Why is Belgium a country? - History of Belgium in 11 Minutes

Why is Belgium a Country? - History of Belgium in 11 minutes

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♦Music Used :
Kevin MacLeod - Impact Allegretto
Kevin MacLeod - Cambodian Odyssey

♦Script & Research :
Skylar Gordon

♦Sources :


#History #Documentary

[scavulous]

Everyone asks "why is Belgium, " never "how is Belgium"

[sketchye]

Imagine being a Belgian and coming on YouTube and this guy is just like why is Belgium a country???

[stormeu]

we live in a small, fairly young nation-state with a very rich and diverse history. we have learned over time to live with differences - of any kind - and how to deal with those differences in a peaceful way. it often makes things more complicated, but we usually find a compromise that works for most of us. we, as a country and a population, are no superpower but - maybe because of this - we are very good in a few things and are doing rather okay in many important areas. most belgians have a good life, and the others are not left behind in their misfortune. since the very beginning we were part of a growing family which later became the european union. most belgians feel good about being part of a large and diverse community. being multilingual broadens one's vision, on the world and on the neighbours next door. i feel glad and very fortunate to have grown up in belgium and to be living here. travelling is great and there are so many wonderful places around the world, but it's good to know one can alwas return home, where the real problems are often tiny compared to what lots of people around the world have to endure.

[grapesodaboy]

Great video, although I wouldn't exactly call Belgians colonial history in Congo "smooth sailing"… feel like that was quite a big mistake.

[brittjulien]

The advantage of living in Belgium is that you learn to speak German, French and Dutch at school (and English of course)

[bertdejonghe]

Correction on minute 07:58:
The national holiday of Belgium is on 21st of July, not the 22nd. In 1831, not 1813.

[Acthms]

As Belgian I m quite sad to read most of comments . A lot of people judge our country, and by doing that, they play the game of some political extremists . A lot of people have -as me - family in both parts of Belgium and at family diners it's just a mix of langages without being a problem . It's just a way of life. Reading some comments on the differences it's just like reading something as if for some people half of my family were from another galaxy . The question is like asking why France or UK is a country . They have also some really different regions with others dialects ... At the basis Flemish, walloon and brusseleir were only dialects, not languages . Most wealthy people were speaking french because, in the past, it was the international business language, so they were obligated knowing it, and other people were speaking dialects from their own areas . A lot of people seems to forgot that the unification of languages is a quite historical recent concept in the world . Even in France, before the work of the French Academy, each part from France had its own way to write and say something. The division of my country in two blocks is quite recent and is a political decision, even if some politicians love having a revisionist way to see the History of the Flemish part of Belgium as if it was completely disconnected from the rest of the country( in fact it was only after the WW2: in 1962 the Gilson's law applied the use of one language for the Flemish part and another for the Walloon part ). Before the basis was more the 10 " Province's" and a centralized power in the city center . The reason why the division started is based on a mistake. During WW2, most of officer's in the army were educated people ( at the time the cursus at the University was in french: the separation of the University in two parts for the University of Louvain in "Leuven" and "Louvain la Neuve" respectively in two languages was only in 1968), so some soldiers from the basis couldn't understand some orders while speaking only Flemish. In order to change that, and permitting people from each social class to have access to higher education, they promulgated in 1962 a law concerning the language in administrations and schools to unify language's ( but the same for the Walloon with an acces to the real french : for those having never heard a real walloon dialect, it's not closest from french than Flemish dialect ... Most of people thinking that walloon is close to french, think that just because they are issued from massive immigration during the 60's and their families had to learn french sometimes added with some mixed dialects words in the villages ) . It s true that Belgium is quite a young country, but as a region we have a common history ( even Julius Caesar wrote about Belgian people in his memory) . We have been conquest a lot of times because our regions were successively interesting for bigger countries ( in the middle age for the textile industry, after for the mining during the industrial revolution, and so on ) but it doesn't mean that we don't have a past common culture, a vision and that everyone in my country want to separate the country . Personally I feel me definitely Belgian.

[GeoffreyRogg]

I lived and worked in Antwerp. I was a member of the Braaschaat Tennis and Riding club. Although basically Flemish its members were elitist and spoke French except when they dropped a ball and swore in Flemish. Flemish was considered the language of the low born servants. The Flemish spoke perfect French and mocked the Walloons low class imperfect French. I had few problems in communication because the business classes spoke pretty good English. I have rarely encountered a more divided people in my many years of an international international career, except perhaps with the Québécois in Canada. Anyhow Belgium cuisine in general is the finest in Europe and Belgians are the number one consumers of the best vintage French wines per capita in the world. I had a bilingual (Flemish and French) girlfriend from Braaschaat at the time who was a delightful young lady. Yes, all in all, my sojourn in Belgium was good for business and life in general. One of my best collaborators was a Walloon from Soignies with whom we became best friends and shared a passion for horses and haute cuisine. I have no complaints about my life and times in Belgium.

[THECOMMUNISTCHANNEL]

Belgium: what is my purpose?
European powers: you're a buffer zone between great powers
Belgium: *looks around* oh my god

[yannick]

As a german speaking Belgian, i really don´t know any other country who is more devided than Belgium. The only time when Belgians are united is in Football

[michaelpolley]

Thank you for that bight sized piece of history, very enlightening! As a Brit, I always enjoy visiting Belgium - rich in culture and a friendly welcome by so many English speaking people.

[Omnatten]

German speaking Belgian here. I'm here in Eupen and it's Belgium to me. Germany looks, feels and acts differently. Different laws, mentality, different spirit. The German speaking part of Belgium should remain Belgium. Just like Flanders and Wallonia. We shall remain.

[Neboful]

To clarify for everybody, flemish don't want to be annexed by the Dutch and walloon dont want to be annexed by the French

[skam]

As a Walloon (Southern Belgian), I ask myself this question everyday.

[travishall]

Just found out my great grandparents came to America from Belgium. Came here to learn more about where they are from. Ty.

[georgesouthwick]

We visited Belgium 7 years ago. It is a beautiful country and the people are very friendly.

[bruhemperor]

Short Answer: The Netherlands preferred pancakes over waffles

[realhawaiio]

One of the greatest questions "Why is Belgium?"

[aabidn]

Man I feel for Belgium
They’re so chill and such a nice country but their existence is questioned all the time

[justaguyonabike]

Belgium only counts 11 million citizens but has the most intellectual, musical, athletic and scientifically advanced individuals per capita in the world. As one of the 'lowlands' this geographical region has been conquered by the French, Spanish, Romans, etc... Most Belgians I know speak at least 4 languages. Learning different languages at a young age stimulates the brain to make associations which benefits the general development of cognitive capacities. As a result Belgians are really sophisticated in general.