Dietsland
Encyclopedia
Greater Netherlands is the political movement to unite all Dutch-speaking people
into a single state. Also known as Dietsland ("Dutchland'"), which uses the word "Diets
," an archaic term for Dutch
. "Greater Dutch Movement" or "Greater Netherlandsism" (Grootneerlandisme) are other terms used to describe these aspirations, while in literature it is also called the "Greater Dutch Thought" (Grootnederlandse Gedachte).
The basic scenario entails the unification or reunification of the Netherlands
and Flanders
in any number of political forms, including a unitary state
, a federation
, or a confederation
. Much more expansive versions tend to include the former and currently Flemish-speaking portions
of France, the formerly Dutch-speaking
areas of Germany, or even the ethnically Dutch
and/or Afrikaans-speaking
parts of South Africa and Suriname
a former Dutch territory in South America.
It is not to be confused with so-called "Whole-Netherlandism" or Burgundism (after the historical Burgundian Circle
), whose aim is the establishment of a "Whole-Netherlands" (Heel-Nederland). This would combine all the Low Countries
as a single multilingual
entity, which would be similar to the former United Kingdom of the Netherlands
), uniting Belgium
(as a whole), Luxembourg
, the Netherlands, and Northern France (most likely Nord-Pas de Calais
). Yet another form is contemporary Orangism
which seeks the restoration of the Dutch royal family
to the Low Countries
.
In its most limited form (a merger of Flanders and the Netherlands), a Greater Netherlands would consist of 23 million inhabitants, comprise an area of 54,900 km² (equivalent to a population density of 418 persons/km²) and possess a GDP per capita of $38 700.
and Dutch-speaking
Belgians
(known as the Flemish
) share a common history, culture, and language. It emphasizes that a new state unifying most of the Dutch speakers in Europe would create a more powerful political
and economic bloc
.
Its supporters, especially in multilingual Belgium
, also advocate that a monolingual state would prove to be less bureaucratic and more efficient. A union with Flanders has not been a political issue in the Netherlands and it is on the agenda of only a single political party, the right-wing Party for Freedom
, but an 21 August 2007 poll indicates that two-thirds of the population would welcome a union with Flanders. However, a (federal) union between Flanders and the Netherlands is not a popular option among the Flemish population. Given the difficulties experienced in the 2007 Belgian government formation after the federal elections and the victory of the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) in the 2010 federal elections (the 2010–2011 Belgian government formation is still going on), the likelihood of Flanders seceding from Belgium
appears greater than before. The Vlaams Belang
and N-VA parties are the primary advocates of secession in Belgian Flanders, but neither has strong opinions towards a "Greater Netherlands".
Greater Netherlandism is sometimes associated with the extreme right fascist organizations in both the Netherlands and Belgium, and the movement used part of the ideology and some of its symbols to achieve their own goals during World War II. Various moderate individual politicians have expressed their support for this particular ideology, including Domela Nieuwenhuis, Louis Tobback
, Hugo Schiltz
and Frits Bolkestein
.
and the Flemish nationalists, the term Heel Nederland (Whole Netherlands) is used to define the whole of the Dutch-populated territories (Greater Netherlands). According to it, that is how the Kingdom of the United Netherlands should be. The Dutch nation could then be defined as a unit of Dutch people who use the Dutch language. According to this ideology the Netherlands and Flanders should to restart the Kingdom of United Netherlands based on the organic unity of the Dutch people that has existed for centuries.
This term has been hijacked by the Belgicists, who created the "Whole-Netherlandism" ideology or Burgundism, whose aim is the so-called "Whole-Netherlands" (Heel-Nederland) combining all the Low Countries as a single multilingual entity, uniting not the territories in which Dutch people
live, but Belgium (as a whole), Luxembourg, the Netherlands (which would be similar to the former United Kingdom of the Netherlands) and Northern France (most likely Nord-Pas de Calais
) after the historical Burgundian Circle
), creating a Greater Belgium. This should not be confused with the Greater Dutch Movement, since it advocates the inclusion of French-speaking people.
) and Whole-Netherlands by these Flemish nationalists (including Jan Derk Domela Nyegaard), there are other names for the state that should unite Flanders and the Netherlands. Dietsland is often used. This matches the concept of Diets. Because this designation had become infected because of the collaboration movements in the Second World War (see above), it is widely judged unfit. The United Netherlands
or the United Provinces, the United Dutch Provinces, or simply "the Netherlands", the same as the (Republic of) United (or reunited) Provinces.
which seeks the restoration of the Dutch royal family
in Flanders both within Netherlands or as independent state with strong links with Netherlands. Many Orangists are Greater Dutch and vice versa, but not all Greater Dutch are monarchist orangists, as some want to structure the state differently. Orangism has become more popular since 1980, when the term was used to refer to Greater Netherlands projects with a focus on the restoration of the Dutch royal family
to the entire Dutch-populated part of the region.
The popularity of the House of Orange-Nassau in Flanders is partly based on the French-mindedness of the Belgian monarchy
. Contemporary Orangism in Flanders and Netherlands should not be confused with the Orangism of the 19th century and earlier.
The Prince's Flag is sometimes used by Greater Dutch groups because in the Eighty Years War it was used by supporters of William I of Orange, seen as the leader of the revolt, while it was also used as the flag of the Dutch Republic
and United Kingdom of the Netherlands
.
