Malmedy (; german: Malmünd, ; wa, Måmdiy) is a
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
and
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
of
Wallonia
Wallonia (; french: Wallonie ), or ; nl, Wallonië ; wa, Waloneye or officially the Walloon Region (french: link=no, Région wallonne),; nl, link=no, Waals gewest; wa, link=no, Redjon walone is one of the three regions of Belgium—alo ...
located in the
province of Liège
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outs ...
,
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
.
On January 1, 2018, Malmedy had a total population of 12,654. The total area is 99.96 km
2 which gives a
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
of 127 inhabitants per km
2.
The municipality consists of the following
districts
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
:
Bellevaux-Ligneuville,
Bévercé
Malmedy (; german: Malmünd, ; wa, Måmdiy) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Liège, Belgium.
On January 1, 2018, Malmedy had a total population of 12,654. The total area is 99.96 km2 which gives a populati ...
(including the hamlets of
Baugnez
Baugnez is a hamlet of Wallonia in the municipality of Malmedy, district of Bévercé, located in the province of Liège, Belgium.
It is notable as being the site of a notorious massacre during the Second World War.
Baugnez is situated two m ...
and
Xhoffraix
Xhoffraix ( Jean-Marie_Pierret,_''Phonétique_historique_du_français_et_notions_de_phonétique_générale'',_Louvain-la-Neuve,_Peeters,_1994,_p._106._(French_language_pronunciation).html" ;"title="ref group=n>Jean-Marie Pierret, ''Phonétique hi ...
), and Malmedy.
Under the
complex administrative structures of Belgium, which has separate structures for territorial administration and for language community rights, Malmedy is part of
Wallonia
Wallonia (; french: Wallonie ), or ; nl, Wallonië ; wa, Waloneye or officially the Walloon Region (french: link=no, Région wallonne),; nl, link=no, Waals gewest; wa, link=no, Redjon walone is one of the three regions of Belgium—alo ...
and of the
French Community of Belgium
In Belgium, the French Community (french: Communauté française; ) refers to one of the three constituent constitutional linguistic communities. Since 2011, the French Community has used the name Wallonia-Brussels Federation (french: Fédé ...
. But since it has a German speaking minority, it is one of Belgium's
municipalities with language facilities
There are 27 municipalities with language facilities ( nl, faciliteitengemeenten; french: communes à facilités; german: Fazilitäten-Gemeinden) in Belgium which must offer linguistic services to residents in Dutch, French, or German in additio ...
(or "municipalities with facilities"). Malmedy and
Waimes
Waimes (; german: Weismes, ; wa, Waime) is a municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Liège, Belgium.
On January 1, 2006, Waimes had a total population of 6,728. The total area is 96.93 km2 which gives a population density of 6 ...
are the two municipalities in the French-speaking part of Wallonia with facilities for German speakers. The population of Malmedy is approximately 95% French speakers and 5% German speakers. The variety of German spoken is
Moselle Franconian
__NOTOC__
Moselle Franconian (german: Moselfränkisch, lb, Muselfränkesch) is a West Central German language, part of the Central Franconian dialects, Central Franconian languages area, that includes Luxembourgish.
It is spoken in the southe ...
.
Geology
Seismic risks
In the provinces of
Liège
Liège ( , , ; wa, Lîdje ; nl, Luik ; german: Lüttich ) is a major city and municipality of Wallonia and the capital of the Belgian province of Liège.
The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east of Belgium, not far from b ...
,
Limburg
Limburg or Limbourg may refer to:
Regions
* Limburg (Belgium), a province since 1839 in the Flanders region of Belgium
* Limburg (Netherlands), a province since 1839 in the south of the Netherlands
* Diocese of Limburg, Roman Catholic Diocese in ...
and
Hainaut, seismic activity is higher than in the rest of the country. Malmedy is one of the communes in zone 2, that is to say, the zone most susceptible to earthquakes, in Belgium.
The earthquake of 1692, which touched the area of Verviers, as well as being responsible for landslides, took place in the valley of Warche east of Bévercé (in the south of the junction with the brook of ''Trô Maret''). The remains and evidence, of these landslides, which affected the Conglomerate of Malmedy were discovered in March 2015. Ground surveys, subsequently, led to revisions of the local geological map.
History
![Malmedy JPG00](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/Malmedy_JPG00.jpg)
The name of "Malmedy" comes from the Latin sentence "A malo mundarum", meaning "purifying from evil". The name originated due to regular flooding in the past from the
Warche
The Warche is a river in eastern Belgium (province of Liège).
From its source at Losheimergraben on the Belgian-German border, it flows roughly west about , across the south of the Hautes Fagnes region.
It passes through the town of Malmedy, a ...
river, which passes through the town.
