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GENERAL
Eupen (Home)
German-speaking region
Info on Belgium
SIGHTSEEING
The Gileppe Dam
Tourist Attractions in the Eupen Area
EXTERNAL LINKS
Hotels
Malmedy
Hotels Belgium
Trains
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German, the third national language of Belgium.
Beside the two national languages (Dutch
and French) there is a third national language in Belgium : German. It is
spoken in the Eastern cantons by about 70.000 people. The area belongs to
the province of Liège and comprises the cantons Eupen, Sankt-Vith and
Malmedy (this city is more french-speaking).
These three parts were united under Napoleon and after the battle of
Waterloo in 1815 they were given to Prussia. After the Versailles treaty
that closed of the First World War in 1919 the Eastern Cantons were given to
Belgium. In 1940, however, Hitler annexed them to Nazi-Germany. After the
defeat of the Nazis they were given back to Belgium.
The German language was later officially recognized as a national language
in Belgium. When a new king pledges the oath, he has to do it in the three
national languages. Until the arrival of the Euro, the Belgian
banknotes bore all inscriptions in the three national languages.
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