Join the Friends of Flemish Independence

[Ambiorix]

Join the Friends of Flemish Independence

http://www.flemishrepublic.org/3/1/

02/25/2008 :: The international community receives its information about Flanders and our struggle for Flemish independence from secondhand sources and often from our Francophone enemies in the Belgian establishment. Yet Flanders is strongly oriented towards other countries and cultures. The Flemings are amongst the world’s best polyglots, able to converse with English, French, German and sometimes even Spanish and Italian visitors in their own language. No other region in the world exports so much per capita. Flanders’ subsidisation of Wallonia is proportionally greater than the financial support given by the former West-Germany to the former German Democratic Republic.

The international perception of the Flemish independence movement and of the Vlaams Belang does not reflect reality. We believe it is important that foreign observers of Belgian and Flemish politics receive a more accurate picture both of our party and of the Flemish independence movement in general. That’s why, five years ago, we’ve founded The Flemish Republic, a free quarterly newsletter explaining why the Belgian federation should be dissolved and Flanders should become an independent state.

Recently I founded the Friends of Flemish Independence (FFI). FFI is a worldwide network of local representatives who follow the media in their own countries and react whenever wrong information is given about Belgium and the Flemings’ struggle for independence.

The idea of Flemish independence is unstoppable. But we need all the support we can get to speed up the process of awareness in the international community. Join us.

Karim Van Overmeire is chairman of the Committee for Foreign Policy and European Affairs of the Flemish Parliament. He is also a member of the Belgian Senate and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the West European Union.

[mord]

Yes i like the Flemish more then the French speakers

[Electra]

Yes i like the Flemish more then the French speakers

I agree in full!

[TavorIMI]

Yes i like the Flemish more then the French speakers

Ik ook! 

[Ulli]

Are the Flemish Calvinists, like the Dutchmen?

[Ambiorix]

Are the Flemish Calvinists, like the Dutchmen?

The Flemish were protestants, but our country was invaded by Spanish troops, and our elite fled to Amsterdam, making Holland into a powerful nation , and giving it its Golden Century, while we plunged into darkness for 500 years.
Needless to say protestantism was rooted out by the Spanish occupiers.

[Ulli]

Are the Flemish Calvinists, like the Dutchmen?

The Flemish were protestants, but our country was invaded by Spanish troops, and our elite fled to Amsterdam, making Holland into a powerful nation , and giving it its Golden Century, while we plunged into darkness for 500 years.
Needless to say protestantism was rooted out by the Spanish occupiers.

I like the old Dutch culture and the dutch protestantism. So I am pro Flemish! 

[Ambiorix]

Are the Flemish Calvinists, like the Dutchmen?

The Flemish were protestants, but our country was invaded by Spanish troops, and our elite fled to Amsterdam, making Holland into a powerful nation , and giving it its Golden Century, while we plunged into darkness for 500 years.
Needless to say protestantism was rooted out by the Spanish occupiers.

I like the old Dutch culture and the dutch protestantism. So I am pro Flemish! 

Tanks,
 Then I'll call you Goudfazant from now on.
Maybe you should visit us here, to get the impression, to see the similarities between Holland-Vlaanderen-Groningen-Friesland.
Of course, after 400+ years of oppression, for us, the times are getting better, but Belgium must be abolished, for us to become really free.

Are you a German Fries? Or were you born somewhere else?
How do German and Dutch/Danish  Fries  compare?

[Ambiorix]

Are the Flemish Calvinists, like the Dutchmen?

The Flemish were protestants, but our country was invaded by Spanish troops, and our elite fled to Amsterdam, making Holland into a powerful nation , and giving it its Golden Century, while we plunged into darkness for 500 years.
Needless to say protestantism was rooted out by the Spanish occupiers.

I like the old Dutch culture and the dutch protestantism. So I am pro Flemish! 

Tanks,
 Then I'll call you Goudfazant from now on.
Maybe you should visit us here, to get the impression, to see the similarities between Holland-Vlaanderen-Groningen-Friesland.
Of course, after 400+ years of oppression, for us, the times are getting better, but Belgium must be abolished, for us to become really free.

Are you a German Fries? Or were you born somewhere else?
How do German and Dutch/Danish  Fries  compare?

Do not forget that Flanders was turned into a Catholic bastion by the inquisition. The culture of protestantism in Holland and the richer history of Flanders/Bourgoundy is different. We are much more enjoying good beers, wine, food then the Dutch do.

That's why Flanders and the Netherlands needs to be united again:
We learn from the Dutch entrepeneurship, and they learn our cuisine.
Both are hard workers, e.g. Flanders exports 80% of Belgium (in comparison to 20% Wallonia).
The ports of Rotterdam and Antwerpen and Zeebrugge should be combined into 1 superport, so that it becomes the biggest port in the world. Bye bye Hamburg
That would turn The United Netherlands in an economical superpower.

[Ulli]

Are the Flemish Calvinists, like the Dutchmen?

