the great war centenary

Transcription

The Great War Centenary
in Flanders
Project office
The Great War Centenary (2014-18)
The Government of Flanders
Boudewijnlaan 30 bus 80 | 1000 Brussel | Belgium
T. +32 2 553 60 63 | F. +32 2 553 60 37
www.2014-18.be | [email protected]
The information contained in this brochure accurately reflects the current state of affairs in November 2013.
For more information, please contact The Great War Centenary 2014-2018 Project Office or visit the project’s
website.
The contact details can be found at the back of this brochure.
in Flanders
•
Voorwoord minister –president Kris Peeters
Dear Reader,
Beste lezer,
The First World War, also known as ‘The Great War’, was the first international
conflict on a global scale. Millions of soldiers and civilians from no less than
De Eerste Wereldoorlog, ook wel “de Groote Oorlog” genaamd, was het eerste internationale conflict
50 countries lost their lives. All over the world ‘Flanders Fields’ has come to be
op wereldschaal. Miljoenen soldaten en burgers uit niet minder dan 50 landen lieten er het leven.
associated
with
unprecedented
humangeworden
suffering
and
material
destruction.
‘Flanders
Fields’
is wereldwijd
een synoniem
voor
ongekend
menselijk
lijden en materiële
vernieling
. hundred years these events have had a major influence on our society.
In the past
Today,
the victimshebben
of thisinwar
still deserve
to be
and gehad
honoured.
Deze
gebeurtenissen
de afgelopen
100 jaar
eencommemorated
fundamentele invloed
op de
maatschappij en de slachtoffers van deze oorlog verdienen ook vandaag nog een waardige
That is why the Government of Flanders has started preparing the
nagedachtenis.
commemoration of the First World War. This commemoration will take place
Daarom
is de
Vlaamse
de voorbereiding
vanestablish
de herdenking
van de Eerste
between
2014
and regering
2018. Itgestart
is ourmet
explicit
ambition to
a humanitarian
Wereldoorlog.
Die herdenking
zal inproject,
de periode
2014-2018
plaatsvinden.
Wijwith
hebben
expliciete
and internationally
oriented
which
we wish
to associate
thedepeace
ambitie
een
humanitair
project op te zetten en dit duurzaam te
theme,om
‘No
More
War’, en
in internationaal
a sustainablegericht
manner.
verbinden met het vredesthema “nooit meer oorlog”.
We want to raise awareness amongst the present and future generations about
Wij
willen
de huidige
en toekomstige
generaties bewust
maken en sensibiliseren
such
themes
as tolerance
and international
understanding.
After all, rond
thesethema’s zoals
verdraagzaamheid en internationale verstandhouding, die essentiële bouwstenen zijn voor een open
themes constitute the cornerstones of an open and tolerant society.
en tolerante samenleving.
This is the only way that we can start to understand history and draw lessons
Alleen op die manier kunnen we het verleden een plaats geven in onze geschiedenis en er lessen uit
from it for the future.
trekken voor de toekomst.
Kris Peeters
Kris Peeters
Minister-president
van de
regering enof
Vlaams
minister
van Economie,
Buitenlands
beleid,
Minister-President
of Vlaamse
the Government
Flanders,
Flemish
Minister
for
Landbouw
en
Plattelandsbeleid
Economy, Foreign Policy, Agriculture and Rural Policy
3 The Great War Centenary
•
Dear Reader,
One of the greatest conflicts in the history of mankind unfolded between the
summer of 1914 and the autumn of 1918. Flanders too became a battlefield, for
four long years. Today the witnesses of this warfare still bear silent testimony
to these horrific events in our landscape, in our immovable heritage and in our
culture. The Great War continues to live on in our collective memory.
One hundred years later we wish to commemorate the victims of this war
and condemn senseless war violence. This commemoration is an excellent
opportunity to preserve our war heritage in a sustainable manner for
generations to come and to reflect on war and peace.
As coordinator of ‘The Great War Centenary (2014-18)’ I have the pleasure of
introducing the Government of Flanders’ project for the commemoration of the
centenary of the First World War. This brochure explains the project’s vision
and provides an overview of the activities that have been planned in the frame
of the commemoration. The project is a unique spearhead in the Government of
Flanders’ events policy for the next years.
Our aim is to touch hearts and elicit emotions. We wish to show this war to
people so that they can understand it. To commemorate those who died, so those
who commemorate them may learn from it.
