"Travail et Progrès" A Prosperous Congo

[calt]

The thought of Belgian Congo makes some cringe. And why not, there was ruthless exploitation and unspeakable horrors committed against the Natives. I wanted to make a TL about a good, prosperous, and successful African colony (unlike OTL). I picked Belgian Congo to change it's tragic past, full of wars, poverty, and instability, and turn it into a wealthy, developed, and industrialized nation in Africa. At that time, Belgium was relatively prosperous itself, so if they had treated the natives better, Congo could become a very wealthy nation as it's full of resources, and could become a haven for war refuges and POV's had immigration restrictions been lowered.

Below is a quote from a Congolese history book "L'Histoire du Congo Belge":

"Dans la fin des années 1800, le Congo était rien de plus qu'une terre tropicale, plein d'indigènes et les maladies. En 1876, le Roi Léopold II, a organisé "l 'Association internationale africaine ", qui a favorisé l'exploration et la colonisation de l'Afrique, pour aboutir finalement à l'infâme" ruée vers l'Afrique ». dans l'espoir de créer un empire africain, la Conférence de Berlin a été tenu par Otto Von Bismarck pour résoudre les revendications territoriales de l'Afrique. la Belgique a obtenu 2.344.858 km carrés de terres (905 000 m carrés) dans l'État indépendant du Congo, plus tard être renommer Le Congo belge "

Translated- "In the late 1800's, Congo was nothing more than a tropical land, full of natives and diseases. In 1876, King Leopold II organized the "International African Association", which promoted the exploration and colonization of Africa, eventually leading to the infamous "Scramble For Africa". In hopes of creating an African empire, The Berlin Conference was held by Otto Von Bismarck to resolve the territorial claims of Africa. Belgium got 2,344,858 square km of land (905,000 square m) in the Congo Free State, later to be rename The Belgian Congo"

Below is a map of the land given to Belgium in Central Africa after The Berlin Conference


Hope you guys like this TL and sorry if the translation is wrong, I used Google coupled with my knowledge of French so it probably isn't perfect.

 

[calt]

Exploration of the Congo

For several years after The Berlin Conference, Belgium was reluctant to explore it's newly claimed land under fear spread by rumors of what really lies in the jungles of Africa. But finally in 1879, King Leopold II sent dozens of explorers to the claimed territory. The explorers landed in Boma and Banana and planted Crosses to ensure no other power violates their claims. When the explorers return, they inform the Belgians about great riches across the sea. King Leopold is notified about the vast amount of natural resources and reports of metals for mining. King Leopold also sees the amount of natives to convert.

He outlines a plan for the settlement of about 100,000 Europeans in the colony by 1910 (far fewer would arrive) and he sends the first group of missionaries (around 587) to Congo. Like most European powers, Belgium wanted to colonize Africa with the excuse of "civilizing" their people. However, the Liberal Party, which is rising in popularity in Belgium will bring huge limitations to the exploitation of the Natives.

Picture from a postcard of the exploration of the Congo

 

[Kaiser K]

Interesting, but you'll need to explain how Leopold II suddenly turned from a greedy murderous tyrant to the leader of a prosperous African colony.

 

[calt]

The First Settlements

In 1880, King Leopold II desperately wanted to exploit the native Africans to gain the large amount of resources available there. However, he was quickly stopped by the popular Liberal Party. The Liberal Party and The Catholic Party were almost equally split in parliament resulting in very different opinions on the new colony. The Liberal Party gave a set of very strict rules about the exploitation of Native Africans (renamed "Noirs"). Africans would work in factories built by Belgian, French, Dutch, Portuguese, and British companies, and would be treated similarly to factory workers in industrialized nations. But still, most Noirs would still be farmers along with poorer immigrants. Both parties disagreed with each other, but with some minor tweaks to what would be called the "Congo Compromis". However, something both parties agreed on was for sending missionaries to the colony to convert natives as it would create religious unity which would be helpful in the early years of a colony. King Leopold II disagreed with many of the rules of the Congo Compromis as it didn't give him power over the colony and it's resources, but he realized it was the only way that any plan would go through so he had no other option but to go with it. He also was forced by the Belgian people and his own administration to stick to the promises he made at The Berlin Conference or he might lose power and the colony.

The first settlement of Belgians in Congo would be in 1880 in Boma, which would be the first capital of the Belgian Congo. The settlement initially started with 832 Europeans (mostly from Antwerp, Walloonia, Brussels, France, and the Netherlands). The settlements began in earnest with settlers being carefully recruited considering the tropical climate and diseases. Leopoldville is settled in 1884 and by 1899 the entirety of the Congo Basin has been mapped. Factories would only begin being built by the 1890's and mining would begin in 1898 with the discovery of cobalt, gold, diamonds, copper, and oil which would attract some settlers to the colony. Farming of rubber, coffee, palm oil, cotton, sugar, tea, and cocoa would begin with the help of Noir workers. Noirs would also help in the timber industry to cut down trees and manufacture furniture. By 1900, Belgian explorers reach Rwanda-Burundi, the other part of the Belgian claim on Congo.

