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Remembered Today:

Research questions for a novel


GKS

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Hello! I'm new here, but have always been fascinated by WW1, and have heard stories about my relatives in Belgium and the German occupation (my great-grandfather clearing fields of bodies, how it affected him, my grandfather born into a house where the Germans were waiting downstairs for my family to leave). Currently I'm doing research and trying to figure out story for my next novel, and have decided to set it in Bruges in the final year of the war, and I have questions that I'm hoping someone can answer.

 

First, does anyone know when the Germans finally left Bruges? I've read that by mid-October the Allies had taken control of part of Belgium, but I'm wondering about Bruges specifically. Also, were there (or could there have been - it's fiction, so I can take some fictional liberties) any final struggles between Allies and Germans in those final days in Bruges? And, importantly, were German soldiers still taken prisoner when they were leaving Bruges (or immediate area)? 

 

Ultimately, I'm trying to figure out if there could have been a situation where the Allies arrived in Bruges (or even immediate area), and confront a German soldier who would understand he's on the "losing side" and have reason to pretend he was actually a Belgian man, to avoid capture or punishment. To do this, I need to figure out what it was like when the Allies arrived in Bruges, if the German soldiers were still there and if the German soldiers at that point would still be captured by the Allies, because that would mean my character would have reason/motivation to evade capture. Again, this is fiction, so I'm just looking to make it as realistic as possible, but if this isn't plausible at all then I need to change course. From what I've read, the Germans were called home for the armistice, but I'm wondering how peaceful the final exit really was, especially it was before everything was official. I've also read that the German army caused destruction in Bruges before they left, but I don't know about the moment the Allies arrived and what happened.

 

I am thankful for any help anyone can provide. It's still early in my research, but the plausibility of this and/or the specifics of dates will shape my focus, so this is greatly, greatly appreciated. That's all, and thank you!

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Welcome to the Forum from a fellow writer.

 

I am sure people better placed to answer your specific questions will be along shortly. However I would add that 'Etappenleven te Gent' by H. Wandt is said to be an excellent account of life in occupied Ghent (not far from Bruges) during WW1 (Though I haven't read it myself).

 

P

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8 minutes ago, Polar Bear said:

Welcome to the Forum from a fellow writer.

 

I am sure people better placed to answer your specific questions will be along shortly. However I would add that 'Etappenleven te Gent' by H. Wandt is said to be an excellent account of life in occupied Ghent (not far from Bruges) during WW1 (Though I haven't read it myself).

 

P

Thank you so much! I will look that up right now. I appreciate the suggestion!

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55 minutes ago, Polar Bear said:

Welcome to the Forum from a fellow writer.

 

I am sure people better placed to answer your specific questions will be along shortly. However I would add that 'Etappenleven te Gent' by H. Wandt is said to be an excellent account of life in occupied Ghent (not far from Bruges) during WW1 (Though I haven't read it myself).

 

P

 

Well, H. Wandt's books are more the tabloids of WWI as they tell al the saucy stories. There are one or two books about Bruges during WWI, like "Brugge bezet". I find the story as explained by GKS a bit far-fetched. As the war wasn't over until 11 November (at least technically), prisoners were made still at the time the Belgians entered Bruges.

 

 

 

Edited by AOK4
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51 minutes ago, AOK4 said:

 

Well, H. Wandt's books are more the tabloids of WWI as they tell al the saucy stories. There are one or two books about Bruges during WWI, like "Brugge bezet". I find the story as explained by GKS a bit far-fetched. As the war wasn't over until 11 November (at least technically), prisoners were made still at the time the Belgians entered Bruges.

 

 

 

Thank you!! Do you happen to know when the Belgians entered Bruges? 

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I think I maybe have found the answer...looks like Bruges fell to the Groupe d'Armées des Flandres (GAF) on/by October 19th. And it looks like the GAF was composed of Belgian, British, and French...I'm curious about this group. I just found this book, which I'll buy and read, POURING WITH RAIN - Troops Fed Up: British Second Army And The Liberation Offensive In Flanders 1918, by Dennis Williams. 

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2 hours ago, GKS said:

Ultimately, I'm trying to figure out if there could have been a situation where the Allies arrived in Bruges (or even immediate area), and confront a German soldier who would understand he's on the "losing side" and have reason to pretend he was actually a Belgian man, to avoid capture or punishment.

 

Potential flaw in the narrative: his German accent would have given him away in an instant.

 

My imagination runs wild a little, but what if the German soldier was a deserter who was given shelter by a Bruges family?

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Just now, JWK said:

 

Potential flaw in the narrative: his German accent would have given him away in an instant.

 

My imagination runs wild a little, but what if the German soldier was a deserter who was given shelter by a Bruges family?

I love that you're thinking about this! Thank you! My thought was that his mother was Belgian, so he actually knows Flemish. And yes, a Bruges family assists. I just wanted to make sure that there would be reason (capture/punishment) for him to fake being Belgian at the time Bruges was taken back. It looks like there was! :)

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2 hours ago, GKS said:

My thought was that his mother was Belgian, so he actually knows Flemish.

 

Aha like that! To make it easier for you I think it’s better to have the mother come from Bruges or immediate surroundings, so that “our soldier” ‘s accent is not too suspicious.