Geert Bourgeois
Vice-Minister-President of the Government of Flanders, Flemish Minister for
Public Governance, Local and Provincial Government, Civic Integration, Tourism
and the Vlaamse Rand
The Great War
Centenary in Flanders
With ‘The Great War Centenary
(2014-18)’ project Flanders wants to
commemorate the 100th anniversary
of the First World War in a fitting and
serene manner.
The programme of commemorative
activities of the Centenary of the First
World War is meant to project the name
‘Flanders’ upon a broader international
canvass and generate an enduring
association with the theme of peace.
Another objective is to create among
present and future generations in
Flanders an awareness of themes such
as tolerance, intercultural dialogue, and
international understanding, with a view
to fostering an open and tolerant society
and an active international orientation.
Finally, special attention is devoted to
commemorative tourism, or tourism with
respect for heritage, that offers a place for
meaning and reflection. ■
■
The project office
has established ‘The Great War
Centenary (2014-18)’ project
office. The project office serves as a
one-stop shop for the Government
of Flanders in the preparation,
coordination and follow-up of the
project. The project office operates at
three levels.
The project office has been assigned
the following international tasks:
• establishing an inventory of the
international commemoration
ceremonies which will be
organised between 2014 and
2018, in Flanders and abroad;
plans of foreign authorities to
invest in the commemorative
monuments of Flanders Fields;
• formulating proposals for the
organisation of international
commemorations in Flanders in
2014-2018.
■
At Flemish level the project office
has the following tasks:
The project office will carry out the
following tasks at local level:
• the operational management of
the central wwi project group;
• targeted communication about
the project to all interested
partners in Flanders;
• reporting and monitoring on the
project’s progress;
Government of Flanders’ projects
and initiatives.
• the identification of stakeholders
which may contribute to the
commemoration project.
The central project group
A central project group has also been
established. This working group
constitutes the platform for the
coordination of and information
exchange about the Government
of Flanders’ activities in the frame
of the commemoration project. In
addition, it serves as an advisory
body for the Government of
Flanders. The central project group
is made up of representatives of
the Government of Flanders and is
chaired by the Secretary General of
the Flemish Department of Foreign
Affairs. ■
International context
The 2007 study conducted by the
Flemish Foreign Policy Research Centre
shows that soldiers from no fewer
than 50 modern-day nations joined
the military action in the Westhoek
(Flanders Fields). Not surprising then,
a lot of these nations are now in the
process of preparing their own national
commemoration agenda.
In the preparation of these events,
timely coordination and information
exchange are essential elements.
Meanwhile, the first preparations
have already been made. Bilateral
agreements have been concluded with
New Zealand and Australia.
The Flemish Department of Foreign
Affairs maintains regular contacts
with the international partners. In
addition, it takes part in a number
of international meetings organised
around the commemoration.
Menin Gate, Ypres
These meetings show that there is a
lively interest in the project. Apart from
the exchange of information about
the respective preparations and the
planned commemorative initiatives,
opportunities for cooperation are
explored as well.
On 10 November 2011, MinisterPresident Kris Peeters and ViceMinister-President and coordinator
Geert Bourgeois officially launched
the commemoration project ‘Great
War Centenary (2014-18)’ in Brussels.
At this launch the commemoration
project was presented to diplomatic
representatives of the 50 countries and
nations that lost soldiers and civilians
during World War I, and to other
dignitaries. ■
The Flanders Fields Declaration
On 11 November 2008, during the
official commemoration of the 90th
anniversary of the Armistice in Ypres,
Minister-President Kris Peeters called
for the drafting of an international
declaration. This declaration has
received the working title ‘Flanders
Fields Declaration’. On 6 November
2012, the Flemish Department of
Foreign Affairs officially presented the
draft text at an international meeting
in Groot-Bijgaarden. Geographically,
the emphasis is on the more than 50
nations from various continents that
dispatched soldiers to fight in Flanders
Fields.
Firstly, the text formulates a universal
appeal and aims to structurally
embed the commemoration at the
international level.
The declaration reflects the realisation
that war and suffering have still not
been eradicated and that respect
for international law and human
rights, cooperation between nations,
disarmament and regional integration
continues to be the key to a better
future.
The declaration also focuses on the
following dimensions:
Soldier at the Menin Gate,
Ypres
• Enduring remembrance
ww i lives on in the collective memory
of modern states in various ways. The
angle varies from the commemoration
of the military victory to the role that
war can play as a source of inspiration
for peace and modern conflict
management.
