Forgotten histories of Belgian imperialism.

During the 19th century, Belgian imperialism did not only affect the Congo, a whole list of other countries were seen as potential colonies. I'll share a feature story daily. Day 3: GUATEMALA 1/23

via https://www.bibliorare.com/lot/46669/ 

In the middle of the nineteenth century, Belgium faced soaring poverty and nutritional crises. Therefore, Leopold I sought a way to release some demographic pressure of the country. 2/23

In the context of the British encroachment of the area which is now Guatemala, the local authorities across the Atlantic saw in Belgian colonists on their turn as an opportunity to resist the British threat and develop the region. 3/23

Despite the earlier failure of the British by the East Coast of Central America Commercial and Agricultural Company in the area which they suggested to lease, the Guatemalan authorities were able to convince their Belgian negotiation partners. 4/

Count Henri Charles Obert, former stakeholder of the British company, played a pivotal role in this regard. He succeeded in gathering a group of investors. In the meantime, the idea of a Belgian colony in Central-America also started to interest Count Théophile de Hompesch. 5/23

De Hompesch convinced his good friend Leopold I of the Belgium's of the opportunities in the region. Despite initial disintrest, the Belgian cabinet too wanted to explore the possibilities on the prerequisite that a mission was to be sent for additional inquiries. 6/23

In the meantime, the Compagnie belge de Colonisation was chartered in 1841 as the body which had to buy the land from the British and attract Belgian colonists once the reports had confirmed their expectations. 7/23 https://books.google.be/books?vid=GENT900000148980&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

However, several reports on the expected return on investment and rate of succes contradicted the very positive ideas from a few months earlier. The area was dangerous, underdeveloped, and home to rodents, insects and diseases such as yellow fever and malaria. 8/23

One report stated: “ the coast is low, muddy, covered with palm trees containing a myriad of bugs. This part of the bay, until one reaches the Cape of Trois-Points is unapproachable; it leaves an unbelievable odor. All this area must be very unhealthy...” (Fabri, p.48) 9/23

However, one report, made by Compagnie-representative De Puydt, was positive about the proposed plan. The Compagnie agreed upon the publication of this report as the official survey in 1842. 10/23

One year later on May 4, 1843, without consulting the local native population, the Guatemalan government leased the area of 4000m² to the Compagnie presided by De Hompesch in return for 800.000 BFR, 2000 rifles and 6 cannons. 11/23

In Belgium, all sorts of misfits of society were recruited to take this opportunity to get their lives back on track in the Belgian colony of Verapaz as it was called. A beehive, representing the country as a land of honey and milk, was even used as a logo for the project. 12/23

Songs praising the living conditions added to this atmosphere . ‘Wie goat er mee noar Verapas?’ (Who goes along to Verapaz?) for example sketched the image of a Garden of Eden where everyone lived in abundance and joy. 13/23

In reality, the Belgian settlement in Santo Tomas faced one problem after the other in the following years,. Mismanagement, crop failures, authoritarian rule by the Compagnie, a complete lack of knowledge about the terrain, etc scourged the Belgian attempts. 14/23

Already in 1845, Edouard Blondeel Van Cuelebroeck had to rescue the project. Despite Leopold I's ambition to retain his claim over the area, he lacked the funds necessary to keep his Guatemalan project alive. 15/23

Until 1854, the colony was kept alive with government backed subsidies, but after a decade it had become clear the project had no future whatsoever. In Belgian colonial propaganda the idea of this paradise however persisted in the 20th century as this Liebig chromo proves. 16/23

Moreover, José Rafael Carrera Turcios had taken over control of Guatemala. In contrast with his predecessor, he was keen on ousting the foreign influence in his country. 17/23

After a new crushing report, the Belgian government decided to abandon the colony. The Belgians who had not passed away by that time dissolved into the Guatemalan society. 18/23

Remains of the Belgian cemetery in Santo Tomas https://soirmag.lesoir.be/227845/article/2019-06-04/le-premier-cimetiere-de-la-belgique-coloniale-est-devenu-un-depotoir

However, the legacy of the Belgian colony can still be felt in Santo Tomas de Castille as the documentary Tu Ne Verras Pas Verapaz shows. Want to dive deeper into this legacy? Look at the documentary! 19/23 https://vimeo.com/108608838 

A Belgian cemetary can still be found for example and some inhabitants still bear Belgian surnames such as Esmenjaud, Vandenbergh and Haegendoren. The former president of Guatemala Oscar Berger is even of Belgian ancestry. 20/23

So, what do have to remember of this colonial failure in Guatemala? 1) Leopold I too had a very colonial mindset. 2) Belgian imperialist-minded elite was not yet able to turn a colonial adventure into a succes 3) This failure would demonise settler-colonialism in Belgium 21/23

Sources: R. Ansiaux, Early Belgian colonial efforts: the long and fateful shadow of Leopold I, PhD thesis, The University of Texas, 2006. http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.631.229&rep=rep1&type=pdf 22/ 23

Sources II: J. Fabri, Les Belges au Guatemala (1840-1845). Brussels: Académie royale des sciences coloniales, 1955; M. Lafontaine, L' Enfer belge de Santo Tomas le rêve colonial brisé de Léopold I. Ottignies: Quorum, 1998; http://laurentii.be/1841GuatemalaLT.htm 23/23