Work and Play in Belgium, 1950s

[Music] Belgium though only a small country with a population no greater than that of New York City has played an important role through the centuries in all facets of Europe's development political economic and cultural to understand Belgium should first get to know her cities her Capital Brussels abounds in strange and beautiful contrasts her fine old Cathedrals remind us that Belgium is traditionally Catholic but freedom of religion is guaranteed by law the Royal Palace reminds us that Belgium is a constitutional monarchy as in the United States governmental power is three-fold executive legislative and judicial this is the Palace of Justice one of Europe's most impressive buildings and finally Brussels ancient Market Square gives proof of the fact that Belgium is an old country rich in history the Cobble square is surrounded by Perfect specimens of medieval and Renaissance architecture including the guild houses whose lavish decorations indicate the profession of the guild members and the town hall with its beautiful sculpture policemen directors to the oldest citizen of Brussels this humorous 17th century figure while Brussels is an old city it is also one of the gayest most modern Capitals in Europe Americans feel at home here amid the traffic jams Billboards and neon signs of the Main Street and wide boulevards and stately roads lead out to the peaceful suburbs where apartment dwellers enjoy a quiet neighborhood and an orderly existence in the modern buildings for which Brussels is famous [Music] located in the residential section is one of Belgium's four National universities the University of Brussels the Rival of Brussels in economic importance and Architectural beauty is antp fourth largest sea port in the world and capital of flamish culture and art could it be the influence of American soldiers that made ice cream so popular in Belgium well they're happy and content with their Suite even though oblivious of the fact that the most beautiful Gothic Spire in Northwestern Europe is right behind [Music] them motorists from the West enter antp through a tunnel beneath the skelt river if strangers are at first puzzled by ANP by the exuberance of her people by the Baroque architecture they should remember that here Peter Paul Rubin created his masterpieces in the 17th century they can visit his home steep themselves in the colorful Vitality of paintings perhaps then they will understand the spirit of [Music] antwork as a great Seaport antp has always been a wealthy City conditioned by daily contact with the foreign patrons of their Harbor antp citizens are modern and Cosmopolitan in their [Music] attitudes the superior Harbor facilities of ANP though she is 50 Mi Inland are connected with the North Sea by the skelt river in addition the Ry and M Rivers plus a network of interlinking canals afford the city easy access to France and Germany thus making antp a Natural Bridge head for Western Europe's overseas trade in the last pre-war year her 30 m of docks were on the registers of more than 50,000 vessels from all over the world today antp is busier than ever [Music] Gant the most typical of Flemish towns and the second largest port of Belgium is heavily Laden with memories archaeological findings here prove that gent history extends as far back as the 7th Century dating from the 12th century is the remarkable castle of the counts unique in Belgium and one of the most important buildings of its kind in Western Europe besides her claim to fame as a seport gent is a manufacturing and Commercial town of first Rank and also the renowned Center of Belgian horiculture gent's Harbor with its six miles of modern docks is connected with the North Sea by one of Belgium's greatest [Music] canals barges of all sizes are the backbone of Belgium's important Inland transportation system in Belgium when folks work they work hard and when they play they put all their cares aside and play with Vigor and enthusiasm G Sportsmen take their archery seriously the town Champion is an honored [Music] man and there he is the champion of portly old gentlemen who takes great pride in his skill [Music] Belgium has many local and national holidays and a host of special religious festivals the effervescent belgians would be lost without an excuse for frequent street singing and dancing here they've come out to watch a local group dressed up in Dutch costumes for a solid week in July merrymaking citizens of gent Clos down their shops and factories and throng the streets with song and laughter each night they dance in the public squares which have been gay illuminated for the occasion it's Festival time in vanders [Music] of all the Flemish towns Brugge is the most perfect in quaint medieval charm centuries ago Brugge was a wealthy Inland port a thriving commercial City Exquisite buildings like this 14th century Town Hall remain as beautiful momentos of a glorious past Yan vanike and Hans memling 15th century Flemish artists and both citizens of Bruce are among the greatest painters