The De Broqueville government in Sainte-Adresse refers to two successive
Belgian governments, led by
Charles de Broqueville, which served as
governments in exile during the
German occupation of Belgium in
World War I. They were based in
Le Havre in northern
France after October 1914. The first government, known as the First de Broqueville government, was a
Catholic government which was elected in 1911 and continued until 1916, when it was joined by Socialists and Liberals expanding it into the Second de Broqueville government, which lasted until 1 June 1918. In November 1914, the vast majority of Belgian territory (2,598 out of 2,636
communes) was
under German occupation. The only portion of Belgium that remained controlled by the Kingdom of Belgium in exile was the strip of territory behind the
Yser Front.[1]
Exile in Le Havre
In October 1914, the government moved to the French coastal city of
Le Havre. It was established in the large Immeuble Dufayel ("Dufayel Building"), built by the French businessman
Georges Dufayel in 1911, situated in the suburb of
Sainte-Adresse. The whole area of Sainte-Adresse, which still carries the national colours of Belgium on its shield, was leased to Belgium by the French government as a temporary administrative centre while the rest of Belgium was occupied. The area had a sizeable Belgian émigré population, and even used Belgian postage stamps.
King Albert I considered that it was inappropriate for the King to leave his own country and so did not join his government in Le Havre. Instead, he established his staff in the Flemish town of
Veurne, just behind the
Yser Front, in the last strip of unoccupied Belgian territory.
Baron
Eugène Beyens (technocrat), member of the
Council of Ministers after 30 July 1916; Minister of Foreign Affairs between 18 January 1916 to 4 August 1917
Paul Hymans (
Liberal), member of the Council of Ministers after 18 January 1916; Minister of Economic Affairs from 12 November 1917 to 1 January 1918; Minister of Foreign Affairs after 1 January 1918.
Count
Eugène Goblet d'Alviella (Liberal), member of the Council of Ministers after 18 January 1916
Emile Vandervelde (
Socialist), member of the Council of Ministers after 18 January 1916; Minister of Supplies after 4 August 1917
Emile Brunet (Socialist), member of the Council of Ministers after 1 January 1918.
Criticism
The Flamingant poet
René de Clercq published a poem called Aan Die Van Havere ("To those of Le Havre") in 1916, in which he accused the government (the "Lords of Le Havre") of having forgotten the plight of Flanders.
References
^De Schaepdrijver, Sophie (2014). "Violence and Legitimacy: Occupied Belgium, 1914–1918". The Low Countries: Arts and Society in Flanders and the Netherlands. 22: 46.
OCLC948603897.
^Thielemans, Marie-Rose, ed. (1991), Albert 1er, Carnets et Correspondance de Guerre, 1914-1918, Paris: Duculot, pp. 14–5,
ISBN2-8011-0951-7
Further reading
Dumoulin, Michel (2010). L'Entrée dans le XXe Siècle, 1905–1918. Nouvelle Histoire de Belgique (French ed.). Brussels: Le Cri édition.
ISBN978-2-8710-6545-6.