German-language community of Belgium

the German-language community of Belgium (DG) is with approximately 72,875 inhabitants, by the majority German speaking citizen, the smallest of the three communities in Belgium. The communities (flämisch - French - German) developed after 1983 the Föderalisierung before of the central governed state.

ThoseFederalism research calls the DG so-called small member state. Despite its quite modest size the DG notices important competencies.

Das Gebiet der deutschen Gemeinschaft wird zusammen mit den zur Französischen Gemeinschaft gehörenden Gemeinden Malmedy und Waimes auch gelegentlich als Ostbelgien, als Ostkantone oder als Eupen Malmedy sp. Vith designates.

The area borders in the east on Germany, in the north on the Netherlands and in the south on Luxembourg. It belongs to the province Lüttich within the region Wallonie. Between this region of Belgium and the national territory of the German Federal Republic no language border exists - upboth sides of the Belgian-German state border speak humans Central German dialects.

The German-language community of Belgium belongs both the Euregio Maas Rhine - region on and the Euregio SaarLorLuxRhein - to region. For 2004 it had been intended of the European Union as „European region of the yearly “.

Table of contents 1 thoseTo 9 municipalities of 2 legislators and implementing force 2,1 the parliament (period 2004-2009) 2,2 the government (period 2004-2009) 3 history of the region in short form 4 German-language media 5 see also 6 literature 7 Web on the left of

the 9 municipalities

to the German-language community belonging the followingnine municipalities:

• Amel
• Büllingen
• Bütgenbach
• castle Reuland
• Eupen (administrative centre)
• Kelmis
• Lontzen
• Raeren
• sank Vith

legislator and implementing force

the parliament of the German-language community (PDG) is the regional representative government of the German speaking Belgians. The parliament consists the every 5 years of 25 members, at the same timewith the elections to the European parliament to be selected.

the parliament (period 2004-2009)

covers 25 seats - parliament president is Louis Siquet (FR)

• a christian-social party (CSP): 8 seats
• a party for liberty and progress (PFF): 5 seats
• a socialist party (FR): 5 seats
• A party of the German-speaking Belgians and Juropa (PDB-PJU): 3 seats
• the Greens (ECOLO): 2 seats
• Vivant: 2 seats

the government (period 2004-2009)

the government consists of a three-party a coalition, this places 4 Ministers, who belong to the following parties: PFF, FRand PDB-PJU.

• Karl-Heinz Lambertz (FR): Prime Minister, finances, local authorities (supervision of municipality) and external relations.
• Bernd Gentges (PFF): Social and occupation.
• Olive Paasch (PDB-PJU): Instruction
• Isabelle Weykmans (PFF): Culture, youth and media.

history of the region in short form

the area belonged to in 12. Century to Duchy Limburg, fell after the battle of Worringen at Brabant. In 15. Century fell it by marriage to the dukes of Burgund, then on the Spanish and 1713, after the peace of Utrecht, to the Austrian having citizens. From 1794-1815 belongedit to the French Département Ourthe. After the Viennese congress 1815 belonged it to the Kingdom of Prussia, and German became official language. After the Versailler contract was surrendered the area to 1920 to Belgium and administered by the general Herman Baltia kommissarisch. During 2. World warif the area was integrated again the German Reich, however 1945 came again to Belgium. As consequence of the language legislation of 1963 Belgium in three language communities was divided; these were converted 1970, and thus the RdK (advice of the German culture community of Belgium) could as direct forerunners of the advicethe German-language community (since the year 2004 the parliament of the German-language community is called) to be used.

there are

German-language media in east Belgium a number of German-language media considerable in relation to the number of inhabitants:

• the daily paper border echo including a book publishing house.
• the public Belgian broadcast (BRF) alsotwo radio programs and a television station.
• a German-language program of the largest Belgian private station radio Contact.
• as well as on the neighbouring Aachener region aligned transmitters, which stand for license reasons on Belgian area (hit radio 100 ' 5 in the BRF radio house and FANTASY thanks of FM 96,7).

see also

• Flämisch wallonischer conflict

literature

• franc of mountains, Alexander Grasse: Belgium - decay or föderales future model? - The flämisch wallonische conflict and the German-language community, regionalization in Europe volume 3, Leske and Budrich, Opladen 2003, ISBN 3-8100-3486-X
• stroke ore Jenniges: Behind eastBelgian window blinds. Stations on thatAway to the autonomy of the German language area in Belgium (1968-1972), border echo publishing house, Eupen 2001, ISBN 90-5433-148-8
• Carlo Lejeune, Andreas Fickers, Freddy Cremer: Traces into the future. Notes to a moved century, Lexis publishing house, Büllingen 2001, ISBN 90-806682-1-4

Web on the left of

• official web page of the DG
• Parliament of the DG
• the position and role of the German-language minority in east Belgium
• medium portal Netecho (with regional newspaper border echo)
• official web page of the catholic regional church of the DG