• Scientific research
Scientific research must be promoted
with particular attention to scientific
cooperation and sharing experiences,
in which archives, documents and
materials are stored, made accessible
and interpreted.
• Raising awareness and remembrance
education
The lessons to be learned from ww i
constitute an important source
of information and inspiration
for promoting peace and mutual
understanding that transcend ethnic,
religious, and political boundaries.
In the process, our focus needs to be
directed towards both the public at
large and the younger generations. ■
Friends of Flanders Fields
On 4 November 2013, the Government
of Flanders is organising an
international peace symposium to
which Nobel Peace Prize winners will
be invited. The symposium will be set
up around the subject of ‘Science for
Peace’ and will focus on trauma and
transformation. It offers a unique
opportunity to send out a message of
peace to the world on the eve of the
commemoration.
The Government of Flanders has
also expressed its desire to build
commemorative gardens in symbolically
important locations, in consultation
with its foreign partners, between
2014 and 2018. In London a first
commemorative garden has been laid
out which is scheduled for inauguration
in November 2014. These gardens will
Tyne Cot Cemetery,
Passendale (Zonnebeke)
be landscaped using soil from Flanders
Fields: this allows us to honour and
commemorate anyone who fought
and died during this war. In addition
the commemorative gardens will
go on to symbolise hope, peace and
reconciliation, in view of a better
future.
A first commemorative garden has
been laid in London. The ceremonial
handover of the soil will take place
on 11 November 2013 under the
Menin Gate in Ypres and the official
inauguration is planned for November
2014. ■
Flemish action plan
The Project Office has drawn up
an action plan based on the policy
documents of the Government of
Flanders and the resolutions by the
Flemish Parliament. It was presented
to the Government of Flanders on
17 February 2012. The action plan
is an internal working document
which provides an overview of the
various actions per policy area.
The action plan focuses on foreign
policy, tourism, culture and media,
heritage conservation, education,
communication, nature and forests,
agriculture and fisheries and scientific
research. Actions will be associated with
each of the objectives. The action plan
also devotes attention to intra-Belgian
cooperation.
It is a dynamic plan, which will be
further developed together with the
various policy areas in order to obtain a
flexible working tool. It is used for the
biannual reporting to the Government
of Flanders. ■
Heritage of the Great War
The ‘Heritage of the Great War’ project
occupies a key position within the
commemoration of the First World
War centenary. It develops a heritage
strategy to anchor our war heritage in a
permanent and enduring manner.
German military cemetery,
Hooglede
Military cemeteries, war memorials,
bunkers, shelters, battlefields,
defence lines and landscapes where
(archaeological) relics mutually exist
are just a few of the tangible traces of
The Great War to be found in Flanders.
This heritage constitutes our last link
between past and present since the
direct eyewitnesses have now all passed
away. It therefore occupies a central
position in this heritage project. The
project encompasses the whole of
Flanders, but its heart is to be found
along the front lines in the Westhoek.
The Great War heritage must be handed
down to future generations in the very
best circumstances. To embed this
heritage in an enduring and sustainable
manner, a four-track strategy has been
developed:
1.research into architectural, landscape
and archaeological ww i heritage. This
forms the scientific basis for the next
tracks;
2.the conservation and spatial
integration of a selection of ww i
heritage. A conservation policy
has been developed for the most
important and most relevant ww i
heritage and comprises three major
themes: military cemeteries, bunkers
and shelters, and commemorative
monuments. Minor themes such
as emergency housing and logistics
constructions will complete the list.
There is also a considerable focus on
the landscape as an important final
witness. The heritage values will be
spatially embedded by defining places
to anchor them and creating heritage
landscapes;
3.management of ww i heritage in
terms of restoration, maintenance
and access. In addition to measures
such as maintenance and restoration
subsidies, the compilation of
management plans or the use of
landscape teams, the ‘Remembrance
Park 2014-18’ study is one of the
many results;
4.unesco recognition of the most
important relics as world heritage
sites forms the keystone of the
integrated heritage strategy. The
value of The Great War heritage is not
exclusive to Flanders; it is universal.
Nomination for recognition
constitutes a transnational dossier, in
which Flanders, Wallonia and France
are working together and gathering
international support. ■
ww i Heritage Inventory
In the context of the ‘research’ track in
the Heritage of the Great War project,
Flanders will establish an inventory
of the material witnesses of the First
World War at the front lines in the
Westhoek.
An inventory of architectural ww i relics
was compiled between 2002 and 2005.
