ABSTRACT
Silvio Gesell was born on 17 March 1862 in the city of St Vith, located at the confluence of the borders of Belgium, Luxembourg, and Prussia, which was exchanged many times between the three nations. His parents were of German descent on the paternal side, and Walloons on the maternal side. Therefore, Silvio Gesell spoke both French and German at home; and was formed both by Prussian discipline and French delicacy, by maternal Catholicism and paternal Protestantism.
