Ask a Dutchman!

[mayor]

Didn't know you had it in you to have your own ridiculous ultranationalist territorial claims

As far as I know, these ideas don't have a following anymore. Right after WWII there were some, let's call them, simple minds who thought we should be 'awarded' the above specified lands as compensation and reward for defeating the Nazis....

However, we do have some territorial ideals called 'Groot-Nederland' (Great Netherlands) which includes Flanders.

Spoiler :

and sometimes even the whole of Belgium.
The funny thing is, the idea of a Great-Netherlands that combines the Netherlands with Flanders has also got followers in Flanders where it is called 'Heel-Nederland' (Whole-Netherlands).
In both parts there are also politicians who stand behind this idea.

But I thought your invasion plan entails drowning us in bikes and trailers?

No, we just try to get rid of our trailers and excess bikes

By the way, in the first map, 11 is the district I grew up in and 23 is the city where I live now

Well, time to move or become Dutch isn't it

 

[Takhisis]

Do you enjoy football? If so, who is your favorite Dutch footballer?

on a population of 17 million (16.669.112 in 2011), we have 17 million head-coaches and 18 million opinions about football.

Why is this such a familiar sight in all human populations and England?

As far as I know, these ideas don't have a following anymore. Right after WWII there were some, let's call them, simple minds who thought we should be 'awarded' the above specified lands as compensation and reward for defeating the Nazis....

However, we do have some territorial ideals called 'Groot-Nederland' (Great Netherlands) which includes Flanders.

Spoiler :

and sometimes even the whole of Belgium.
The funny thing is, the idea of a Great-Netherlands that combines the Netherlands with Flanders has also got followers in Flanders where it is called 'Heel-Nederland' (Whole-Netherlands).
In both parts there are also politicians who stand behind this idea.

Ah, great. Reminds me of Anschluß for some reason.


Do our warmongering Dutch here propose to seek redress from the Norse and Danes who pillaged Friesland throughout the Middle Ages?

 

[Agent327]

Those are long forgotten I think. All I can remember is some school wall plates - and that was 40 years ago. Did some reading up on them thar Vikings in-between.

In both parts there are also politicians who stand behind this idea.

None that matter though (and none that I´ve heard of). I think these are typical fringe ideas that never get a large following - in the Netherlands at least.

No, we just try to get rid of our trailers and excess bikes

Oh-oh.. bikes again... Nah, we just stick with lots of cheap cheese, beer and tulips. Oh, and football players/coaches.

 

[mayor]

Why is this such a familiar sight in all human populations and England?

I actually don't really care about football

Do our warmongering Dutch here propose to seek redress from the Norse and Danes who pillaged Friesland throughout the Middle Ages?

I certainly do, but I think we shouldn't stop there.
We also need to demand reparations from;
the English
the Spanish
the French
the Austrians
the Germans
the English
the Americans
the Japanese
the Swedes
the English

None that matter though (and none that I´ve heard of). I think these are typical fringe ideas that never get a large following - in the Netherlands at least.

Well, the most notable Dutch politician that is pro Great-Netherlands is Geert Wilders and the most notable Flemish politician is.... forgot his name for a sec... that guy from 'Vlaams Belang' (Flemish Interest)

 

[Agent327]

Errr... Wilders isn´t ´Groot-Nederlands´. And Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest)... the name says it all. They may have hearty contacts with Wilders´ PVV, but I don´t recall either party ever speaking in favour of merging Holland and Belgium - or even parts of it. Nowadays nationalism is more like provincialism - at least in our little corner of the world. Come to think of it... nationalism is provincialism.

 

[Leoreth]

However, we do have some territorial ideals called 'Groot-Nederland' (Great Netherlands) which includes Flanders.

Spoiler :

and sometimes even the whole of Belgium.
The funny thing is, the idea of a Great-Netherlands that combines the Netherlands with Flanders has also got followers in Flanders where it is called 'Heel-Nederland' (Whole-Netherlands).
In both parts there are also politicians who stand behind this idea.

Just wait until Belgium splits up and divide the spoils with France

Well, time to move or become Dutch isn't it

I thought you wanted to come to us? And actually living in Münster sometimes makes you feel half-Dutch already.

 

[mayor]

Errr... Wilders isn´t ´Groot-Nederlands´. And Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest)... the name says it all. They may have hearty contacts with Wilders´ PVV, but I don´t recall either party ever speaking in favour of merging Holland and Belgium - or even parts of it. Nowadays nationalism is more like provincialism - at least in our little corner of the world. Come to think of it... nationalism is provincialism.

I thought Wilders thinks it's a good idea... and iirc, Vlaams Belang is pro because they just want to get rid of Wallonia.

Just wait until Belgium splits up and divide the spoils with France

meh, I'm not even sure that would be such a good idea..