The architectural ww i inventory was
supplemented between 2010 and 2012
with a study that focused on the war
landscape and archaeological heritage.
The research methodology used
consisted of a combination of the
thorough analysis of trench maps from
1914-1918 in a geographic information
system (gis), the comparison with
present gis layers, the development
of the historic knowledge of the
war landscape, site visits and an
archaeological valuation study based on
findings from test trenches.
As a result of the study, twentyeight remembrance sites were
demarcated in the front lines of the
Westhoek. A ‘remembrance site’ is
a historically significant site where
the link with the war landscape is
still clearly present and represents a
visual experience, where visible ww i
material relics and spatial platforms
are viewed as mutually coherent.
The study provided information
that will be used to preserve and
spatially embed ww i heritage. As a
contribution to the heritage sector,
the ww i heritage findings are
interpreted in spatial terms.
Site Bayernwald, German ww i
trench Wijtschate
(Heuvelland)
The outcomes of the ww i study were
presented at the colloquium ‘The
heritage of the First World War in a
spatial perspective’ which took place
in Ypres on 1 and 2 March 2012. The
research will also appear in scientific
publications. ■
Remembrance Park 2014-18
The Remembrance Park 2014-18 was
developed in 2011 in the context of the
‘management’ track of the Heritage of
the Great War project.
The aim of this research project was to
design a master plan for an integrated
and comprehensive cultural project for
the former front lines in the Westhoek
to commemorate the First World War.
The Remembrance Park 2014-18 wishes
to highlight the ww i landscape as a
determining and binding factor so that
both visitors and residents can (re)
discover it.
In 2011, the design team - the Park
14-18 temporary association - produced
a simple but powerful coordinating
design. Important landscape sites
will be consolidated and incorporated
in a network thus contributing to
the narration of the many storylines
about the relationship between the
landscape and the war that unfolded
in it. On these sites, a landscape
scenography is generated, with its
own unambiguous style, through
limited changes to the landscape,
such as the opening up of sight lines,
Site of French military
cemetery on the Kemmelberg,
draft
the construction of pathways, or the
erection of information boxes, offering
greater insight and a better experience
of combat actions and their relationship
with the landscape.
The approach is very realistic and
takes into account the spatial planning
context, the existing infrastructure,
the differentiation between the various
locations, and the expectations of all
parties involved.
The Province of West Flanders and local
authorities in the Westhoek, which
were closely involved in drafting the
master plan, adopt the principles of
the Remembrance Park 2014-18 as a
common theme for developing their
ww i landscape sites. ■
unesco World Heritage
As part of the ‘recognition’ track of
the Heritage of the Great War project,
Flanders wishes to nominate the
testimonials of the First World War as
unesco World Heritage.
The commemorative and remembrance
landscapes that have been created
on the ww i battlefields is a unique
and valuable testimony: it is the
consequence of an unprecedented
global conflict that completely changed
global relations; it was created and is
shared by an international community
across five continents and embodies a
universal call for long-lasting peace.
To explain and underscore the universal
value of the unesco candidacy,
Flanders is developing this project in
cooperation with Wallonia and France
in the context of a transnational
dossier.
View on the Kemmelberg,
Kemmel (Heuvelland)
Initiatives will also be set up to inform
the (inter)national community, to
raise awareness and to ensure their
endorsement of this candidacy. The
support expressed for the unesco
dossier by the Commonwealth War
Graves Commission and the Volksbund
Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V.
is a major step towards obtaining
international support.
This unesco candidacy is the final
phase of an integrated and purposefully
conducted heritage strategy of
research, protection and management,
which should realise an enduring and
sustainable anchoring of First World
War heritage. ■
Tourism
The period between 2014 and 2018 will
mark the centenary of the First World
War. This historically important event,
which is still harrowingly poignant
today, will be the international focus
of a wide range of public audiences for
a relatively long period of time. As one
of the prominent bearers of this war
history, Flanders can expect an increase
in interest for the theme and perhaps
also for the region.
German military cemetery,
Langemark
Flanders aims to develop this visitor
potential in a responsible manner.
Within the contours of the Government
of Flanders and with explicit respect
for the sensitivity of the theme and
the message ‘No More War’, the
Tourism Flanders-Brussels Agency has
been assigned the task of preparing
remembrance tourism.
In a first phase (2006-2008), Tourism
Flanders-Brussels acquired the
necessary knowledge, which it used as
a basis for compiling a broad plan of
approach.
In a second phase (2010-2014), it
turns its attention to improving many
places of remembrance in Flanders.
