Wallonie-- is telling you : his sumed up story

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Citation preview

..

'·

Horse BAYARD and the four brothers AYMON ; symbol of defenders of the liberty against dictatorship (P. 46)

ed.

LES CAHIERS WALLONS . Revue Mensuelle 15, rue J. Hamoir, B - 5000 NAMUR orig. fram;. 1980 - english reprint, dee. 82. N° 12 special

LJES CAHIERS W ALLONS

WALLONIE 2.500 (-500

avant J.-C.

2.000

apres J.-C.)

LA ROMANIA D'EUROPE

BELGA

WAL LON

GAU LOIS

Quls es?

Qui es'

Qui es-tu?

Uber et Fidelis

Libe

Gens tua,

Tes djins

Tes gens,

Terra tua,

Ti tere

Ta terre,

Qui sunt?

Qui sont-is 1

Qui sont-1/s ?

BELGIQUE

WALLONIE

GAULE

et

Fidele -

Libre et Fide/e

These sentences are showing the inmost kinship between LATIN,WALOON and FRENCH l anguad jes. ------------------ -~---

NOTATION : Please,read· a t f ir8 t the notice at begin of TABLE ( page 7! ) .

WALLONIA, 1510 and the beginning of

the 18th Century And those who speak the old Gallic language that we call Vualon or Roman. And of the spoken tongue Vualone .or Roman, we use in our Gaule Belgium~ That is to say in 'HAYNAU, CAMBRESIS-; ARTOIS::,: . NAMUR, _L IEGE, LORRAINE,

ARDENNE and the Roman Brabant.

Cr\RlE PR0\18'' r\NT D' UN OU\'Ri'(iE PUBLl l

~z;r~Ax~~~o0R~~~l~;;T~ci~~~~~~'Jvff(~:s

t>E L"ORDRE DES CAPUCINS 011n•1'"'" 1,.1 11•1mr• rlun• lrru111•11rlrrr1 l'" '"°'',.,.-..,n /,.. lm11l1'J,fu1••

f11r1n11u

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DEAR LITI'I.E MAN OF MY OOUNI'RY A:.inan·: is from a fatherland. A country has a history that her children learned from their elders and trans mitting it to their successors. If it is bea utiful, the history of our fatherland, she has the right to have her personnages and efforts represented in the scenes below. Let's think on it together. This fatherland of whom the ancient soil had surrendered the skeletons of the man from SPY and of his wife, fled after more than 600,000 years perhaps; the skeletons of iguanodons of Bernissart, of the enormous reptiles of those ages. Are you aware of it? These achievements are known to the entire world. After 2500 years, we can write the history of your fatherland. Celtic Gaule style, afterward Roman, it should have its Wallen language, one of the Gallo-Roman dialects which are the kinsmen and founders of our b eautiful French tongue.

iii

Tqg~t~e~, let us take the hand of the two guides, the

learned scholars, and of the Wallons of brave hearts. These are Felix Rousseau, author, among others, of Wallonie Roman land, and, Albert Henry, father of Wallon Offering. Two vibrant prodoctions which should be found, read and meditated upon in all the hearths, in all the Wallonie schools. Thanks to them, we will be able to learn and to delve de eply into the history ofour country, with the bibliography on page 67, we· will be allowed 'to complete this first contact. Amputee of the boot of Givet until Revin in 1678, following Picardie in 1713, our Wallonie was also of Malmedy from 1815 to 1919. Many sons of your country have been dispersed over the thread of centuries. The large stages of their history are sketched in this small collection that seeks fervent hommage and sub-branch of work destined to push your researches in depth. The +ist of eminent Wallons, you would want to complete. Of their lofty achievements, of their illustrious or modest names, let us be proud, our heads high, let us make them known in every direction. It is beautiful, your Wallon countyy, remaining Wallon after a thousand years, without any natural frontier in order to assure her defense . Her people love to sing, laug~ welcome; her dialects are lively; her folklore also. You must be aware there are her famous men, pioneers who founded New York, the blacksmiths gave her industry, like Sweden. There are her her musicians, her soldiers, her Wallen sword, flag of the audacious rooster.

iv

the who painters, and her

She gives herself to you totally in her history. She puts herself back into your hands, you, the child of Wallohie; you, ·t he Wallen man of tomorrow.

FREE AND PROUD, FREE AND LOYAL .

This refrain we were taught, the children of the War of 1914~1918. And the children that we were, in these somber hours, we sang them from the bottom of our hearts, at the moment of our births, our mothers were subjected to their difficult labors. Meditate about this scene and give thanks.

(Cercle Litteraire Dialectal "Les

d1is

NAMURwlS",

NAMUR -BELGIQUE Hubert JACQUES Secretary

Lucien SOMME Vice-President

Lucien LEONA.RD President

Translated for all the friends of WALONIA a.nd WALOONS by Louie J. DE JARDIN,Waloon of Wisconsin, a.nd Father DE PEAUX,Waloon of Wisconsin, (PENINSULA BELGIAN AMERICAN CLUB1 NAMUR (ltfis.)

v

Nous avons fer olus dur oue fer.

(Devise liegeoise ) (Motto of Liege ) We have steel harder than

steel

We have fir e hotter than fir e We have bread better than bread .

PLUS D'AMOUR

QUE D'ECOLE

' •

Albert HENRY

MORE LOVE THAN

SCHOOLING~

In totally remembering our mothers, and for all of the mothers of Wallonie of yesterday, of today and of tomorrow;

In recollec ting of Eugene r.rttAIN, the Father of the Wallton Reports, and to their two artists of ske tches:

Joseph GILLAIN,

and

Alexander DAOUST.

Wal oon or Walloon Wal lonie or Wallonia

vi

CHAPTER I

FREE AND IJJYAL

The Flemish individual struggles against the wa ter, against the wind, against the sand, and Flanders is that which man is made. Wallonia is that which made God. Man has no need to be ~rubbo rn, and determined; it suffices him to feel, to be aware of, to penetrate what surrounds him, to abandon it, and attach it. This temperament, the Wallon loves like a lively person. He talks to his fields, to his woods, all like he does to his animals. His soul gushes, scatters all around him; ·he leaves himself t aken to one sort of rustic animation and to beyond the harmonized splendors, to beyond the scenery, of the lines, of the flag of light, and of the music of the foliage. He searches for the moving ref"uge and of things, to propose his friendship . His idealism has re-opened in the myfiJ:ifS:i.¥ of caves, in the solitude of mines, in the clamor of the river, in the s hivering of the forest. In Flanders, man subdued nature. it is naturee that civilized man.

In Wallonia,

SO MUCH BETTER, still, if Wallonie remains capable of individualism, if she does no t have the desire to march on command, sacrificing automation. on ·each step made for his account, one of his artists , there are e~hos, han..1onies, which make up some times from one side, some times the other. This way, the individual, all in in well affirming that a ll is going until the end of himself, does not feel one &it isolated. 1

OiAPTER II 1HE PRE H:J:STORY

TliE MAN FROM SPY,

the ft~st Wallon q~ 600,000 to No thing in the village permits rendering an account than the spy figure in all of the encyclopedias of this world. It is here that in 1886, Maximin Lohest and Marcel of Puydt will find at the bo ttom of a hollowed grotto in the stone , 16 fee t deeµ, the perfectly-conserved skeletons of a man and a woman. There, skeletons pertained to the Neanderthal type of which an• thrqpo~ogy still has not reached a conclusion unanimously accepted. l~000,000. years ago.

At the end of the Bronze Age, 800 years before Jesus Christ, one finds again the traces of an act of original ~etal,(grottos of Sinsin, Han~sur-Lesse, promi/nent ~ock of Marche-les-Dames). The Celtisation at the start of the Second I~on Age (~50 years , more or less, befo~e J.C. 1 ). which is called the . Tene civilization. The early German and Celtic . history of the Wallon name clearer today. Originally, th~re was the name of a Celtic tribe, German neighbors, the VOLCAE, who, having left the North, had established themselves in the South. This ethnic name would have entered in ancient Germany, before the 4th Century before J.C. It would have been given WALHAZ. This word points out then for the Germans, already before Ul.e Christian era, the inhabitants of the Celtic steps at the S. and at l'O, the regions occupied by the C£rmans. Historically speaking, among the inhabitants of actual Belgium, only the Wa llons descend from the ancient BelgiJ ns, since the Flemish have the German invaders for ancesrors , who established themselves in the north of Gaul at the 4th and 5th Centuries of our era.

2

rnAP 'ER III WE ffiNQUEST OF WE GAUIBS COMMENTARIES OF JULIUS CESAR ON THE GALLIC WAR

All of Gaul is divide d in three parts, of which one was habited by the Belgians, and the other Aquitaines, the t lird by thos e that we call Gallic; and which in their language name themselves Celtic. These nations differ between themselves by the language, the customs and the laws. The Gauls are separated from the Aquitaines by the Geronne; the Belgians by the Marne and the Seine. The. Be.lgia.ru, Me .the. mo.o;t c..oWta.ge.ou.o o 6 a.11.

o 6 -thu e. pe.cfplu . t o the elegant customs and the civilization of the Roman province, they don' t receive from abroad any luxurious goods which contributes to soften their fortitude. ~tr?l'ngers

Otherwise, neighbors of the J.IUR

\

W°'VREUa.K>"1 (

EllMETOH •

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CHEVETOON!

(/·~·~" .~:·:·

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1980

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Benedictins et Cisterciens Benedictines et Cisterciennes

'

HUATE81SE

L~l/IUOHTA/Nl

l;:;..~"' \

CLOISTERS, issued ~ of Rule of Saint BENOIT.

I

LUXE~!IOVllG ~PPAAQ!

