Edge of Europe - A Belgian Interactive AAR

[G.K.]

As one of de Broqueville's servants told to the press years after his death, de Broqueville always had a good laugh reading the newspaper from the Republican-controlled Belgium. Some have said that he began to gravely underestimate his enemies, often joking about their absolute incompetence, but in fact, he knew that the Republicans are still capable of a good fight. After all - they won the first stage of the war, even though de Broqueville usually blamed misfortune and to a great extent the skills of General DeWitt rather than the virtue of leftist politicians. He knew the man who defeated him in person - after all, he served under DeWitt before he entered the politics.

Yet, the tide has been turning now. According to the news from his spies, mainland Belgium was on the verge of collapse, with political bickering reaching the highest imaginable levels and the incompetence of hardline socialist governments causing hunger, unemployment and misery. Hunderds and thousands left the mainland and, through neutral ports in England, Portugal and France, headed to the Nationalist colonies. Some did so because of their hatred to the new system, some believed in Fascism, but most of those people only wanted a life free of poverty and unemployment. Fascists could offer both, and only wanted the common man's loyalty in return. Many Belgians were eager to seal this trade. Occasionally, The Leader himself visited the port in Broqueville, as the city was renamed, and welcomed the new citizens of Nationalist Belgium.

Italian ships were not an often sight in Nationalist ports, but some Italian steamers en route to Buenos Aires took Belgian refugees from Portugal to Broqueville.​

---

Belgians! Citizens!

Today, your misery and suffering has ended! The first step you took when you left the ship was the first step towards true freedom, freedom from poverty, hunger, insecurity and exploitation! Today, you enter free Belgium, Belgium that will give you work for your hands, bread for your children and protection from those who used you as mere tools to earn their fortune! Republican Belgium claims to give you freedom, but it only frees the demagogues and grand capital and enslaves you, ordinary, loyal, good Belgian people and your families alike. Here, under the African sun, you'll join those men and women who, risking death from the hands of Bolshevik hordes and Savarinist secret police chose not to obey the French-paid traitors from Brussels and go search a bright future for themselves and their loved ones. Congratulations, starting today, you, the true pioneers of modern age, have found the safe harbour here, in Nationalist Belgium under Fascist rule.

Yet, while we enjoy our freedom, we must remember and pray for our brothers and sisters in our homeland, who continue to suffer under the boot of Savarins, Wyngaerts, Dupointes and Van Der Bergs and their goons. All of us have the duty to work and fight for the liberation of our home! The rifles may be silent this day, but any moment, maybe today, maybe tomorrow, new shots will be fired, new bombs will fall, new bayonets will shimmer in the sun. Our enemies will never lay down their arms, they will never let our colony prosper as long as the last Savarinist and Bolshevik in Belgium breathes. A day will come when our struggle will come to an end, and on that day, all of us, you and your brothers and sisters in Belgium alike, will cheer for the new beginning you are experiencing in this very minute. But such happiness must be earned - by hard work and by our blood. Be ready, citizens, for only together we are strong enough to bring our enemies to their knees and punish their crimes against our nation!

Together, as one, Belgian Fascists shall be victorious!

Glory to Belgium!

---

The crowd cheered. By decree of the Leader himself, every loyal family that came to the colonies received a sizeable portion of land and the Fascist state, prospering from rubber and tropical wood trade, even granted its citizens an interest-free loans for the machinery and tools necessary for those who chose to start their own plantation or any small business of their choice.

Meanwhile, Republican Belgium continued to be a target for Fascist propaganda both in colonies and the mainland, where the state countered the spread of Fascist materials by all possible means. The mainland was, according to the Fascists, a living hell of anarchy and poverty.

Fascist propaganda poster comparing the "Republican house" and "Nationalist house" in Wallonia. Dutch language versions were spread in the northern parts of Belgium.​

 

[Andre Massena]

Death to the White Man!

The white man is taking our jobs!

The white man is disrupting our communities!

The white man is taking our land!

Fight against the white man!

Pamphlet from the African Autonomous Movement

 

[viola]

Pamphlet from the African Independence Movement in Fascist-occupied Africa:

Peoples of Africa!


You will have heard of the "Exodus", the migration of Fascist sympathizers from Belgium to our lands.
Let us call it for what it is: Invasion!

Under the old Colonial rule we had to suffer an uncaring administration which ignored our plight, while few white men lived in luxurious residences profiting from our suffering. But now with the Fascists and their "Exodus" it is even worse! Our land is now outright robbed from us to allow the white colonists to build their houses and their factories, our people is forced to abandon the land they rightfully owned for centuries to let these invaders exploit our resources. And worst of all we are still reduced in bondage, barely recognized as Human beings!