The city was founded in 648 by
Saint Remacle
Saint Remaclus (Remaculus, Remacle, Rimagilus; died 673) was a Benedictine missionary bishop.
Life
Remaclus grew up at the Duchy of Aquitaine, Aquitanian ducal court and studied under Sulpitius the Pious, bishop of Bourges. In 625 he became a mo ...
, Abbot of
Solignac Abbey
Solignac Abbey, or the Abbey of Saint-Peter and Saint Paul of Solignac, is an abbey in Solignac, near Limoges, in Haute-Vienne.
It was founded around 631 AD by Saint Eligius (Éloi).
The present buildings date to the 12th century, but have b ...
in France. He had established his Benedictine Monastery in Malmedy. Between this date and 1794, the history of Malmedy is linked to the
Princely Abbey of Stavelot-Malmedy
The Princely Abbey of Stavelot-Malmedy, also Principality of Stavelot-Malmedy, sometimes known with its German name Stablo, was an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire. Princely power was exercised by the Benedictine abbot of th ...
, a
cleric
Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...
al
microstate
A microstate or ministate is a sovereign state having a very small population or very small land area, usually both. However, the meanings of "state" and "very small" are not well-defined in international law.Warrington, E. (1994). "Lilliputs ...
ruled by a
prince-abbot
A prince-abbot (german: Fürstabt) is a title for a cleric who is a Prince of the Church (like a Prince-bishop), in the sense of an ''ex officio'' temporal lord of a feudal entity, usually a State of the Holy Roman Empire. The territory ruled b ...
.
For 1,146 years, Malmedy and Stavelot together formed the Principality of Stavelot-Malmedy. Seventy-seven successive prince abbots of the Germanic Holy Roman Empire and the County of Logne led the state. However, a rivalry grew up rapidly between the two towns, because Saint Remacle decided to choose Stavelot as the main city of the Principality.
In the 16th Century, a significant number of industries appeared in the area of Malmedy: cloth, leather and gunpowder production. In the 17th Century, Stavelot-Malmedy became the most important tannery centre in Europe. But the main industry in Malmedy was the papermaking industry. It brought considerable wealth to the town.
In 1795, during the
French Revolution
The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...
and the
Liège Revolution
The Liège Revolution, sometimes known as the Happy Revolution (french: Heureuse Révolution; wa, Binamêye revolucion), against the reigning prince-bishop of Liège, started on 18 August 1789 and lasted until the destruction of the Republic ...
, the Principality of Stavelot-Malmedy disappeared and was united with France. Malmedy was a lower prefecture in the "département de l'Ourthe".
After the defeat of Napoléon in 1815, during the
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna (, ) of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon B ...
, the decision was made to link Malmedy, a Romance and
Walloon town, to
Prussia
Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an em ...
, a Germanic state. This special situation of Malmedy caused a lot of problems in the first 50 years. However, the inhabitants were free to speak French as they pleased, including in the day-to-day running of the town council.
This situation changed when
Chancellor
Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...
Bismarck took power following the
Franco-German War of 1870. For the Prussian Administration, Malmedy suffered a double disadvantage as it was both francophone and the majority of the inhabitants were Catholic. From this moment, Malmedy was forced to be Germanised. In schools, lessons in French were banned and the German language was mandatory. The priests were not allowed to preach any longer in French.
During the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, the population of Malmedy fought in German uniforms. But when the defeat of the
German Empire
The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...
was proclaimed, Malmedy and the other eastern cantons were annexed to Belgium by virtue of the
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles (french: Traité de Versailles; german: Versailler Vertrag, ) was the most important of the peace treaties of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June ...
. Malmedy and neighbouring
Eupen
Eupen (, ; ; formerly ) is the capital of German-speaking Community of Belgium and is a city and municipality in the Belgian province of Liège, from the German border (Aachen), from the Dutch border (Maastricht) and from the "High Fens" na ...
were subject to a
plebiscite
A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...
to determine whether the region would be separated from
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
and
annex
Annex or Annexe refers to a building joined to or associated with a main building, providing additional space or accommodations.
It may also refer to:
Places
* The Annex, a neighbourhood in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada
* The Annex (New H ...
ed to Belgium. The plebiscite
ballot
A ballot is a device used to cast votes in an election and may be found as a piece of paper or a small ball used in secret voting. It was originally a small ball (see blackballing) used to record decisions made by voters in Italy around the 16t ...
s required registration of the names and addresses of the pro-German
voters
Voting is a method by which a group, such as a meeting or an electorate, can engage for the purpose of making a collective decision or expressing an opinion usually following discussions, debates or election campaigns. Democracies elect holde ...
(the others were assumed to be pro-Belgian), and the German-speaking population of Eupen and Malmedy were intimidated. Both were formally annexed on 6 March 1925.