~

Saints et Saintes de chez nous Saints of our country

saint saint

MATERNE, Romain, 1°' eveque de nos regions (sa legende don~e date du IV" s.) PIAT, Rom. Ct 287), ev. Tournai 7b

saint ELEUTHERE (ne 456), Blandain ev. Tournai (t 531 J saint Mt.DARO, orig. Noyon ft 550), ev. Tournai saint VAAST (t 540), Arras saint DOM/TIEN (t 558), Huy saint WALFROY (t 585). Yvois-Carignan saint MONULPHE (597), Dinant saint AUBERT (ne fin VI" s.), Cambrai sainte ERMELINDE (fin VI" s.). Beauvechain saint AMANO, Aquitain (594-684). Elnone sainte ORB/£ (VII" s.), Andenn e sainte ADELE (630-689). Orp-le-Grand salnte ALDEGONDE, sreur sainte Waudru, Ct 639), Maubeuge saint GERY Ct 623). Ardennes saint ELOQUE, lrlandais. (VII" s.), Waulsort saint BAVON Ct vers 650), Liege, Gand saint FEUILLEN, lrlandais, Ct 685). Fosses-la-Ville saints ULTAIN et FURSY, freres de saint Feuillen (VII" s.), saint ACAJRE (Tournai), avant 650 saint BABOL/N, 2° ab. Stavelot Ct 670) saint THEODARD (Stavelot), (613-670) saint GODOJN, 4° ab. Stavelot (t 685) sainte RICTRUDE, abb. Marchiennes Ct 688) sainte THEODULPHE (Stavelot). (t766) saint ABOL/N (Stavelot, debut VIII" s.) bienheureux ADALBERT (Denain, fin VIII" s.) saint CLODMAR (Stavelot-Malmedy, VIII" s.) saint VULG/SE ou ULGISE (Binche). Ct 766) sainte AYE (708), Tournai saint HIDULPHE (707), Tournai sainte ITTE, mere saintes Gertrude et Begge et saint Amelbert saint ELOJ. Limoges, (558-659), ev. Tournai saint REMACLE, Aquitain (600-670), Cugnon, Stavelot saint PAPOLJN Ct 670), Malmedy-Stavelot sa~nt VINCENT ou MADELGAIRE Ct 677), Strepy sainte REINELDE Ct 680), Saintes, Villers-Potterie sainte WAUDRU Ct 683), Mons sainte GERTRUDE (626-659), Nivelles sainte RAGENULFE ( ± 650), lncourt saint GHJSLAJN, grec (t 685) , Saint-Ghislain LANDRY, fils s. Vincent et s. Waudru , (700) Soignies LANDELJN Ct vers 686), Lobbes TROND Ct 695), Hesbaye sa1nte ALDETRUDE, sreur de sai nt Landry Ct 657), Maubeuge

sa!nt

sa~nt sa ~nt

7c

sainte BEGGE, (673), ep. ANSEGISE, (t 694), Andenne saint MORT (ne en 698). Andenne et Haillot saint EMEBERT ou ABLEBERT (t 640), Cambrai saint ADELIN ou HADELIN, Aquitain Ct 696), Celles-Dinant saint BERTHUIN, Anglais, ( t 698), Malonne-Namur saint MONON, lrlandais, (VIie s.), Nassogne saint LAMBERT (t 706), Liege sainte MADELBERTE, sreur sa inte Aldetrude Ct 705), Maubeuge sainte PHARAILDE (t 71 O). Nivelles saint VIND/CIEN (debut VIiie s .). Arras saint URSMER Ct 713). Floyon-Avesnes saint HUBERT, Aquitain (655-727) saint DODON (t 750), Vaux,. pays de Lomme saint BEREGISE Ct VIiie s.), fondateur d'Andage . sainte ODE Ct VII" s.), Amay sainte ROLENDE (VIII" s.). Gerpinnes saint FLOR/BERT, fils de saint Hubert Ct 746). Liege saint BAD/LON, abbe (IX• s.). Leuze saint GERARD (890-959). Stave saint GU/BERT (892-962). Gembloux-Namur saint FORANNAN, lrlandais (t 982), Waulsort saint GU/DON Ct 1012). Anderlecht-Bruxelles sainte IVETTE ou YVETTE C11 57-1227), Huy bienheureux HUGHE de Fosses (1093-1164) sainte MARIE D'O/GNIES (1180-1213). Oignies-Nivelles saint OD/LON, Stavelot Ct 954) saint MENGOLD, Huy , (X" s.) sainte CUNEGONDE de Luxembourg (t 1033) bienheureux HILDEMAR (t 1097), Tournai venerable ALBEBT. moine Gembloux, (j 1048) saint FREDERIC, comte de Namur, frere du comte de Namur, (t 1121) bienheureux JEAN de WARNETON (t 11 30) saint WALHERE Ct 1199). Onhaye-Bouvignes sainte JULIENNE de CORN/LLON C1197-1258), Retinne, Fosses, Salzinnes, Jambes. bienheureuse EVE, compagne de sa inte Julienne Ct 1265), Liege bienheureuse ADELAlDE Ct 1250), Schaerbeek-Bruxelles saint BONIFACE Ct 1265), Bruxelles bienheureux RICHARD DE SAINTE ANNE Ct 1667), Ham-s.-Heure sainte JULIE BILL/ART C1751-1816), Amiens, Namur bienheureux frere MUTIEN-MARIE ( 1841-1917), Mellet-Malonne

7d

THE

OLD SAINTS OF THE OLD CHAPELS

I

The good old saints in their cage 0 1 stone and of rusty grids, Which the children on the road to school Salute, as their mother told them. The good old saints of pruned oak At the polished outlines like sheet iron, Who climb to the old images Who have -for a long time lived their role . The good old s~ints of red cloaks· Of wide halos of the sun, And a faee of good nature and peaceful. The good old saints of our piece of land, That have pruned the rough images With bill hook to pray better.

iHlly BAL (1933)

8

DOUCEUR MOSANE-MOSAN SWEETNESS

CHAPTER VII WALDON LAND -- @ADLE OF THE FRENCH KINGS

At the end of the following century, one of the French Clovis petty kings from whom the family was established at Tournai, and had s erved the Empire, attempt ed an audacious venture. At this era , Gaul h ad become, i n fact, an independent self-governing state; he left while conquering with his "Franci Tornacenses. 11 His success was comple te. Indeed, he explained through the value of his charactier·i-·"through various fortuitous circumstances, but als o on account of the religious situation of Gaul. All of the barbarian leaders, notably the Wisigoths, were ariens . Clovis', while becoming Christian, embraced Catholicism. He had all the bishops for him, all powerful· in Gaul. He had behind him the Gaul-Roman population. Because of the success of a king from Tournai, Gaul should have been called France. The Wallon land furnished to France its two fir st dynasties. The Merovingiens are a part of Tournai; the Carolingiens from the Meuse of the Middle Ages. In effect, then, where do they come from, the Carolingiens? [w. t.r. 15]

The first known ancestor is Pepin, the Elder. It is he that our hand books persist on naming Pepin of Landen, whereas Landen . is not only once a city of the Carolingienrie era. The region where Pepin the Elder seems to have 9

domains was the middle Meuse. It is, a mere trifle, the ancient diocese of Liege, the ancient state of the Tungri , our country along the Meuse. The daugh!er of Pepin the Elder, Begge -- our Saint Begge of Ardenne, wife of Ansegise, the· sons of a great char~cter of the Metz region. Their sons, Pepin II, continues the line. He disposes, within the limits of his immense domain of Jupille, a formidable fortress for the era, the new castle l ater called New Cas tl.e, and later called Chevremont. [W,T,R, 16) Therefore, at the origin of the Carolingiennes, we meet the Meuse and the Moselle, precisely these regions which, much later, left the grandsgo~of Charlemagne. They had s haped the nucleus of Lotharngie. The first royal race, the Merovingiens, who departed from Tournai, did not return. Having conquered Gaul, they had been conquered by her. They established themselves in Paris, in Soissons, Orleans, Reims, Chalon-sur-Saone, and, again, elsewhere. On the contrary, the Carolingiens were ~ever absorbed by their conquests. They remained loyal fo their land of origin. [W,T,R, 17) All, like Clovis, native of Tournai, Charlemagne, born ab out 742, in one of the properties that Pepin the Short had owned along the banks of the Meuse, ought to be considered a Wallon. [L.W. 37) 10

CHAPTER VIII

THE

HIGH POINT OF THE MIDDLE AGES

How were the cities along the Meuse born? If we mark on the map the location of Dinant, Namur, Huy, Maestricht, we can ascertain that these localities scatter along the river corridor, separated from each other by a sensible equal distance, around 30 kilometers. Their respective distances formerly corresponded to a normal day's journey by water. Ports for the boat trades, our citie$ along the Meuse at the same time occupied traditional passages of river points, where there were old cross streets, opening the country to the rear. The spots where river roads meet with the land routes were places for stoppiing for navigation forces and for cartages.. T~ese predestined spots in turn established themselves as the first regional markets. The Merovingiennes were also to become very quickly r eligious centers and places of pilgrimmages. We are aware of monetaries which minted gold compounds at Namur . This standard of Merovingienne money supports, at the same time, a name of the place and a name of money. The names of the localities are/Frequently accompanied by a qualifier: a borough/ a fortified city, denominations, whose accuracy h as been recognized through verification with other sources, notably literary and diplomatic manuals. We are aware of seven varieties of compounds minted at Namur. Five carr the name of Namur, and no more. Another gives a qualifier of castrum , and is otherwise confirmed. Another is of state.

11

CHAPTER IX

THE WAIJlON EXPANSION POLAND AND SILESIE Two of the most important Polish abbeys founded in the XI century have Liege links: Lubin [near Gniezno] and Tyni ec [near Cracovie]. We find equally Liege citizens at the head of the Polish diocese who were organized. At the XII century, two brothers, Wauthier and Alexander of Malonne, near Namur, played the first role in Poland. Alexander became Bishop of Plotz [1130-li56] and Wauthier Bishop of Breslau [li49-1160]. We can attribute the creation of a Wallon district at Breslau to Wauthier de Malonne. The Wallons have formed in Silesie the oldest' fof.:. reign r:contribution. Submerged by the German colonization following, they disappeared . It was a matter accomplished in the X:V century. At Breslau the souvenir of the old Walton quarter was maintained until the XIX century under the form of Wallengasse. [W.T.R. 30] HUNGARY

In Hungary, the Wa llon colonies appear to have been numerous. The most important were established after the XI century in the Diocese of Agria, in the surroundings of the city of Eger. Very probably, upon the advice of a Magyar !!historian, they formed the R0man l a nguage colony, the oldest and the most pr werful of r oyalty. In the Lati n records, ~o ey are denominate d as Gaulic. 12

Alt

extre~ely

curious detail:

in the XV

century~ they re~ewed relations with the country

of their or'igin. In 1447 a group of these Hungarian Wailons came to Lieg~ on the occasion of a pilgrimage. These brothers located each other and were admirably welcomed. On this occasion, a dignified charter wa s de live red, which text was preserved. It is a veritable attestation from a linguistic viewpoint. We lose trace of these Walla.$1 after the Turkish conquest of the XVI century. RliIN

In the metropolis of Rhin at Cologne, the Waltons quickly appeared and formed a foreign colony, the most important after the Frissons. Simul~aneously, there had been three WalAon streets, one of which was in the parish of St. Christophe, which also dwel led by the Messins and the Verdunois. [W.T. R. 32]

DANUBE ._ BOHEME

In the XI century, and perhaps still sooner, the Mosans retullilled to Goslar to search there for raw copper. There had also been in this city a very important quarter, undoubtedly with a warehouse. We discover th~Wallon qua rter in two cities of the Danube: At Ratisbonne and at Vienna • In the Danube valley , the Wallooas/frequentu the big fair at Enns where they met the 13

Russian merchants.

