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45-620: Brasschaat ( Dutch pronunciation: [brɑˈsxaːt] ) is a municipality located in Flanders , one of the three regions of Belgium , and in the Flemish province of Antwerp . The municipality only comprises the town of Brasschaat proper. In November 2006, Brasschaat won the LivCom-Award 2006 for the most livable municipality in the world. The history of Brasschaat started with Celtic settlements. The Gallic tribe of

90-421: A Senate and House of Representatives . From the start, the administrative system proved controversial. Representation in the 110-seat House of Representatives, for example, was divided equally between south and north, although the former had a larger population. This was resented in the south, which believed that the government was dominated by northerners. Additionally, the king had somewhat greater power than

135-631: A buffer state between the major European powers. The polity was a constitutional monarchy , ruled by William I of the House of Orange-Nassau . The polity collapsed in 1830 with the outbreak of the Belgian Revolution . With the de facto secession of Belgium , the Netherlands was left as a rump state and refused to recognise Belgian independence until 1839 when the Treaty of London

180-580: A French client state . In 1813, the Netherlands was liberated from French rule by Prussian and Russian troops during the Napoleonic Wars . It was taken for granted that any new regime would have to be headed by the son of the last Dutch stadhouder , William Frederik of Orange-Nassau . A provisional government was formed, most of whose members had helped drive out the House of Orange 18 years earlier. However, they realised that it would be better in

225-514: A convent of nuns was founded here, traces of which can still be seen today. The village of Brasschaat belonged geographically to the Campine region, but politically and ecclesiastically was part of the Bishopric of Liège until 1569. At that time, the village had about 4,500 inhabitants and 383 horses. The end of the 16th century was particularly hard on the population. In the span of 25 years,

270-577: A couple of famous sports events, the biggest one being the yearly Premium European Cup triathlon . Its Hoogboom Military Camp hosted the Olympic trap and 100-metre running deer shooting events for the 1920 Summer Olympics in neighboring Antwerp . Municipalities in Belgium Here are three lists of municipalities for each one of the three regions: The municipalities, as an administrative division , were officially created in 1795, when

315-502: A law carried by special majorities can change the language status of any municipality, these arrangements have prevented some small municipalities with facilities to be merged in the 1970s, and thus the most minute Belgian municipalities are still found in this group, notably Herstappe with only 84 inhabitants (in 2006). Lucien Harmegnies, Minister of the Interior in the government of Gaston Eyskens (1968–1972) decided to continue

360-835: A result, there are several differences between the municipal institutions in Flanders, in Wallonia and in Brussels. Wallonia has also further devolved part of its responsibilities to the German-speaking Community with regards to its 9 municipalities. The three Regions can amend or replace the existing legislation on the municipalities, most notably the New Municipal Law. In the Flanders the Municipal Decree of 15 July 2005 applies. In Wallonia

405-528: A school in Brasschaat run by Averbode Abbey was hit by a V-1 flying bomb , killing a monk and three priests. The ancient Brexgata name is found in the designation of an international university association seated in Strasbourg (France). The name was chosen in homage to the municipality of Brasschaat; the organisation's historical research project was initiated in this town in 1999. The town hosts

450-417: Is also responsible for the maintenance of public order in their municipality. They chair the college of mayor and aldermen or the municipal college, depending on the region , as well. In the Flanders and Brussels , the mayor is appointed by the regional government, on the nomination of the municipal council, for a term of office of six years. In Wallonia , the mayor is the municipal councillor who received

495-454: Is responsible for the daily administration of the municipality. It is also responsible for the preparation and implementation of the decisions of the municipal council. The municipal council ( Dutch : gemeenteraad ; French : conseil communal ; German : Gemeinderat ) is the representative assembly of the municipality and consists of members directly elected for a term of office of six years. The number of municipal councillors depends on