World War I further sharpened the conflict between Dutch and French speakers in Belgium. For instance, the Flamenpolitik
of the Germans, involving the administrative separation between the Dutch and the French-speaking part of Belgium was also influenced by a Flemish Movement, whom they wanted to use as Allies. Nevertheless, the desire to secede from Belgium and join the Netherlands grew stronger.
The Dutch General Union was joined, at the end of World War I, by a considerable number of people in the Netherlands and Flanders. It also enjoyed widespread popularity among students, leading to the creation of the Diets Student Association. During the wars, the Greater Dutch idea remained popular in the Netherlands and this popularity was widely accepted by most of Dutch society's columns.
The Second World War brought not only Belgium but also the Netherlands under German occupation. Consequently, it was believed in nationalist circles that the Germans would allow the creation of a Greater Dutch state. The Nazis however saw nothing in this idea and desired either a Greater German
or a Greater Germanic
empire, in which the differences between the German and Dutch populations would be ignored.
After the war however, the Greater Dutch Movement was stuck by the stigma of collaboration. Throughout the war numerous, Flemish and Dutch supporters of the movement believed that to realize the reunification of Flanders with the Netherlands it would be necessary to collaborate with the Germans (although some pan-Dutch groups such as Nederland Één! and some members of Verdinaso
were in the resistance against the Nazis), particularly in the Flemish National Union
and the National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands
. At the same time, the Flemish National Union hijacked the term "Diets" and abused the flag for its own political ends. As a result of these the Greater Dutch movement carried a significant post-war stigma in the two Benelux
countries.
A few decades after the war, however, the number of politicians suggesting this idea grew significantly and is still growing, first only among Flemish nationalist parties, but, later, in the moderate parties, the idea has gradually extended.
in the past and present:
On 12 May 2008, Geert Wilders
(PVV) (who previously saw the reunification of Netherlands as "a Nazi and old-fashioned policy") said in De Telegraaf
that he was interested in the possibility of a merger between the Netherlands and Flanders. Among the advantages he mentions were the acquisition of the port of Antwerp
, the good state school system (Gemeenschapsonderwijs
) in Flanders, the Antwerp International Airport
, improved employment and lowered taxes.
Wilders proposed that, in accordance with previous polls, referendums would have to be held in the Netherlands and Flanders on the merger. He was not planning to impose the Flemings to merge but stated that then-Prime Minister Balkenende needed to talk with his Flemish colleagues on the subject. Balkenende responded by saying that "the fate of Belgium is not for us to decide".
From Flanders, Luc Van der Kelen responded by saying that he was glad that the Flemings were welcome, but he did not like the idea of a merger. The Vlaams Belang
, (a political party formerly demonized by Wilders) said they supported this idea because they saw the formation of a "Federation of the Netherlands" as a logical and desirable consequence to a Flemish secession from Belgium.
Yves Leterme
(who applauded Wilders's former scorn towards the Greater Dutch and Flemish Movement as a defender of Belgium's integrity
) replied on 13 June 2008 in the Times, saying that a merger between Belgium and the Netherlands was 'science fiction' and that Wilders was thinking simplistically about the Belgian crisis. Leterme said that he instead supported further cooperation within Benelux, whether he wanted closer cooperation with North Rhine-Westphalia. On July 7th, 2008 Wilders, along with Martin Bosma, wrote a follow-up piece in the NRC Handelsblad
in which they made clear that action must be taken because "the artificial state on our southern border is done quickly."
However, he came back on his story to make it clear that he would to consult the people before any real steps are taken. Wilders exclaimed, "The Netherlands must print the Flemish Lion on the chest wall and say: "Welcome home, we have never forgotten you."
(1887–1966) in his 1925 work "History of the Dutch Tribe" ("Geschiedenis van de Nederlandsche Stam"). In this work, he described a historical coherence of the Dutch language. Afterwards he worked, before World War II, actively towards his ideal: a reunion of the Dutch language, which he thought would strengthen the Dutch national character.
Professor Andries Postma, antoher advocate, cites the following arguments in an article:
The Algemeen-Nederlands Verbond and the closed Algemeen-Nederlands Congres, very joined on both sides of the border and in the diaspora, based their ideology on the one-language-one-country Greater Dutch Movement. Also in the Marnixring, the Order of the Prince and among the subscribers of Ons Erfdeel and Septentrion
want a reunification between Netherlands and Flanders. Cross-border municipal consultation BeNeGo advocates on practical grounds for a Great Netherlands.
According to a poll taken by the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf
more than 50% of 3500 readers wanted that the Dutch government started at the same day a progressive reunification of the Netherlands with Flanders, meanwhile than 25% wanted an immediate reunification.
In Flanders, this idea is even more popular. In a review of Jaak Billiet of the Catholic University of Leuven
in 1999, showed 51% wanted Flanders to part of the Netherlands immediately. The trend between 1999 and 2007 it had only been rising.
A clear pattern emerges really is no different from previous polls. However, since 2007, the media has given more attention to the idea. This is partly due to the years-long 2007–2011 Belgian political crisis has created, providing more alternatives to look.
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
into a single state. Also known as Dietsland ("Dutchland'"), which uses the word "Diets
Dietsch
-Languages:*German *Middle Dutch*Low German including Dutch*Low German excluding Dutch by definition*Low Dietsch, transitional Limburgish-Ripuarian dialects-People:* John Dietsch, author on the subject of fly fishing...
," an archaic term for Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
. "Greater Dutch Movement" or "Greater Netherlandsism" (Grootneerlandisme) are other terms used to describe these aspirations, while in literature it is also called the "Greater Dutch Thought" (Grootnederlandse Gedachte).
