Unofficial flag of Moresnet (1883)

Moresnet or Neutral Moresnet was a tiny European territory of about 3.5 km² (1.4 mi²) that existed from 1816 to 1919. Its two large neighbors (The Netherlands and Prussia) could not agree on who should own it, deciding therefore to make it a neutral territory where both would share control equally. It was located some 7 km (4 mi) southwest of Aachen, directly south of where the borders of Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands intersect on the Vaalserberg. Image File history File links Flag_of_Moresnet. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Moresnet. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Year 1816 (MDCCCXVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Year 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ... Motto: Je Maintiendrai (Dutch: Ik zal handhaven, English: I Shall Uphold) Anthem: Wilhelmus van Nassouwe Capital Amsterdam1 Largest city Amsterdam Official language(s) Dutch2 Government Parliamentary democracy Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Beatrix  - Prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende Independence Eighty Years War   - Declared July 26, 1581   - Recognised January 30, 1648 (by Spain... For other uses, see Prussia (disambiguation). ... Oche redirects here; in darts the oche is the line from which players must throw. ... The highest point in the Netherlands The Vaalserberg (Mount Vaals) is a mountain of 322. ...

Rise

Neutral Moresnet and surroundings: 1: The Netherlands; 2: Belgium, Liège province; 3: Neutral Moresnet; 4: Prussia, Rhine province.
1 and 2 were both part of the United Netherlands until 1830.

During the Congress of Vienna of 1815 the European map was significantly redrawn to accommodate the new political balance of power. One of the borders to be delineated was the one between the new United Kingdom of the Netherlands and Prussia. For the most part both parties agreed on the border as it mostly followed older lines, but in the mairie (district) of Moresnet there was a problem. Between the villages of Moresnet and Neu-Moresnet lay the valuable zinc mine called Vieille Montagne (French) or Altenberg (German). Both the Netherlands and Prussia were keen to include this resource in their territory. On 26 June 1816 a compromise was reached: the mairie of Moresnet would be divided into three parts. The village of Moresnet itself would become Dutch, Neu-Moresnet would become part of Prussia, and the mine and the adjacent village of Kelmis (La Calamine in French) would, for the mean time, become neutral territory with both nations establishing a joint administration for the area. Formal installation of border demarcation markers for the territory occurred on 23 September 1818. Image File history File links Moresnet. ... Image File history File links Moresnet. ... Motto: Je Maintiendrai (Dutch: Ik zal handhaven, English: I Shall Uphold) Anthem: Wilhelmus van Nassouwe Capital Amsterdam1 Largest city Amsterdam Official language(s) Dutch2 Government Parliamentary democracy Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Beatrix  - Prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende Independence Eighty Years War   - Declared July 26, 1581   - Recognised January 30, 1648 (by Spain... Liège is the easternmost province of Wallonia and of Belgium. ... For other uses, see Prussia (disambiguation). ... The Rhineland (Rheinland in German) is the general name for the land on both sides of the river Rhine in the west of Germany. ... The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Limburg in 1839 1, 2 and 3 United Kingdom of the Netherlands (until 1830) 1 and 2 Kingdom of the Netherlands (after 1830) 2 Duchy of Limburg (In the German Confederacy after 1839 as compensation for Waals-Luxemburg) 3 and 4 Kingdom of Belgium (after... Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix commemorates the July Revolution 1830 (MDCCCXXX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The Congress of Vienna was a conference between ambassadors, from the major powers in Europe that was chaired by the Austrian statesman Klemens Wenzel von Metternich and held in Vienna, Austria, from November 1, 1814, to June 8, 1815. ... April 5-12: Mount Tambora explodes, changing climate. ... The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Limburg in 1839 1, 2 and 3 United Kingdom of the Netherlands (until 1830) 1 and 2 Kingdom of the Netherlands (after 1830) 2 Duchy of Limburg (In the German Confederacy after 1839 as compensation for Waals-Luxemburg) 3 and 4 Kingdom of Belgium (after... For other uses, see Prussia (disambiguation). ... General Name, symbol, number zinc, Zn, 30 Chemical series transition metals Group, period, block 12, 4, d Appearance bluish pale gray Standard atomic weight 65. ... Vieille Montagne is the name of a former zinc mine in Kelmis (La Calamine), a town in Belgium between Liège and Aachen. ... is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1816 (MDCCCXVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Kelmis (in French, La Calamine) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. ... In international law, a condominium is a territory in which two sovereign powers have equal rights. ... is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1818 (MDCCCXVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

The new territory of Neutral Moresnet had a more or less triangular shape with the base being the main road from Aachen to Liège. The village and mine lay just to the north of this road. Beside it two straight lines went northwards coming ever closer to each other until they finally met on the Vaalserberg. When Belgium gained its independence from the Netherlands in 1830 the land on the Dutch side came under Belgian control and therefore the Belgians took over the position of co-administrator (though technically the Dutch never formally ceded control). The territory was governed by two royal commissioners, one from each neighbor. In 1859, it was granted a greater measure of self-administration when a mayor and a council of ten members were installed, with the mayor appointed by the two commissioners. A triangle. ... The city of Liège (Dutch: Luik, German: Lüttich) on the Meuse River is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège, of which it is the capital. ... Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix commemorates the July Revolution 1830 (MDCCCXXX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Year 1859 (MDCCCLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Neutral Moresnet and surroundings: 1: The Netherlands; 2: Belgium, Liège province; 3: Neutral Moresnet; 4: Prussia, Rhine province. ...