On the connnercial route which goes through Bohemia, the Waltons had become esta~­ blished at Prague and at Brunn, the Moravian capital. [W.T.R. 33) RUSSI.A: ~ith. r~ga.rd to th~ N9Y~QrQd f~irs~ the IJ)OSt i:qipqJ:t~nt fq:i;- Rus~~.a, in ·the nrlddle ages, the:i;e exi,s.ted a. b.o ok that _is' yery. cui;ious. I.t WC\S toi;b±dden fei; the German D)er;chants who ~ere est~bli.Rhed in the city to become participa.nts in the sale of comDJodities belonging to the \ia.llqns.• [W.T.R. 33)

TIIE CITIES ALONG THE MEUSE MONIES Abqut 683, ~n episode of a struggle set in Na;rgur betw.een Gileqie:i; 1 mayor qf the pa.lace of Neu~ t:t::j..e, ~nd fepin II, a saying of Herstal, maY.or of Austrasi.e. The latter; was bea ten by his a.dyersary. Some years later s in 692, Clovis III, one of the last Meroyingien kings, held the limited guardians hip, through. Pepin II, resid~ng at Na.mui;, from where ~ certificate is date d. In taking into consideration these three accomplishments, obviously cqntemporary, one h has a right to wonder if, around the end of the VII century, as a result of the circumstances ¥hi~h. we a.re not aware of, Namur did not play < first plan role in the Meuse valley of a 14

religious and political point of view? It is n.qt wi.tlwut inte~e_s.t tq riote ~~ain that Begge, daughter of Pepin I, of Landen, and mother of Pepin II, of Herstal~ founded in 691 a monastery her Ardenne ' villa on the Meuse, not far from Namur, and that she died there in 693 . [N. V .M. 43-44)

in

Liege became renowned in the VII century when the Bishop of Tongres, St. Lambert, made it his preferred place to reside, In 972, Notger became Bishop and itwas he who obtained the powers which made Liege a veritable .principality. Moreover, develop~d a considerable education, of a kind that the Bishops of Rauen, Cambrai, Verdun, Taul, Salzbourg, etc. are issues of the schools of Liege, and that Li~ge has been spoken of qS being the foster-mother of high studies, Flower of the Gaules and source of wisdom. [N,V,N, 43-44)

he

EVIDENCE OF MONIES In the VI century, the las t money in all of the cities of the Meuse was minted: at Dinant, Ncmur, Huy, Liege, Vise, Maestricht. Such copious astonishment. For example, nothing but which concerns Dinant for the second half of the XI century, we are aware of 15 varities of money. Those currencies bore the name of the locality where trey were minted, and which permits identifying them. We discovered some in nearly all of the Germanic. provinces, farther distant to the east, in Bohemia, in Poland, as far as the environs of Mos.cow, as it is in the Scandinavian l and, the Feroe islands and up to in Iceland. [W.T.R. 34-35) 15

CHAPTER X

lliE WALltA'iS, BUILDERS OF TIIE FRENCH

LANGUAGE Wallonia, by her works, from which her voice is alone loyal, is Latin, Roman, French. The Waltons, since the IX century or less, are the product of Roman produc tion, of the same style as the Roman-Gaulsp arld if Wallonia was an integrated part -- active and brilliant of the oil-speaking world -- all being in the political order, temporarily and partialiy Empire territory, shifting territory of the Empire and not German territory -- the ~allons remained -- although separated from France, often, through politics, although Belgian, and what Belgians!, after a century -- active agents of those who succeeded, all of course, to the oilspeaking world, the French civilization. They are all Occidental as much as the Normands or t~e Bourguignons. Wallonia is not a transition country between the Latin world and the crerman world, not any more than it is Picardy and less than Lorraine. She is not a country where two civilizations met, as in Brussels. She is a country where a culture ends and who, on her frontiers, made room for others. [O.W • 100) DOCUMENTS Among the ten documents, the oldest of the French language [Roma n], it must be mentioned after the Oath of Strasbourg (842]: Tre. Sequence of St. Eula l ie (890) Wa lion origin Tie Sermon on Jonas (IX C.) WalAon origin US 1ne Life of St. Leger (IX C.) Walton origin

CHAPTER XI

Principal litterary works (*) and waloon chroniclers (**) CEUVRES (")

• Li Ver def Juise ou vers du jugement dernier (presume liegeois) * Poeme moral : 3796 alexandrins (Liege, entre 1190 et 1210)

* Sermon de saint Bernard sur le Cantique des Cantiques (post 1150) • Sermons de Careme (Namur, debut XII I" siecle) • Sept vies de Saints (origine wallonne) • Histoire de Gilles de Chin (Tournal, vers 1250) (Gautier de T.) • Berte aus grands pies (Namur vers 1250) * Enfance d'Ogier (Namur vers 1250) * Chanson des 4 Fils Aymon (remanlee fin XII" slecle) • Fabllaux de Watriquet de Couvln (XIV" siecle) • Chronlques de Froissart (XIV" slecle) • Chroniques d'Enguerrand de Monstrelet (1400-1444) • Chroniques de Philippe de Commynes (post 1450) * Les Chansons de Namuc, Jean Lemaire (fin XV" siecle) AUTEURS (**) • • Philippe MOUSKET (Tournai vers 1260) •• •• •• ••

Adenet le Roi (Namur ou Roman pais, 1240-1300) Gautier de Tournai (1250) Gilles Ii Muisis, abbe Tournai (1272-1353) Jehan le Bel (Liege, 1290-1370) * * Watriquet Brassenel de Gauvin (ecrits de 1319 a 1329) * * Jacques de Baisieux (ecrits debut XIV" siecle) • • Jean Froissart (Lestines (1) - Valenciennes - Mons) ( ± 1337-1404) • • Jean d 'Outremeuse (Liege, 1338-1400) • • Baudoin de Conde (ecrits vers 1440-1480) • • Gontier de Soignies (ecrits vers 1440-1480) • • Renier de Ouaregnon (ecrits vers 1440-1480) • • Jehan de la Fontaine (Tournai, eerits vers 1440-1480) : : Jean de H~ynin (Mons-Valenciennes, 1423-1495) Jean lematre des Beiges (Bavai, 1473 - post 1515) • • Philippe de Commynes (1447- 1511) (1 l

LESTINNES == ESTJNNES-AU-MONT

•••

(W.T.H. I, 109-155) (H.E.P., 13-16)

I6a

MOSAN ART: Cha lice and Paten in ni.e l and gilded silver,with signature on border of chalice's foot :" +HUGO ME F'ECIT,ORA.TE PRO EO; calix ecolesi e Nicolai de Oignies.AVEl" ••• "HUGO fabricated me, ~r~ for him;chalice of blessed Nicolaus from Oignies.Greetings !"

A~ t mosan

I6b

Trlptyque de Stavelot commande en 1150 mosans (v. p. 22)

a

des artistes

CHAPTER

xrr

WE ARI' OF WAU.ONIA. NJ)NG 'lliE MEUSE '!'HE l10SAN' ,AR.T PRECEDED FLEt1ISH ART

The Mos.a.o ai;-t [ou:i;- coup.t;ry along the MeuseJ i .s. a.n airt which failed to be recogni zed. When ~e ~~irl.$ tq ~ind the history o~ the art in Belg~UJ!I , we talk princ ipa lly -- and s ometimes uniq_ue.ly -- of the FleIIJiSh art, an art which given tts p;roper title, accOIIJplished the ~enaming of our count~¥• However, we Qbserye that the Flemiph art does not actually commence until the Xl ceotur-~, Prior to it, there had been the .M9sant a.rt, which was placed in the X to x:q:.:i: centui;ies 1 a.nd whi.ch -- it a,lso -- knew the ~a.dt~nce of Europe, and as far as Poland in the Xl! century. [O.T.O. 21)

An incomparable chief work, an alterp~ece cqmpr:!-s.eq of 51 paJ.n.q.ngs ~ which had been done in 1181 by Nicholas of Verdun for the ~ona.~ta.r~~ Klosterneubourg, near Vienna, ~here i .t can still be admired,

What is mQre exqu+s:i-.t e a.nd Il)ore re~ined, more courtequ~, a.t the dawn of the XIII century, than the decorative inventions of Brother Hugo of Oignies, that n~tive goldsmith Qf Walcourt ~~th. the montrances, the containers for cross relics, the filigraine~, chalices, etc.? Flanders has nothing equal, and the genuis of thi_s carving, without equal, should be taken into consideration by whomever has the ambition to enumerate the authentic facts, at

17

least the higher reviews, the more pure the Wallen genuis. Brother Hugo, as.sured ly, is a sensitive and elegant poet - that even France could envy, the Meuse style, and of the Middle Age, the Renaissance .

[C. N. 1947, 35-36) HUGUES DE WALCOURT Hugues ou Hugo? His first real name? during all of the Middle put their names to their on this point. Only with his works do we find the

Of his time and Age, the artists rarely works. We will return respect to three of name of Hugo.

