General Governorate of Belgium
Encyclopedia
The Imperial German General Governorate of Belgium was a German military government
established in occupied Belgium
during the First World War. The governorate was set up on 26 August 1914, when Field Marshal Colmar Freiherr von der Goltz
was appointed the military governor of Belgium. He was succeeded by General Moritz von Bissing
on 27 November 1914.
Soon after Bissing's appointment, the German High Command
divided Belgium into three zones. The largest of the zones was the General Governorate, which included the capital Brussels
and the surrounding countryside. The second zone, under the control of the German Fourth Army
, included the cities of Ghent
and Antwerp. The third zone, under the auspices of the German Navy
, included all Belgian coastal zones under German occupation.
The German occupation tried to keep the pre-war Belgian administrative system as intact as possible and guide it using a small group of German officers and officials with adequate lingual and administrative skills.
The German High Command hoped to exploit the ethnic tension
between the Flemish
and Walloons
, and envisioned a post-war German protectorate in Flanders
, while Wallonia was to be used for industrial materials and labour along with much of northeastern France.
Military government
Military government can refer to conditions under either Military occupation, or Military dictatorship.-Military Government:Military government is the form of administration by which an occupying power exercises governmental authority over occupied territory.The Hague Conventions of 1907 specify...
established in occupied 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...
during the First World War. The governorate was set up on 26 August 1914, when Field Marshal Colmar Freiherr von der Goltz
Colmar Freiherr von der Goltz
Wilhelm Leopold Colmar Freiherr von der Goltz also known as Goltz Pasha, was a Prussian Field Marshal and military writer.-Military career:...
was appointed the military governor of Belgium. He was succeeded by General Moritz von Bissing
Moritz von Bissing
Moritz Ferdinand Freiherr von Bissing was a Prussian General der Kavallerie.-Early life:Bissing was born at Ober Bellmannsdorf in the Province of Silesia. In 1865 Bissing entered the Prussian Army and raised steadily through the ranks until he became major-general in 1894, lieutenant-general in...
on 27 November 1914.
Soon after Bissing's appointment, the German High Command
Oberste Heeresleitung
The Oberste Heeresleitung or OHL was Germany's highest echelon of command of the German Army in World War I, while the Navy was led by the Seekriegsleitung or SKL ....
divided Belgium into three zones. The largest of the zones was the General Governorate, which included the capital Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
and the surrounding countryside. The second zone, under the control of the German Fourth Army
German Fourth Army
The 4th Army was a field army of Imperial Germany during World War I and of the Wehrmacht during World War II-World War I:At the outset of war, the Fourth Army, with the Fifth Army, formed the center of the German armies on the Western Front, moving through Luxembourg and Belgium in support of the...
, included the cities of Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
and Antwerp. The third zone, under the auspices of the German Navy
Kaiserliche Marine
The Imperial German Navy was the German Navy created at the time of the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the small Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine, which primarily had the mission of coastal defense. Kaiser Wilhelm II greatly expanded...
, included all Belgian coastal zones under German occupation.
The German occupation tried to keep the pre-war Belgian administrative system as intact as possible and guide it using a small group of German officers and officials with adequate lingual and administrative skills.
The German High Command hoped to exploit the ethnic tension
Flamenpolitik
Flamenpolitik is the name for certain policies pursued by German authorities occupying Belgium during World War I and World War II...
between the Flemish
Flemish
Flemish can refer to anything related to Flanders, and may refer directly to the following articles:*Flemish, an informal, though linguistically incorrect, name of any kind of the Dutch language as spoken in Belgium....
and Walloons
Walloons
Walloons are a French-speaking people who live in Belgium, principally in Wallonia. Walloons are a distinctive community within Belgium, important historical and anthropological criteria bind Walloons to the French people. More generally, the term also refers to the inhabitants of the Walloon...
, and envisioned a post-war German protectorate in 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...
, while Wallonia was to be used for industrial materials and labour along with much of northeastern France.