This is the beginning of a silent genocide: in the cities, within the richer districts, the whites already outnumber us! Soon our people will be completely forced out of the cities, out of the most fertile lands to let white farmers use them, out of any place the whites wish to occupy and rob from us! We of the AIM are not lying to you: never before there were so many whites in Africa, their numbers are increasing day after day, and more and more land is being expropriated from us to give these outsiders a place to live. We are witnessing a massive invasion and are slowly being turned into a minority in our very homeland!
In the past we were fighting for our rights, now we must fight for our very survival as the Exodus menaces to turn Africa into a white nation, leaving us with no way to defend ourselves from the Fascists' arrogance and greediness.

The plan of the Fascists is clear now: outnumber the Africans to ensure that they will not have the strength to rebel!
We can't let this happen! We must stop this invasion and the the annihilation of our people! We must fight the invaders and retake the lands they robbed! The Fascists wants to take our homes from us, and we will drive them away into the sea!

Peoples of Africa, let the coming of Fascist Hegemony mark the beginning of our fight for self-determination! Fight against those who wish to take our land away! Fight for the survival of the African people and culture from white colonialism!

Let us all fight for a free and Democratic Africa! Bring down the Fascist oppressors, rise in arms for our freedom!​

​

 

[Revan529]

Pamphlet from the African Independence Movement in Fascist-occupied Africa:

Pamphlets that are promptly removed by Stormtroepen and law enforcement officials for their subversiveness and ultimately their anti-Belgian nature.

 

[LatinKaiser]

((Can anyone confirm OOC that the Fascists are oppressing the Africans? This all seems like a bunch of propaganda that isn't based on fact at all. Basically, what is the truth?))

 

[Noco19]

A Statement from the Commissariat of National Security​

The "African Independence Movement" is merely a front for the perpetration of Communistic and Savarinist propaganda to poison the collective well being of the entire Belgian State, a pollutant to the clean waters of the National Spirit. Its message is one comprised of lies, relying on false messages in a vain attempt to confuse and corrupt the Belgian people, leading them away from the flock as a modern Serpent. Our National and Fascist Movement has brought prosperity to the African continent, building the boon of industry and development where once there was not, modernity where once was stagnance.

As such, this "African Independence Movement" shall be treated as it truly is, a seditious and ultimately evil organ of the Communist conspiracy to bring sin and moral decay to this world in the guise of progress. But it only We, the Fascist Movement that has brought true progress to our State, politically, economically, and morally. The illegitimate regime that holds power in the mainland has only cultivated poverty and anarchy, sowing the seeds of an eventual Communistic State, while here in Africa, the people thrive. Any who have doubt need merely look around to see which side is the proper one.

- Field Marshal Lucien van Buskirk, Commissar of National Security, Duke of Brussells

 

[Andre Massena]

((Can anyone confirm OOC that the Fascists are oppressing the Africans? This all seems like a bunch of propaganda that isn't based on fact at all. Basically, what is the truth?))

((Gee, I wonder where all that land they are promising the incoming Europeans is coming from!

Even if the fascist government treats the Africans completely equally, there is going to be conflict between the new settlers and the indigenous people, as there always is))

The fascists say they have brought prosperity and industry and to Africa.

Indeed, they have brought prosperity- to the Belgian swine who take our land.

Indeed, they have brought industry- after firing African workers and despoiling our air with their factories.

-Statement from the AAP

 

[Jako473]

The fascists say they have brought prosperity and industry and to Africa.

Indeed, they have brought prosperity- to the Belgian swine who take our land.

Indeed, they have brought industry- after firing African workers and despoiling our air with their factories.

-Statement from the AAP

"How are your statements even being written? Certainly not by Africans. For they cannot read."

-Random Flemish Guy

 

[Otto of england]

((Can anyone confirm OOC that the Fascists are oppressing the Africans? This all seems like a bunch of propaganda that isn't based on fact at all. Basically, what is the truth?))

((We have passed amendments that give them much better conditions then ever before, I cannot recall if it made them equal but they are a lot more equal then before and thus shouldn't be too agitated.

I also imagine we are buying most of the land the Belgians are getting. Either that or a lot of the land is not owned by anyone in particular.))

I don't see why their is any movements supporting the republicans they haven't done anything to make the Africans condition better, unlike the Fascists we have done more then anyone else.

- Jules van de Velde, Comissar of the Colonial Empire

 

[Andre Massena]

((We have passed amendments that give them much better conditions then ever before, I cannot recall if it made them equal but they are a lot more equal then before and thus shouldn't be too agitated.