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540-630: Is the case for Dutch and Belgian monarchs today. Most notably, the ministers were responsible solely to him. The United Netherlands was divided into 17 provinces and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg which was constitutionally distinct. All of these provinces can trace their origin to a medieval lordship , county , duchy or bishopric , apart from Antwerp (previously part of Duchy of Brabant ) and Limburg (previously part of Prince-Bishopric of Liège and Duchy of Gelderland ). Their status changed when they came under French rule, when their administration

585-468: Is the unofficial name given to the Kingdom of the Netherlands ( Dutch : Koninkrijk der Nederlanden ; French : Royaume des Belgiques ) as it existed between 1815 and 1830. The United Netherlands was created in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars through the fusion of territories that had belonged to the former Dutch Republic , Austrian Netherlands , and Prince-Bishopric of Liège in order to form

630-762: The Belgae displaced them and were in turn conquered by the Romans , who built a major road in the area. After the Germanic invasions in the 3rd and 4th century, the whole region was Christianized . In the Middle Ages the little river Laar, flowing through the woods of the municipality, served as a natural bordermark between the Bishopric of Liège and the Bishopric of Cambrai . The first mention of Breesgata , sometimes also spelt Brexgata , dates from 1269. In 1482,

675-606: The Directoire reorganised the structures of the Ancien Régime . The municipalities with less than 5,000 inhabitants were grouped in so-called canton municipalities. In 1800, these canton municipalities were abolished again and the number of autonomous municipalities became 2,776. Not much changed during the United Kingdom of the Netherlands , only a number of smaller municipalities were merged. In 1831, Belgium

720-655: The Duchy of Luxembourg , which was elevated to a grand duchy and placed in personal union with the Netherlands, though it remained part of the German Confederation . Though the United Netherlands was a constitutional monarchy , the king retained significant control as head of state and head of government . Beneath the king was a bicameral legislature known as the States General with

765-902: The Prince-Bishopric of Liège - the former being part of Habsburg monarchy , while both were part of the Holy Roman Empire . In the aftermath of the French Revolution , the War of the First Coalition broke out in 1792 and France was invaded by Prussia and the Holy Roman Empire . After two years of fighting, the Austrian Netherlands and Liège were captured by the French in 1794 and annexed into France. The Dutch Republic collapsed in 1795 and became

810-435: The regular elections of 14 October 2018 , and the change took effect on 1 January 2019. The mayor ( Dutch : burgemeester ; French : bourgmestre ; German : Bürgermeister ) is not only the head of the municipality but also the representative of the regional and the federal government at the local level. In that capacity, they are responsible for the execution of laws , decrees , ordinances and orders. The mayor

855-661: The steel industry in Wallonia . Antwerp emerged as major trading port. William I actively supported economic modernisation. Modern universities were established in Leuven , in Liège , and in Ghent in 1817. Lower education was also extended. The General Netherlands Society for Advancing National Industry ( Algemeene Nederlandsche Maatschappij ter Begunstiging van de Volksvlijt ) was created in 1822 to encourage industrialisation in

900-625: The Code of Local Democracy and Decentralization applies. In Brussels several provisions of the New Municipal Law have been modified by ordinance , such as the Ordinance of 17 July 2003. The legal framework in the three Regions is still relatively similar, but that could change in the future. Since 1970, the Belgian Constitution includes the possibility to create agglomerations and federations of municipalities by law. This possibility

945-539: The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, French was the de facto official language while German was used in education. Differences between Southern and Northern Netherlands were never totally resolved. The two were divided by the issue of religion because the south was strongly Roman Catholic and the north largely Dutch Reformed . The Catholic Church in Belgium resented the state's encroachment on its traditional privileges, especially in education. In French-speaking parts of

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990-572: The article Communes of Luxembourg for details). New municipalities were created until 1928. There were 2,528 municipalities in 1850, 2,572 in 1875, 2,617 in 1900 and a maximum of 2,675 in 1929. This also includes the municipalities of the East Cantons that were added to Belgium following the First World War . In 1961, the so-called Unitary Law ( Dutch : Eenheidswet ; French : Loi unique ; German : Einheitsgesetz ), of which