Life in Neutral Moresnet was dominated by the zinc mine as the major employer, which attracted many workers from the neighboring countries, though the total population of the territory never exceeded 3000. Living in the territory had several benefits. Among these were the low taxes, the absence of import tariffs from both neighboring countries, and low prices compared to just across the border. Most services such as the mail were shared between Belgium and Prussia (in a fashion similar to Andorra). The local population also had the right to choose which country's military service and jurisdiction they wished to belong to. A downside to their special status was the fact that people from Neutral Moresnet were considered to be stateless and were not allowed a military of their own. Tax rates around the world Tax revenue as % of GDP Economic policy Monetary policy Central bank   Money supply Fiscal policy Spending   Deficit   Debt Trade policy Tariff   Trade agreement Finance Financial market Financial market participants Corporate   Personal Public   Banking   Regulation        For other uses of this word, see tariff (disambiguation). ...

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The Three-Country Point in Vaalserberg today. Before 1915 this was also the location of Neutral Moresnet's apex.

When the mine was exhausted in 1885, doubts arose about the continued survival of Neutral Moresnet. Several ideas were put forward to establish the territory as a more independent entity, amongst which were a casino and a postal service with its own stamps, though this last idea was thwarted by the local government. The most remarkable initiative came from Dr. Wilhelm Molly, who in 1908 proposed making Neutral Moresnet the world's first Esperanto-speaking state, named Amikejo ("place of friendship"). The proposed national anthem was an Esperanto march of the same name. A number of Kelmis residents learned Esperanto and a rally was held in Kelmis in support of the idea of Amikejo on 13 August 1908. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1028x1710, 121 KB) Please see the file description page for further information. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1028x1710, 121 KB) Please see the file description page for further information. ... The highest point in the Netherlands The Vaalserberg (Mount Vaals) is a mountain of 322. ... Year 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday[1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... 1885 (MDCCCLXXXV) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article is about the language. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ... is the 225th day of the year (226th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1908 (MCMVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ...

However, time was running out for the tiny territory. Neither Belgium nor Germany had ever surrendered its original claim to it. Around 1900 Germany in particular was taking a more aggressive stance towards the territory and was accused of sabotage and of obstructing the administrative process in order to force the issue. In 1914, during World War I, Germany invaded Belgium, and the Germans annexed the area in 1915. Ğ: For the film, see: 1900 (film). ... Year 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... Ceremonies during the annexation of Hawaii. ... Year 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday[1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

Articles 32-33 of the post-war Treaty of Versailles of 1919 settled the matter of the "temporary neutrality" established a hundred years earlier by awarding the territory of Neutral Moresnet to Belgium, along with the German municipalities of Eupen and Malmedy.[1] The Germans would briefly re-annex the area during World War II, but it was returned to Belgium in 1944. Under Belgian administration the territory became the commune of Kelmis (La Calamine), which in 1977 absorbed the neighboring communes of Neu-Moresnet and Hergenrath. This article is about the Treaty of Versailles of June 28 1919, which ended World War I. For other uses, see Treaty of Versailles (disambiguation) . The Treaty of Versailles (1919) was a peace treaty which officially ended World War I between the Allied and Associated Powers and Germany. ... Year 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ... St Nikolaus church in Eupen Eupen is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège, 15 km from the German border (Aachen), from the Dutch border (Maastricht) and from the nature reservation Hohes Venn (Ardennes). ... Geography Country Belgium Community French Community Region Walloon Region Province Liège Arrondissement Verviers Coordinates , , Area 99. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Year 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Kelmis (in French, La Calamine) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. ...

Today, Dr. Molly's vision of an Esperanto state inspires interest in the territory's history among the Esperantists of the world. A small museum in Neu-Moresnet, the Göhltal Museum (Musée de la Vallée de la Gueule), includes exhibits on Neutral Moresnet. Of the 60 border markers for the territory, more than 50 are still standing.

Note the name in Dutch for the road leading to Moresnet: it translates as 'road of the four borders', whereas the French name translates as 'road of the three borders'. [2]

See also

• Mayors of Moresnet

Neutral Moresnet and surroundings: 1: The Netherlands; 2: Belgium, Liège province; 3: Neutral Moresnet; 4: Prussia, Rhine province. ...

External links

• Neutral Moresnet
• Pictures of the old mines at Moresnet