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Moresnet

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Neutral Moresnet
Neŭtrala Moresneto (eo)
Moresnet Neutre (fr)
Neutral-Moresnet (de)
Neutraal-Moresnet (nl)
1816–1920
Unofficial flag (1883)
Flag
Legend:
  (2)Belgian (previously Dutch)Province of Liège
  (3) Neutral Moresnet
StatusNeutral territory
CapitalKelmis
Common languagesEsperanto,French,German,Dutch
GovernmentVarious
Mayor 
• 1817-1859
Arnold Timothée de Lasaulx
• 1918-1920
Pierre Grignard
History 
• Agreement of Aachen
June 26 1816
• Annexation by Belgium
January 10 1920
Area
19003.5 km2 (1.4 sq mi)
Population
• 1900
3000
Preceded by
First French Empire

Moresnet orNeutral Moresnet (Esperanto:Neŭtra Moresneto) was a very smallterritory that existed from 1816 to 1919. It had a size of 3.5 km². It existed because its neighbours could not agree on who should own it, so they decided to make it aneutralterritory where both neighbours would both have power. It was 7 km Southwest ofAix-la-Chapelle (Germany), and south of the points were the borders of Germany,Belgium and theNetherlands come together on theVaalserberg. The Inhabitants was Germans, Flemish, Walloons and Dutchs.[1]

Rise

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At theCongress of Vienna in 1815 many borders and countries changed. One of the borders was the one between the newUnited Kingdom of the Netherlands andPrussia. For the most part Prussia and the Netherlands agreed on the border, because it was mostly the same as the old border. Around Moresnet there was a problem. Between thevillages of Moresnet andNeu-Moresnet was thezincmine of Vieille Montagne (inFrench) / Altenberg (inGerman). Both countries wanted to have this mine. In 1816 it was decided that the village of Moresnet itself would become part of the Netherlands, Neu-Moresnet would become part of Prussia and the mine and the village ofKelmis around it would become neutral territory where both countries shared the power.

Neutral Moresnet was shaped more or less like atriangle. The southern border was the road between Aix-la-Chapelle andLiège. The mine was just to the north of this road. The most northerly point of the country was the Vaalserberg. WhenBelgium becameindependent from the Netherlands in 1830, the land on the Dutch side became Belgian. So from 1830 Belgium and Prussia were in power in Moresnet. At first Moresnet was governed by two royal commissioners, one from each neighbour. Later Moresnet got its own rulers: amayor and acouncil of ten members were installed. The mayor was theHead of State, he was appointed by the council.

Most people in Moresnet worked in the zinc mine. Many people from the neighbouring countries also worked in the zinc mine. Because Moresnet was neutral, there were very lowtaxes and there were no import-tariffs (like inAndorra now). The people from Moresnet were allowed to choose in whicharmy they wanted to serve, but they were not allowed to have their own army.

Fall

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The mine was exhausted by 1885, so people from Moresnet had to find a new way to find money. Some wanted to start acasino, or issue their ownstamps. Dr. Wilhelm Molly, wanted to change Moresnet into a country where everyone would speakEsperanto. He wanted to name the country Amikejo ("place offriendship"). None of these plans succeeded. Belgium and Prussia (which became a part of Germany in 1871) both wanted to take over the territory. In 1914, in theFirst World War, Germany invaded Belgium and occupied Moresnet. In 1915 they officiallyannexed it, so Neutral Moresnet did not exist any more.

In 1919, after the war, in theTreaty of Versailles it was decided that Moresnet would become part of Belgium. From 1940 to 1944, duringWorld War II, Moresnet was occupied by Germany again, but since 1944 it has been part of Belgium again.

References

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  1. "100 Years Ago, Tiny Country Neutral Moresnet Became Part of Belgium".
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