1035-532: The federal level to the three regions. This did not instantly have any significant effect on the reorganisation of municipalities, up until the Flemish Bourgeois Government (2014-2019) provided a legal framework and financial incentives for municipalities to consider merging. This led 15 Flemish municipalities to merge into seven, decreasing the total number of Flemish municipalities from 308 to 300. Their municipal councils were elected in

1080-481: The following year. Its independence would, however, be recognized only in 1830. Because of its strategic position in the defence of the port of Antwerp , Brasschaat became an important military outpost during World War I . The Brasschaat fort, still visible today, was built in 1912. Between 1937 and 1939 the fortifications were expanded with additional bunkers and a large antitank ditch. Many of these old military buildings nowadays host colonies of bats. In 1945,

1125-487: The fourth chapter was dedicated to the territorial organisation of the municipalities, was adopted. The authority to abolish municipalities was entrusted to the executive branch for a period of 10 years. Municipalities could be merged on financial grounds or on grounds of a geographical, linguistic, economic, social or cultural nature. In 1964 and in 1969 and 1970, roughly 300 municipalities ceased to exist and were subsumed into other municipalities. The number of municipalities

1170-439: The largest number of preferential votes of the majority party that received the largest number of votes in the municipal elections. Hence, it is also possible that the mayor is not a member of the largest party, as the largest party is not always part of the governing coalition. It is also possible in Wallonia for the municipal council to adopt a constructive motion of no confidence in the municipal college. The executive organ of

1215-621: The long term to offer leadership of the new government to William Frederik themselves rather than have him imposed by the allies. Accordingly, William Frederick was installed as the "sovereign prince" of a new Sovereign Principality of the United Netherlands . The future of the Southern Netherlands, however, was less clear. In June 1814, the Great Powers secretly agreed to the Eight Articles of London which allocated

1260-422: The municipalities of Berchem , Borgerhout , Deurne , Hoboken , Ekeren , Merksem and Wilrijk in 1983 finally reduced the number of municipalities in Belgium to 589 and was the last reorganization of the municipalities for several decades because the merger of the 19 municipalities of Brussels was postponed indefinitely. The fifth state reform (2001) transferred the responsibility over municipalities from

1305-426: The municipality is known as the college of mayor and aldermen ( Dutch : college van burgemeester en schepenen ; French : collège des bourgmestre et échevins ), commonly referred to as the college of aldermen ( Dutch : schepencollege ; French : collège échevinal ), in Flanders and Brussels, and as the municipal college ( French : collège communal ; German : gemeindekollegium ) in Wallonia. This college

1350-609: The north. By the mid-1820s, a union of opposition had formed in Belgium, uniting liberals and Catholic conservatives against Dutch rule. The Belgian Revolution broke out on 25 August 1830, inspired by the recent July Revolution in France. A military intervention in September failed to defeat the rebels in Brussels , radicalising the movement. Belgium was declared an independent state on 4 October 1830. A constitutional monarchy

1395-530: The number of inhabitants of the municipality, and can vary from 7 to 55. It is responsible for all matters that are of municipal interest. Following the Fifth State Reform in 2001, the responsibility for the composition, the organization, the competences and the activities of the municipal institutions were devolved to the Regions , as well as the responsibility for the provincial institutions . As

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1440-475: The number of municipalities in Belgium from 2,359 to 596. Because of the specific nature of the reorganization in Antwerp , the law of 30 December 1975 did not enter into force for Antwerp until 1 January 1983. The formerly-independent municipalities were called districts and were given an advisory function. However, on 1 January 2001 they were given an administrative function again. The merger of Antwerp with

1485-512: The process of territorial reorganization of Belgium. In 1971, the provisions of the Unity Law were extended and modified to apply to large agglomerations, which were initially excluded from its provisions. It was another Minister of the Interior, Joseph Michel, who managed the process. On 30 December 1975 the law regarding the merger of the municipalities was adopted. The merger became effective on 1 January 1977. The merger of 1977 further reduced