The basic scenario entails the unification or reunification of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
in any number of political forms, including a unitary state
Unitary state
A unitary state is a state governed as one single unit in which the central government is supreme and any administrative divisions exercise only powers that their central government chooses to delegate...
, a federation
Federation
A federation , also known as a federal state, is a type of sovereign state characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central government...
, or a confederation
Confederation
A confederation in modern political terms is a permanent union of political units for common action in relation to other units. Usually created by treaty but often later adopting a common constitution, confederations tend to be established for dealing with critical issues such as defense, foreign...
. Much more expansive versions tend to include the former and currently Flemish-speaking portions
French Flanders
French Flanders is a part of the historical County of Flanders in present-day France. The region today lies in the modern-day region of Nord-Pas de Calais, the department of Nord, and roughly corresponds to the arrondissements of Lille, Douai and Dunkirk on the Belgian border.-Geography:French...
of France, the formerly Dutch-speaking
Meuse-Rhenish
Meuse-Rhenish or Rheinmaasländisch is a modern term that geographically refers to the literature written in mediæval times in the greater Meuse-Rhine area. This area stretches in the northern triangle roughly between the rivers Meuse and Rhine...
areas of Germany, or even the ethnically Dutch
Boer
Boer is the Dutch and Afrikaans word for farmer, which came to denote the descendants of the Dutch-speaking settlers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th century, as well as those who left the Cape Colony during the 19th century to settle in the Orange Free State,...
and/or Afrikaans-speaking
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
parts of South Africa and Suriname
Suriname
Suriname , officially the Republic of Suriname , is a country in northern South America. It borders French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, Brazil to the south, and on the north by the Atlantic Ocean. Suriname was a former colony of the British and of the Dutch, and was previously known as...
a former Dutch territory in South America.
It is not to be confused with so-called "Whole-Netherlandism" or Burgundism (after the historical Burgundian Circle
Burgundian Circle
The Burgundian Circle was an Imperial Circle of the Holy Roman Empire created in 1512 and significantly enlarged in 1548. In addition to the Free County of Burgundy , the circle roughly covered the Low Countries, i.e...
), whose aim is the establishment of a "Whole-Netherlands" (Heel-Nederland). This would combine all the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
as a single multilingual
Multilingualism
Multilingualism is the act of using, or promoting the use of, multiple languages, either by an individual speaker or by a community of speakers. Multilingual speakers outnumber monolingual speakers in the world's population. Multilingualism is becoming a social phenomenon governed by the needs of...
entity, which would be similar to the former United Kingdom of the Netherlands
United Kingdom of the Netherlands
United Kingdom of the Netherlands is the unofficial name used to refer to Kingdom of the Netherlands during the period after it was first created from part of the First French Empire and before the new kingdom of Belgium split out in 1830...
), uniting Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
(as a whole), Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, the Netherlands, and Northern France (most likely Nord-Pas de Calais
Nord-Pas de Calais
Nord-Pas de Calais , Nord for short, is one of the 27 regions of France. It consists of the departments of Nord and Pas-de-Calais, in the north and has a border with Belgium. Most of the region was once part of the Southern Netherlands, within the Low Countries, and gradually became part of France...
). Yet another form is contemporary Orangism
Orangism (Belgium)
Orangism was a political current in what is now Belgium that supported its inclusion in the short-lived United Kingdom of the Netherlands . After the secession of Belgium in 1830, Orangist sentiment in Flanders for a time sought a restoration of the United Kingdom. Some of the most prominent...
which seeks the restoration of the Dutch royal family
House of Orange-Nassau
The House of Orange-Nassau , a branch of the European House of Nassau, has played a central role in the political life of the Netherlands — and at times in Europe — since William I of Orange organized the Dutch revolt against Spanish rule, which after the Eighty Years' War...
to the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
.
In its most limited form (a merger of Flanders and the Netherlands), a Greater Netherlands would consist of 23 million inhabitants, comprise an area of 54,900 km² (equivalent to a population density of 418 persons/km²) and possess a GDP per capita of $38 700.
Greater Dutch movement and variants
Narrowly defined, "Greater Netherlands" refers to the aspiration for the unification of the Netherlands and Flanders. The ideology, otherwise known as the "Dutch reunification", bases itself on the fact that the DutchDutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
and Dutch-speaking
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
Belgians
Demographics of Belgium
This article is about the demographic features of the population of Belgium, including ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population...
(known as the Flemish
Flemish people
The Flemings or Flemish are the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of Belgium, where they are mostly found in the northern region of Flanders. They are one of two principal cultural-linguistic groups in Belgium, the other being the French-speaking Walloons...
) share a common history, culture, and language. It emphasizes that a new state unifying most of the Dutch speakers in Europe would create a more powerful political
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
and economic bloc
Trade bloc
A trade bloc is a type of intergovernmental agreement, often part of a regional intergovernmental organization, where regional barriers to trade, are reduced or eliminated among the participating states.-Description:...
.
Its supporters, especially in multilingual Belgium
Languages of Belgium
The Kingdom of Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French, and German. A number of non-official, minority languages and dialects are spoken as well.-Dutch:...
, also advocate that a monolingual state would prove to be less bureaucratic and more efficient. A union with Flanders has not been a political issue in the Netherlands and it is on the agenda of only a single political party, the right-wing Party for Freedom
Party for Freedom
The Party for Freedom is a Dutch right-wing political party. Founded in 2005 as the successor to Geert Wilders' one-man party in the House of Representatives, it won nine seats in the 2006 general election, making it the fifth largest party in parliament, and third largest opposition party. It...
