Rat der deutschsprachigen Jugend – RdJ

Contact info

Brauereihof 2, B-4700 Eupen

www.rdj.be

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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”