I also imagine we are buying most of the land the Belgians are getting. Either that or a lot of the land is not owned by anyone in particular.))

I don't see why their is any movements supporting the republicans they haven't done anything to make the Africans condition better, unlike the Fascists we have done more then anyone else.

- Jules van de Velde, Comissar of the Colonial Empire

((But now there are thousands of angry white people descending on their land. And the land that is not held by anyone is likely worthless. So I wonder who is gonna get the good land now hmm...))

 

[viola]

In spite of the Fascists' attempts to suppress the movement, the AIM continued to propagate its messages. Pamphlets continued to show up in the cities and in the workplaces, while in the rural regions where illiteracy was rampant the AIM sent heralds and volunteers who could read the pamphlets to entire villages.

Peoples of Africa!


As many of you will already know the Fascist oppressors have begun to enlist white men within their armies. Entire regiments are being formed and are composed exclusively of white men! But why are they doing so? Because they want to kill us!

The Fascist dictatorship is turning all white people loyal to them in soldiers because they fear a revolt from what they call "auxiliaries", our own brothers who are forced to serve in the Fascist army and yet are so despised by them, and naturally because they wish to exploit us and turn us into slave labor with no fear of retribution. An army of white men, who fight to keep the privileges gained through our enslavement, is inherently more loyal to the Fascists and can be used both as a counterweight to the auxiliaries and a way to force the African people further into submission, of course through indiscriminate violence.

These new "white regiments" are an enormous threat for every single African living under their domain! We all remember how, under the old Colonial Government, the white soldiers didn't shy from burning entire villages when there was a threat of revolt, but now these "white regiments" menace to make this kind of brutality commonplace! We will no longer be able to live in peace as in any moment the white army could decide to burn our houses, kill our families and brutally punish us simply to scare us into submission and ensure their dominance! We can't hope that these soldiers will show any mercy, as the whites do not care for our plight like our brothers from the auxiliaries do. These soldiers are highly organized and trained, ready to exterminate entire villages and start mass killing just to ensure that none may challenge the cruel dictatorship of Broqueville. The White Terror will be unleashed over the African people and thousands will die, sacrifices offered to sate the greediness and blood lust of the vile Fascist dictatorship .

The plan of the Fascists is clear now: murder, kill, terrorize the Africans so that they will not have the strength to topple us!
We can't let this happen, and we are still in time to stop them! We can crush their armies while they are still small, we can wear them down with guerrilla! Let us rise while they are weak, and even if they are not weak then we must fight for our survival and dignity as Human beings! The Fascists are ready to butcher us all, but we will defeat their armies to save our families and homes!

Peoples of Africa, let the coming of Fascist Hegemony mark the beginning of our fight for self-determination! Fight against those who wish to murder you and your family! Fight for your dignity and your right to live free from indiscriminate violence and state terrorism!

Let us all fight for a free and Democratic Africa! Bring down the Fascist oppressors, rise in arms for our freedom!​

​

---

((Can anyone confirm OOC that the Fascists are oppressing the Africans? This all seems like a bunch of propaganda that isn't based on fact at all. Basically, what is the truth?))

((Truth is subjective. ))

 

[Dyranum]

*Sigh*, well this is a predicament. I am becoming far too old for this, and as such I shall be retiring shortly. It should be noted that my recent inactivity has been in part due to my declining health.
As one of my last actions as a deputy of this chamber, I would like to—for the third time—forward this amendment. If the speaker for the Parliament does not notice it this time, then I do recommend his replacement. Thrice has he ignored it.

Amendment to Chapter 10 of the Constitution—Sanctions Against Violations

—The following articles shall hereby be added to the Constitution:

Chapter 10 – The Constitution

Overruling

Article 9
If it is deemed vital, the provisions of the Constitution may be overruled through a two-thirds majority in the Chamber of Deputies. The following rules of the Constitution may nevertheless never be overruled: [Legislative process], [Foundations of the State], [Structure of the State], [The Judiciary]

Violations

Article 10
The Constitution may not be violated, except for the case covered by Article 9 of this chapter.

Article 11
Whether or not an organ of the state has violated the Constitution is decided by the Supreme Court.

Article 12
Any Belgian citizen may request said Court to review any piece of legislation passed by any part of the state of Belgium.

Effects

Article 13
If the Head of State violates the Constitution, then he or she shall be dismissed, and their Government dissolved.

Article 14
If a legislative organ violates the Constitution, then the offending piece of legislation shall be declared null and void. If it is deemed necessary the members of the legislative organ shall be dismissed and new ones selected.