, but an 21 August 2007 poll indicates that two-thirds of the population would welcome a union with Flanders. However, a (federal) union between Flanders and the Netherlands is not a popular option among the Flemish population. Given the difficulties experienced in the 2007 Belgian government formation after the federal elections and the victory of the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) in the 2010 federal elections (the 2010–2011 Belgian government formation is still going on), the likelihood of Flanders seceding from Belgium
Partition of Belgium
The partition of Belgium, or the dissolution of the Belgian state through the separation of the Dutch-speaking people of the Flanders region and Brussels from the French-speaking people of the Walloon region and Brussels, granting them either independence or respective accession to the Netherlands...
appears greater than before. The Vlaams Belang
Vlaams Belang
Vlaams Belang is a Belgian far-right political party in the Flemish Region and Brussels that advocates the independence of Flanders and strict limits on immigration, whereby immigrants would be obliged to adopt Flemish culture and language...
and N-VA parties are the primary advocates of secession in Belgian Flanders, but neither has strong opinions towards a "Greater Netherlands".
Greater Netherlandism is sometimes associated with the extreme right fascist organizations in both the Netherlands and Belgium, and the movement used part of the ideology and some of its symbols to achieve their own goals during World War II. Various moderate individual politicians have expressed their support for this particular ideology, including Domela Nieuwenhuis, Louis Tobback
Louis Tobback
Louis Marie Joseph Tobback is a Belgian politician. Tobback is a Flemish social democrat and member of the political party SP.A. He is currently the mayor of Leuven. He graduated in Romance philology at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel....
, Hugo Schiltz
Hugo Schiltz
Hugo Schiltz was a Belgian lawyer and politician. He was Belgian MP from 1965 to 1988 and senator from 1992 to 1995. He was also twice minister, from 1981 to 1985 in the first Flemish Government and between 1988 and 1991 in the Belgian federal government Martens VIII...
and Frits Bolkestein
Frits Bolkestein
Frederik "Frits" Bolkestein is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He served as a Member of the House of Representatives from 16 January 1978, until 5 November 1982, when he became State Secretary for Economic Affairs from 5 November 1982, until 14 July...
.
Whole Netherlands
Sometimes, in the Flemish movementFlemish movement
The Flemish Movement is a popular term used to describe the political movement for emancipation and greater autonomy of the Belgian region of Flanders, for protection of the Dutch language, and for the over-all protection of Flemish culture and history....
and the Flemish nationalists, the term Heel Nederland (Whole Netherlands) is used to define the whole of the Dutch-populated territories (Greater Netherlands). According to it, that is how the Kingdom of the United Netherlands should be. The Dutch nation could then be defined as a unit of Dutch people who use the Dutch language. According to this ideology the Netherlands and Flanders should to restart the Kingdom of United Netherlands based on the organic unity of the Dutch people that has existed for centuries.
This term has been hijacked by the Belgicists, who created the "Whole-Netherlandism" ideology or Burgundism, whose aim is the so-called "Whole-Netherlands" (Heel-Nederland) combining all the Low Countries as a single multilingual entity, uniting not the territories in which Dutch people
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
live, but Belgium (as a whole), Luxembourg, the Netherlands (which would be similar to the former United Kingdom of the Netherlands) and Northern France (most likely Nord-Pas de Calais
Nord-Pas de Calais
Nord-Pas de Calais , Nord for short, is one of the 27 regions of France. It consists of the departments of Nord and Pas-de-Calais, in the north and has a border with Belgium. Most of the region was once part of the Southern Netherlands, within the Low Countries, and gradually became part of France...
) after the historical Burgundian Circle
Burgundian Circle
The Burgundian Circle was an Imperial Circle of the Holy Roman Empire created in 1512 and significantly enlarged in 1548. In addition to the Free County of Burgundy , the circle roughly covered the Low Countries, i.e...
), creating a Greater Belgium. This should not be confused with the Greater Dutch Movement, since it advocates the inclusion of French-speaking people.
Other names for Greater Netherlands
Besides Greater Netherlands (invented by Pieter GeylPieter Geyl
Pieter Catharinus Arie Geyl was a Dutch historian, well-known for his studies in early modern Dutch history and in historiography.-Background:...
) and Whole-Netherlands by these Flemish nationalists (including Jan Derk Domela Nyegaard), there are other names for the state that should unite Flanders and the Netherlands. Dietsland is often used. This matches the concept of Diets. Because this designation had become infected because of the collaboration movements in the Second World War (see above), it is widely judged unfit. The United Netherlands
United Netherlands
United Netherlands is an educational student-led organization that focuses on the theory and practice of international relations and diplomacy...
or the United Provinces, the United Dutch Provinces, or simply "the Netherlands", the same as the (Republic of) United (or reunited) Provinces.
Contemporary Orangism
Yet another form is contemporary OrangismOrangism (Belgium)
Orangism was a political current in what is now Belgium that supported its inclusion in the short-lived United Kingdom of the Netherlands . After the secession of Belgium in 1830, Orangist sentiment in Flanders for a time sought a restoration of the United Kingdom. Some of the most prominent...
which seeks the restoration of the Dutch royal family
House of Orange-Nassau
The House of Orange-Nassau , a branch of the European House of Nassau, has played a central role in the political life of the Netherlands — and at times in Europe — since William I of Orange organized the Dutch revolt against Spanish rule, which after the Eighty Years' War...
in Flanders both within Netherlands or as independent state with strong links with Netherlands. Many Orangists are Greater Dutch and vice versa, but not all Greater Dutch are monarchist orangists, as some want to structure the state differently. Orangism has become more popular since 1980, when the term was used to refer to Greater Netherlands projects with a focus on the restoration of the Dutch royal family
Monarchy of the Netherlands
The Netherlands has been an independent monarchy since 16 March 1815, and has been governed by members of the House of Orange-Nassau since.-Constitutional role and position of the monarch:...
to the entire Dutch-populated part of the region.
