Origins After the demise of
Napoleon's Empire, the
Congress of Vienna of 1814–15 redrew the European map, intending to create a
balance of power in Europe. One of the borders to be delineated was the one between the newly created
United Kingdom of the Netherlands and the
Kingdom of Prussia. Both parties could agree on the larger part of the territory, as borders mostly followed older lines, the district of Moresnet proved problematic, mainly because of a valuable
zinc spar mine named Altenberg (
German) or
Vieille Montagne (
French) located there. The governments of both the Netherlands and Prussia desired to appropriate this resource, which was needed for the production of
zinc and
brass – at that time,
Bristol in the United Kingdom was the only other place where zinc ore was processed.
Flag company may have inspired the Moresnet flag. From 1883, Neutral Moresnet used a
tricolour with horizontal bars in black, white and blue as its territorial flag. The origin is unknown and has been explained in two different ways: • It is argued by some that the colours were taken from the two conflicting powers' flags, with black and white representing Prussia, while white and blue represent the Netherlands. • According to
Flags of the World, "it seems more likely that the colours have been taken from the emblem of the
Vieille Montagne", a mining company.
Status The territory was governed by two royal commissioners, one from each neighbour. Eventually, these commissioners were commonly civil servants from the Belgian
Verviers and the Prussian
Eupen. The municipal administration was directed by a
mayor appointed by the commissioners. The
Napoleonic civil and penal codes, introduced during French rule, remained in force throughout the existence of Neutral Moresnet. However, since no law court existed in the neutral territory, Belgian and Prussian judges had to come in and decide cases based on the Napoleonic laws. Since there was no administrative court either, the judge's decision could not be appealed. In 1859, Neutral Moresnet was granted a greater measure of self-administration by the installation of a municipal council of ten members. The council, as well as a welfare committee and a school committee, were appointed by the mayor and served an advisory function only. The people had no
voting rights. Life in Neutral Moresnet was dominated by the Vieille Montagne mining company, which not only was the major employer but also operated residences, shops, a hospital and a bank. The mine attracted many workers from the neighboring countries, increasing the population from 256 in 1815 to 2,275 in 1858 and 4,668 in 1914. Most services, such as the mail, were shared between Belgium and Prussia (in a fashion similar to
Andorra). There were five schools in the territory, and Prussian subjects could attend the schools in Prussian Moresnet. Living in the territory had several benefits. Among these were the low taxes (the national budget being fixed at 2,735
Belgian francs throughout most of its history), the absence of import
tariffs from both neighbouring countries, and low prices compared to just across the border. A downside to their special status was the fact that people from Neutral Moresnet were considered stateless and were not allowed a military of their own. Many immigrants settled in Moresnet so they would be exempt from
military service; however, in 1854, Belgium began to conscript its citizens who had relocated to Moresnet, and Prussia did likewise in 1874. From then on, the exemption applied only to descendants of the original inhabitants.
Currency Neutral Moresnet did not have its own currency. The
French franc was legal tender. The currencies of Prussia (and then Germany, after 1871), Belgium and the Netherlands were also in circulation. In 1848, local currency began circulating, though these coins were not considered the official medium.
Uncertain future presently. Until 1915, this was also the location of Neutral Moresnet's apex. When the mine was exhausted in 1885, the continued survival of Neutral Moresnet was in doubt. Perhaps in response, the next year Dr.
Wilhelm Molly (1838–1919), the mine's chief medical doctor and an avid
philatelist, tried to organise a local postal service with its own stamps. This enterprise was quickly thwarted by Belgian intervention. In about 1900, Germany began a more aggressive policy concerning the territory and was accused of sabotage and obstructing the administrative process in order to force the issue. A casino was established in August 1903 after the Belgians closed all such resorts in Belgium. The Moresnet casino operated with strict limitations, permitting no local resident to gamble, and no more than 20 people to gather at a time. The venture was abandoned, however, when
Kaiser Wilhelm II threatened to partition the territory or cede it to Belgium to end the gambling. Around this same time, Moresnet boasted three
distilleries for the manufacture of
gin. During 1908, Dr. Molly proposed making Neutral Moresnet the world's first
Esperanto‑speaking state, named ("friendship-place"). The proposed national anthem was an Esperanto
march of the same name, Several residents learned Esperanto and a rally was held in
Kelmis to endorse the idea of on 13 August 1908, A total of 147 Neutral Moresnet citizens were killed, though it is unclear whether they were killed inside the territory or in fighting outside its borders. On 27 June 1915, Neutral Moresnet was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia, although the annexation never received international recognition. In 1918, the
armistice between France and Germany, signed on 11 November at
Compiègne, forced Germany to withdraw from Belgium and also from Moresnet. It also resulted in the ousting of Mayor
Wilhelm Kyll, a German national who had been appointed after the German invasion. On 28 June 1919, the
Treaty of Versailles settled the dispute that had created the neutral territory a century earlier by awarding Neutral Moresnet, along with Prussian Moresnet and the German cantons of
Eupen and Malmedy, to Belgium. The treaty became effective 10 January 1920, ending the territory's existence and converting it into a municipality in Belgium. To distinguish it from the already existing town of Moresnet (in the neighboring municipality of
Plombières), Neutral Moresnet was renamed Kelmis (in French: )after
kelme, the
local dialect word for zinc spar. Despite the annexation, Neutral Moresnet Mayor
Pierre Grignard effectively stayed in office and became the first mayor of Kelmis. The ten members of Neutral Moresnet's council were confirmed for the Kelmis municipal council after its Prussian members renounced their nationality. They remained in office until the election of a new municipal council on 7 February 1923.
Post-annexation history After 1920, Moresnet shared the history of Eupen-Malmedy. Germany briefly re‑annexed the area during , but it was returned to Belgium in 1944. Since 1973, Kelmis has formed a part of the
German‑speaking community of Belgium. During 1977, Kelmis absorbed the neighbouring communes of Neu‑Moresnet and Hergenrath. A small museum in Kelmis, the
Museum Vieille Montagne, includes exhibits on Neutral Moresnet. Of the 60 border markers for the territory, more than 50 are still standing. As a company, Vieille Montagne survived Neutral Moresnet. It continues to exist as VMZINC, a part of
Union Minière, the latter renamed in 2001 as
Umicore, a global materials company. ==List of executive officers==