Flanders today APRIL 3, 2013
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A win-win
Bring it, spring
“Quick-win” ideas for the economy include more young people being hired by the Flemish government
The blossoms in Limburg are simply bursting to come out – when will they?
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Before your eyes Step back to the 17th century as Antwerp’s Rockox House sports paintings from the day 13
In memory of 1913
Ghent’s celebration reminds Flemings of the World’s Fair that happened right before the war Lisa Bradshaw
One hundred years ago this month, the World’s Fair opened in Ghent. Yet most residents aren’t aware of it. That’s because nine months after it closed, a war broke out, and Ghent was occupied by the Germans for the next four years. This year, the city and its cultural centres are hosting events and activities to recognise the historical event that’s been all but wiped out of local memory. “Every time you think about 1913, you immediately think about 1914,” says Joost Vandommele. Indeed. The start of the First World War not only wiped out the immediate memories of the events in Ghent in 1913, it wiped them out of the collective historical consciousness. “There are people in Ghent now who’ve never even heard of the World’s Fair,” says Vandommele. He is the author of the book Wereldtentoonstelling Gent 1913 (World’s Fair Ghent 1913), which will be published later this month. And his wish for more residents to learn about when the
world descended on Ghent is about to come true as the city starts its celebration of the centenary of the World’s Fair. The event in Ghent, which took place from 26 April to 3 November 1913, was held in the city’s Citadelpark and in the neighbourhood behind Gent-Sint-Pieters train station. Now the area behind the station is residential, with no trace of the magnificent pavilions, modern industry and reconstructions of Flemish farms, villages and even a medieval city that were on show there. Today, officially sanctioned World Exhibitions are strictly organised. But in the early 20th century, it was anarchy. Ghent simply decided it wanted to host a World’s Fair, so it did. “The bourgeoisie in Ghent was at the height of its power, and industrialisation in the city at its highest level,” explains Vandommele. “They saw other cities hosting World’s Fairs, and they wanted to get in on it, too.” According to Vandommele, who, next to his day job, is a historical guide in Ghent, the industrialists and city leaders had three main reasons for wanting to host a World’s Fair. “They wanted to be seen as an international city, internationally connected,” he says. “They
also wanted to show that they were financially capable of hosting a World’s Fair.” And finally, they wanted to promote capitalism to the citizens of Ghent. “They were beginning with mass production and consumption, which you could see in this World’s Fair,” he explains. “They provided a lot of affordable amusement for the common people. They wanted to show that capitalism brought prosperity – to everyone.” Vandommele pauses. “They had no idea, of course, that there would be a war. They had prosperity, and that’s all they could see.”
Modern and now! Ghent’s World’s Fair covered 125 hectares, and a miniature train line took visitors from the main grounds near the train station to Citadelpark and back again. Dozens of the traditional country pavilions dotted the fair, which had an imposing domed entrance (pictured) with a giant rectangular pool inside reminiscent of the Taj Mahal. ``continued on page 3