(A slight detour: my mother was from Zeeland, the Dutch province just north of Bruges, and she could hear whether someone was from Kapelle or from Biezelinge (These villages are a full 1,5 km apart!) e.g. Wouldn’t be at all surprised if it was/is the same in West-Flanders)

 

And this “Bruges family”: were they “German-minded” or real patriots? His mother’s family, or just people off the street? Either way: if, after the Liberation of Bruges, the people-in-the-streets found out they were harbouring a German soldier there would/could be repercussions.

 

If I were writing this novel” (Famous last words, and that’s a big IF! ;) ), seeing it’s all fictional, I’d have him as a deserter who find shelter with a resistance-family, and he helps the resistance, as he knows all about the Germans and speaks Flemish fluently.

When the Belgian army enters he is found out, and taken prisoner. And this resistance-family comes to his rescue.

Oh, and “ofcourse” that family has a beautiful 20-yr old daughter, and 1) it all ends in happiness  2) it all ends in disaster (as his German fiancée comes to Bruges to find him after the Armistice)  3) nothing comes of it.

 

:D As I said: my imagination runs wild sometimes!

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12 minutes ago, JWK said:

 

Aha like that! To make it easier for you I think it’s better to have the mother come from Bruges or immediate surroundings, so that “our soldier” ‘s accent is not too suspicious.

(A slight detour: my mother was from Zeeland, the Dutch province just north of Bruges, and she could hear whether someone was from Kapelle or from Biezelinge (These villages are a full 1,5 km apart!) e.g. Wouldn’t be at all surprised if it was/is the same in West-Flanders)

 

And this “Bruges family”: were they “German-minded” or real patriots? His mother’s family, or just people off the street? Either way: if, after the Liberation of Bruges, the people-in-the-streets found out they were harbouring a German soldier there would/could be repercussions.

 

If I were writing this novel” (Famous last words, and that’s a big IF! ;) ), seeing it’s all fictional, I’d have him as a deserter who find shelter with a resistance-family, and he helps the resistance, as he knows all about the Germans and speaks Flemish fluently.

When the Belgian army enters he is found out, and taken prisoner. And this resistance-family comes to his rescue.

Oh, and “ofcourse” that family has a beautiful 20-yr old daughter, and 1) it all ends in happiness  2) it all ends in disaster (as his German fiancée comes to Bruges to find him after the Armistice)  3) nothing comes of it.

 

:D As I said: my imagination runs wild sometimes!

I LOVE IT! You've got the mind of a writer! The accent is a good thing to keep in mind, so maybe I will have his mother's family come from the immediate surroundings. Good idea. And yes, the Bruges family would be real patriots, but there's of course drama there and misunderstandings and they might be accused of working with the Germans (flamenpolitik, I believe?). I'm currently trying to outline it, as I'm researching, to figure out what I need to figure out. Ha. I still have a lot to determine, but everything is helpful! :)

Edited by GKS
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If you have the chance watch "Black Book" , a Dutch movie, about WW2 granted, depicting he fine line between collaboratism and resistance.

 

And, as it's purely fictional, maybe he could a German spy working for the Belgians?

 

Edited by JWK
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. The industrial machinery of the firm  La Brugeoise are destroyed. Likewise the submarine pens in the harbour of Bruges. Electrical plants and water towers are destroyed. Several bridges are blown up. Buildings on the Oude Gentweg and the Amedée Visartplein are set on fire. Several shops are plundered.

 

General von Schröder said his official goodbyes on 17 Oct. On 18 Oct the last allied bombardments took place. The first Belgian soldiers arrived at the Smedenpoort. The Germans are still there. All through the night there is an exchange of gunfire.  

The last German soldiers leave early in the morning of Saturday 19 October by the Kathelijnepoort. Some Belgian soldiers who left their units in search of their families are the first to arrive.  A bit later there is the ‘official’ liberation. Church bells ring and flags appear.

 

A quick translation of a text in "Brugse verhalen uit de Groote Oorlog" (a recent text by the town of Bruges) 

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For background, if you wish to know more about the German occupation policy in Belguim read Isabel Hull's two books, 'Absolute Destruction', (2005); and 'A Scrap of Paper' (2015), both Cornell University. The first of these books is essential for understanding the mentality behind the destruction which occurred in the final weeks of the war, mentioned in the first para of post 214 above.

You talk of the 'Allies'. I don't know what was the British army  involvement was in the relief of Bruges, but the town was the scene of the trial and execution (on the same day) of Captain Fryatt, a British captain in the Merchant Navy who was executed for being a franc-tireur. Specifically, his ship rammed a U-boat. His case was known in the UK and may well have conditioned the views of any British troops toward captured Germans.

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THANK YOU!!! You all are amazing. I can't tell you how valuable this is. The information about the Belgian soldiers arriving is perfect, and I will for sure look up those two books by Isabel Hull. 

 

Thank you!

Edited by GKS
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My advice to anyone thinking about writing a book.

Put in the hard yards to learn about your subject, so that the reader knows that you know what you're writing about.

Generally that means studying and researching your subject from primary sources for years.

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