Loppem Coup facts for kids

The Loppem Agreement was a series of important secret meetings held by King Albert I of Belgium. These meetings took place at the Castle of Loppem in Loppem, West Flanders, from November 11 to 14, 1918. They happened right after World War I ended. The main goal was to decide how Belgium would be governed after the war. Some people called it the "Loppem Coup" because they thought the King went too far.

Modern-day view of the Castle of Loppem, then serving as the military headquarters of King Albert I, in which the meetings were held.

Belgium's New Beginning: The Loppem Agreement

What Was the Loppem Agreement?

The Loppem Agreement was a set of private discussions. King Albert I invited important politicians and leaders. These included people from the Socialist and Liberal parties. They met at the Castle of Loppem, which was the King's military headquarters.

The meetings happened just before the King returned to Brussels. Brussels had been occupied by Germany since 1914. The discussions were about big changes for Belgium's future.

Key Topics Discussed

During these secret meetings, several important topics were talked about:

• Voting Rights: They discussed giving all men the right to vote. Before this, only some men could vote, and richer men had more votes. This was called "plural voting."
• Workers' Rights: They also talked about improving conditions for workers.
• Language in Education: Another topic was the status of the Dutch language, especially in universities.

A New Government for Belgium

The meetings led to the creation of a new government on November 21. This was a "national unity government" led by Léon Delacroix. It included politicians from the Liberal and Socialist parties. This was a big change because the Catholic Party had been in charge for almost 40 years.

The next day, November 22, King Albert I returned to Brussels. He announced a new plan for the country. This plan included getting rid of the old voting system. It also planned for a university where teaching would be in Dutch.

Why Was it Called a "Coup"?

Not everyone was happy about these changes. Conservative Catholics were not part of the discussions at Loppem. They felt left out and were upset by the new reforms.

Some people called the King's actions a "coup." A coup usually means someone takes power illegally. They thought the King had gone beyond his powers. They believed he was favoring the political left. This was especially true because of the German Revolution of 1918–1919 happening nearby.

King Albert I later had to explain his side of the story. He wrote a public letter in 1930 to clarify what happened during the meetings.

See also

• Red Week (Netherlands), socialist unrest in 9-14 November 1918