‘Beklagenswaardige stumpers’

‘Deplorable wretches’. Belgian refugees during the First World War

During the first weeks of World War I, more than one and a half million Belgians fled. Most sought refuge in the Netherlands first, others headed for France or The United Kingdom. As the war drew to a close, approximately 600,000 Belgians still remained abroad as refugees. Their reception and experiences varied significantly, influenced not only by the host countries’ attitudes but also by these countries’ differing levels of involvement in the war.

This paper delves into the history of Belgian refugees in these three countries, shedding light on the unique perspectives stemming from the involvement and neutrality of the parties in question. Additionally, it explores the impact of language on the relationship between the host country and the bilingual refugee community, a factor contributing to the complex and fragmented nature of the refugees’ sense of identity.