The Yser Pilgrimage () is an annual gathering at the Yser Tower (''IJzertoren'') in

Diksmuide (; ; ) is a Belgian city and municipality in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of proper and the former communes of Beerst, Esen, Kaaskerke, Keiem, Lampernisse, Leke, Nieuwkapelle, Oostkerke ...

West Flanders West Flanders is the westernmost province of the Flemish Region, in Belgium. It is the only coastal Belgian province, facing the North Sea to the northwest. It has land borders with the Dutch province of Zeeland to the northeast, the Flemis ...

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

. This pilgrimage remembers the Flemish soldiers who died while serving in the

Belgian Army The Land Component (, ), historically and commonly still referred to as the Belgian Army (, ), is the Land warfare, land branch of the Belgian Armed Forces. The King of the Belgians is the commander in chief. The current chief of staff of the Land ...

during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and was first organised in 1920. Initially influenced by

pacifism Pacifism is the opposition to war or violence. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaigner Émile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress in Glasgow in 1901. A related term is ...

, it became increasingly associated with the

Flemish Movement The Flemish Movement (, ) is an umbrella term which encompasses various political groups in the Belgium, Belgian region of Flanders and, less commonly, in French Flanders. Ideologically, it encompasses groups which have sought to promote Flemis ...

. It is at the same time a political meeting striving for Flemish political autonomy. The motto of the annual meeting is "No More War", "Autonomy" and "Truce of God". During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

the pilgrimages were organised by the German occupying forces. Because of this link that still persists, Diksmuide became a gathering place of

neo-Nazi Neo-Nazism comprises the post–World War II militant, social, and political movements that seek to revive and reinstate Nazism, Nazi ideology. Neo-Nazis employ their ideology to promote hatred and Supremacism#Racial, racial supremacy (ofte ...

s from all over

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

during the weekend of the ''IJzerbedevaart''. The ''IJzerbedevaart'' had hard times avoiding the publicity to be associated with their armed forces. The Committee organising the ''IJzerbedevaart'' countered by making its message more radical and more modern at the same time. They tried to do this by clearly stressing the original aims dating back to the First World War (No more War, Autonomy, and Truce of God), and by rephrasing these aims to values of present-day interest (Peace, Freedom and Tolerance). They also diversified their activities to a.o. the museum in the ''IJzertoren'' and a music festival for peace (''Ten Vrede''). Some participants did not agree with both the abolishing of the Second World War blemish and the rephrasing of the message. They first tried to take over the organisation, and in 1996 they even physically attacked the president during the ''IJzerbedevaart''. This profound discord further harmed the reputation of the pilgrimage. Eventually the dissenters, who consider themselves to be more radical, split off and formed the '' IJzerwake''.

External links

IJzerbedevaart homepage
Flanders Diksmuide Flemish Movement Annual events in Belgium Belgium in World War I

See also

Further reading

External links