The popularity of the House of Orange-Nassau in Flanders is partly based on the French-mindedness of the Belgian monarchy
Monarchy of Belgium
Monarchy in Belgium is constitutional and popular in nature. The hereditary monarch, at present Albert II, is the head of state and is officially called King of the Belgians .-Origins:...
. Contemporary Orangism in Flanders and Netherlands should not be confused with the Orangism of the 19th century and earlier.
Symbols
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
and United Kingdom of the Netherlands
United Kingdom of the Netherlands
United Kingdom of the Netherlands is the unofficial name used to refer to Kingdom of the Netherlands during the period after it was first created from part of the First French Empire and before the new kingdom of Belgium split out in 1830...
.
Origins of the Greater Dutch Movement
The Greater Dutch movement emerged at the end of the 19th century. In Belgium, the Dutch citizens were increasingly up in arms against the privileged position of French and the corresponding subordination of the Dutch in government and in public life. The fear of a desire of the Flemish to return to the Kingdom of the Netherlands was the main reason that the Belgian government restored Dutch as the language of education and administration (but not of university and military) in Flanders. Nationalists from both Flanders and Netherlands created the Dutch General Union in 1895.World War I further sharpened the conflict between Dutch and French speakers in Belgium. For instance, the Flamenpolitik
Flamenpolitik
Flamenpolitik is the name for certain policies pursued by German authorities occupying Belgium during World War I and World War II...
of the Germans, involving the administrative separation between the Dutch and the French-speaking part of Belgium was also influenced by a Flemish Movement, whom they wanted to use as Allies. Nevertheless, the desire to secede from Belgium and join the Netherlands grew stronger.
The Dutch General Union was joined, at the end of World War I, by a considerable number of people in the Netherlands and Flanders. It also enjoyed widespread popularity among students, leading to the creation of the Diets Student Association. During the wars, the Greater Dutch idea remained popular in the Netherlands and this popularity was widely accepted by most of Dutch society's columns.
The Second World War brought not only Belgium but also the Netherlands under German occupation. Consequently, it was believed in nationalist circles that the Germans would allow the creation of a Greater Dutch state. The Nazis however saw nothing in this idea and desired either a Greater German
Pan-Germanism
Pan-Germanism is a pan-nationalist political idea. Pan-Germanists originally sought to unify the German-speaking populations of Europe in a single nation-state known as Großdeutschland , where "German-speaking" was taken to include the Low German, Frisian and Dutch-speaking populations of the Low...
or a Greater Germanic
Greater Germanic Reich
The Greater Germanic Reich , fully styled the Greater Germanic Reich of the German Nation is the official state name of the political entity that Nazi Germany tried to establish in Europe during World War II...
empire, in which the differences between the German and Dutch populations would be ignored.
After the war however, the Greater Dutch Movement was stuck by the stigma of collaboration. Throughout the war numerous, Flemish and Dutch supporters of the movement believed that to realize the reunification of Flanders with the Netherlands it would be necessary to collaborate with the Germans (although some pan-Dutch groups such as Nederland Één! and some members of Verdinaso
Verdinaso
The Verdinaso was an authoritarian and fascist-inspired political party in Belgium and the Netherlands during the 1930s...
were in the resistance against the Nazis), particularly in the Flemish National Union
Flemish National Union
The Flemish National Union was a Nationalist Flemish political party in Belgium, founded by Staf de Clercq on October 8, 1933. De Clercq became known as den Leider .-Creation:...
and the National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands
National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands
The National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands was a Dutch fascist and later national socialist political party. As a parliamentary party participating in legislative elections, the NSB had some success during the 1930s...
. At the same time, the Flemish National Union hijacked the term "Diets" and abused the flag for its own political ends. As a result of these the Greater Dutch movement carried a significant post-war stigma in the two Benelux
Benelux
The Benelux is an economic union in Western Europe comprising three neighbouring countries, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. These countries are located in northwestern Europe between France and Germany...
countries.
A few decades after the war, however, the number of politicians suggesting this idea grew significantly and is still growing, first only among Flemish nationalist parties, but, later, in the moderate parties, the idea has gradually extended.
Modern politics
In the post-war politics, people of various (political) currents are once or repeatedly spoken highly of this idea:- Jan Derk Domela Nieuwenhuis Nyegaard, free-thought parson
- Marcel MinnaertMarcel MinnaertMarcel Gilles Jozef Minnaert was a Belgian astronomer.He obtained a PhD in biology at Ghent University in 1914....
- Willy Kuijpers
- Hugo SchiltzHugo SchiltzHugo Schiltz was a Belgian lawyer and politician. He was Belgian MP from 1965 to 1988 and senator from 1992 to 1995. He was also twice minister, from 1981 to 1985 in the first Flemish Government and between 1988 and 1991 in the Belgian federal government Martens VIII...
