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17čme Brigade blindée (Panzerbrigade)1) |
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In anticipation of the "Convention on relations
between the Three Powers and the Federal Republic of
Germany" (Paris, October 23, 1954) the area of the
former training area was confiscated with military
order from 3/17/1951 by the Belgian armed forces
with effect from the 1st of April, 1951.
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The red
colour indicates the Belgian military area2) |
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The place had been assigned to the Belgian troops
for their training. Large parts of the Wahner Heide
were closed for public.
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Satellite
view: barrack "Camp Altenrath" ca. 20062) |
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Two new barracks were established in the moor area
for the Belgian military. Other barracks were
established (Brasseur barracks) to the North of Porz.
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Barracks "Camp
Altenrath": "Camp Major Legrand"3)
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Barracks "Camp Spich": "Camp Roi Baudouin" 3)
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At times the whole Belgian ground army and large
parts of the air force were stationed in Germany.
This led to the fact
that not only soldiers, but also their families had
to be accommodated in the area around the training
area Wahner Heide. While single soldiers lived in
the barracks, higher ranked soldiers with families
got living space in the county Rhein-Berg or
Rhein-Sieg. A central accommodation at a place would
not have been possible for spatial reasons.
The following cities / parts of ones and
municipalities had Belgian inhabitants from 1951 to
2004:
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Bensberg
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Bergisch Gladbach
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Porz
•
Rösrath
•
Siegburg
•
Spich (Troisdorf)
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Troisdorf
The Belgians built up their own educational
institutions:
•
a school in Siegburg
•
Athénée Royal in Rösrath (today: House Venauen)
From 1950 a Belgian boarding school and high school
(in French: Athénée royal) was accommodated on the
property of the former region school of the Nazi
welfare. While the boys had her cubicles in Venauen,
the girls were accommodated in the castle
Eulenbroich next to the the school. Till 1963 the
Atheneum was managed by an in French speaking
prefect. The quarrel about the languages between
Fleming and Walloon also had effects on the
Rösrather Atheneum. In 1963 the Flemings demanded on
a separate Dutch-speaking section. Then till 1966
the Flemish part was completely evacuated to the
castle Bensberg.
On the homepage former students of the Athénée Royal
in Rösrath give information
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Athénée Royal4)
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House Venauen3) |
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In most municipalities the Belgians had their own
supermarkets; there was a "central canteen", too
(CMC/MHK).
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Central canteen1) |
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CMC/MHK1) |
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There were own radio and TV stations which
supplied the armed forces and their members
with the programmes from Belgium.
The television programs were transmitted in
French (RTBF) and Flemish (BRTN). They were
not specifically produced for the Belgian
armed forces and their families.
•
the broadcasting tower in the Scherbüchel
in Rösrath
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the broadcasting tower on the area of
"Camp Spich"
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Spich3) |
Quellen:
1) Pictures from "Lost
Sites" with the permission Christoph
Kämper.
2) Pictures from
"Google Maps"
3) Pictures from
© Jochen Hindrichs, 2009
4) Picture:
Archiv des BGV Rhein-Berg.
5) Informations about the history
of "House Venauen":
Wikipedia, Artikel "Haus Venauen", Picture:
License: GFDL, cc-by-sa-2.5,2.0,1.0