To be sure, the portion of the monk will remain important in the composition of one religious work. For example, the great hunts, the impressive prides, in the form of s arcophages, which constitute one of the specialities of Mosart art, were numerous. The greater part of the religious hous.es of the Mosant country that had been in possession. But, this type of chase always constittt ~d a clever andlearned work. It is the monk , who indica ted the iconographic and hagiogr aphic themes to treat, in managing the general order, who furnished the text of Latin inscriptions, versified, and others. The secular goldsmith wi.11 realize the monk' s conception, with more or less success, according to his professionQ,/ skill and his artistic sentiment. 18

Meanwhile, a little review: edited, it is really at the end of the XIII century, but which had been deposited with fidelity, the relative traditions at the origination of the monastery of Oignies. We talk of the founders' family, which had been composed of four brothers , of which there were priests; Gillis, Robert , John. The fourth , Hugo , was not, but the text mentions that he became a very famous goldsmith. Besides, we possess the archives collection of Oignies, since its origins. It has already been mentioned that no act makes · mention of Hugo, to any title. Complete silence. Here is what they tell us of that. He was a complete artist in the metal arts. He had exercised, with an equal mastery, the melting of metal; the embossing, the carving, the filigraine, the smut, the setting of precious gems . He was, also, an admirable pattern maker. The other Hugue de Walcourt [Hugo d' Oignies] and Nicholas of Verdun, The gold• smiths of the Mosa~~ art, are likewise Renier of Huy and Godefroid de Huy. Every crown of th~ French kings rrior to St. Louis are works of the Nrosart. art . [O.T.O. 21 [

19

CHAPTER XII I

LIBCE AND HER SCHOOLS

With respect to the XI centory, the golden age of the Mosan country, Li~ge is, in view of the scale of that time , a l arge c ity . 11).e importance in such a case roust be emphasized, not~­ /bly from the point of view of education, which, as we know it, was then nearly all exclusively religious. Liege co unts, then a cathedral [St. Lambert], two large abbys [St. Laurent and St. Jacques], seven colleges. The diocese counts esteemed abbeys, of which the principal ones are: Stavelot, Brogne [St. Gera rd], Florennes, Lobbes, Gembloux, St.Trond, Waulsort, as well as numerous canon chapter houses. All of the religious establishments have a school where the young religious stµdy the sacre9 sciences. Also, it is not confusing to think, either now or much later, these schools have counted laymen, and who even have studied very early what was called later the liberal arts. So that we are able to write that the ~c.hoo.l6 06 U~ge. l!.e.vele.d :the.n an

Ewz.ope.an 1c.e.pu;ta.t-l, Flemish al th~ugh integrated, and of the origins ?. W~llqn cqnt~~bution most important. [C,N. 1947, 33)

quali~Led~ q~

Roge~

de l~ PASTURE [Tou~nai) ± 1399-1464 CAMPIN [Valenci.enne$ 1374, Tournai 1444] Jean GOSS;\.RT [Maubeuge] + 1478-153.2 Jqachim le PATINIER [Dinant] + 1490-1524 ' . Henri BLES [Bouvignes) 1480.-± 1555 Lambert LOMBARD [Liege] 1505-1566 Jean et Nicqlas WESPIN, ref. Tabaguet [Dinant] Jean da PREY0ST [Mc;>n~J, 1462-1529 J~an de NAMUR the Elder (N~u"t] 1540-1621 Robe~t

THE FLEMISH ART Those lndiyi~ual~ [~nnoy~tQ~sJ and talented worked at Antwe~p ~nd 1 in co~plete pas.session of their abilities, in the foremost of the XVII century: Jean Breughel, the aged one, born in 1568, Henry Van Baelen and Abraham Janssen, born in 1575. Rubens, born in 1577 [ ? ] and died in 1640, was the uncontested master of the artists who surrounded him and followed him . It was his genius which gave his imprint on the Fl.emish paintings of the XVII century. [ R. I. V • P •

26

16-18]

CHAPTER XVIII

JOAN OF ARC AND 'IOURNAI JOAN OF ARC AND 'IlIE PFDPLE OF TOURNAI The people of Tournai participated in the XV century in what is called the most marvellous episode of the history of France, and perhaps of all history: the epi c of joan of Arc. They had grown among the foremost, with the mission of Joan of Arc It was also that which rang to invite them to the royal consecration at Reims. Her letter dat.ed from Gien (25 June 1429) at the moment of the beginning of the march on Reims, was gleamed at Tournai at the Bannieres Colleges, that is to say, before the societies gathering toget her in the cathedral. This victory bulletin was without any doubt hashed of Yuletide. This form of hurrahs ot the middle epoch. The following is the text of this letter . As we understand it , Jeanne could not read nor

write.

The letter is dictated.

"Kind-> and loyal French of the City of Tournai. The maiden informs you the news from this side. In eight days, she has driven~ away all the English from all the spots they held on the Loire, while otherwise taking the attack. There have been many deaths and prisoners, and she has routed them. Know that the Count of Suffolk, his brother, the Pole, the lord of Talbot, the lord of Scales and Jehan Falstaff, as well as several knights, and captains, have been captured. The brother of the count of Suffolk and Glasdas are dead. Now, all of you loyal French people, I beg of you, I pray of you and ask that you be ready to come to the

27

crowning of the kind Roy Charles at Reims, where we will soon be. Come ahead of us when you will know we will be approaching. I entrust you to God, that God keeps you on guard and give you the grace to be able to maintain the good cause of the royalty of Prance • Written at Gien, June 25, to the loyal French of the City of Tournai. 11 The people of Tournai had responded to this invi~ation. Three notable middle class citizens were delegated to represent the City: the great senior Bietremieu Carlier, Jacques Cheval, juror and master Hanry Rommain, counselor general. Upon their return, they relat~d to the gatheriµg of people that which they had seen: the entrance of Charles VII at Troyes, a t Chalone, at Reims and the final act, the cor~nation. They provided the echo of the Yuletide, of those fanfares, so brilliant, that it seemed that the arches of the chttrch must have been split. Afterwards, there came wicked days . Jeanne was taken before Compiegne, where she was carried to raise the siege of this city that she loved. The prison of Beaurevoir, the prison of Arras! She was abandoned by all, except her good friends of Tournai. At Arras, she knew tha t she was the object of bargaining, and that she was going to be sold to the English. Her distress is infinite. 'lfhe clergy of Touq1ai, Jehan Naviel, succeeded in penetrating her inner self . [W • T. R. 86-8 7]

28

CHAPTER XIX THE WAL~N CHURCHES In Holland: Th e hist o ry of the Waldon churches is embcdied with the history of the Prereformation and the Reformation in the Low Countries. TI>.e Wa!lons will r eceive the first solid organization who will give the SouthJ:°1Flemish, and much later, to the brothers of the north. These are the WalAon churches who provided to oppressed Netherlands the great moral force against the Spanish tyranny and Roman and more than anyone else, contributed to its break-up. [O.R.E.W. 20] Up to his death, William the Taciturn remained faithful to the Wal~0n church. It is also a big error to believe that the language of the Wal~on~ churches is a foreign language. It is the language of the children of the Low Countries, who, during the time of the 17th provinces, battled to th~ death for liberty.

In England, there were also Wallo•"Fhurches during the 16th century~ especially at London, Cante rbury, Norwich and Southhampton.

29

EGLISES WALLONNES : 46 dlap1ru11 16 YIY1nl11

1963 BIBLIOTHEOUE WAUONNE AMSTERDAM

AMSTERDAM 1578

)0

ARNHEM 1683

BOIS·LE·DUC EINDHOVEN 1571

LEYDE 1574

MAESTRICHT 1571

MIDDELBDURG 1571

HARLEM 1586

ROTIERDAM 1572

UTRECHT 1583

BREPA 1590

NIMEGUE 1644

ZWOLLE 1683

In the United States of America, at..tfew Paltz, of Waloon emigrants, in Palatinat at first, founded the first village of stone of their land and of the Waloon church, next to the cemetery, where repose, under the American flag, the 12 Wa]bon founders: Louis Du Bois, Abraham and Issac DuBois, John and Abraham Has brouck , Anton Crispelle, Hugo Freir, Christian and Peter Ih,)o' Andries and Simon Le fevre and Louis Bevier. It announces, like each one of the venerable constructions, through a plaque of cast iron, and there you see, in this cemetery, the Waloon church, reconstructed in stone, likewise to take the place of the primitive edifice built in 1717.

The following prayer, found in the first parish register, was written [and told, undoubtedly] in French:

&e.eoJe.d be. God, who ha..o p.f.a.c.e.d -ln oWc. he..aJ!..;(A .the. id ea. 1:.o c.o 11..6 btu.c.1:. a. ho u.6 e. wheJte. He. c.a.n be. a.d.011.e.d a.nd t>eJtve.d, a.nd wh-lc.h, by H.i6 G11.a.c.e, we have. {Jin,l}.ihe.d :the. ye.a.IL 1718 . Ma.y God glta.nt :tha;t Hi-6 Eva.ngile. ma.y be. a.ble. 1:.o be. plLe.a.c.he.d 611.om one. ge.ne.lla.1:.ion t.o t:.he. o.theJt until. :the. da.y o 6 UeJtndy. Amen.

31

Lnudiug of the Wnlloou• 51 Albany. (.A/hr n·tt otd print .)

From tlie book "THE STORY OF THE V.ALOONS,at home, in la.fit of exile a.nd in .lmerioa", printed in I 92.3 qy Houghton Mifflin Cy •.tuthor/ V.E. OBIFFIS,.t.M.,D.D~,L.H.D. "P•I58a The coming of these pionneer Valoon,e in I624 vas

as tie first drops of a &hover followed by rilla,yet uniting in one initial stream,wich afterwards joined with vastly greater affluente,making the Prench Huguenot flood." IN "THE BELGllNS,FIRST SETTLERS IN NEV YORK", by HENRY O.BA.YEB, printed in .N.Y . in 1925,ve are reading on PfI80i"Louie du Bois. In !660,still another expedition of oppressed Valoons whd tempofl

•

raly s ought refuge along the banks of the Rhine,oame to America ••• They settled at Esopus a.nd began the towns of KINGSTON and NEW PALTZ."

32

CHAPTER XX

THE 'VJALOONS,FOUNDATEURS OF NEW YORK It was in 1624 that the Huguenots, Holland brought themselves, by a Holland vessel "New Netherland"> coming to set up the first colony at Manhattan. re~uges,

It was a matter of 32 families, especially Wallons, who occupied territory representing the size of the actual State of New York. They denominated it New Belgium, whose first ·seal contained, at the center, the image of a beaver. The first documents of New Belgium were established in French. It became New Amsterdam aftel:Wards. Englis.h denominated it New York in 1664.

The

~.fAY I 95 9 . Our be lgian King BJiAUDOUIN I, honoring 30 Waloon f amilies, f~rnnde rs a f NOVUM l'ELGIUK, fir st co]o: ·~~ in .MANHATTAN i11 I624. (ed.ISJ.f Trn.d8 Corp;).

33

Premier sceau (First seal) de la " Nouvelle Belgique " fondee par les Waflons. N° C. 8455. - Grandeur naturelle

a

a

New-York, Battery Park, offert ii la Ville en 1924 Monument situe par le Consell Provincial du Hainaut en souvenir des 30 families, surtout wallonnes, fondatrlces de New-York en 1624.

34

CHAPTE~

JiI

THE WALDONS, FOUNDERS OF SWEDISH

METALLURGY

As to the Middle Ages, the WalOons excelled

in industrial techniques, especially in metallurgy. Starting wi th the 16th century, there were important departures of Waloon technicians who were called abroad. The most celebrated of these emigrants were those directed toward Sweden stat ting with 1624, by residents of Liege: louis de Geer [15 87-1652) and William De Beche [1533-1629 )/ Sweden possessed an iron mineral of exceptional quality, but from which is not drawn out but a mediocre part. Disposing of this mineral, and in possession of an age-old technique, the Wallons were marvels in Sweden. Swedish metallurgy became the best in Europe. During two centuries, we must refer to it as a Swedish monopoly. The Wal.oon immigration to Sweden was very important, to the point of creating an ordinance on 29 March 1624, which originated from the General Procurator of the Provincial Consul of Namur, which set forth that the revenues of Her Majesty were diminishing because the Swedes lured the blacksmiths to leave the country through promises and money, to establish a foundry in Sweden. A decree of the head of the blacksmiths in Namur demanded in 1657 the application of the decree of 1624 that would interdict the departure of the blacksmiths workers for Sweden.