- Hilbrand NawijnHilbrand NawijnHilbrand Pier Anne Nawijn is a Dutch politician of the Party for the Netherlands . He was Minister for Integration & Immigration from July 22, 2002 until May 27, 2003 and later a Member of the House of Representatives for the Pim Fortuyn List .Nawijn was born in Kampen...
(Partij voor Nederland)
in the past and present:
- Siegfried BrackeSiegfried BrackeSiegfried Bracke is a Belgian politician and is affiliated to the N-VA. He was elected as a member of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives in 2010. Before his political career he had a long career as a journalist, working for the Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroep.-Notes:...
(N-VA), former Belgian political journalist - Derk Jan EppinkDerk Jan EppinkDerk Jan Eppink is a Dutch journalist, politician in Belgium, and former cabinet secretary for European Commissioners Bolkestein and Kallas . In 2009, he was elected to the European Parliament for List Dedecker and sits on the European Conservatives and Reformists Group Executive.Eppink was...
(LDD), MEPMember of the European ParliamentA Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,... - Jan TerlouwJan TerlouwJan Cornelis Terlouw is a Dutch scientist, politician, and author.- Background :Jan Terlouw was born in Kamperveen, Overijssel. He was the eldest son in his family, he has two brothers and two sisters and grew up in the Veluwe...
(D66), - Sven Gatz (Open Vld)
- Bert BakkerBert BakkerLambertus Jozef Bakker was a Dutch writer and publisher in the Netherlands. He wrote literary studies, two novels, poetry, and children's books. In World War II he was involved in the Dutch Resistance and assisted in the publication of Vrij Nederland...
- Erik Jurgens (PvdALabour Party (Netherlands)The Labour Party , is a social-democratic political party in the Netherlands. Since the 2003 Dutch General Election, the PvdA has been the second largest political party in the Netherlands. The PvdA was a coalition member in the fourth Balkenende cabinet following 22 February 2007...
), - Bart De WeverBart De WeverBart Albert Liliane De Wever is a Belgian politician and since 2004 has been the president of the New Flemish Alliance , a Flemish party that strives for an independent Flanders in a united Europe. He has also been a member of the Flemish parliament since 2004...
en Matthias StormeMatthias StormeMatthias Edward Storme is a Belgian lawyer, academic and conservative philosopher.- Family life :Storme was born and raised in a Catholic family in the Belgian city of Ghent. His father Marcel Storme Matthias Edward Storme (born Ghent, 1959) is a Belgian lawyer, academic and conservative...
(N-VA), - Bert AnciauxBert AnciauxBert Jozef Herman Vic Anciaux is a Belgian politician, a founder and former member of Spirit...
(spirit), - Louis TobbackLouis TobbackLouis Marie Joseph Tobback is a Belgian politician. Tobback is a Flemish social democrat and member of the political party SP.A. He is currently the mayor of Leuven. He graduated in Romance philology at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel....
(sp.a), - Axel Buyse (Flemish Representative in the Netherlands),
- Andries Postma (CDA)
- Frits BolkesteinFrits BolkesteinFrederik "Frits" Bolkestein is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He served as a Member of the House of Representatives from 16 January 1978, until 5 November 1982, when he became State Secretary for Economic Affairs from 5 November 1982, until 14 July...
(VVD) - Filip DewinterFilip DewinterPhilip Michel Frans "Filip" Dewinter is a Flemish politician in Belgium. He is one of the leading members of Vlaams Belang, a right-wing Flemish nationalist and secessionist political party...
(Vlaams BelangVlaams BelangVlaams Belang is a Belgian far-right political party in the Flemish Region and Brussels that advocates the independence of Flanders and strict limits on immigration, whereby immigrants would be obliged to adopt Flemish culture and language...
) - Geert WildersGeert WildersGeert Wilders is a Dutch right-wing politician and leader of the Party for Freedom , the third-largest political party in the Netherlands. He is the Parliamentary group leader of his party in the Dutch House of Representatives...
(PVV), although formerly regretted it - Several members of the Nederlandse VolksunieDutch Peoples-UnionThe Dutch Peoples-Union is a Dutch political party. Because of its many calls for the rehabilitation of convicted World War II war criminals and SS costumes worn at demonstrations, it is counted among the most extreme right of Dutch politics...
and the now former Nationale Alliantie.
On 12 May 2008, Geert Wilders
Geert Wilders
Geert Wilders is a Dutch right-wing politician and leader of the Party for Freedom , the third-largest political party in the Netherlands. He is the Parliamentary group leader of his party in the Dutch House of Representatives...
(PVV) (who previously saw the reunification of Netherlands as "a Nazi and old-fashioned policy") said in De Telegraaf
De Telegraaf
De Telegraaf is the largest Dutch daily morning newspaper, with a daily circulation of approximately . De Telegraaf is based in Amsterdam...
that he was interested in the possibility of a merger between the Netherlands and Flanders. Among the advantages he mentions were the acquisition of the port of Antwerp
Port of Antwerp
The port of Antwerp, in Belgium, is a port in the heart of Europe accessible to capesize ships. Antwerp stands at the upper end of the tidal estuary of the Scheldt. The estuary is navigable by ships of more than 100,000 Gross Tons as far as 80 km inland. The inland location means that the port...
, the good state school system (Gemeenschapsonderwijs
Gemeenschapsonderwijs
Gemeenschapsonderwijs is the state provided school system in Belgium. The schools are widely spread around the country and are most commonly named atheneum + name of village or city. Example: Royal Atheneum of Brasschaat...