The Flemish were protestants, but our country was invaded by Spanish troops, and our elite fled to Amsterdam, making Holland into a powerful nation , and giving it its Golden Century, while we plunged into darkness for 500 years.
Needless to say protestantism was rooted out by the Spanish occupiers.

I like the old Dutch culture and the dutch protestantism. So I am pro Flemish! 

Tanks,
 Then I'll call you Goudfazant from now on.
Maybe you should visit us here, to get the impression, to see the similarities between Holland-Vlaanderen-Groningen-Friesland.
Of course, after 400+ years of oppression, for us, the times are getting better, but Belgium must be abolished, for us to become really free.

Are you a German Fries? Or were you born somewhere else?
How do German and Dutch/Danish  Fries  compare?

I live in a Fries county of Lower Saxony. But I was born in Hamburg. My mother was born in Lübeck and my father in Stettin.

I am no Fries. I am shure that after all my parents and grandmothers have told me I am a descend of the Saxon tribe.

German, Dutch and Danish Fries are the same peoples. Some of them speak today the same Fries language. But the most of them speak today the language of their country.

The Fries in East Friesland near the Ems are the only Germans except the Hugenottes who follow like the Dutchman Calvin's way of Christianity.

The most famous German theologican in the land of the Fries in Germany was a Polish man. His name was Jan Łaski. He pushed in the Land of the Fries the Calvinist revolution.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_%C5%81aski

I like the dutch culture and confession, because it is

decent,

hard-working

and

unadorned.

It is a paradigma of every righteous Christian.

[Ulli]

Are the Flemish Calvinists, like the Dutchmen?

The Flemish were protestants, but our country was invaded by Spanish troops, and our elite fled to Amsterdam, making Holland into a powerful nation , and giving it its Golden Century, while we plunged into darkness for 500 years.
Needless to say protestantism was rooted out by the Spanish occupiers.

I like the old Dutch culture and the dutch protestantism. So I am pro Flemish! 

Tanks,
 Then I'll call you Goudfazant from now on.
Maybe you should visit us here, to get the impression, to see the similarities between Holland-Vlaanderen-Groningen-Friesland.
Of course, after 400+ years of oppression, for us, the times are getting better, but Belgium must be abolished, for us to become really free.

Are you a German Fries? Or were you born somewhere else?
How do German and Dutch/Danish  Fries  compare?

Do not forget that Flanders was turned into a Catholic bastion by the inquisition. The culture of protestantism in Holland and the richer history of Flanders/Bourgoundy is different. We are much more enjoying good beers, wine, food then the Dutch do.

That's why Flanders and the Netherlands needs to be united again:
We learn from the Dutch entrepeneurship, and they learn our cuisine.
Both are hard workers, e.g. Flanders exports 80% of Belgium (in comparison to 20% Wallonia).
The ports of Rotterdam and Antwerpen and Zeebrugge should be combined into 1 superport, so that it becomes the biggest port in the world. Bye bye Hamburg
That would turn The United Netherlands in an economical superpower.

This is right. After WW2 the Dutch have the idea to annex East Frisia, because the culture and the confession is quite similar. I would like to live in a real Calvinist state.

Look here is todays Est-Frisia:



and this was it before:

[Ulli]

East Frisia 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Frisia







The center of Calvinism in East Frisia:

[Ambiorix]

Was Lübeck a Danish town before the Germans annexed Sleswig?

[Ulli]

Was Lübeck a Danish town before the Germans annexed Sleswig?

No, I think the city is a new foundation by Heinrich the Lion. As far as I know this city was never Danish, but in the neighborhood lived Slaws before 1300 years.

[Ambiorix]

Do you like the music of the Dutch composer Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck?





And what do you think about the Church music? I saw in your Church they are quite liberal with it (guitars and so..)
Don't you like prefer singing chorals , together with organ?

[Ulli]

Do you like the music of the Dutch composer Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck?





And what do you think about the Church music? I saw in your Church they are quite liberal with it (guitars and so..)
Don't you like prefer singing chorals , together with organ?

I am no member in this baptist church, I know only the pastor and a few members. All in all nice people. The problem is, if somebody wants to join there, he has to be baptized again. Calvin is against this. In addition to that it is there too cuddly. The people there are too nice and keep too less distance. It is not my temperament. 

Jan Pieterszoon seems to be a be a barock-composer. I like the music, but don't know him before. So I have learned something new 

I saw some of the typical Dutch architecture in this youtube clip. The great windows, which reach to the ceiling. Is the architecture of city-houses in Flemings similar to the architecture in the Netherlands?

[Ambiorix]

Do you like the music of the Dutch composer Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck?





And what do you think about the Church music? I saw in your Church they are quite liberal with it (guitars and so..)
Don't you like prefer singing chorals , together with organ?

I am no member in this baptist church, I know only the pastor and a few members. All in all nice people. The problem is, if somebody wants to join there, he has to be baptized again. Calvin is against this. In addition to that it is there too cuddly. The people there are too nice and keep too less distance. It is not my temperament. 