The main church of Malmedy that was built in 1777 served as a cathedral from 1920 to 1925.
Some old sources spell the city's name "Malmédy" as this accent was intentionally added when being part of
Prussia
Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an em ...
and
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, but its official website lists it as "Malmedy", with no accent. Along with the neighbouring city of Eupen, it formed a German-speaking area of Belgium. This was reversed after the war. During this period, a few undaunted individuals went as far as founding a “Walloon Club” in 1897, and this still exists today.
Between 1940 and 1945, Malmedy was re-incorporated into Germany.
In 1944, during the
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive (military), offensive military campaign, campaign on the Western Front (World War II), Western Front during World War II. The battle lasted fr ...
, the area was the site of the
Malmedy massacre
The Malmedy massacre was a German war crime committed by soldiers of the on 17 December 1944, at the Baugnez crossroads near the city of Malmedy, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945). Soldiers of sum ...
, where 84 American
prisoners of war
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held Captivity, captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610.
Belligerents hold priso ...
were executed by
Nazi
Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in ...
SS troops under the command of
Joachim Peiper
Joachim Peiper (30 January 1915 – 14 July 1976) was a German ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) officer and a Nazi war criminal convicted for the Malmedy massacre of U.S. Army prisoners of war (POWs). During the Second World War in Europe, Peiper serve ...
. This was one of a number of such massacres of prisoners and Belgian civilians which took place in the Malmedy area.
On 21 December 1944 the town, which was then held by US troops, was attacked by German forces (under the command of
Otto Skorzeny
Otto Johann Anton Skorzeny (12 June 1908 – 5 July 1975) was an Austrian-born German SS-''Obersturmbannführer'' (lieutenant colonel) in the Waffen-SS during World War II. During the war, he was involved in a number of operations, including th ...
), who were repelled. On 23, 24 and 25 December 1944 the city was bombed repeatedly by the
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
in a series of
friendly fire
In military terminology, friendly fire or fratricide is an attack by belligerent or neutral forces on friendly troops while attempting to attack enemy/hostile targets. Examples include misidentifying the target as hostile, cross-fire while eng ...
incidents. Approximately 200 civilians were killed in the attacks, while the number of American casualties has never been revealed by the
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD or DOD) is an executive branch department of the federal government charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government directly related to national secu ...
.
Today, the people of Malmedy are a mix of Romance and German cultures. Despite all the changes, the Malmedians seem to have preserved the qualities recognised by an 18th-century English chemist when he stated, “The inhabitants of Malmedy are honest, skillful, opulent, gracious, sociable and courteous towards foreigners.”
Nowadays, the population consists of approximately 12,000 inhabitants. There are seven male choirs, two song groups, four brass bands, an accordion club, a mandolin club and a very active music academy.
Climate
Malmedy has an
oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...
with continental influences due to its inland position and higher elevation. Winter can see ice days, strong
air frost
Freezing, available onlinlibrary.wmo.int/ref> or frost occurs when the air temperature falls below the freezing point of water (0 °C, 32 °F, 273 K). This is usually measured at the height of 1.2 metres above the ground surface ...
s and snowfall. Malmedy's high precipitation is commonly affecting the nearby
Spa-Francorchamps
The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps (), frequently referred to as ''Spa'', is a motor-racing circuit located in Stavelot, Belgium. It is the current venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix, hosting its first Grand Prix in 1925, and has he ...
race track, known for its treacherous weather conditions.
Folklore
![Malmedy carnaval Luc Viatour 5](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Malmedy_carnaval_Luc_Viatour_5.jpg)
Inhabitants are proud of their
Walloon language
Walloon (; natively ; french: wallon) is a Romance language that is spoken in much of Wallonia and (to a very small extent) in Brussels, Belgium; some villages near Givet, northern France; and a clutch of communities in northeastern Wisconsin, ...
and their typical folklore. The people of Malmedy never miss the chance to celebrate a festival. The main celebrations in Malmedy are the “” (Carnival), the “” (Midsummer's Day), the “” (the annual funfair at Saint Peter's Day), the "" (in Walloon “”) and the Saint Martin's day (“”).
Cwarmê
The "", a Walloon word defining the Carnival of Malmedy, is the town's main festivity. Even though a part of the Malmedian culture is linked to the German culture, the "" of Malmedy is actually a Walloon and Latin carnival.
The celebration takes place from
Shrove Friday to
Shrove Tuesday
Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent), observed in many Christian countries through participating in confession and absolution, the ritual burning of the previous year's Holy Week palms, finalizing one's Lenten s ...
, 40 days before Easter. The "" Sunday is the most important day. For the tourist, it's the opportunity to see the old traditional costumes in the streets (2,500 people in costume). The "" is depicted as a "street carnival" and is not only a parade: people who are disguised pass through the crowd and perform amongst them.
