"Natuer en kunst gaen hier hand aen hand". Duitslandbeelden in de vroege Vlaamse Beweging (1844-1848)

In the 1840s, the Flemish movement cultivated a strong connection to the German culture. This paper discusses the image of the German territories and German culture, in particular German literature, amongst the Flemish nationalists. An analyses of the pro-German periodicals De Broederhand and Het Taelverbond shows that these nationalists had a very romantic image of Germany as rural and characterized by unspoiled nature. The two periodicals sketch an image of a country where everybody is a poet or a philosopher. In the eyes of the Flemish nationalists, German music and literature managed to keep its ‘true’ folksy character. The authenticity of German culture made it superior to in particular French culture. According to the two magazines, Flanders has to follow the example of the Germans in keeping alive its language and past.

Jaar van publicatie:2019