Jan Pieterszoon seems to be a be a barock-composer. I like the music, but don't know him before. So I have learned something new 

I saw some of the typical Dutch architecture in this youtube clip. The great windows, which reach to the ceiling. Is the architecture of city-houses in Flemings similar to the architecture in the Netherlands?

from wikipedia:

The Eighty Years' War and its consequences

In 1568 the Seventeen Provinces that signed the Union of Utrecht started a (counter)rebellion against Philip II: the Eighty Years' War. Before the Low Countries could be completely reconquered, war between England and Spain broke out, forcing the Spanish troops under Philip II to halt their advance. Meanwhile, Philip's Spanish troops had conquered the important trading cities of Bruges and Ghent. Antwerp, which was then arguably the most important port in the world, had to be conquered. On August 17, 1585, Antwerp fell. This ended the Eighty Years' War for the (from now on) Southern Netherlands. The United Provinces (the Netherlands proper) fought on until 1648 – the Peace of Westphalia. The definite loss of the southern Low Countries caused the rich Calvinist merchants of these cities to flee to the north. Many migrated to Amsterdam, which was at the time a tiny port, but was quickly transformed into one of the most important ports in the world in the 17th century. The exodus can be described as 'creating a new Antwerp'.

This mass emigration from Flanders and Brabant (especially Antwerp) was an important driving force behind the Dutch Golden Age. While Spain was at war with England, the rebels from the north, strengthened by refugees from the south, started a campaign to reclaim areas lost to Philips II's Spanish troops. They managed to conquer a considerable part of Brabant (the later Noord-Brabant of the Netherlands), and the south bank of the Scheldt estuary (Zeeuws-Vlaanderen), before being stopped by Spanish troops. The frontline at the end of this war stabilized and became the current border between present-day Belgium and the Netherlands. The Dutch (as they later became known) had managed to reclaim enough of Spanish king-controlled Flanders to close off the river Scheldt, effectively closing Antwerp off from a significant trade route and causing a considerable emigration of Antverpians[3] towards the port of Amsterdam. Due to these events, Flanders and Brabant went into a relative decline in the 17th century.[4]

[edit]
1581–1795: The Southern Netherlands

Although arts remained at a relatively impressive level for another century with Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640), Flanders experienced a loss of its former economic and intellectual power under Spanish, Austrian, and French rule, with heavy taxation and rigid imperial political control compounding the effects of industrial stagnation and Spanish-Dutch and Franco-Austrian conflict.

Lots of our architecture predates the Barok period, Holland florished  from the 17th century, we from the 12th.
We have nice city-houses, and lots of belfrys.

check Brugge, Gent, Antwerpen, Brussel , Rijsel, Leuven,

The cathedral of Antwerpen is the biggest and highest in the Benelux (124 meter)




Brugge is called the Venice of the north.

[Ultra Requete]

Yes we almost became protestant/calvinist country in XVI century unfortunetly our king Sigmund August who was half Italian lacked the balls to do the same as Henry VIII in Engalnd, to create national church... The Jesuites made stuning PR contreformation campaign in XVII century  . On the other hand modern protestant countries are most secularised and immoral in Europe so...   

[Ulli]

Yes we almost became protestant/calvinist country in XVI century unfortunetly our king Sigmund August who was half Italian lacked the balls to do the same as Henry VIII in Engalnd, to create national church... The Jesuites made stuning PR contreformation campaign in XVII century  . On the other hand modern protestant countries are most secularised and immoral in Europe so...   

You know the story about Jan Lasko?

He was a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voivode

The center of Calvinism in Germany is named after him.

Here is the website:

http://www.jalb.de/flshmenu/frameset.html

Back to topic:

Lasco was married to a Flemish woman with the name Barbara!

[Ultra Requete]

IRC he was nephew of Polish RC cardinal, after the "Swedish flood" many protestants who sides with invading lutheran Swedes fled Poland especialy for England and Holland; they were know as Polish Brothers.

[mord]

Have you ever seen the American Amish i think you would like them.They are very kind they build there own houses very forgiving  and still use horse and buggies they live a simple life

[Ulli]

Have you ever seen the American Amish i think you would like them.They are very kind they build there own houses very forgiving  and still use horse and buggies

Yes, their "mother-church" and their founder Menno Simons [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menno_Simons ]lived near my city in Emden [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emden ]

This is the page of the oldest baptist-community in the world:

http://www.mennoniten.de/emden.html

But they have today in Emden only round about 100 members. 

[mord]

In the U.S. we have many maybe 70.000






We also have mennonites but the Amish are strickter

[Ulli]

In the U.S. we have many maybe 70.000

Yes the communities are more active in the USA. You see there young people. In the most German churches are the wasp majority old people. 

But in whole Germany are a few thousands Mennonites. The 100 members are only in the community of Emden.

The Amish are only one group of Mennonites. You have a few hundreds of thousands in the USA 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mennonite

[Ulli]

Look here:

Mennonite church in Kansas:




Mennonite Church near my town: