ABSTRACT
Belgium, like most of its neighbors, has suffered much from German expansionism. It was neutral and yet was attacked by Germany in two World Wars, suffering total occupation in both wars. Yet, its relations with Germany have never been simple, never black and white. On a deeper level, relations between the two countries are less important than one might expect. The origin of the Belgian approach to Germany is deeply rooted in Belgium's own history and in the history of its tormented relations with Germany. The Belgian state, founded by the revolution of 1830, arose on the overlaid sediment of numerous regimes and occupations in the Low Countries. The language boundary between the French- and Dutch-speaking communities, running slightly south of Brussels, deviates little from an earlier demarcation line that represented the maximum extent of northern and eastward penetration of the Roman legions. In the Middle Ages, the Belgian lands were a patchwork of feudal duchies, principalities, and ecclesiastical states.