I thought you wanted to come to us? And actually living in Münster sometimes makes you feel half-Dutch already.

hehe, there are times I feel half-German myself

 

[anandus]

Hey, fellow Dutchmen!
I've made a topic about the Dutch parliamentary elections 2012.

If there's anything important I should add in the openingspost, or if I made an error, please let me know through PM

 

[Agent327]

I don´t think Groen Links (Green Left) is a green liberal party, and I´d simply call CDA (centre-right), CU (centre/centre-left) and SGP (right) Christian parties.

I thought Wilders thinks it's a good idea... and iirc, Vlaams Belang is pro because they just want to get rid of Wallonia.

The reason PVV and Vlaams Belang have contacts is that they think alike on a lot of topics. But Holland joining with Flanders would give us Brussels - you know, where all those European bureaucrats are massed together. I don´t see Wilders wanting Brussels, and the only thing the Flemish guys want from Brussels is to make it Flemish... not gonna happen. Anyway, Wilders think lots of things are ´a good idea´ (puppy cops, head gear tax), but since not ´condoning´ the Dutch government anymore he changed focus to that horrible European Union again. The basic connection between the PVV and Vlaams Belang is xenophobia. (I´m also not convinced Vlaams Belang wants ´to get rid of´ Wallonia, by the way. Their main goal in life seems to be to make Belgium ungovernable.)

 

[Agent327]

An update on the 4th of May Remembrance day: apparently a Jewish organization is filing a case to forbid by law all events that include the commemaration of German soldiers fallen in WW II.

(Link in Dutch: http://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2012/05/08/joodse-organisatie-wil-herdenken-duitsers-op-4-mei-verbieden/)

 

[mayor]

*sigh* some people

 

[Leoreth]

The reason PVV and Vlaams Belang have contacts is that they think alike on a lot of topics. But Holland joining with Flanders would give us Brussels - you know, where all those European bureaucrats are massed together. I don´t see Wilders wanting Brussels, and the only thing the Flemish guys want from Brussels is to make it Flemish... not gonna happen. Anyway, Wilders think lots of things are ´a good idea´ (puppy cops, head gear tax), but since not ´condoning´ the Dutch government anymore he changed focus to that horrible European Union again. The basic connection between the PVV and Vlaams Belang is xenophobia. (I´m also not convinced Vlaams Belang wants ´to get rid of´ Wallonia, by the way. Their main goal in life seems to be to make Belgium ungovernable.)

Wouldn't any partition of Belgium into Flanders and Wallonia have to include a special treatment for Brussels anyway, being a more Walloon than Flemish city?

If the EU was further federalised than it is now, I could even imagine Brussels as a federal district independent of Belgium.

 

[Tahuti]

Wouldn't any partition of Belgium into Flanders and Wallonia have to include a special treatment for Brussels anyway, being a more Walloon than Flemish city?

If the EU was further federalised than it is now, I could even imagine Brussels as a federal district independent of Belgium.

Actually, Brussels is perhaps the most important reason why Flanders hasn't yet seceded right away. Brussels is a "gewest" of Belgium, alongside Flanders and Wallonia. Die-hard Flemish nationalists that favor secession usually claim Brussels, but Brussels would never voluntarily join Flanders.

 

[kronic]

If I were a Fleming, I'd be happy without Brussels. Everytime I go there I wonder how a city looking as degenerated as Brussels is supposed to be the capital of Europe and what that signals to the rest of the world.

 

[Agent327]

Errr...ummm... I didn´t find Brussels degenerated, but that must be ´cause I´m old or something.

Actually, Brussels is perhaps the most important reason why Flanders hasn't yet seceded right away. Brussels is a "gewest" of Belgium, alongside Flanders and Wallonia. Die-hard Flemish nationalists that favor secession usually claim Brussels, but Brussels would never voluntarily join Flanders.

Exactly.

 

[Agent327]

Some interesting news: a paper reported today, based on data of the church in question, dat Mormons have baptized posthumously queen Emma, Wilhelmina and Juliana, as well as prince Claus and prince Bernhard. It had been reported earlier that Anne Frank has also been baptized by Mormons, causing some consternation in Jewish circles. According to an official Mormon spokesman overenthusiastic Mormons have been responsible. Apparently such baptisms have been conducted using official archive data. No mention was made of overturning said baptisms.

(Dutch link: http://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2012/05/09/mormonen-dopen-oranjes-postuum/)

 

[Takhisis]

What? Mormons accept posthumous baptism?

 

[mayor]

What? Mormons accept posthumous baptism?

It was covered in the 'Ask a Mormon' thread a while ago

 

[Takhisis]

Sorry, but I don't read threads from heretic apostates.

Hmmm, we should really talk the Spaniards into retaking the Netherlands to impose proper religious values while we're at it.

 

[Leoreth]

I think the Jews should retaliate by posthumous remote circumcision.