Article 15
If a Government violates the Constitution, then it shall be dismissed and new elections will be held. An Interim Government may be appointed by the Parliament to replace it until a new Government has been formed.

Article 16
If a part of the Judiciary violates the Constitution, then the offending decision and its effects shall be reversed. Repeated violations by the same individual may lead to further penalties as closer defined by law.

Article 17
In addition to what is said above, any constitutional violations and their effects shall be reversed, if possible. Furthermore, any unconstitutional action or piece of legislation shall be declared unlawful and void of all effect.

Article 18
Compensatory damages shall be awarded to those negatively affected by a violation of the Constitution.

Article 19
Once it has decided that there has been a violation of the Constitution, the Supreme Court may decide to allow the military intervene to uphold the Constitution, if the violation is gross enough to warrant such a measure or if it is otherwise called for in light of the circumstances surrounding the violation.

____
Previous comments on the proposal (it must be noted that these have been reproduced without any changes. As such, a few of the notes within them might be outdated or seemingly taken out of context. However, the motives behind them are still fully understandable):

1. As should be obvious, the part about overruling the Constitution is merely a codification of current practice, though slightly restricted as the Constitution should in principle not be violated—an amendment is preferred.

The part about violations is an expansion on the scant rules in the Old Constitution, defining and detailing it, as well as adding in compensation for those private individuals who have been affected. One should also note that while article 17 is in most cases unnecessary, since there are more specific rules before it; however, it has been included as a general clause in case to catch any cases that do not fall into the other—more specific—ones.

2. As we all know, due to an oversight at the Constitutional Convention, the current Constitution lacks a very vital part. I am not one to leave such important matters to the Supreme Court, for Belgium is a nation of the rule of law—not a nation which should leave central Constitutional matters to the discretion of the Courts. As such, I shall re-propose my past proposal to this Parliament as an amendment.

Currently, there is—as said—nothing on what would happen if any branch of the Government would try to violate the Constitution. There are some old precedents which could be fallen back on, but those were created within the framework of the old Constitution, which did include a few short articles on violations. As such, it is to be determined if they still apply. It should be noted that perhaps the most important of those precedents is incorporated in my proposal, in the article on overruling the Constitution.

3. As a new comment, one should note that the new article 9 allows the Parliament to keep its old practice of overruling the Constitution. Otherwise, such practice would not as a rule be allowed under these changes—unless the Supreme Court were to interpret the effect of the amendment in a different manner that is more in line with old practice and precedents.

___
Additionally, I will also be proposing this second—less important—amendment so as to reorganize the Constitution.

Reorganisation Amendment

—Chapter 8 of the Constitution shall be moved to in-between the current chapters 1 and 2.

—Deputy Suive Opiniâtrement les Régles

 

[Contravarius]

Amendment to Chapter 10 of the Constitution—Sanctions Against Violations

Old, tired and extremely bald mister Socia d'Alist once more declares his firm support for the amendment. He then takes the opportunity to propose once again few of his past plans, arguing that at least the first one would have prevented and defused the destructive actions of the illegitimately ruling "prime minister".

D’Alist Finance and the State Budget Amendment

I - The Bank of Belgium has the sole right to issue Belgian currency. The Bank of Belgium shall regulate currency circulation and shall uphold the stability of the national currency.
II - The Bank of Belgium shall act pursuant to law and shall report to the Parliament.
III - State taxes, duties, fees, fines and compulsory insurance payments shall be provided by law.
IV - The Parliament shall pass as a law the budget of all state revenue and expenditure for each year.
V - The Government of the Republic shall submit a draft state budget to the Parliament not later than three months before the beginning of the budgetary year. On the proposal of the Government, the Parliament may pass a supplementary budget during the budgetary year.
VI - If a proposed amendment to the state budget or to its draft has the effect of decreasing estimated revenue, or increasing expenditure or reallocating expenditure, the proponent of the amendment shall append financial calculations to the proposed amendment which demonstrate the sources of revenue necessary to cover the expenditure.
VII - The Parliament shall not eliminate or reduce expenditure in the state budget or in its draft which is prescribed by other laws.
VIII - The procedures for the drafting and passage of the state budget shall be provided by law.
IX - The state budget passed by the Parliament shall enter into force at the beginning of the budgetary year. If the Parliament does not pass the state budget by the beginning of the budgetary year, expenditure of up to one-twelfth of the expenditure of the preceding budgetary year may be made each month.
X - If the Parliament has not passed the state budget within two months after the beginning of the budgetary year, the President of the Republic shall declare extraordinary elections to the Parliament.

