Moritz von Bissing
Encyclopedia
Moritz Ferdinand Freiherr von Bissing (January 30, 1844 – April 18, 1917) was a Prussian
General
der Kavallerie
.
. In 1865 Bissing entered the Prussian Army
and raised steadily through the ranks until he became major-general in 1894, lieutenant-general in 1897 and General der Kavallerie. From 1901 to 1907 von Bissing commanded the VII Army Corps in Münster
. He retired from the army in 1908.
during the First World War, Bissing was promoted to colonel-general and appointed governor-general of occupied Belgium
, serving from December 1914 until his death near Brussels
. He signed the warrant for the execution of Edith Cavell
.
As governor-general von Bissing executed the German Flamenpolitik
during which he netherlandized the Ghent University
as the first solely Dutch-speaking university. As German Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg encouraged Flemish nationalist leaders to declare independence and to integrate into the German sphere, Von Bissing convened a commission to organise the division Belgium, and in a decree issed on March 21, 1917, separated Belgium into two administrative areas: Flanders and Wallonia.
Taking into account the 1912 decision by Walloon nationalists to recognize Namur
as the most central city of Wallonia, he established the Walloon administration there. Wallonia then consisted of four southern Belgian provinces and one part of the province of Brabant: the district of Nivelles, realizing also another revendication of the Walloon movement
: the creation of the Walloon Brabant. The Flemish region had Brussels
as its capital, and was made up of the four northern provinces of north, as well as the districts of Brussels and Leuven
. This was the first attempt at dividing Belgium along linguistic lines.
He is buried at the Invalidenfriedhof.
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
der Kavallerie
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
.
Early life
Bissing was born at Ober Bellmannsdorf in the Province of SilesiaProvince of Silesia
The Province of Silesia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1815 to 1919.-Geography:The territory comprised the bulk of the former Bohemian crown land of Silesia and the County of Kladsko, which King Frederick the Great had conquered from the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy in the 18th...
. In 1865 Bissing entered the Prussian Army
Prussian Army
The Royal Prussian Army was the army of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was vital to the development of Brandenburg-Prussia as a European power.The Prussian Army had its roots in the meager mercenary forces of Brandenburg during the Thirty Years' War...
and raised steadily through the ranks until he became major-general in 1894, lieutenant-general in 1897 and General der Kavallerie. From 1901 to 1907 von Bissing commanded the VII Army Corps in Münster
Münster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
. He retired from the army in 1908.
World War I
Upon the outbreak of the war, von Bissing was recalled to active duty as deputy commander of the VII Army Corps from August 1914 until November 1914. After the fall of BelgiumBelgium
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, Bissing was promoted to colonel-general and appointed governor-general of occupied Belgium
General Governorate of Belgium
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...
, serving from December 1914 until his death near 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...
. He signed the warrant for the execution of Edith Cavell
Edith Cavell
Edith Louisa Cavell was a British nurse and spy. She is celebrated for saving the lives of soldiers from all sides without distinction and in helping some 200 Allied soldiers escape from German-occupied Belgium during World War I, for which she was arrested...
.
As governor-general von Bissing executed the German Flamenpolitik
Flamenpolitik
Flamenpolitik is the name for certain policies pursued by German authorities occupying Belgium during World War I and World War II...
during which he netherlandized the Ghent University
Ghent University
Ghent University is a Dutch-speaking public university located in Ghent, Belgium. It is one of the larger Flemish universities, consisting of 32,000 students and 7,100 staff members. The current rector is Paul Van Cauwenberge.It was established in 1817 by King William I of the Netherlands...
as the first solely Dutch-speaking university. As German Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg encouraged Flemish nationalist leaders to declare independence and to integrate into the German sphere, Von Bissing convened a commission to organise the division Belgium, and in a decree issed on March 21, 1917, separated Belgium into two administrative areas: Flanders and Wallonia.
Taking into account the 1912 decision by Walloon nationalists to recognize Namur
Namur (city)
Namur is a city and municipality in Wallonia, in southern Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia....
as the most central city of Wallonia, he established the Walloon administration there. Wallonia then consisted of four southern Belgian provinces and one part of the province of Brabant: the district of Nivelles, realizing also another revendication of the Walloon movement
Walloon Movement
The Walloon Movement is an umbrella term for all Belgian political movements that either assert the existence of a Walloon identity or defend French culture and language within Belgium. The movement began as a defence of the primacy of French but later gained political and socio-economic objectives...
: the creation of the Walloon Brabant. The Flemish region had 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...
as its capital, and was made up of the four northern provinces of north, as well as the districts of Brussels and Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
. This was the first attempt at dividing Belgium along linguistic lines.
He is buried at the Invalidenfriedhof.