Modernisation and expansion
projects regarding both content (for
example by renovating museums and
establishing visitor centres) and visitor
infrastructure (car parks, routes, access
for the disabled, etc.) were carried
out. In total, the Flemish minister for
Tourism has earmarked fifteen million
euros for investment in 44 tourism
projects. These investments will ensure
that the story of the First World War
will live on in Flanders beyond 2018.
In a third phase (starting in
2013), Tourism Flanders-Brussels
will present the commemorative
programme to potential visitors and
tourists. The events will be actively
communicated abroad in Great Britain,
the Netherlands, France, Germany,
the United States, Canada, Ireland,
Australia, New Zealand and to a lesser
extent in India and China. ■
Furthermore, the commemoration
requires a specific commemorative
programme. There will naturally be
various official events, but these are
not usually aimed at the general public.
Through an Impulse Fund amounting to
6.7 million euros, the Flemish minister
for Tourism has guaranteed an agenda
with international appeal for the period
2014-2015. Exhibitions, concerts and
artistic events will deepen people’s
knowledge and experience of the
history of the war and invite the visitor
to participate in the commemoration.
■
Five strategic investment
projects
The traces of The Great War in the
Flemish landscape are not always
easy to read and interpret. Five
‘gateways’ offer the visitor a natural
starting point for exploring the
Westhoek, the heart of ‘Flanders
Fields’. At these locations, visitors
will discover a well-founded
introduction to the war story as
well as facilities such as tourist
information, accommodation
and catering establishments. The
Impulse Programme for investments
has ensured that these locations
can optimally fulfil their role as a
gateway and anchoring point in a
contemporary manner.
Ypres
The renewed In Flanders Fields Museum opened its doors on 9 June 2012.
The In Flanders Fields Museum has been extensively renovated and expanded. This
means that the exhibition around the human story of the First World War can be
imparted more effectively, including to the many students who visit the museum.
www.inflandersfields.be
Zonnebeke
Thanks to a new museum wing, an improved reception area and a trail with
several types of trenches, the Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917 can
live up to its name: it brings to life military events at the front line, with a
particular focus on the Battle of Passchendaele.
www.passchendaele.be
Poperinge
Poperinge found itself behind the front line. Talbot House - which has
recently undergone major renovation work - provided soldiers with a
place to relax and seek help. A major field hospital was set up outside
Poperinge and a large-scale cemetery sprung up there: Lyssenthoek
Military Cemetery. A new visitors’ centre helps people understand this
piece of history.
www.talbothouse.be
www.lijssenthoek.be
Diksmuide
Belgian soldiers fought mainly at the front line between Diksmuide and
Nieuwpoort. The Yser Tower Museum tells their story. The museum is
located in the Yser Tower and is being completely renovated.
museum.aandeijzer.be
The opening is planned for February/March 2014
Nieuwpoort
When Belgium flooded the Yser plains in 1914, the German army was forced to
halt its advance to France. You can learn how the plains were flooded and the
consequences of this act at the brand new visitors’ centre in Nieuwpoort, close to
the lock complex where the story of the flood played out.
www.nieuwpoort.be
Opening Oktober 2014
FOTO
Tyne Cot Cemetery, Passendale (Zonnebeke)
■
A programme of commemorative activities
At the end of 2013, various high quality exhibitions, concerts
and other artistic projects that will deepen people’s knowledge
and experience of the First World War will already take place in
Flanders. ‘Gone West’ is the coordinating name of the cultural
programme that will take place in the Westhoek. Powerful
historical or art exhibitions are planned in many Flemish cities
including Brussels, Antwerp, Leuven, Bruges, Ghent and Mechelen.
You can read about all the events linked to The Great War
Centenary in the UiTagenda. Please visit www.2014-18.be
regularly.
ravage
kunst en cultuur in tijden van conflict
War and Trauma (Ypres, Ghent)
Ravage (Leuven)
A double exhibition about the physical
(Ypres) and mental (Ghent) suffering caused
by war and how we try and cope with these
traumas.
An exhibition about art and culture in times
of conflict, in the city where the university
library was set ablaze in 1914 by the German
occupying forces.
www.inflandersfields.be
www.museumdrguislain.be
www.mleuven.be
Remember me (Westhoek)
1000 Voices for Peace (Brussels)
A sculpture has been created for each of the
600,000 Belgians that lost their lives in the
War between 2014 and 2018. You can create
your own commemorative sculpture in the
workshops. All the sculptures will be afforded
a place in the Palingbeek domain, where they
will serve as both a land art installation and
an enduring memorial.