35

We cite the number of 600 families who would have immigrated at the end of the 16th century, of which descendants the names are hardly altered, and would count t o 60,000 today. The memory of the Wallon blacksmiths is preserved through the action of one society: VALLONATTLINGEN. descendants of the Wallons •.

They have one National song: tingarnas sang, which proclaims:

Vallonat-

"Leave us, comrades, vibrate the call of hearts In the Wallon affection, we have arriv.ed all reunited. 11 Some delegations of Wallons from Sweden came back from time to time, from Sweden to Yvoir, Givet and Couvin, to live again in the land of their ancestors.

36

CHAPITRE XXll

Les Wallons, hommes d'£glise celebres RATH/ER, ne au pays de Liege en 890, moine de Aulne et Lobbes,

eveque de Verone et de Liege. Frederic d'Ardenne, co-fondateur et 1•• doyen de Saint-Aubain

a Namur. Pape sous le nom d 'Etienne IX (XI" siecle) .

NOTGER, premier prince-eveque de Liege en 980. SIGEBERT de Gembloux, chroniqueur. WIBALD de Stavelot (1097-1159) , conseiller des souverai ns ger-

maniques, abbe du Mont Cassin au x 11e siecle . URBAIN IV, pape, est liegeois (XIW siecle). JEHAN de GESVES, abbe de Moulins en 1414, reformateur

cistercien (1385-1420).

a Marcourt (Luxembourg) 1514-1580, 4° general de la Compagn ie de Jesus de 1573 1580.

M ERCURIAN Everard, ne

a

a Lamormenil-Dochamps (Lux.) 1576-1 648, pretre de la S.S., confesseur de l'empereur Ferdinand II.

Guillaume de LAMORMAIN, ne

Henri de LAMORMAIN, son frere, 1596-1647.

a Donstiennes (Entre-Sambre-etM euse) 1506-1566, reformateur monastique.

Louis DE BLOIS, dit Blasius, ne

Louis HENNEPIN , (Ath) 1626-1701 , franciscain, explorateur, aurait

decouvert les chutes de Niagara.

a Braine-l'Alleud, grand resistant a l'ennemi en 1914-1918 ; initiateur du mouvement recum enique " Conversations de Malines entre catholiques et protestants "·

Desire Joseph MERCIER, n~

(L.W.S.E. et V.M .W.)

36a

CHAPITRE XXlll

Princesses et Princes de Wallonie N.B. : N'oublions pas les titulaires des chapitres VII et XV. XII" siecle

ELISABETH DE HAINAUT, reine de France 1169-1190. Xlll 0 siecle

YOLANDE DE NAMUR, epouse du Roi de Hongrie Andre II, reine de Hongrie de 1215 a 1233. MARGUERITE DE DAMPIERRE, fille du Comte de Namur, epouse l'un des fils d'Alexandre Ill, roi d'Ecosse.

x1ve

siecle

ELISABETH DE NAMUR, fille de Jean I"' de Namur, epouse Ruprecht de Baviere, comte palatin du Rhin . PHILIPPA ou PHILIPPINE DE HAINAUT, epouse en 1331 Edouard Ill, roi d'Anglet:erre des 1327 (chron. Jean

le Bel). BLANCHE DE NAMUR, fille du Comte de Namur, epouse en 1335 le Roi Magnus Eriksson de Suede et Norvege et sera reine de 1335 a 1363. Chanson populaire : Aida Ranka ou Bianka av Namur.

PRINCE DE L/GNE : voir chapitre XXV.

36b

CHAPITRE XXIV

Artistes, hommes de sciences de Wallonie

Ct

Arithmetique Geographie

Heriger de Lobbes Rathier de Lebbes

1007)

Astronomie

Gilles de Lessines (XI II" siec le)

Naturalisme

Thomas de Catimpre (Brabant ± 1200)

Exploration

Gilles Mabaise (Liege, l'Australie en 161 6

La Tapisserie

Tournai, des la fin du XIII" siecle

La Dinanderie

Dinant (XIII" siecle), Bouvignes (id.), Tournai (seconde moitie du XIII" siecle)

Les lngenieurs

Arnold de Ville (Huy) , 1610, machine des Recol lets

1571), decouvre

a eau

Rennequin Sualem (Jemeppe-sur-Meuse), 1644-1708, machine de Marly.

l e plan de la machine de Modave, realisee par Sualem (documentation de l'lntercommunale bruxellolse des eaux)

36C

La Sculpture

Joachim du Broeucq (pres St-Omer) 1505-1 584

La Peinture

Duquesnoy Jean , ancien (Pays-Bas du Sud) 1570-1641 Duquesnoy Fran9ois

1597-1643

Duquesnoy Jean, jeune

1602-1654

Del Cour Jean (Hamoir)

1631-1737

Watteau (Valenciennes) 1684-1 720

La Miniature

en terre wallonne avant 1480 Wauquelin (Mons, ava.nt 1440) Simon Marmion (Amiens-Valenciennes)

La Peinture et lconographie botanique : REDOUT~ Jean-Jacques (Dinant) Charles-Joseph (Jamagne) ,, Antoine-Jos. (Saint-Hubert) " Pierre-Joseph (Saint-Hubert) " Henri-Jos. (Saint-Hubert)

3f d

Following pp .

46-47

1687-1762 171 5-1776 1756-1809 1759-1840 1766-1846

CHARTER XXV

THE WALDQN

REGI}jE~TS:

WALDON SWORD:

FAMOUS SOLDIERS

At the 16th, 17th. ~nd 18th centuries, the Wallqn Re~iments contributed, ~n large measure, tQ m&ke the Wallon name known to the foreigner. These re~ime nts were recruited in regions of the French l~nguage GO~prising, in the Low Country: the Artqis~ the H~inqut, the Count of Namur, the Wallqn quqrters Qf Brab~nt? of Outre-Meu~e and of Luxembqurg~ Lille~ Douai and Orchie~, Tournai ~nd qre~ qf TQurnai (regiqn tQ co~pare with their stqck phrases and thei~ legends, page II, of The Wallonie in 1510 and at the beginning of the 18th century.] The Wallon regiments were of the French language. It is to their purpose that Bossuet spoke in the funeral oration of the Prince of Conde, evoking the fearsome Spanish infantry, comprised of these old Wallen bands, Italians and Spaniards, which had rot been able to b~ broken up until then. [W.T.R . , p. 78 etc.] We recall their words, the utterance of Schiller in the Wallenstein: RESPECT THIS ONE:

HE IS WALiiON

The Wallen soldiers left their memories in the Spanish language: the word VA.LONA [Wallonie ] already used· by Cervantes, taken in Spain, and even in Latin America; .the acceptances in the techniques, garment fashions, dance and song. 37

CELEBRATED WAI.AON SOLDIERS At the 18th century, the Prince of Ligne [1734-1814) de Beloil, Commendant of the Dragons of Latour, a regiment comprised from Gaumais and of Henneyers, of whom the motto was: Whoever rubs it, will get stung. The prince was adored by his soldiers, who the Austrians called: The Supreme Flower of the Wallons. Charles of I.ANNOY [Valenciennes] 1487-1527, conqueror of the French at Pavie. Pierre BOSSEAU [Nismes], general, 1668-1741. Theroigne de MERICOURT [Marcourt], 1762-1817, heroine of the French Revolution. LAHURE [Mons], 1767-1853, general, whose figure is on the Arc de Triumph JARDON, Henry [Verviers], 1768-1809 DUMONCEAU, J-Bte [Brussells], 1760-1821.

Other WalAon generals of the Grand Army merit special mention: Jean-Pierre de RANSONNET [Liege], 1744-1796 and his feur sons

38

Andre-Joseph BOUSSART [Binche], 1758-1813] Pierre-Jacques OSTEN [Menin], 1759-1814 Jean-Denis

LE DOYEN [Liege), 1751-1802

J ean-Dieudonne LION, count [Morialme], 1771- 1840.

Modeste LOISEAU [Frahan-Corbion], 1832-1900. The march of the Austrian regiment Nugent, was a. Walton march to the end of the war of 1914-1918. There existed a Wal•on sword: The French Army adopted it under Louis XIV [about 1670).

(Mus~e

d;Armes Liege)

39

THE R~VOLUTIONS

OF 1789

BRABANT R.EVOLUTION

Ou~

twq

~~gi ons

h ave known two contemporary

~eyolut:i.qns; Th~t o~

Brabant which manifested itself in the princip~l ~egions having to do with. the ~µstrian lqwlands, excepting the Duchy of Luxembourg, which kept itself aloof. ·After the dispersion of V~nckistes, meaning the liberal elements, the movement became purely reactionary.

AT LIEGE

Har dly a month after the capture of the Bastille (14 July 1789], the patriots of Li~ge chased their Prince-Bishop (16 August 1789]: this was called the Joyful Revolution. The capture of the Citadelle was fulfilled by J. P . de Ransonnet. According to the difference in the precedent, the Liege Revolution was the vanguard. The Liege people had their Marseillaise, represented their popular song: The Valiant People of Liege.

hr

However, it s tarted with the Peace of Fexhe, that they were able to discuss the sepatation of authority four centuries earlier. The r e fore, Mirabeau r e ceived from the Li~ge. citize ns in 1787 the em:i:hent orator of the

40

French Revolution, responding to their grievances: "What can you demand more yet, gentlemen, you Citizens of Liege?" We seek to wage the revolution in order to obtain some guarantie s that you possess after centuries.

AT PARIS

After a regime of military occupation which followed the Fleurus victory (26 June 1798], our ancestors were put on the same footing as the French people of France, in accordance with the results of the anne.x ation decreed through the Convention [l October 1795] . There were more exceptions to the rule for them. From 1795 t o 1814, our history blends with that of ·France. In all obj:ctivity, when one examines the works of France here during these 20 years, we must distinguish between the passive and the active: The Passive: it was at first a regime of paper currency with assignees [abolished in 1796], but principally the religious persecution and the war of the peasants . The politics of religion has been the major error of the French Revolution. Still, we recognize today that many religious houses, abbies [they were numerous and rich among us], asleep in the delights of the wealth of this world, represented, most often, de ad weight. Then the lower clergy, the only ones who worked, really, reduced to a base living, and often needy, saw the tithes and the most obvious religious revenues, go to the big prebenda ries . Personally, I have come to consider

41

the French Revolution as a providential act. Wi..,,._ ~ut her, the Catholic Renewal of the 19th century would __not hav·e =been·.:. able . tb .'ob~ _·produced.