Some traditional costumes at the "" of Malmedy
2/sup>:
** The "" is the most beautiful and most famous traditional costume of the "". She has a great hat with multi-coloured feathers and uses a form of long wooden tongs to catch the foot of a spectator.
** The "" (Long-bras in French, Long-arms in English) is a type of clown with long arms. He uses his arms to catch a spectator's hat which he then puts on the head of another person.
** The "" consists of a group of eight people, each wearing a long-nose mask, a traditional blue smock and a long red & white cap. The group chooses a spectator in the crowd whom they follow and imitate until he offers them some beverages.
Image gallery
Image:Malmedy, centraal plein foto1 2009-05-01 10.02.JPG, Malmedy, central square
Image:Malmedy JPG01.jpg, Obelisk in the centre of Malmedy.
Image:Malmedy JPG02.jpg, Malmedy Abbey
The Princely Abbey of Stavelot-Malmedy, also Principality of Stavelot-Malmedy, sometimes known with its German name Stablo, was an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire. Princely power was exercised by the Benedictine abbot of th ...
, founded in 648, the sister of Stavelot Abbey
Image:Plaque near cave in Malmedy.jpg, Plaque next to the shelter where civilians had been hiding during the bombings of 23–25 December 1944
Image:Cwarme.jpg, of Malmedy with and .
Image:Arlequines-Haguète.jpg, of Malmedy with and .
Image:Malmedy.jpg
Polleur stream, High Fens – Eifel Nature Park (DSCF6647).jpg, The North of Malmedy overlaps with High Fens – Eifel Nature Park
The German-Belgian High Fens – Eifel Nature Park (german: Naturpark Hohes Venn – Eifel), often called the North Eifel Nature Park (''Naturpark Nord Eifel''), is a cross-border nature park with elements in the German federal states of North Rhi ...
Noticeable residents
* Christian Brüls (born 1988), footballer
* Joseph Doutrelepont Louis Guillaume Joseph Doutrelepont (3 June 1834, Malmedy – 30 April 1918, Bonn) was a German surgeon and dermatologist.
In 1858 he received his medical doctorate in Berlin, then furthered his education at the University of Bonn as a student ...
(1834-1918), German surgeon and dermatologist
* Marie-Anne Libert
Marie-Anne Libert, (born 7 April 1782 in Malmedy, province of Liège, died 14 January 1865 in Malmedy) was a Belgian botanist and mycologist. She was one of the first women plant pathologists. She is sometimes referred to as "Anne-Marie Libert." ...
(1782-1865), plant pathologist and mycologist
* Guido Maus
Guido Maus (born 5 November 1964, Malmedy) is a Belgium, Belgian-born gallery owner, gallerist, curator, and long-time collector of contemporary art. He is currently living and working in Birmingham, Alabama.
Gallery
In early 2010, Maus opened bet ...
(born 1964), painter and sculptor
* Henri Pousseur
Henri Léon Marie-Thérèse Pousseur (23 June 1929 – 6 March 2009) was a Belgian classical composer, teacher, and music theorist.
Biography
Pousseur was born in Malmedy and studied at the Academies of Music in Liège and in Brussels from 1947 to ...
(1929-2009), composer
* Bernd Rauw (born 1980), footballer
* Olivier Werner
Olivier Werner (born 16 April 1985) is a Belgian former professional association football, football Goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper.
Career
Werner previously played for KV Mechelen, FC Brussels, K.A.S. Eupen, Eupen, R.A.E.C. Mons ...
(born 1985), footballer
* Raoul Ubac
Raoul Ubac (31 August 1910, Cologne – 22 March 1985, Dieudonne, Oise) was a French painter, sculptor, photographer and engraver.
He had various and irregular artistic training and travelled in Europe between 1928 and 1934. He worked mostly ...
(1910-1985), painter, photographer and sculptor
See also
* List of protected heritage sites in Malmedy
This table shows an overview of the protected heritage sites in the Walloon town Malmedy. This list is part of Belgium's national heritage.
See also
* List of protected heritage sites in ...
* Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps (), frequently referred to as ''Spa'', is a motor-racing circuit located in Stavelot, Belgium. It is the current venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix, hosting its first Grand Prix in 1925, and has held ...
, with a corner named after Malmedy. Part of the track lies within the municipality.
References
External links
*
Ville de Malmedy (Belgique)
official website of the city of Malmedy.
Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge (VBOB)
Official online home
Pictures from carnival
Dominic Jacob
*
Recettes Liegeoises et Ardennaises
Recipes from Malmedy and the Liege/Ardennes region.
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Malmedy
Cities in Wallonia
Municipalities of Liège Province