Almost thirty Flemish choirs join the same
number of choirs from countries that fought
in The Great War. They will sing a world
premier composed by Penderecki.
www.gonewest.be
21.03.14 >< 01.09.14
www.ravage1914.be
© Lamia Joreige, Beirut,Autopsy of a City, 2010 (fragment)
www.1000voices.be
EXPO
DIT IS ONZE GESCHIEDENIS !
Koninklijk Museum van het Leger en de Krijgsgeschiedenis - www.expo14-18.be
© Corbis
BRUSSEL / 7.02.2014 > 26.04.2015
The Light Front (Westhoek)
14-18. It’s our history (Brussels)
A human chain, seventy-five kilometres long,
formed by local residents and visitors, from
home and abroad, with flaming torches to
light up the front line along which so many
victims fell, on both sides, for four long years.
A major exhibition at the Royal Museum of
the Armed Forces and of Military History
reveals how the First World War defined
European history and still has an effect
today.
www.gonewest.be
www.expo14-18.be
A pontoon across the Scheldt (Antwerp)
The 30,000th Last Post
(in Ypres and other locations)
A pontoon bridge across the Scheldt formed
a hazardous escape route for soldiers and
citizens from the besieged city of Antwerp.
One hundred years later, the pontoon bridge
is to be rebuilt. There are also exhibitions
about the refugees, the role of photography
and avant-garde art.
www.antwerpen14-18.be
Voorgesteld door
The Last Post has been played under
the Menin Gate in Ypres since 1928 to
commemorate those who perished. On 9
June 2015, the Last Post will sound for the
30,000th time. It will be a commemoration
that can be attended by international and
local participants.
www.gonewest.be
In Flanders Fields Museum, Ypres
■
An invitation to an international audience
Flanders wants to continue to bear witness to the
First World War, for young and old, for a national and
international audience. Tourism Flanders-Brussels is using
several channels to reach this international audience. It is
encouraging the professional tourism sector to develop a
range of tourism products for Flanders around the ww i
theme. Flanders is a host country at the wtm in London,
one of the largest professional tourism fairs in the world,
and will spotlight ‘Flanders Fields’ there. Cultural historic
media in various countries where Tourism FlandersBrussels is active are also being approached. The agency is
inviting them to Flanders to produce reportages. With an
extensive ‘Flanders Fields. A Place to Remember.’ campaign,
the public will also be approached directly starting in late
2013.
Cultural heritage
The commemoration initiatives relating
to cultural heritage will be closely
monitored by the Department of
Culture, Youth, Sport and Media and
the Agency for Arts and Heritage. In
this context, the Agency has started
compiling an inventory of the planned
actions of cultural heritage actors.
The Last Post at the
Menin Gate, Ypresr
A number of important recognised
museums, such as the In Flanders
Fields Museum in Ypres, the Memorial
Museum Passchendaele 1917 in
Zonnebeke, the Talbot House in
Poperinge, and the Yser Tower, the
Memorial of the Flemish Community in
Diksmuide, are located along the front
lines.
The Agency for Arts and Heritage is
working on a pilot list of exceptional
pieces related to ww i heritage. The
objective is to identify and preserve
valuable heritage from the First World
War such as posters, flags, militaria,
photographs, documents and art
objects.
The Centre for Flemish Architectural
Archives, in cooperation with the
province of West Flanders and the
Flemish Community amongst others,
started a project that, based on archival
research, aims at more clearly mapping
out and disseminating information
on the reconstruction works in the
Westhoek.
There is also the ‘Text posters: a
reflection of everyday life during the
First World War’ project, in which text
posters, used by the occupying forces to
communicate with the population, are
digitally mapped and made accessible.
The Flemish Interface Centre for
Cultural Heritage (faro) and
Heemkunde Vlaanderen, the voluntary
heritage association for Flanders,
organised a workshop about setting
up an original activity about the
First World War in each province in
association with the Institute for
Public History at uGhent and the
Flemish Peace Institute under the name
‘Workshop: 14-18 close up.’ In the
workshop, people could find inspiration
and information about new insights
into historical research on the First
World War as was recently published
in an inspiration guide for that very
purpose entitled ‘14-18 close up’.
The cultural heritage covenants
with individual municipalities
or intermunicipal cooperation
partnerships can constitute an excellent
medium for opening up existing
cultural heritage within the context of
the centenary commemoration of the
First World War.