) in Flanders, the Antwerp International Airport
Antwerp International Airport
Antwerpen International Airport is located 2 km from the city of Antwerp, Belgium. It is home to a maintenance hangar for CityJet. In 2005 it served about 105,937 passengers . In 2010, the airport served 162,840 passengers...
, improved employment and lowered taxes.
Wilders proposed that, in accordance with previous polls, referendums would have to be held in the Netherlands and Flanders on the merger. He was not planning to impose the Flemings to merge but stated that then-Prime Minister Balkenende needed to talk with his Flemish colleagues on the subject. Balkenende responded by saying that "the fate of Belgium is not for us to decide".
From Flanders, Luc Van der Kelen responded by saying that he was glad that the Flemings were welcome, but he did not like the idea of a merger. The Vlaams Belang
Vlaams Belang
Vlaams Belang is a Belgian far-right political party in the Flemish Region and Brussels that advocates the independence of Flanders and strict limits on immigration, whereby immigrants would be obliged to adopt Flemish culture and language...
, (a political party formerly demonized by Wilders) said they supported this idea because they saw the formation of a "Federation of the Netherlands" as a logical and desirable consequence to a Flemish secession from Belgium.
Yves Leterme
Yves Leterme
Yves Camille Désiré Leterme is a Flemish Belgian politician, a leader of the Christian Democratic and Flemish party , and the 48th Prime Minister of Belgium.Leterme was the Prime Minister of Belgium from March 2008 to December 2008...
(who applauded Wilders's former scorn towards the Greater Dutch and Flemish Movement as a defender of Belgium's integrity
Territorial integrity
Territorial integrity is the principle under international law that nation-states should not attempt to promote secessionist movements or to promote border changes in other nation-states...
) replied on 13 June 2008 in the Times, saying that a merger between Belgium and the Netherlands was 'science fiction' and that Wilders was thinking simplistically about the Belgian crisis. Leterme said that he instead supported further cooperation within Benelux, whether he wanted closer cooperation with North Rhine-Westphalia. On July 7th, 2008 Wilders, along with Martin Bosma, wrote a follow-up piece in the NRC Handelsblad
NRC Handelsblad
NRC Handelsblad, often abbreviated to NRC, is a daily evening newspaper published in the Netherlands by NRC Media. The newspaper was created on October 1, 1970, from merger of the Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant and Algemeen Handelsblad . In 2006 a morning newspaper, nrc•next, was launched...
in which they made clear that action must be taken because "the artificial state on our southern border is done quickly."
However, he came back on his story to make it clear that he would to consult the people before any real steps are taken. Wilders exclaimed, "The Netherlands must print the Flemish Lion on the chest wall and say: "Welcome home, we have never forgotten you."
Greater Dutch organisations
- Partij voor de VrijheidParty for FreedomThe Party for Freedom is a Dutch right-wing political party. Founded in 2005 as the successor to Geert Wilders' one-man party in the House of Representatives, it won nine seats in the 2006 general election, making it the fifth largest party in parliament, and third largest opposition party. It...
(Netherlands) - Benev (Netherlands & Flanders)
- Vlaams Belang (Flanders)
- Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en DemocratiePeople's Party for Freedom and DemocracyThe People's Party for Freedom and Democracy is a conservative-liberal political party located in the Netherlands. The VVD supports private enterprise in the Netherlands and is often perceived as an economic liberal party in contrast to the social-liberal Democrats 66 alongside which it sits in...
(Netherlands) - De Pacificatielezingen vzw (Flanders)
- Delta-Stichting (Flanders)
- Het Pennoen (Flanders)
- Die Roepstem (Flanders, the Netherlands and South Africa)
- VoorpostVoorpostVoorpost is a volksnationalist group founded in Flanders, Belgium by Karel Dillen in 1976 as a splinter from the Volksunie. Voorpost has the vision of Dietsland, a political entity that will unite all Dutch-speaking territories in Europe...
(Netherlands & Flanders) - Werkgemeenschap de Lage Landen (Netherlands and Flanders)
- Zannekin (Flanders)
Studies in support of a Greater Netherlands
A strong advocate and authority in the area was Pieter GeylPieter Geyl
Pieter Catharinus Arie Geyl was a Dutch historian, well-known for his studies in early modern Dutch history and in historiography.-Background:...
(1887–1966) in his 1925 work "History of the Dutch Tribe" ("Geschiedenis van de Nederlandsche Stam"). In this work, he described a historical coherence of the Dutch language. Afterwards he worked, before World War II, actively towards his ideal: a reunion of the Dutch language, which he thought would strengthen the Dutch national character.
Professor Andries Postma, antoher advocate, cites the following arguments in an article:
- Agreement regarding voting.
- Linguistic similarities with the Standard Dutch and the Dutch Language UnionDutch Language UnionThe Dutch Language Union is an international institution for discussing issues regarding the Dutch language. It was founded on 9 September 1980 by the Netherlands and Belgium...
. - Economic agreements with mergers including Fortis Bank and ING, the objectives of the VEV and the Association of the Chamber of Commerce.
- Convergence in education, thanks to the GENT Agreements.
- Cultural agreements emerging from the Flanders-Netherlands Cultural Treaty (before 1995 known as the Cultural Agreement Belgium-Netherlands), followed by the critical Flanders-Netherlands Cultural Treaty Commission, which include:
- Convergence in the media. There has recently been a cooperation between TROSTROSTROS is a Dutch television and radio organization part of the Netherlands Public Broadcasting...
and VTMVTMThe abbreviation VTM may refer to::* Vampire: The Masquerade, a popular role-playing game* Virginia Tech massacre* vtm, the main commercial television station in Flanders, Belgium...
