Belgium is a densely populated country not much larger than the state of Maryland. It is bounded on the north by The Netherlands, on the west by France, and on the east by Germany. The tiny nation of Luxembourg lies to the south. This strategic location has earned Belgium the nickname, “crossroads of Europe.” The Flemish, those residing in Flanders, the northern half of the country, speak Dutch. They make up the majority of Belgium’s population. Wallonia, the region closest to France, is occupied by the French-speaking Walloons. About 98 percent of Belgians are Catholic.
Belgians came to America in greatest numbers during the nineteenth century. They came for reasons no different than many other Western Europeans—financial opportunity and a better life for their families. Belgian immigration records do not appear until 1820. From 1820 to 1910, immigration is listed at 104,000; from 1910 to 1950, 62,000 Belgians came to the United States. During the period 1847 to 1849, when disease and economic deprivation were the lot for many in Belgium, emigration numbers of those leaving for America reached 6,000 to 7,000 a year.
In the late 1870’s, Belgians began to settle in Allouez bringing with them their rich Catholic heritage. Some had been displaced from the Peshtigo fire in the fall of 1871 which swept through their settlements.
When these early Belgians arrived, Allouez had two main wagon roads. They were built in 1863-64, by prospectors who had great hopes that areas south would become a major copper mining district similar to that in Michigan.
One of these roads from the Fond du Lac mine on the range to the Nemadji river, terminated at a ferry landing established on the river near what would become the 4th street bridge. Another road was built branching from this one near to what would become the ore dock scale house site by Bluff creek. It went southwesterly to the Copper Creek mine. (Source: Superior Telegram, February 10, 1906).
Although a copper boom never occurred, as the known deposits were too small or sporadic to warrant serious development, coal and iron ore was beginning to make its mark in the 1890’s when more Belgians came to the area looking for work. After landing in Buffalo, New York, they were sent by representatives of coal and iron companies to work at the coal yards and ore docks in Wisconsin.
St. Margaret offers hope to anyone who wants to turn their life around for the better, but struggles to do so—caught in the grip of a vice and living a life of habitual sin. By her intercession, people have been given the grace to open their hearts to sorrow and have been given the courage to confess their sins in order to receive the gift of God’s mercy. St. Margaret is also the patron saint of single mothers.
As a young woman Margaret eloped (fleeing her stepmother) to become the mistress of a young nobleman. She bore him a son, and lived with him for nine years. When he was murdered by bandits, she viewed the incident as a sign from God to publicly confess her affair.
Although she wanted to return home, her father would have nothing to do with her. Instead, she and her son found shelter with the Friars Minor at their church in Cortona. Margaret earned a living by nursing sick ladies. Later she gave this up to serve the sick poor without recompense.
While still young and attractive, she would sometimes have trouble resisting temptations of the flesh, but after each encounter, she would have such an extreme dislike of herself, she would try to make herself unappealing to men. One time, she even tried to mutilate her face.
Eventually, Margaret joined the Third Order of St. Francis (although some members did not wholeheartedly welcome her because of her past). Her son became a Franciscan a few years later.
After Margaret developed a deeper and more intense prayer life, she began to have ecstasies during which she received messages from heaven. Margaret preached against vice of all kinds and many people, through her, returned to the sacraments. She also demonstrated an extraordinary love for the Eucharist and the Passion of Christ.
The Invasion of Belgium
On August 4, 1914 the Germans began an invasion of the Belgian homeland. 6,000 Belgians were killed, 25,000 homes and other buildings in 837 communities destroyed. 1,500,000 Belgians fled from the invading German army (20% of the entire Belgian population). Some of them eventually immigrated to the United States, and made their home in Allouez.
Support at Home
During the war, parishioners of St. Anthony parish in Allouez followed every detail of the Superior Telegram’s news articles and war maps depicting the fighting in Belgium, but were unable to track the whereabouts of parents and siblings in the old country, many of whom were suffering the horrors of war.
Although the wartime conditions prevented any to even consider returning to the old country, Fr. Hanssens was able to comfort them and give them the spiritual assistance they needed during this most difficult time.
The Belgian priest, who had studied English for two years while in seminary back home, was able to communicate to the Flemish speaking Belgians in Allouez what was being reported in the newspaper.
The Allouez Call to Arms
Eager to respond to the call of distress of their mother country and “fight for their King,” the August 7, 1914 edition of the Superior Telegram reported that “twenty sturdy sons of Belgium” left Allouez to take up arms against Germany. Most of these men had just been laid off at the Allouez ore docks. They were all single. It was the policy of the company to give preference to married men who had families to support.
Belgium Pride
Germany never did manage to occupy all of Belgium during World War I. After the evacuation of Antwerp and Ghent, the Belgian army retreated to the Yser River where they established an impregnable position in an area next to a tiny inland harbor.
The army’s relentless refusal to give up their homeland to the Germans, increased the national consciousness among the Belgians of Ss. Anthony and Margaret Parish.
During the war, they and other Belgian Americans gave so generously to the victims of the war, that an official delegation from Belgium was sent to the United States in 1917 to honor their efforts.
In recent years, WW-I aerial reconnaissance “before and after” photos of Belgium have surfaced showing the destruction (click on photos to enlarge). The top photo shows the town of Passchendaele in 1916. In the town’s center along a curving road is a church. Houses are strung along the roads with a lovely quilt of farmland and pasture all around. The bottom photo shows the same area in 1917.