wiki page on 'divide and rule' — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2.121.254.236 (talk) 19:31, 15 October 2015 (UTC)

THE GERMAN-SPEAKING COMMUNITY HAS ALSO HAD ITS BORDERS ASUNDERED FROM THE BORDERS OF FLANDERS IN AND AROUND THE ABODES OF PLOMBIERES. CHECK IT OUT ON A MAP - IT'S SO OBVIOUS. IT'S ALL FRANCOPHONE GEO-POLITICS. THE FLEMISH-SPEAKERS AND GERMAN-SPEAKERS ARE SO MEEK IN ANSWERING FRANCOPHONE IMPERIALISM. EVEN IN BRITAIN BELGIUM/LUXEMBURG IS SEEN THROUGH FRANCOPHONE EYES, THATS COZ BRITAIN ALWAYS SAW THE DUTCHMAN AND GERMAN A MUCH MORE WORTHY/COMPETITOR COMPARED TO THE PRIMITIVE FRANCOPHONE SIZE-QUEEN IMPERIALISM.

"Why is the Community named "German-speaking Community of Belgium", while the French and Flemish ones are named French Community of Belgium and Flemish Community?" — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2.121.254.236 (talk) 19:47, 15 October 2015 (UTC)

I got a theory too,

1. the Francophone imperialists don't want to admit that the Flemish speak Dutch. They definately don't want to allow something like the 'Dutch-speaking community' for them, they belittle it by calling it Flemish - it bares less weight than truthfully calling it Dutch and it is also not so straightforward that the folk speaking something called Dutch rather than Flemish have links to Dutch-speakers in the Netherlands.

2. again another Francophone agenda in not using 'French community' over 'French speaking community' is to mislead folk into thinking French-speakers in Belgium are somehow Frenchmen. Basically a sly way of grooming 'public perception' in advance of any attempt at expansionism by the French state. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2.121.254.236 (talk) 19:46, 15 October 2015 (UTC)