1530-576: The region to the Dutch as William had advocated. That August, William Frederik was made Governor-General of the Southern Netherlands and the Prince-Bishop of Liège , which combined are almost all of what is now Belgium. For all intents and purposes, William Frederik had completed his family's three-century dream of uniting the Low Countries under a single rule. Discussions on the future of

1575-632: The region were still ongoing at the Congress of Vienna when Napoleon attempted to return to power in the " Hundred Days ". William used the occasion to declare himself king on 16 March 1815 as William I. After the Battle of Waterloo , discussions continued. In exchange for the Southern Netherlands, William agreed to cede the Principality of Orange-Nassau and parts of the Liège to Prussia on 31 May 1815. In exchange, William also gained control over

1620-453: The south, attempts to enforce the use of Dutch language were particularly resented among the elite. Many Belgians believed that the United Netherlands' constitution discriminated against them. Though they represented 62 percent of the population, they were only allocated 50 percent of the seats in the House and less in the Senate while the state extracted money from the richer south to subsidise

1665-567: The south, while the Netherlands Trading Society ( Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij ) was created in 1825 to encourage trade with the colonies. William I also embarked on a program of canal building that saw the creation of the North Holland , Ghent–Terneuzen and Brussels–Charleroi canals . Willem I felt that one nation must have one language and began a policy of Dutchification in politics and education. In

1710-454: The southern provinces of Antwerp, East-, West-Flanders, Limburg (1819), and the bilingual South Brabant (1823); Dutch was made the sole official language. While in the Walloon provinces of Hainaut, Liège, Namur; French was maintained as official language but Dutch was gradually introduced into education. Although French was still used to some degree in administration in both North and South. In

1755-449: The wars between Catholics and Protestants greatly reduced the population to 420 people and 59 horses. At the end of the plague pandemic that struck the community in 1610, only 26 families were left. The guild of Sint-Antonius , currently still the oldest local association, was founded in 1667. In 1823, Brasschaat became theoretically a municipality of its own, separate from Ekeren . It named its own mayor and municipal council

1800-545: Was centralised, reducing their powers. They included: The United Netherlands was also a colonial power with overseas colonies in the East Indies and elsewhere. Economically, the United Netherlands prospered. Supported by the state, the Industrial Revolution began to affect the Southern Netherlands where a number of modern industries emerged, encouraged by figures such as John Cockerill who created

1845-576: Was divided into 2,739 municipalities, a number which remained more or less constant until 1961. The law of 30 March 1836 regulated municipalities and their governing bodies. The number of municipalities was reduced to 2,508 when the Belgian borders were recognised in 1839, as 124 municipalities were ceded to the Netherlands and another 119 municipalities became the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (see

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1890-608: Was established under King Leopold I . William I refused to accept the secession of Belgium. In August 1831, he launched the Ten Days' Campaign , a major military offensive into Belgium. Though initially successful, the French intervened to support the Belgians and the invasion had to be abandoned. After a period of tension, a settlement was agreed at the Treaty of London in 1839. The Dutch recognised Belgian independence, in exchange for territorial concessions. The frontier between

1935-645: Was only used once in 1971 when the Brussels Agglomeration, comprising the 19 municipalities of Brussels , was put into place. It de facto ceased to exist in 1989 when the organs of the Brussels-Capital Region were established. United Kingdom of the Netherlands The United Kingdom of the Netherlands ( Dutch : Verenigd Koninkrijk der Nederlanden ; French : Royaume uni des Pays-Bas )

1980-433: Was reduced from 2,663 in 1961 to 2,586 in 1965 and to 2,359 in 1971. Article 4 of the constitution states that each municipality must belong to only one of the four official language areas that were established in 1962–63. In the three officially unilingual language areas, a couple of dozen municipalities in the vicinity of another language area must provide limited facilities for speakers of that other language. As only

2025-765: Was signed, fixing the border between the two states and guaranteeing Belgian independence and neutrality as the Kingdom of Belgium . Before the French Revolutionary Wars (1792–1802), the Low Countries was a patchwork of different polities created by the Eighty Years' War (1568–1648). The Dutch Republic in the north was independent; the Southern Netherlands was split between the Austrian Netherlands and

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