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- The German invasion of Belgium in August-October 1914 led to the flight of more than 1.5 million Belgian civilians. The vast majority sought asylum in the Netherlands, France and Britain. In total, more than 600,000 Belgians – some 10 percent of the Belgian population at the time – settled abroad during the First World War.
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Sep 15, 2014 · The UK was home to 250,000 Belgian refugees during World War One, the largest single influx in the country's history. So why did they vanish with little trace?
Following the creation of Belgium as a nation state, Belgian people have sought refuge abroad on several occasions. From the early days of independence and the threat of The Netherlands or France, to two World Wars and the Independence of Congo, Belgians have been on the run themselves, for various reasons, as refugees.
The project explores the stories of Belgian refugees in the UK during the First World War and includes an online database where people can learn more. In this video, some of the team involved explain what they’ve discovered.
Sep 5, 2024 · Just as today, the continent back then was awash with waves of refugees seeking safety and sanctuary. Back in 1914, a large part of the refugees were Belgians escaping to other countries, including the United Kingdom, France and the Netherlands, to flee the German troops.
They were mostly civilian refugees fleeing the German armies, but they also included wounded and discharged Belgian soldiers. Most Belgian refugees were billeted in local communities around the UK, often housed with families who offered rooms or homes.
Refugees (Belgium) By Michaël Amara. In Belgium, the outbreak of the First World War and subsequent German invasion caused massive population movements. Hundreds of thousands of Belgian refugees fled the country to seek asylum in the Netherlands, France or Great Britain.
Thousands of Belgians, mostly from the Liège area, had sought refuge in the Dutch Limburg and in the south, the retreat of the Allied troops during the Battle of the Frontiers had been followed by a mass flight of civilians to France. At the same time, refugees had begun to congregate in Flanders.