who have glorified [Music] Belgium notice the Steed gables on the houses a feature prevalent in all 17th century architecture of the lowlands lace originated in Flanders and Brugge is the queen of the lace cities little children learn the art in school and whole families make their living this way lace making is one of the few remaining cottage industries in Belgium [Music] the entire North Sea Coast of Belgium only 40 m in length is in reality One Long Beach like the Americans belgians dearly love to Trek to the seashore come summertime they have built fashionable Seaside Resorts every mile or so along their short Coastline by Auto Train and and even on tandem bicycles the vacationists arrive the boardwalks are lined with popular hotels and concessions belgians of all classes are able to enjoy the fine white sand and the brisk Waters of the North Sea Coast this is a favorite vacation spot not only with belgians but with many other Europeans belgians are notoriously Thrifty look they've even found a happy use for the wartime amphibian for those who have the luck as well as the cash the casino at Zuta is an irresistible attraction and of course all the resort towns offer a variety of sports other than swimming tennis golf riding fishing and family outings in strange Contraptions like these is it a bike or a car well anyhow it's plenty of [Music] exercise Belgium is divided into to french-speaking wallonia to the South and dutch-speaking Flanders to the north Brussels is located between these sections in the bilingual province of bravant generally speaking W onia is industrial Flander is agricultural though since the discovery of the limberg coal mines industry has gradually been moving northwards because of her important Agricultural Product flax Flanders is Belgium's textile center the Flemish first developed linen from their flax and then also imported wool and cotton which they soon learn to weave into Superior Fabrics many thousands are employed by the textile industry some of them learn their trade in schools like this one the linen factories turn out everything from dish towels to the finest most expensive Yard Goods luxury linens are the specialty of the [Music] industry Belgium is the most heavily populated country in Europe therefore all of her food production is consumed at home although her fertile land is intensively cultivated Belgium must depend heavily on Imports to feed her [Music] population Belgian horses are famous for their size and strength many an Indiana farmer is proud to own some today the Belgian farmer is anxious to acquire more and more new equipment he needs all the mechanized Aid he can get in order to boost his production still higher the two staple food articles he produces in greatest quantity are potatoes and Rye principal industrial crops are sugar beats flax and tobacco Belgian Farmers have reason to be proud despite the fact that they have been tilling their soil for thousands of years the yield per acre is reputed to be among the highest in the world because of her location Belgium has been the Battleground for almost every European War fought in the last few centuries for that reason many of the numerous holidays and parades that belgians go in for so energetically have a connection with heroic battle dates of the historic past each little town has its sad or glorious memories to parade three times as many belgians are engaged in Industry as in agriculture the Industrial Revolution which began in England spread through Belgium to the continent giving Belgium a preeminent position in the Machine Age lying upon the northern side of an ancient mountain chain long worn down to a low level Belgian soil contained large amounts of coal as well as iron lead and zinc today only coal remains in abundance and almost the entire industrial energy of the country is derived from this important natural resource the coal mines are located in both parts of Belgium heavy industry first developed in walon later in Flanders production includes coal Coke pig iron finished seal and finished iron the most important single factor in Belgium's continued industrial growth is her only colony the Belgian Congo which is a rich source of minerals and also of tropical products such as rubber coffee and oils after World War II Belgium's coal needed by every industry in the country making consumer goods was recognized as the key to economic recovery the present daily average extraction of coal here is 85,000 tons an indication of Belgium's heavy industrial activity is found in pre-war statistics these show Belgian steel production to have been 51 tons of raw steel per 100 people compare this with the United States output of 470 tons per 100 people of her Industrial Products those fabricated in steel are most important everything from nails to electrical Machinery ships and Railway equipment incidentally Belgium's Railway network is the most dense in [Music] Europe despite heavy industrialization handycraft still flirt in Belgium where clay used for China Crockery and hand turn