De overlevenden

In this book, historians Antoon Vrints and Martin Schoups (Ghent University) investigate the role and impact of Belgian veterans after the First World War. No fewer than 320,000 (out of 360,000) mobilized Belgian soldiers returned to civilian life after the Armistice. However, they remained "mobilized" as a new and powerful social movement. These veterans defended new social demands, supported by their moral legitimacy. They presented themselves as a specific group with specific claims. They did not integrate into the broader workers' movement. As a separate group, the veterans were extremely active and efficient in imposing their demands.
The book offers an in-depth analysis of the many large and small forms of public street protest.
The book analyses the strategic way in which this movement defended its claims. For example, they stormed Parliament in July 1920, an event that forced the government to submit to some demands. The book sheds new light on the social and political history of Belgium during the Interbellum, but also in a broader sense on the impact of WWI on mass democracy.
The book is one of the results of the BRAIN (Belspo) research project "The Great War from Below", coordinated by CegeSoma (Nico Wouters) between 2014-2018. In 2019, this book was awarded with the Pil-van Gastel Price for History.

An essential book about street protests and mass democracy in Belgium after WWI, awarded with the Pil-van Gastel Price for History in 2019.