“I have no other desire than to leave Belgium bigger, stronger and more beautiful.”

— Leopold II of Belgium

Pierre Vercauteren: A king unjustly maligned. (Page 18) https://www.memoiresducongo.be/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Leo2-Vercauteren.pdf Leopold II on the evening of his accession in 1865 confided to the baron Lambermont. Léopold II, Count Louis de Lichtervelde (p.55).
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Leopold II of Belgium 34

King of the Belgians 1835–1909

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“I can not get used to the idea of staying here [in Belgium] always. One stays always a 'stranger' here and I miss the support from each other one has in his own country. I sometimes wonder what will be more my advantage, to be here [Belgium] or with us in The Hague... It always seemed to me that it doesn't look very brilliant with us [in The Hague] and I believe to be here [in Brussels] more in the heart of the movements in art, but sometimes I dislike Belgium.”

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translation from original Dutch: Fons Heijnsbroek
(original Dutch: citaat van Willem Roelofs, in het Nederlands:) Ik kan mij niet aan het denkbeeld wennen van hier [in België] altijd te blijven. Men blijft hier altijd 'vreemd' en ik mis de steun die men in zijn land aan elkander heeft. Ik vraag mij soms af wat meer in mijn voordeel is om hier te zijn of bij ons bv in Den Haag.. .Het heeft mij steeds toegeschenen dat het er bij ons [in Den Haag] niet briljant uitziet en ik geloof hier [in Brussel] meer in het centrum van kunstbeweging te zijn, maar ik heb soms het land aan België.
In a letter to P. Verloren van Themaat, 1 Oct. 1865; as cited in Willem Roelofs 1822-1897 De Adem der natuur, ed. Marjan van Heteren & Robert-Jan te Rijdt; Thoth, Bussum, 2006, p. 13 - ISBN13 * 978 90 6868 432 2
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“I have no other desire than to leave Belgium bigger, stronger and more beautiful.”

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Leopold II of Belgium 34

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