Rat der deutschsprachigen Jugend – RdJ
Contact info
Brauereihof 2, B-4700 Eupen
Foundation
1976
Minority
German-speaking Community of Belgium
Number of minority members
78.000
Settlement area
In the east of Belgium – borders are Germany, Wallonia, Luxembourg and the Netherlands
Organisation
Geschichte der Minderheit
- 1815: The Eupen-Malmedy region was awarded to the Kingdom of Prussia by the Vienna Congress
- 1918: Assignment of the territory to the Kingdom of Belgium by the Versailles Treaty after the First World War
- 1940: Annection by the German Reich
- 1945: Re-assignment to Belgium
- 1963: Distribution of Belgium into 3 language communities (NL-FR-GER)
- 1970: Implementation of the new language legislation or establishment of the Council of the German Cultural Community
- 1970-heute: Continued expansion of state autonomy through state reforms. This includes:
- The renaming of the Council of the German Cultural Community in Parliament of the German-speaking Community.
- Establishment of the first executive
- German-speaking parliamentarian in the Parliament of the EU and in the Belgian Senate
- Numerous delegations of responsibility to the German Community(GC), like the teaching system
Special customs and traditions
- Carnival moves in all 9 municipalities of the GC
- Cultural events of all kinds
- The dance in the May
Fun Facts/Celebrities/Jokes/Sayings
- Geographically separated north and south of the GC have certain differences in mentality.
- Use of French terms in the German language such as “Trattoir” (citizen dough) or “Camion” (truck)
- Since recently, the GC has been presented with the brand name “East Belgium”