King Albert and Loppem Castle

King Albert, being a sober and astute man, pertinently refused to take part in French and English offensives during the war. According to him, they only served their own war aims. He took the view that they had little chance of success and were likely to result in more unnecessary war victims.

At the end of the war, from 24 October to 25 November 1918, the King took up residence here, in the castle of Loppem. He was at the helm of a torn and shattered country, where his people had suffered hardship for many years. Meanwhile, the Red Revolution unfolded in Russia and Germany. King Albert feared that this would send Belgium into further disarray, even though he realised that the people would not accept a return to the political situation before the war.

In his view, only drastic political reforms would be able to defuse the explosive socio-economic situation. He decided, therefore, to form a government of national unity immediately after the war, combining Catholics, Liberals and Socialists alike. He also secured the single vote for men (one man, one vote) and put the Flemish cause on the political agenda.

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