The Active: -- which has been often minimized to such a point that it hardly strikes the minds and leaves only vague recollections -has been immense. We still live in it . The French Revolution has avoided from us a social revolution which would not have missed exploding in the caurse of the 19th century, when considelring the mentality and the egotism the classes were possessing at home in 1789. Without any doubt, our peasants would have continued to discharge the tithings, to pay the lordship fees, up to, before and during the 19th century.' These 20 years of French domination breathed a new soul into the country. Io 1814, wh~n the French troops had evacuated the country, the return of the Old Regime was judged impossible. The essentiality of the New Regime, settled by i:the French, was maintained: suppression of privileges, civil equality, the Concordat [agreement], Napoleonic Code, administration and judicia l institutions, metric system, etc., Are not our provinces ancient departments but under new names? Without it being desire d, it was the French Repuglicans and Napoleon who prepared the voices of a united Belgium. Joseph II had failed. Our Revolution of 1830 remains unexplained without the French regime. That which they achieved were all of French ideas and French

42

education. That which they achieved, have endowed us the most liberal constitution of Europe. [W. T .R.

63-65]

Figurative print of parade of STILT -people before principal bell-t•wers of \fallonia. (ed. SABENA)

43

CHAPTER XXVII WALDON LEAl>EitS"

Henry de DINANT, exiled in 1253. At the time of the civil war at Liege bet ween the Gr eats and the Lessers , craftsmen, and merchants, Henry de Dinant, bourgomaster , was an unique example of a man who succeeded in gathefring behind him all of the people of Liege. He endowed the Lessers a military and political structure. His years of heroic~ went from 1253 to 1257, and they deserved for him the title of Father of the People. He is worthy to be compared with Jacques Van Artevelde.

[L.W. 52=53=54 ]

Vincent de BUEREN [Liege], 1440-1505.

Philippe-Joseph-Benjamin BUCHEZ [1796-1865]. Born at Matagne-la-Petite [between-Sambre-andMeuse ], physician, hist._,orian, philo13opher, mayorassistant of Pari~s, President of the Constitu. tional Assembly in 1848, he loved to cite the phrase from St. Paul. "He who does not work shoulcynot eat. " , ..;./

VIEW by the Historian HENRY GUILLEMIN Buchez does not yet have the place he

44

merits in the history of the French 19th century. A man, lucid and courageous, and who had seen the real problem which was above all a problem of social justice. This , many understood, and who did not understand too much, of the wide of those who disputed , under the Restoration, had been called "The Eaters." -the vice of the social organization in France, saying in 1824, of this Mr. de Beausejour, there is on one side: 500,000 eaters and at the· other side, 25 millions of good. February, 1848 is the demand, the jump, this shiver of hope of eating, in order to get out from tHis monstrous condition. We can hardly imagine the horror: the children died like flies in a proletariat that fed from its own labor and death, the small number of large associates of manufa~tufrers, of large commer~es and banks . The Eaters occupied themselves recalling the food, their duty of being submissive, and of their muteness in their slavery. They were given this lesson in June, which allowed the bloodless food and of new obedience for 20 years. Buchez, himself, had taken the sides of those crushed, those suffoc~ted. From where the hatred who concentrated on his name, and who constitute today one of his principal titles, is to our esteem and gratitude. I am happy to salute, with respect, this eminent memory.

45

CHAPTER XXVlll

Wis' Waloon community : burning and faithful people (*) Between GREEN BAY and STURGEON BAY, Wis', is a large tract of beautiful farming country - about a dozen contiguous townships in all - wich is populated almost excluvely by people of Belgian origin. ft is by far the largest rural settlement of people of this nationality in America : they were coming from Central Wallonia : Namur and Roman Brabant countries. They were purchasing ground from American Government for only $ 1,25 per acre. The ten first settlers were Franc;:ois PETINIOT, and nine farmers like him : J. MARTIN, Ph. HANNON, Etienne and Jean-Bapt. DETIENNE, M. PAQUE, Jos. MOREAU, Jos. JOSSART, Adr. MASY, Lamb. BODART. Their settlement was known as "Aus Premiers Beiges ,. in 1853. The courage and self-reliance of this first Belgian settlers was remarkable. The place they had selected for their homes lay many miles back in a deep, primeval forest. They saw more Indians than white people ; but the Indians were friendly and although the two peoples unable to talk with each other. Frugal and hard-working, the Belgians prospered greatly. Area pride got a major boost in 1854 when GREEN BAY, with a population slightly above 2.000 was chartered as the first city in Nordeastern Wis'. The city was telling 4.668 inhabitants in 1870, 10.000 in 1875, 18.600 in 1900, 62.000 in 1930 and 98.300 in 1950. Farmers were soon converting the cleared land into wheat, corn and barley fields that for a time made Wis' the nation's second grain producing state. More pasture land led the biggest cattle herds pointing of the way to the future America's Dairy land. Their other towns were named : Brussels, Namur, Champion, Walhain, Rosiere, Grand-Leez. Waloon dialect is even now the language of third and fourth generation, preserving too old customs. In politics, as in religion and sociability, the Belgians are a whole souled people. Their fathers did a splendid piece of work in conquering the wilderness, clearing the swamps and building up the settlement. As H.R. Holand was writing : Where resound~ the Belgian (*) tongue Where Belgian (*) hymns and songs are sung; This is the land, the land of the lands Where vows bind less than clasped hands. (•) Belgian (•) Extracted from : -

46

WALOON.

Birthplace of a commonwealth, by Jack RUDOLPH 1876. Old Peninsula Days. by H.R. HOLANO, Sturgeon Bay Wis 1933.

CHA:PTER. XIIX WAIJl)NS: .

Celebrated Conterrporaries PAINTERS

Antoine WIERTZ f elicien ROPS Paul DELVAUX Rene MAGRITTE

Dinant Namur

Antheit Les sine

1806-1865 1833-1 898 born 1897 1898-1969

SCULPTORS Constantin MEUNIER

Ettei;beek

1831-1905

MUSICIANS Francois DISY Namur 1780-1840 Adolphe SAX Dinant 1814-1905 (Inyentor of the saxophone, etc.)

Adolphe Sax presents to his friends: Berlioz, Halevy, Rossini and Meyerbeer the saxophone, one of his numerous inventions [1843)

47

Verviers VIEUXTEMPS 1820-1870 Violionist Liege Cesar FRANCK 1822-1802 Composer Liege Eugene YSAYE 1858-1931 Violionist Heusy Guillaume LEKEU 1870-1894 Composer 1844-1915 Baltasar FLORENCE Namur Felix GODEFROID Namur 1818-1897 Harpist Albert HUYBRECHTS Di:nant l.89.8~1938 Rene BARBIER Namur Roman Prize, 1908 Camille JACQUEMIN 1899-1947 church music Joseph JONGEN Verviers Dir. Liege Conservatory Ernest MONTELLIER Noville les Bois , born in 1894. popular music, musicology POETS , PHILOSOPHERS, NOVELISTS Prince de LIGNE, [Beloell], 1734-1814, Wallon prince, European prince, Prince of the French spirit Albert MOCK.EL Ougree 1866-1945 Charles PLISNIER Ghin-Mons 1896-1952 1° prize concou Marcel THIRY Charleroi 1897-1978 Georges SIMENON Liege born in 1903 Henri MICHAUX Namur born in 1899 Maurice CAREME Wavre 1899-1977 Jules. PESTREE Marcinelle 1863-1936 O.P. Gilbert Wanfercee-Baulet Jean TOUSSEUL Olivier Degee 1890-1944 Triennel Literary Prize 1937 NORGE Arthur MASSON Entre- Sambre et Meuse 18906-1970 Maurice des OMBIAUX Beauraing 1868-1943 SCIENTISTS Zenobe GRAMME Jehay-Bodegnee 1826- 1901, inventor of the dnynamo and alternating current machine for electric lights Etienne LENOIR Mussy-la-Ville 1822-1900, inventor of the first gasoline motor at Joinville 48

NOBEL PRIZE Henry LAFONTAINE Peace , in 1913 Jules BORDET Soignies 1870-1961, Medicine 1919 (*) Vinc ent du VIGNEAUX, Chemistry, 1955 R. Pere Dom. PIRE Dinant Peace , 1958 Albert CLAUDE Medicine-Phys i ol ogy , 1974 Christian de DUVE Medicine- Phys iology, 1974

(*) Professor Vincent du Vigneaux who was given the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1955 just died _at New York, at the age of 77 years. He was from1the area of Luxembourg, since his great-grcnlfather lived a t Mussy-la-Ville .

NAMUR (WALLONIE)

49

CHAPTER XXX PAGES OF THE MALMEDIENNE CITIZENS In 1815, when the Congress of Vienna fixed the limits of the new royalty of the Low ~ountries and of Prussia, they cut into two fragments the antique princedom of Stavelot-Malmedy without any consideration for the unity of the race and the language of its inhabif(ants. The assimilation of the Malmedy Wallons and of well watched at the beginning, but in 1862, after the arrival of the Bismarck power, the reg~~e' .of forced germanization that was inaugaurated was felt with regard to the Polish, and which was applied after 1871 to Alsace-Lorraine. German was henceforth the only official language. Prus~ia .w~

From 1889, the study of French was completely abolished in the Wallon village schools o~ the Malmedy group. Even the cathechism had to b e taught in German which went to the limits of the rural parishes. These measures which were aimed at the destruction of the traditional language and culture of all of a population, encountered opposition, though not being violent, was no less an admirable tenacity. The soul of this resistance was Abb~ Nicholas Pietkin, the priest of Sourbrodt who, for 40 y ears, succeeded, by dint of cunning, of patience and occasionally by courage, to outwit all of the interdictions and to maintain among the children, as w~ll as adults, the t a ste and the acquaintance of the French language. But in order to safeguard the Latin fl ame , was itnot better indicated, besides, to cultivate the Wal4on, having remained the c urrent l a nguage , the

50

maternal tongue, of all thes e little people?

,

In 1898, the Wal~on club was formed at Malmedy which took for a motto "wal•on, Always" , and to which is owed a remarkable literary blossoming . Henry Bragard was made a deserving competitor and successor of his uncle , Abbe Pietkin. The "Armonak of Samens" and "The Old Root" are still published today, which haye spread the productions of the poets and writers of prose from Malmedy.