Pottery is found in abundance the skilled Craftsman is an honored man in this [Music] country not far from Belgium's industrial center is her vacation land in a country as Tiny as this only slightly larger than the state of Maryland folks are indeed lucky to have such a variety of holiday spots from which to choose the M river section in the Rolling Hills of Central and Southern Belgium is the happy choice of many along the river they find beautiful and historic towns for example namir with her ancient bridge and Citadel is a favorite of all tourists both Belgian and foreign here the streets of namir are crowded with Spectators who have come to view the annual Riata [Music] belgians are inveterate bicyclists hikers and campers entire families arrive on foot bike or by Auto to pitch their tents along the River Bank perhaps because of their history as well as their country's location belgians have grown to combine the industrious of Northern lands with a gayety of Latin peoples to the South they are both practical and artistic Frugal and fond of good living in other words they work hard but when they play they have the best of fun [Music] inhabitants of den call their beautiful Old Town the pearl of the M River Den which lies at the foot of the Arden mountains is distinguished by an unusual 13th century Cathedral and by an 11th century Citadel which overlooks the town from a towering Cliff since the year 1040 the ancient Fort has figured in all the various Wars in which Belgium has been involved in World War II heavy Fighting by the American Army resulted in the capture of the fort from the Germans now with recent damages repaired the fort is crowded with guided tours and folks who climb at top it enjoy a superb view of the town and [Music] River Southward from din is the Arden mountain region the Arden section beautiful with its copper Beachwood forests winding roads and Broad vist is not so heavily populated as industrial Belgium except perhaps in summertime when vacationists by the Thousand head this way a Cavalcade of hikers bicyclists Motorcars and buses proves that belgians who don't go to the seashore prefer the Open Country for that two weeks with pay or the leisurely holiday weekend The Chateau Darden wants a summer Resort of the royal family is now a luxurious Hotel among others generals Eisenhower and Bradley enjoyed brief resits here during the late war in 1944 bastona became famous as the nut City where General mlli when commanded by the Germans to surrender replied in typical American fashion nuts today bastona is rapidly recovering from its War damages vacationists who don't bring along camping equipment find that the little ends of the Arden are comfortable as well as [Music] picturesque in spite of its size Belgium has the scenic variety of a much larger country how different this is from the lowlands of Flanders or the sunny beaches of the North Sea Coast typical of Belgium's fashionable Resort towns is Spa whose healthful Waters and mineral baths attract visitors from all over Europe standing at the Gateway of this tourist region of the Arden is liage an important industrial city Le is the natural center for the coal mining and metallurgical Industries in her neighborhood nearby is Val salom home of Belgium's famous Glass Factory you see truly Master Craftsman at work here the glass blow etchers and Cutters of V salom this glasswar most of it hand designed and executed by age-old but infallible methods has achieved world renown for its superb quality and Beauty lace linen and handmade glassware are Belgium's Exquisite contributions to the World Market of luxuries although Flanders grows the majority of Belgium's Farm produce there are section in wallonia and brabant also that are noted for certain fruits and vegetables one of these sections is located around the town of hyart which could aptly be called the city of glass 37,000 sparkling green houses crowd the Landscapes Growers specialize in Superior Hot House grapes plums peaches and tomatoes Belgium's climate is temperate but variable Greenhouse culture here assures a plentiful supply of consistently perfect fruit of Belgium's four universities Lan is probably best known to Americans who contributed so largely to the Reconstruction of its famous library after World War I all of Belgium's young people take seriously the old adage of a sound mind in a sound body early they manifest that strong characteristic of their older Country the ability to work industriously and the capacity to play hard to do well and with enthusiasm everything they undertake the typical Belgian is energetic and well adjusted ambitious both for himself and for his country history has proved that his spirit is indomitable despite the succession of unwanted and devastating Wars today he looks to the Future in his free country confident in the knowledge that his government recognizes the equality of men and and their inalienable right to progress and happiness it is this philosophy that motivates the Belgian whether at work or at Play [Music]