Liège Province

History

The modern borders of the province of Liège date from 1795, which saw the unification of the Principality of the Prince-Bishopric of Liège with the revolutionary French Department of the Ourthe (sometimes spelled Ourte). (Parts of the old Principality of Liège also went into new French départements Meuse-Inférieure, and Sambre-et-Meuse.)

The province of Ourthe, as it was known then, was under French control during the reign of Napoleon, who visited the city during one of his campaigns. Napoleon ordered the destruction of its vineyards in order to prevent the Liège wine industry from competing with those elsewhere in France.

Following Napoleon's fall from power in 1815, Liège became part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, while eastern half of modern Verviers became part of the Kingdom of Prussia. Liège University scholars helped to write the new Dutch constitution after the Napoleonic Wars. Despite these contributions there was a widespread perception among the people of Liège that they were discriminated against by the Dutch government due to religious and language differences.

In September 1830, rumors spread of a revolt in Brussels to expel the Dutch. Liège intellectuals responded to these events by contacting Walloon scholars living in Paris to discuss Belgian independence. A militia was formed to press these demands led by Charlier "Wooden Leg" leading (eventually) to the formation of an independent Kingdom of Belgium.

In the 19th century, the province was an early center of the Industrial Revolution. Its rich coal deposits and steel factories helped Belgium to form the basis of the region's increasing economic power.

During the 20th century, due to Liège's borders with Germany, it saw fierce fighting in both World Wars. In World War I, Liège's strong line of reinforced concrete military forts temporarily halted the German advance through Belgium, giving time to construct trenches in Flanders which subsequently saw some of the worst fighting of that war. It also saw some of the war's worst civilian casualties as the Imperial German Army performed collective punishments against local villagers for acts of resistance. In 1925 the East Cantons and Neutral Moresnet, that had become part of Belgium as a result of the Treaty of Versailles, were absorbed into the province of Liège.

In World War II, Liège was the site of major fighting during the Battle of the Bulge. There, the Germans orchestrated their final offensive move against the combined Allied armies. Malmedy and Saint-Vith in particular saw intense battles against the Nazis. Malmedy was the site of a Waffen-SS massacre of U.S. Army prisoners of war.

Liège's heavy industry thrived in the 1950s and 1960s, but has been in decline since that time. Nevertheless, Liège remains the last city of Wallonia to maintain a functioning steel industry.

Liège continues to be the economic and cultural capital of Wallonia, with its university, medieval heritage and heavy industry.

Politics

Provincial Council

2006–2012

2012–2018

2018–2024

Geography

Rivers

• Meuse
  • Berwinne
  • Jeker
    • Yerne
  • Ourthe
    • Ambiève
      • Roannay

Economy

The Gross domestic product (GDP) of the province was 31.6 billion € in 2018, accounting for 6.9% of Belgium's economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 25,200 € or 84% of the EU27 average in the same year. GDP per person employed was 108% of the EU27 average.

Subdivisions

The province has an area of 3857 km2, which is divided into four administrative districts (arrondissements in French) containing a total of 84 municipalities.

Arrondissements

The Province of Liège is divided into four administrative arrondissements: Image:Arrondissement Huy Belgium Map.png|Huy Image:Arrondissement Liège Belgium Map.png|Liège Image:Arrondissement Verviers Belgium Map.png|Verviers Image:Arrondissement Waremme Belgium Map.png|Waremme

Municipalities

Municipalities that have city status have a (city) behind their name.

1. Amay
2. Amel
3. Ans
4. Anthisnes
5. Aubel
6. Awans
7. Aywaille
8. Baelen
9. Bassenge
10. Berloz
11. Beyne-Heusay
12. Blegny
13. Braives
14. Büllingen
15. Burdinne
16. Burg-Reuland
17. Bütgenbach
18. Chaudfontaine
19. Clavier
20. Comblain-au-Pont
21. Crisnée
22. Dalhem
23. Dison
24. Donceel
25. Engis
26. Esneux
27. Eupen (city)
28. Faimes
29. Ferrières
30. Fexhe-le-Haut-Clocher
31. Flémalle
32. Fléron
33. Geer
34. Grâce-Hollogne
35. Hamoir
36. Hannut (city)
37. Héron
38. Herstal (city)
39. Herve (city)
40. Huy (city)
41. Jalhay
42. Juprelle
43. Kelmis
44. Liège (city)
45. Lierneux
46. Limbourg (city)
47. Lincent
48. Lontzen
49. Malmedy (city)
50. Marchin
51. Modave
52. Nandrin
53. Neupré
54. Olne
55. Oreye
56. Ouffet
57. Oupeye
58. Pepinster
59. Plombières
60. Raeren
61. Remicourt
62. Saint-Georges-sur-Meuse
63. Saint-Nicolas
64. Sankt Vith (city)
65. Seraing (city)
66. Soumagne
67. Spa (city)
68. Sprimont
69. Stavelot (city)
70. Stoumont
71. Theux
72. Thimister-Clermont
73. Tinlot
74. Trois-Ponts
75. Trooz
76. Verlaine
77. Verviers (city)
78. Villers-le-Bouillet
79. Visé (city)
80. Waimes
81. Wanze
82. Waremme (city)
83. Wasseiges
84. Welkenraedt

Nine municipalities of Liège form the German-speaking Community of Belgium. From north to south they are: Kelmis (43), Lontzen (48), Raeren (60), Eupen (27), Bütgenbach (17), Büllingen (14), Amel (2), Sankt Vith (64), and Burg-Reuland (16) municipalities. Malmedy (49) and Waimes (80) are municipalities with language facilities for German speakers. The other municipalities of Liège are part of the French Community of Belgium.

List of governors

• 1830–1831: Etienne de Sauvage (Liberal)
• 1831–1832: Jean-François Tielemans (Liberal)
• 1832–1844: Charles van den Steen de Jehay
• 1844–1846: Henri de Brouckère (Liberal)
• 1846–1847: Edmond de la Coste (Liberal)
• 1847–1863: Ferdinand de Macar (Liberal)
• 1863–1882: Charles de Luesemans (Liberal)
• 1882–1908: Léon Pety de Thozée
• 1908–1919: Henry Delvaux de Fenffe (Catholic Party)
• 1919–1927: Gaston Gregoire (Liberal)
• 1927–1937: Henri Pirard
• 1937–1943: Jules Mathieu
• 1944–1953: Joseph Leclercq (PSB)
• 1953–1971: Pierre Clerdent (PRL)
• 1972–1990: Gilbert Mottard (PS)
• 1990–2004: Paul Bolland
• 2004–2015: Michel Foret (MR)
• 2015–present Hervé Jamar (MR)

References

References

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3. "EU regions by GDP, Eurostat".
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6. (September 2022). "Liège". [[Oxford University Press]].
7. {{Cite Merriam-Webster. Liège
8. "Structuur van de bevolking | Statbel".
9. Hastings, Max. (2013). "Catastrophe 1914 : Europe goes to war".
10. O’Connell, Vincent. (2013). ""Left to their own devices". Belgium's Ambiguous Assimilation of Eupen-Malmedy (1919-1940)". Journal of Belgian History.
11. "Conseil provincial {{!}} Province de Liège".
12. "Regional GDP per capita ranged from 30% to 263% of the EU average in 2018".