D’Alist Foreign Relations and International Treaties Amendment

I - The procedure for the relations of the Republic of Belgium with other states and with international organisations shall be provided by law.
II - The Parliament shall ratify and denounce treaties of the Republic of Belgium:
1) which alter state borders;
2) the implementation of which requires the passage, amendment or repeal of Belgian laws;
3) by which the Republic of Belgium joins international organisations or unions;
4) by which the Republic of Belgium assumes military or proprietary obligations;
5) in which ratification is prescribed.
III - The land boundary of Belgium is determined by the London Peace Treaty of March 1833 and by other international boundary agreements. The sea and air boundaries of Belgium shall be determined on the basis of international conventions.
IV - The ratification of international treaties which alter the state borders of Belgium requires a two-thirds majority of the membership of the Parliament.
V - The Republic of Belgium shall not enter into international treaties which are in conflict with the Constitution.
VI - If laws or other legislation of Belgium are in conflict with international treaties ratified by the Parliament, the provisions of the international treaty shall apply.

 

[ThunderHawk3]

Death to the ((Censored))!

((I have a problem with this, as I believe it represents a explicit incitement to racial hatred and therefore violates thread and forum rules. You can confirm it with the mods if you like, but I believe text like this - directed towards any race, ethnicity, or color - is banned on the Paradox Forums, even for RP purposes.

It's not the first message I've seen that could be interpreted as an incitement to racial violence or hatred. I recall a few during the convention, and I don't want it to become a regular occurrence in this thread.

Do Not - EVER - Incite Racial Violence in This Thread!

Doing so risks the thread being closed and I won't tolerate it.))

((Can anyone confirm OOC that the Fascists are oppressing the Africans? This all seems like a bunch of propaganda that isn't based on fact at all. Basically, what is the truth?))

((Given that the mainland government before the fascists ever came were oppressing the Africans, it seems likely that the fascists are also oppressing the Africans.))

 

[ThunderHawk3]

((Sorry for the double-post here guys, but I have a small announcement of sorts. For those who don't know, I'm an unsuccessful professional author. Tomorrow, I'm beginning a new writing project that will consume virtually all of my time. It will probably last through the entire month of August. I expect updates will be patchy for the remainder of the month. That said, I'll try to get everything done.))

 

[Andre Massena]

((Sorry))

 

[Maxwell500]

A Pronouncement of the President of the Republic
Joséphine Henriette Savarin​

In the interests of national unity and to prove to the people of Belgium and of the world the resolve of its leaders against all threats, be they internal or external, we have decided to form a government of all parties, of people from all walks of life; looking past any divisions we have had in the past or even now. It is now the time that we stand steady and reclaim the entirety of the Belgian nation from the grasps of Fascism.

Without further adieu, I do hereby present it:

Prime Minister: Pierre Savarin [NDP]
Deputy Prime Minister: Robert Marie Léon D'Ursel [Independent]
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs: Pierre Savarin [NDP]
Secretary of State for Defence: Hugues l'Espagne [LDP]
Secretary of State for Finance: Paul St. Cloud [LDP]
Secretary of State for the Interior: Suive Opiniâtrement les Régles [BSU]
Secretary of State for the Colonies: Gerrard van Prinsterer [BSU]
Secretary of State for Commerce: Adelaide Van der Wyngaert [LDP]
Secretary of State for Justice: Rip van Winkle [FRP]
Secretary of State for Education: Jean di Picardie [BSU]
Secretary of State for Labour and Welfare: Pieter Hendrickx [BSU]

Joséphine Henriette Savarin
President of the Republic

 

[sealy300]

I will continue my role as minister of education to all of my abilities, I also need to say that I am giving the role of the BSU representative-in-government to Gerrard van Prinsterer, since in the last primary he was the next highest voted, if anyone would like to contest this, I am perfectly willing to hold a new primary.

Jean di Picardie.

 

[Belgiumruler]

Name: Ernest 'Vriend' van't Boske
DoB: 25 October 1885
Party: BSU
Bio: Ernest was born in a poor farmer's family close to Antwerp. When he grew up, he went to study medicine in Brussels. After that he left Belgium to fight in the Russian revolution at the side of the communists. When he returned to Belgium, the great war was in full swing and he joined the army. After the war, he went to France and helped overthrowing the government, participating in another revolution. He returned to Belgium once more to help the workers, and to attempt to use the chaos in the civil war to initiate a socialist takeover of the government...

 

[TJDS]

Minister of Colonies, a cruel prize, but I cannot refuse it, as a great poet once said: For You, Belgium, Every Thought, Every Deed. I humbly accept the office of Party Leader, God save the BSU!

Father Gerrard van Prinsterer