Route of Commemoration No.7: Baltia Mound

General Baltia was designed Commissioner fort he East Cantons by the Belgian government in 1919. As stipulated in the Treaty of Versailles, he organized in 1920 a referendum in which the population would give its opinion upon the incorporation in Belgium. The rules were particular: only the adversaries had to sign one of the registers laid down in Malmedy and Eupen. Nevertheless the outcome of the referendum was validated and thus the East Cantons were officially part of Belgium in 1925. During the elections of 1929 45% voted on a pro German party. It was obvious that the population was divided and this division would hold on till the start of the Second World War.
10 days after the German invasion in 1940, Hitler annexed the East Cantons. The Belgian government did not react on this provocation. A forced enrollment in the German armed forces forces followed in September 1941. Many soldiers were sent tot he Eastern Front. Others escaped or hid and still others mutilated themselves hoping tob e rejected fort he military service. After the war those "forced soldiers" would be considered as collaborators by the Belgian state.

Do you have more information about this location? Inform us!

Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Hans Tasma