ABSTRACT
As the centennial approached, Belgium had to address a commemorative program with tourist, commercial, academic, cultural, educational, and international aspects. The museums discussed in this book also had to tend to similar issues. Events, exhibitions, funding, and marketing for towns and institutions had to be parsed through the Belgian political structure with an eye to the reverence the anniversary demanded. Belgium had to approach the story of the war through a federal Belgian as well as regional Flemish or Walloon perspective. As a result, the commemoration was prepared and implemented according to the competences between the federal level and the regions/communities. This chapter provides a history of the commemorative strategies that began as early as 2009 – with new initiatives funded, introduced, and planned for the years 2014–2018 – through the multifaceted structure of the country. In the preparations leading to the initiatives and themes that were eventually adapted, the discussion was not without dispute from members of the academic community. With a full awareness that the centennial would be deeply connected to exceptional monetary profit from tourists, there was a call to at least note that this renewed interest in the war should add to public history as well. 1
