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About this site

On this site you will find data and pictures on various aspects of the First and Second World War in Belgium. It all started a few years ago when I made a site about the Liége fortresses. While doing this I collected more and more information not related to the initial topic, this, together with the reactions I received, made me decide to broaden the subject. At this stage only limited information is given but we are working on it. If you would like to be informed of all the changes and updates please mail me and I will include you on the list.
If you would like to contribute an item, be welcome. I certainly am interested in 'local' and 'personal' stories and diary's, these have the tendency to disappear in the mist of time and we should try to preserve them. So if you have a story about something that happened in your village during one of these wars or your granddad was an American, Belgian, British, French, German or whatever other countries soldier, who fought in Belgium and you would like to contribute an article, be welcome and mail me. Everything is accepted, as long as it happened on Belgium soil. Only one restriction, it must be historically correct!
In weekends I love to stroll around the old fortresses of Liége. Yes, they are all still there. Some marvellously preserved like Loncin and Barchon, some of them used as junkyard like Pontisse and some covered with earth or partially demolished like Fléron or Boncelles.
Warning! Never go into any fortress without an experienced guide and proper equipment. You can easily get lost inside and there are some uncovered, deep pits, in short it can be dangerous! Besides they are all private property and entry is prohibited. Guided tours are organised in several of them. So if you want to visit, even on the inside, join one of these tours.
As you probably already have noticed is English not my first language. So if I make mistakes, which I do, trust me, please forgive this humble servant and give me a hint. I will correct them immediately.
It is not my intention to violate copyrights. Since several years now I collect images, pictures, maps, postcards, etc. on this subject. I really don't know where they all come from. I tried to find the sources but for some of them it's hopeless. So if you see a picture on which you own the copyrights give me a warning and I will remove them.
Names, Units and grades are all given in the language of the unit or person involved. I am personally convinced that this avoids confusion. Try to translate 'Westfälisches Jäger-Bataljon' or '1° Chasseur à Pied' correct! So I use German for German ranks and units. And French, for Belgian ranks and units, this because French was the language of command used in the Belgian army and I can't use both, French and Flemish.
Geographical names, like cities, streams etc. are given in the language of the region. I am not going to write Antwerp or Anvers when its got to be Antwerpen nor Luttich or Luik when its Liége.
I would like to end quoting part of a song Belgian soldiers, Flemish and Walloons, sung in the frontline at Liége in august 1914 waiting for the Germans to attack.

These lyrics are from Antoine Clesse. If you are looking for a translation, there isn't one, just take a look at the picture below to understand the meaning of its words.