´activists´:
the ´activists´ were the Flemish militants who during the First World War collaborated with the Germans. This was a minority within the Flemish Movement, without any support from the population at large. The German occupying regime pursued a specific ´Flamenpolitik´ (Flemish policy), designed to divide Belgians and recruit Flemish collaborators by meeting Flemish demands such as the Dutchification of the State University of Gent. Combatting ´activism´, ´passivist´ Flemish militants – a majority of the Flemish Movement, including figures such as van Cauwelaert, Huysmans, Franck and Vermeylen – rejected collaboration with the Germans, remained steadfast in their allegiance to the Belgian government and were to continue to pursue the strategy of language legislation after the war.

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