--Lucien MARECHAL [Les Cahiers Wallon~ . 1937, n° 8 ]

51

FREE AND FAITHFUL Weights and Measures On one side, we know that after soon-to-be 20 years, the arrangements, according to the language law, did refuse to the six dis tricts of Fourons the rights of man which the maj ority of their inhabitants were then claiming from each electoral conference . We know of one proceeding of all s orts to conquer the~r resistance, which was placed in production, in ~p~te of the decrees of local administrations. It is known that this is not a region of Netherland dialfct, but is recognized and qualified by historic conditions, as though belonging to Low-German. On the other hand, during one missionary periodical "Wereldwijd", issue of Ootober 1979, we read under the title "Kultuurimperialisme " a letter emanating from a Flemish innnigrant in Wai~on territory, and who, in an anti-French diatribe, came to declare: "Hier in Wallonie wonend, ben ik ais e en goede Vlaming opgevoegd''. What it assures is: Living here in Wal•on country, I have been brought up as a good Flemish". This flash affirmation of a tribute to a tolerance of extra work that is viewed, on the whole, as sharp, is by no means for us to displease or to modify our welcome. "He was a stranger, and you h ave welcomed him properly" . Rule of St. Beno1t Protector of Europe

52

CHAPTER

.xxxr

1HE WAI..e::>NS AND 'IlIE RESISTANCE

FACING THE ENEMY IN 1914-1918: The entire country was example and writings of:

gal~anized

through the

Cardinal. D. MERCIER [Braine-1-ftlleud], 1851-1926 Bourgmestre Adolphe MAX [Bruxelles],1869-1939 Patriots Gabrielle PETIT Edith CAVELL [Swardeston, G.B.] 1806-1915 Philippe BAUCQ [Bruxelles], iB80-1915

FACING THE ENEMY IN 1940-1945 The first war had provoked a rupture in the Waiaon Movement. But nothing yielded during the second World War. The Resistance made the same appealalce of new associations as the Free Wallonie and Wallon Renovation. Indeed there h ad been collaborations [Degrelle ] in Wallonie, as in Flanders. However, the collaboration was written in a certain measure as the bosom of the Flemish movement, but by no measure in the Wallen movement. During the war, the line of the Wallen movement pas ses unequivooally through the Resistance. Free Wallonie was born on June 18,1940 at WaterlooPlancenoit at the time of the annual gathering at the monument of the French Army.

53

Fro~

the beginning of the Occupation, there was founded through Robert ROYER, at the initiative ot the Abby JAMART, a r esisance movement concentrated of the Catholic Wallons, offered for the most part of Christian De~ocrats: Jacques DUPONT, Felix ROUSSEAU and Edmond WARTIQUE who, with the 4bb~ et.de ~ROIDMONT and Robert LIENARD, had formed the Central Committee. He published a clandestine journal, The C~tholic Wallonie, In 1943, this group became the Walton Catholic movement and in 1945, Wai~on Renovation who, upon terminathon of the resiS:ance era, continu~d the struggle to autonomy in a Federal limit.

{L:W.

p, 154-3-4]

Two of the ~ost beautiful £igures had been WALTHERE DEwE [Liege], 1880-1944, a resistant in two wars, and FRANCOIS BOVESSE tNamur], assassinated on January 11, 1944.

54

CHAPTER XXXII

LOUVAIN-la-NEUVE During the course of her long history, the Wailonie has known the creation of various new cities. ---At the beginning of the XI II century, the Count of Namur, forced to abandon Dinant to the Bishop Prince of Liege, founded a new city on the other shore of the Meuse: BOUVIGNES . ---In the XVI century, at the jun/cJ:ion of the Sambe a~d Meuse, commanding the break-through of Oise, the open gateway into France and Belgium, the Spanish government attempted to close it by the creation of new cities: MARIEMBOURG and PHILIPPEVILLE and after in 1166, CHARLEROY. ---And, behold in the XX century, there appeared, again in Wallonie, a brand new city. We know the circumstances of her foundation: the .University of Louvain, which was founded in 1425, which was revealed as welcoming also the Flemish students. For five centuries, the Waltons have freand have contributed generously to affirm its pres tige in international and scientific circles.

~qented

However, finding themselves in Flemish territory, they have been chased out , without further reason, with the cry of: "The door to the Wa!lons". The Wal~ons had to establish themselves elsewhere . The choice was carried to a s ite of

55

900 acres in Brabant Wallon, in dead center of the countryside. Louvain being a Roman name, the new university could l~git:inately choose it in calling itself the Louvain-la-Neuve. With everything being centered around the University Louvain-la-Neuve, she wants a complete city for herself: --a Catholic university of the French language, the most eminent, the most important on the international level. welcoming everyone. The final hoped-for population is 50,000, of which 15,000 would be students .

Felix ROUSSEAU

56

CHAPTER XXXIII LANGUAGE, DIALECT, JARGON, WALLONIE CHARACTERISTICS A LANGUAGE should realize two conditions; 1° this language should present features which oppose other languages. 2° should serve in relationship which are not purely local and daily use. A. GOOSSE Mode of Ta l king . A DIALECT is a l a nguage that has no t l:la d a chance to repeat a regional variety of a tongue. A JARGON is a distortion of an ascertained tongue. It is an excrescence of a semi-whimsy that grows on a linguistic plant. The jargon of Mont martre is starting to become the jargon of Paris: C. Julian, French Acad. 1924 Poverty or richness of the Wallonie xyntax That one cannot go and and imagine that the Wallon syntax and the French syntax constitute two different systems. No. Between the two, we obse~ve a profound identify.

L. REMACLE, The Xyntax, p. 28 5'1

CHAPTER XXXIV 1HE SOCIEIY OF 1HE WALOON TONGUE AND LITERATURE We observe this concidence: The Wal.6on Literary Society became a sort of a Walton Academy, founded in Li~ge on December 27, 1856. Mistral and his t eam cons tituted the Fe libre s association on May 26, 1954. During the decades, the two movements are ignored. Mistral did not know the Wal•on dialectal effort until much later. The Wala.on literary movement thrived. The contemporary movement is characterized by a surprise blossoming where the first class and quality productions are not rare: she knows the genuine artists. [W.T.R. p. 52)

~ue to the busy Li~ge Society of Wal4on Literature having become the Wa.14.on Language and Literary Soc iety, we must pin up one effort of nearly 25 lusters, in order to promote the dialectal . literature, the formation of a very opulent and many well documented library, also owing to international exchanges that aided the providing of the Linguistic Atlas of Wallonie.

But, above all, the adoption and extension to everyone the Belgo-Roman realm, the Feller orthograhic system. This system attempts the unification of writings of different dialects corresponding with the nearest French spelling, all with res pecting the rules of the formation and evolution of sounds, and words, in the Romance languages , which Wallonie was made a part of.

58

This system has aided very much to write, to spread and to make read the dialectal works.

PUBLICATIONS AND DIALECT GROUPS OF WALLONIE founded LE CAVEAU LIEGOIS founded THE WALLON ROYAL CLUB, Malmedy Publication: The Old Root founded THE LITERARY ROYAL ASSOCIATION, Charleroi, Publication: El Bourdon. THE RELI(t°S . OF NAMUR (~ .. Ju_h..cl. J founded Publieation: Les Cahiers WallonJ, 1937 THE WRITERS OF CENTE Publication: The Bird of Au~nia WALLON ROYAL CABARET, Tournai Publication: The Children of Tournai THE OLD OAK, Verviers Publication: The Old Oak

in 1872 in 1898 in 1908 in 1909

THE ROYAL ASSOCIATION OF WALDON WRITERS, Brussels Publication: Reflections from Home THE ROMAN WRITERS, Wavre Publication: Black Button

founded in 1969

CIRCLE OF NEUFCHATEU Publication: We Talk Wallon WALLON AUTHORS AFTER BAMBWES

founded in 1970

BE PATIENT, Phillippeville

founded in 1964

COULONVAL GERARD CIRCLE, Olloy-sur-Viroin founded in 1967

59

' RELIS " NAMURWES \ LES

From its founding, the Circle has adopted one motto:

WERE MAIS BON:

Little but Good

and have a dhered to the Feller Orthographic s ystem. The adhes:iN.e member, picked up by written examination, is named after a peri?d of average length. He becomes an active member and takes an oath over the skmn of a mole, and the screen, according to the formula: I swear, to God, ·to devote all my life to the revival of Wallonie" (*)

The Cocade rewards its best author every year.

The Circle has assisted in the founding of several circles for 16 years . It assists, besides, the Gathering of Wal4on Recitations, and the several initiative prizes for the learning of the dialect.

(*)

60

The form of oath for testifying.

CHAPTER XXXV 'IlIE WAilrJN FOLKLORE The entire Wallonie can t ake pride of an authentic folklore, old and particularly alive. From Malmedy, Stavelot and Vise~Tournai and Mouscron, the folklore groups are flourishing . Is it under the influence o f this long -past, burdened with legends and history, or the precise views, or remote, in consideration of its inferiority? Is this in consideration of fortuitous events, or of necessity? BB.llSSELS: BINCHE: I VISE: / VISE: I

MALMEDY: MARCHE:

Ommegang, 1549, reconstitt1ed in 1930 by A. Marinus . Gilles, XIX century. Arbaletriers, 1310 Arquebusiers, 1579 Cwarme, 1459 Haguetes - Roles Plovin~te

ATH:

Geant Bayard 1462, Goliath 1480 SPA: Bobelurons VIELSALM: Macrales, 1956 TILFF: Pora is Cope res DINANT: ' LIEGE: Marionnettes and Tchantches, Alex Conti TOURNAI: Marrlionnettes MONS: St. Georges and the Dragon, XVI century MONS: Marionnettes 1'0SSES-LA-VILLE: Chinels, XIX Century

61

CHAPIER XXXVI THE FOLKLORE OF NAMUR THE CITY OF NAMUR The 'thacheus" , the stilt people, first official mention i n 1411, three parts of the 16th century and after, MelQ.ns and Avresses. The MOLONS. The Royal Moncrabeau Society, founded in 1843

THE GEANTS, 1458 '\

THE COTELIS AND MASUIS JAMBOIS, 1955 THE JOUTES NAUTIQUES, XVI century

THE ALPERS, players with flags.