In April 2012, the nomination file
was submitted to unesco to have the
safeguarding of the Last Post Ceremony
at the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres,
City of Peace, included on the Register
of Best Practices of the 2003 unesco
Convention for the Safeguarding of
Intangible Cultural Heritage. ■
Education
On 22 April 2009, the Flemish
Parliament adopted an Act that
introduced new attainment targets
and developmental objectives at the
primary and secondary education
levels.
Two of these new cross-subject
attainment targets at the secondary
level are oriented towards the themes
of tolerance and gaining insight into
the role of conflicts, hence contributing
to what we call ‘peace education’ and
‘remembrance education’.
These attainment targets read as
follows:
• the students draw lessons from
historical and contemporary
examples of intolerance, racism, and
xenophobia
• the students present examples of
the potentially constructive and
destructive role of conflicts.
Pupils at the Essex Farm
Cemetery, Boezinge (Ypres)
On 23 January 2013, the Flemish
Parliament adopted a resolution that
formulated a call to encourage school
trips for secondary school students to
sites related to the First World War.
The Special Committee for
Remembrance Education will assume
a key role in the remembrance of the
centenary of the First World War. A
task force has been established within
the Education and Training policy
area and is in charge of preparing
the centenary commemoration. For
example, attention will be devoted
to the range and distribution of
educational materials, channels of
communication related to ww i, teacher
training and student exchanges. ■
Agriculture and the provision
of food supplies
The Agriculture and Fisheries
policy area, in cooperation with the
Interfaculty Centre for Agrarian History
(icag) at the ku Leuven, intends to
start an innovative research study on
the subject of agriculture, fisheries and
the provision of food supplies before,
during and shortly after the First World
War.
A working group, led by the
Department of Agriculture and
Fisheries and the icag, are developing a
programme for the entire remembrance
period. Themes included here are: the
evolution of the agricultural policy
during this period and the impact of the
war on it, as well as the question of the
international food situation, the state
of the Belgian fishing fleet, the war’s
impact on the (farming) landscape and
the farmsteads along the front lines,
and their reconstruction.
The findings of the scientific study will
be used to initiate a number of public
outreach activities in the Westhoek and
around Flanders, in cooperation with
diverse partners. Likewise, a number of
concrete end products will be achieved,
such as lectures, publications, a biking
and walking tour, and educational
packages for distribution in secondary
schools.
The Department of Agriculture and
Fisheries and the icag published a first
practical research guide ‘Boeren, boter
en bezetters’ (Farmers, butter and the
occupiers) about agriculture and food
supplies during ww i. ■
Flemish Public Broadcasting Company
vrt
In the run-up to 2014, the vrt will
devote additional attention to the
First World War, on radio as well as
on tv and online, each year during
the month of November. For instance,
the ceremonies in commemoration of
Armistice Day will be broadcast directly
from Ypres. In addition, every year,
canvas will broadcast two episodes
of the documentary series ‘Niets is
Zwart-Wit’ (Nothing is Black-White)
in which different aspects of the First
World War will be analysed. Many other
radio and television programmes also
intend to provide broad coverage of the
commemoration of the First World War.
In the spring of 2013, the channel Eén
broadcast the fiction series ‘Parades
End’, an international cooperation with
the bbc and the production company
hbo, as well as the eight-part series
‘Ten Oorlog’ (At War), in which viewers
were taken on a 1,500 kilometre
journey of discovery along the Western
front line.
Special attention is directed to the
digital archiving and the release of
historical interviews with war veterans
and other direct witnesses. In addition
to the already recorded interviews, the
project ‘De Allerlaatste Getuigen’ (The
Very Last Witnesses) has been able
to assemble more than one hundred
new interviews with centenarians who
experienced first hand the First World
War as children. This resulted in a sixpart documentary that was broadcast
on canvas.
The vrt will also pay close attention to
the commemoration of the First World
War with a generous variety of thematic
radio and tv programmes during the
period 2014-2018. For example, a
ten-part fiction series was produced
for Eén entitled ‘In Vlaamse Velden’
(In Flanders Fields) and canvas will
broadcast a three-part documentary
‘Brave Little Belgium’ in the spring of
2014. ■
Scientific
research
Environment,
Nature and Forests
The Fund for Scientific Research
- Flanders was charged with
providing scientific support to the
commemorative project and set up a
scientific steering group in 2012. The
steering group is responsible for the
substantive preparation and steering
of the projects’ implementation in the
Economy, Science and Innovation policy
areas.