. NOSNederlandse Omroep StichtingThe Nederlandse Omroep Stichting , English: Netherlands Broadcasting Foundation, is one of the broadcasters in the Netherlands Public Broadcasting system...
and VRTVRTThe abbreviation VRT may be a reference to:* Vehicle Registration Tax* Verkehrsverbund Region Trier, Trier regional transport* Vision Restoration Therapy, a therapy to improve the visual field after a stroke or brain injury...
also work together in BVNBVNBVN which is the abbreviation of Het beste van Vlaanderen en Nederland is a satellite and cable television channel – a joint venture by Radio Netherlands Worldwide , the Flemish and Dutch public broadcasting organizations Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroep and Nederlandse Publieke Omroep ...
. Also, in 2005, Internet radio station Radio Mi Amigo 192 set up a free radio station operating from the Netherlands that invokes the Flemish offshore station Radio Mi Amigo. The station works with both Flemish and Dutch DJ's. Radio Popular followed in 2006.
The Algemeen-Nederlands Verbond and the closed Algemeen-Nederlands Congres, very joined on both sides of the border and in the diaspora, based their ideology on the one-language-one-country Greater Dutch Movement. Also in the Marnixring, the Order of the Prince and among the subscribers of Ons Erfdeel and Septentrion
Septentrion
Septentrion is an obsolete English word to describe northern regions or the north.Septentrion may also refer to:* Septentrion , a 2006 release by Québécois rapper, Anodajay* Editions du Septentrion, a publisher based in Sillery, Quebec....
want a reunification between Netherlands and Flanders. Cross-border municipal consultation BeNeGo advocates on practical grounds for a Great Netherlands.
According to a poll taken by the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf
De Telegraaf
De Telegraaf is the largest Dutch daily morning newspaper, with a daily circulation of approximately . De Telegraaf is based in Amsterdam...
more than 50% of 3500 readers wanted that the Dutch government started at the same day a progressive reunification of the Netherlands with Flanders, meanwhile than 25% wanted an immediate reunification.
In Flanders, this idea is even more popular. In a review of Jaak Billiet of the Catholic University of Leuven
Catholic University of Leuven
The Catholic University of Leuven, or of Louvain, was the largest, oldest and most prominent university in Belgium. The university was founded in 1425 as the University of Leuven by John IV, Duke of Brabant and approved by a Papal bull by Pope Martin V.During France's occupation of Belgium in the...
in 1999, showed 51% wanted Flanders to part of the Netherlands immediately. The trend between 1999 and 2007 it had only been rising.
A clear pattern emerges really is no different from previous polls. However, since 2007, the media has given more attention to the idea. This is partly due to the years-long 2007–2011 Belgian political crisis has created, providing more alternatives to look.
See also
- DietschDietsch-Languages:*German *Middle Dutch*Low German including Dutch*Low German excluding Dutch by definition*Low Dietsch, transitional Limburgish-Ripuarian dialects-People:* John Dietsch, author on the subject of fly fishing...
- Flemish movementFlemish movementThe Flemish Movement is a popular term used to describe the political movement for emancipation and greater autonomy of the Belgian region of Flanders, for protection of the Dutch language, and for the over-all protection of Flemish culture and history....
- OrangismOrangism (Belgium)Orangism was a political current in what is now Belgium that supported its inclusion in the short-lived United Kingdom of the Netherlands . After the secession of Belgium in 1830, Orangist sentiment in Flanders for a time sought a restoration of the United Kingdom. Some of the most prominent...
- Pieter GeylPieter GeylPieter Catharinus Arie Geyl was a Dutch historian, well-known for his studies in early modern Dutch history and in historiography.-Background:...
- Union of UtrechtUnion of UtrechtThe Union of Utrecht was a treaty signed on 23 January 1579 in Utrecht, the Netherlands, unifying the northern provinces of the Netherlands, until then under the control of Habsburg Spain....
- Pan-nationalismPan-nationalismPan-nationalism is a form of nationalism distinguished by the large-scale of the claimed national territory, and because it often defines the nation on the basis of a ‘’cluster’’ of cultures and ethnic groups. It shares the general nationalist ideology, that the nation is a fundamental unit of...
- Low CountriesLow CountriesThe Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
- Bakker-Schut PlanBakker-Schut PlanAt the end of World War II, plans were made in the Netherlands to annex German territory as compensation for the damages caused by the war. In October 1945, the Dutch state asked Germany for 25 billion guilders in reparations, but in February 1945 it had already been established at the Yalta...
- Imperial FederationImperial FederationImperial Federation was a late-19th early-20th century proposal to create a federated union in place of the existing British Empire.-Motivators:...
- Seventeen ProvincesSeventeen ProvincesThe Seventeen Provinces were a personal union of states in the Low Countries in the 15th century and 16th century, roughly covering the current Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, a good part of the North of France , and a small part of Western Germany.The Seventeen Provinces were originally held by...
- Burgundian NetherlandsBurgundian NetherlandsIn the history of the Low Countries, the Burgundian Netherlands refers to a number of Imperial and French fiefs ruled in personal union by the House of Valois-Burgundy and their Habsburg heirs in the period from 1384 to 1482...
- Partition of BelgiumPartition of BelgiumThe partition of Belgium, or the dissolution of the Belgian state through the separation of the Dutch-speaking people of the Flanders region and Brussels from the French-speaking people of the Walloon region and Brussels, granting them either independence or respective accession to the Netherlands...