62

MARCHES (Chap. XXXVII) Practically everywhere in Wallonie Belgium of the 17th century, and especially the 18th century, some groups of soldiers improvised and raised the pomp of the processions. In the Namur diocese there had been even abuses, because in April 1719 , Mgr de Berlo de Brus defended to be repres ented at the processions with the armies. However, his word remained without effect. Up to the end of the old r egime, we point out the army processions. Some continued up to well before the 19th century. In the region of between Sambre-and-Meuse, they remained very popular for historical reasons. On this old warrior soil, the military institutions have pushed more profound roots than anywhere else. In all of the eras of our history, this harsh region served as the battlefield. In the 17th century she constituted a veritable field enclosure where at each war, the French garrison of Charlemont C. o(Givet)de Mari~bourg and of Philippeville skirmished, 9nd the Spanish troups of Namur and of Charleroi. The rural militias there were very active, because the countrymen who lived on a j!erp-e.b .ia1 "who lives, ha d very much to do to defend the meager pittan~e. Ir. the later years befo re 1914, we counted again at the Between-Sambre-and- Meuse about 15 marches. The three principals remaining are: Our Lady of Walcourt, Trinity Sunday; St. Rolende of Gerpinnes, Pentecost Monday , and St. Feuillen de Fosses , who comes out only every seven years. Now-a-days , the tota l of the marches have more than doubled .

63

MARCHES en 1980

Outre les marches doivent etre signales les .. Pelerinages sous /es armes,. annuels. Les plus celebres menent le lundi de Pentec6te depuis 1626 : les pelerins de Rochefort et Houyet Foy-Notre-Dame. D'autres pelerinages seculaires menent les gens d'Andenne Saint-Hubert, et retour. et de Pontillas N.-D. de Hal.

a

a

64

a

According to one account found in an old record of the priest of Bioul: "On Sunday, July 15, 1589, St. Feuillen at Fosse was carried in a procession, with great solemnity, of companies of soldiers, to procure good and hot •.Jeather, and which, after, turned out very hot." On the march of St. Feuillen at Fosse, 22 villages or hamlets were represent e d, which makes a total of more than 2.000 soldiers . In the great marches, certain companies played special prvileges. At Walcourt, some from Daussois are always in front. We recall that in 1815 at the time of the French, English and Prussian invasions, which ended at Waterloo, the parish of Daussois, despite the general confusion, sent a corporal and 4 men in peasant smocks (over-alls) , and carriess of sticks in the guise of a gun. That year, it was the only escort of Our Lady at Fosses, where the Malonnais formed the rear guard, but it was they who should have executed the last musketry salvo. One day, regaining their gods of the household [Roman religion) after a march, they had already reached Sart-Saint-Laurent, where someone came to inform them that a company had been permitted to shoot after their departure. Turning back on their course, with army and baggages, our warriors returned to Fosses, where, before the group or colleagues, they commenced an infernal rolling fire to properly affirm their right. [L.C.P.N. 140-141)

65

CHAPI'ER XXXVIII

ROLL CALL For the powerful history les son and roll call which you address to us, to be retained. Thank you very much, Paul. WALLONIE For For For For

the nes t s of spring a t the h eart of your thi~ket s , the suns of summers caressing your harvests, your November winds howling in your great beaches, the frosts of January festooning your windows, · Hail to you, Land of Wallonie.

For For And And

the gentleness of the Meuse, the Sambre workwoman, your wheats of Hesbaye, raised in the light, for your hardy Ardenne and. her forests which sing for your Dark Land and for Liege, the Ardent . Hail to you, Land of Wallonie

For all the 'Beautiful Bouquets' of your newlyweds For the cry of your roosters, waking the valleys, For your benches of the lovers, dreaming close to the old bridges, For the mus i c of the accordion, pillar of your crowns, Hail to you, Land of Wallonie For For For But

all who make up the s oul of your cities, your r~bel spirit, drunk with liberty, the ponderous clouds obscuring your dreams, also for your faith in the dawn which rises, Hail to you, People of Wallonie

For your passionate life , but also your reas on, For your l aughter, your mournings, your humor, your songs , For all t hat you are, and also for your shortcomings , For your gay mornings, and your pale mornings , 66 Hail to you, Pe ople of Wa llonie

For the hands of your sons, all their offering hands , Face of the great horizons of your green countryside, Or face of the black mounds of earth, in the gray of your factories, Hand·; of those of the soil, hands of those of the machines, Hail to you, People of Wallonie. F r all who are young, and all who are strong, For the e lders who consumed the work and effort, For your little children and for your dances, Which enliven and sing the paths of your schools, Hail to you People of Wallonie. For those of your country who, all throughout the ages Have made known afar your name and your face, And by their examples, others have pledged and ventured, And by your bravery throughout the world , commanded attention, Hail to you, People of Wallonie. And for those who sleep in your old cemeteries , Of whom the names are engraved on marble or stone, Recalling in passing the welcome and dreams, All that was their glory, or their humble toil, Hail to you, People of Wallonie. Following, rising higher the course of your history, For all those whom the ·time has the memory, Who have made your churches, or raised your ramparts, Or worked your steel or broke through your lands to be cleared, Hail to you, People of Wallonie. For your Who com~ For your Formerly

barefoot monks and of austere frocks, at other times to found your monasteries, old wooden saints, of artles s stares, springing up of hands of unknown artists, H~il to you~ People of Wallonie,

67

Fo~

your deep soul~ buried 1n your legends, That are entwined in our dreams, as well as wreaths, fo~ those who have bewitched your valleys and your mountains, For your horse Bayart and for your son Aymon, Hail to you, People of Wallonie. So that And the And for Survive

th ey never sing through your s l ang , spirit and heart of your people of other times, whom with words, flowering in soil, their past and our hopes climb. Hail to you, People of Wallonie .

The . belfries of Tournai at the aged Perron of Liege, The shores of the Sambre at the country of great woods, Could you, Wallon people, rich with contrasts, Forget the sterile and ill-fated rancours? Mistress of your destiny, but banished with force, All who disunite, and all who oppose, And which, despite the fog darkening your Heaven, You know, tomorrow, of luminous awakenings . Beware, People of Wa llonie.

[Paul Manil, R.N. [Excerpt from "Les Cahiers Wallons".

68

CHAPTER IXL WALaON, TEXAS OBSERVATION "WALUON", it is a label of quality, in the United States. Why did a firm from El Paso, Texa9 choose to include in its identtfy document the term "Walton"? The firm is called Walton Press A Wal.4on by birth, emigrant to the United States, in Arizona, had not failed to pose the question to the proprietor of this enterprise. He received in response a veritable penegyry: "The name of our printing press is connected in an indirect manner .to the WalAons of Belgium", he responsed. "It proceeds from the Waaon lake, a magnificent acquatic paradise, of the color of turquois, situated in the Michigan north, which received its name from the Wald.on emigrants". "Be not unaware," the letter follows, "that these people have been an elite people and who have furnished the most renowned fighters of Occidental Europe. They have never been, I suppose, defeated in combat . "This is why the term 'WalAon symbol' is a distinctive sign, trustworthy, and consequently, very valuable". If it must ag~nn be pointed out that the proprietor of this print shop is not Wal6on, not any more orig~nal than another American, it remains to infer that some in the United States [ev~n the Texans, the bigges t in the world" ],

have a better image of ourselves than we think of ourselves. [M.H., Nouvelle Gaze tte, 19-1-77)

Your amazement rejoins ours doubly . However, what better conclusion to our small review of the Wallonie history than this gushing-out "subrepticement" and reproduced by a newspaper of Namur? Do not authenticate our right to entitle this proposed canvas as the basis of your researches and of your study:

"WALLONIE, KNOW THYSELF, YOURSELF" "WALDON, BE PROUD OF YOUR OLD AND BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY" .

70

TA BL E NOTICE : ~ courtesy 0£ the translaters,ve are filling up their 72 pages of text Yi.th ~ pages of original frenoh pamphlets 7& , 7b,7o,7a I6a,I6b, 36a,36b,36o, 36d a.nd 49. Thus , complete book is involving 88 pagee .

Pages

PREFACE:WALLONIE,k:now tbyself,yourselt • • ••• I to VIChapter I : FREE AND LOYAL •••• • • • •. • .•••• ~ •• ~" II :THE CONQUEST ••••••••• • •• • •••••• 2" III : THE CONQUEST OF THE GAULES • •••• 3IV :THE HIGH POINT OF THE EMPIRE • • • • 4" V : CELTIC & ROMAN HERITAGES ••••••• 5" VI s THE CHRISTIA..~ WALLONIA • • • ••• • • • 7"

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VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV

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W'ALOON LAND!CRADLE OF. KINGS • •• 9HIGH POINT OF MIDDLE AGES • • • • IITHE WALOON EXPANSION ••••• • ••• I2WALOONS, 13UILDERS OF FRENCH LANGUAGE • •••••• I6:LITTERARY WORKS AND CHRONICLERS I 6a THE ART OF WALLONIA ALONG THE MEUSE •• • • • • • •I7: LIEGE AND HER SCHOOLS • •••• • • • • 20WALLONIEJLAND OF DISCOVERY J AND LIBERTY •• • •• •• 22: THE WALOONS AND Tfl]: CRUSADES •• 24THE WALOON MUSICIANS 25i

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THE PRIMITIVES:OF THE WALOON PAINTERS 26J OAN OF A.RC AND TOURNAI • • • •••• 27- 7!

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: THE WA.LOON CHURCHES' •••••••.•• 291 THE WALOONS,FOUNDATEURS

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OF NEW YORK ••• 33: THE WALOONS,FOUNDERS OF

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SWEDISH METALLURGY • • •••• )5II

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(ChurcbMen Famous) XXIII : PRINCES AND PRINCESSES OF WALLONIE •••••••• J)6b XXIV ARTISTS AND SCIENTISTS •••••• 36c 1 WALOON REGIMENTS;WALOON SWORD, xxv

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: LES WALLONS,HOMMES D'EGLISE CELEBRES. • • • • • • • • . • . • • • 36a-

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FAMOUS SOLDIERS • •• • • •• 37:THE REVOLUTIONS OF 1789 40WA.LOON COURTS •••••••••••••••• 44LES WALLONS DU WISCONSIN, ARDENTS ET FIDELES ••• •• ••• 46(Waloons of Wis-, burning & true)

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WALOONS:CELE~TED

CONTEMPORARIES ••••••• 47-

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: CITI XXXI THE WA.LOONS AND THE RESISTANCE ••• 52LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE (New Lovan) ••• 55XXXII XXXIII : LANGUAGE,DIALECT,JARGON, ••• • • • • 57SOCIETY OF TONGUE AND WALOON XXXIV LITTERATURE ·• • • • • • • • • • • 58THE WA.LOON FOLKLORE ••••••.•. • 6IXXXVI 1 THE FOLKLORE OF NAMUR • •• .•• 62XXXVII J MARCHES . • • • • . . . • • . . . . . . . . . 63XX.XVIII : ROLL CALL • • . • . . • . • • • . • . . • • • • 66IXL WALOON,TEXAS OBSERVATION ••• 69L : TA.BLE • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • . . . • • • 7I-

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