The Flemish Land Company has
included the First World War
dimension in ongoing projects in the
Westhoek that focus on restoring and
consolidating war relics and making
them accessible for recreational
purposes.
As a marine scientific research platform,
the Flanders Marine Institute (vliz)
will produce a themed publication
about World War One and the sea as
part of the commemoration. ■
Polygon Wood Cemetery,
Zonnebeke
As part of its ‘effective nature
hospitality’, the Flemish Agency for
Nature and Forests (anb) launched ‘de
Groene Oorlogsroute’ (The Green War
Trail). It involves a series of anb (and
other) domains located throughout
Flanders in which the Agency has
developed a series of tourism initiatives
based on the stories that reveal the
forest’s, nature’s and the landscape’s
relationship with ww i and with people
at and behind the front lines. ■
Local context
The project’s aim is also to organise a
commemoration of the First World War
that benefits from the widest possible
support and that involves launching
Flemish and smaller local initiatives.
Because every village and every city has
its history and its link with the Great
War.
Site Bardelaere, bunker,
Lembeke (Kaprijke)
Memorials, remembrance sites, and
museums were erected after the war
in nearly every Flemish municipality
in which fighting took place. In
addition, war victims lie buried in many
municipal cemeteries. These localised
events, the heritage and the memory of
these local occurrences remain just as
relevant and retain their unique value
to this very day.
At this time, the province of West
Flanders is actively engaged in
the preparation of the centenary
commemoration of the Great War.
A policy steering group has been
established at the provincial level and
a programme secretariat has been set
up in cooperation with Westtoer, with
offices in Diksmuide. A budget of five
million euros has been earmarked for
the cultural-tourism access to First
World War heritage.
In addition to this, the Province will
develop a cultural programme in every
commemorative year, from 2014 until
2018, with various events, which
will take place under the ‘Gone West’
denominator. These programmes
will last several weeks and will take
place during important historical
commemorative events.
Yet, it should not be forgotten that
battles were likewise fought in other
provinces, and numerous cities and
municipalities intend to commemorate
their individual histories as they
unfolded during the First World War.
A project team in the Province of
Antwerp is working on the preparation
and coordination of the ww i
commemoration in the framework of
the European project ‘The Great War
between the lines’.
The Province of Limburg is bundling
its programme under the name
‘Limburg 1914-1918: small stories
in a Great War’. Flemish Brabant is
developing the project ‘the Great War
in the Brabantse Kouters. When life
was survival’, and in East Flanders,
the Meetjesland and Leie-Schelde
Heritage Cells are preparing the
theme of the Dodendraad (Wire of
Death) for the commemoration.
The network of Martyr Cities, i.e.
Aarschot, Dendermonde and Leuven,
are preparing a joint programme in
cooperation with the Walloon cities of
Andenne, Dinant, Sambreville and Visé.
These cities will be joining forces to
commemorate the first few days of the
war in the summer of 1914.
Finally, also regional and local
stakeholders will contribute to the
commemoration. ■
Colophon
Photography
Agency Tourism Flanders-Brussels: p. 12, 50
City archive Antwerp: p. 45 (Pontoon across the Scheldt)
Flanders Heritage, Kris Vandevorst: p. 18, 22-23, 26, 28, 40
Flemish Department of Foreign Affairs: p. 14
Geurst and Schulze architects: p. 24
Heritage Day Flanders, p. 56
Lyssenthoek Military Cemetery: p. 24
Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917: p. 34
Michael Despetele: p. 36
Milo-profi Photography: p. 30, 32, 33, 37, 38, 41, 45 (Last Post), 46
Photo archive Flanders: p. 6, 16
Tourism Ypres, p. 10, 42,48
Westtoer: p. 54
Willy Roets: p. 35
Yser Tower Museum: p. 39
Translation
Government of Flanders - Department of the Services for the General Government Policy
Printing
Franky Van Varenberg, Government of Flanders - Digital Printing Office Team
Graphic Design
Guy Adam, Government of Flanders - Digital Printing Office Team
Publisher
The Government of Flanders - Project Office The Great War Centenary (2014-18)
Catalogue number
d/2013/3241/332
Publication
November 2013
© Project Office The Great War Centenary (2014-18)
in Flanders
Project office
The Great War Centenary (2014-18)
Boudewijnlaan 30 bus 80 | 1000 Brussel | Belgium
T. +32 2 553 60 63 | F. +32 2 553 60 37
www.2014-18.be | [email protected]

the great war centenary

Transcription

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