In the late 19th century, Belgium was thriving, and few wanted to leave for an undeveloped area which made it hard to recruit settlers. Some investors saw oppurtunity and bought land in the Congo to build entire cities with some architects hired by the Belgian government. The settlers were leased large tracts of land for farming (100-200 acres) and they were cleared with the help of Noir civil servants. Many Belgian, Dutch, French, British, and German companies are offered the choice of building factories in the colony because they were cheap. The government carries out plans to build cities, factories, roads, railways, schools, and churches. By 1905, there are 83,412 settlers in the colony, out of over 20 million people in the Congo (the genocide was largely avoided). It is considered a failure by some, saying it has a very high population and they need to drive some of the natives out, but others believe that the colony can succeed. Belgian culture thrives with Churches and schools being built throughout and the French and Dutch languages would be widely used. Leopoldville would grow into the largest city and capital of the colony with 22,000 people (half White).

Exploration of the Congo River Basin

 

[calt]

Interesting, but you'll need to explain how Leopold II suddenly turned from a greedy murderous tyrant to the leader of a prosperous African colony.

It's really impossible to change his attitude so I tried to change his level of power and the world's mindset on the issue. After the discovery of the genocide of the native Congolese, the rest of the world was disgusted and King Leopold II was scrutinized for the authorization of such torture, had he been scrutinized before the genocide and kept his promises at The Berlin Conference, the genocide could be largely avoided with the natives being treated better (there still would be racism though)

 

[SlyDessertFox]

Wait, did Belgium actually have any authority over the colony? I thought it was Leopold's personal fief at this time.

 

[Avrorrange]

Wait, did Belgium actually have any authority over the colony? I thought it was Leopold's personal fief at this time.

It was,I'd assume however that the government can restrict the King's personal freedom.

 

[calt]

Wait, did Belgium actually have any authority over the colony? I thought it was Leopold's personal fief at this time.

Yes, but that was The Congo Free State. I tried to turn it into a colony as early as possible because most of the horrors and genocides were conducted in The Congo Free State. After 1908, it was turned into the Belgian Congo, now a Belgian colony in the hands of the government, not the King. I thought that putting it in the hands of the government earlier would prevent a lot of the tragedies we saw when it the King's personal property.

 

[calt]

Religion in the Congo

One reason besides to colonize the Congo besides it resources was to convert the Natives. Several Catholic religious orders are granted land in the region, their job is to convert as many of the natives as possible. Some Noirs saw Catholicism as a better choice than folk religion, but most joined the religion simply to get more rights. Those who converted were allowed to attend schools and live in cities. The missionaries were largely successful but had to be sent in very large numbers to cope with the large number of natives (over 10,000 were sent to the colony, most would stay and help in schools, churches, factories, and farms). Many of the missionaries were just Belgian families who also spread their religion to the natives. Some entire tribes converted to Catholicism, they were loyal to the Belgian crown and helped explore and convert more natives. The conversion of natives also led to some interracial marriages in the colony. Many of the converts worked as servants to settlers, farmers, miners, or factory workers. It must be noted that racism was still very much alive with racially segregated public services and exclusion of Noirs into society. By WWI, over half of all the natives living in the Congo were Catholic and most settled in the ouskirts of cities such as Leopoldville, Boma, Coquilhatville, Stanleyville, Lusambo, Elizabethsville, Costermansville, Jadotville, and Usumbura. Many of these cities were built with Belgian architecture styles and to resemble the major cities of Europe.

Below is a map of the division of the Congo for religious leaders

 

[calt]

Economy of the Belgian Congo Before WWI

The economy of the Belgian Congo was thriving like no other Sub-Saharan Country. It largely a mix of agriculture, industry, and mining. Félix Alexandre Fuchs, the new governor of the Belgian Congo wants to industrialize the colony as quickly as possible to gain a larger amount of immigrants and to keep Belgium's economy strong. Rubber was the main export of the colony, followed by copper, diamonds, gold, palm oil, cocoa, rice, and cotton. Many companies across Europe invest in the colony to build factories and subsidiaries. By WWI, there would be 183,422 European settlers in the colony. Most were Belgian (Flemish and Walloon) but there were also Italians, French, Dutch, Portuguese (spilling over from Angola), German, British, Irish, Polish, and Southeastern Europeans. There were also around 2,000 people of mixed race or coloré as they were called, in the colony. The thriving economy and industrialization meant more schools (There were thousands throughout the colony, most run by religious institutions), colleges, hospitals, missions, marketplaces, roads, railways, houses, factories, churches, and buildings.

European settlers board a train in Elizabethsville. The Railroad system constructed by "Le Chemin de Fer National de Congo Belge" or " The National Belgian Congo Railway" completed in 1913, greatly helped the transportation of people and goods throughout the country and Africa.

 

[calt]

Government of the Belgian Congo

Before 1910, the Belgian Congo was governed as a colony, but with a rising population and tensions rising in Europe, the Belgian Congo is granted the status of a dominion (a governing system inspired by that of the Union of South Africa). The colony would be self-governing but still under the rule of Belgium. It's King is Albert I, Félix Alexandre Fuchs would be promoted to Prime Minister and Inge Heiberg, a Norwegian physician and doctor who worked as the director of medicine was given the status of Governor-General of the dominion by King Albert I for his service to the Belgian Congo. The government would begin handing out passports to Europeans and later Noirs who are loyal to the Crown. Some educated Noirs are even given Belgian passports and most go off to live in Belgium. The Royal Dominion of Belgian Congo continued to grow as it's industries, farms, and people thrived under the new government. On the eve of the German Invasion of Belgium (August 4), there were 312,176 Europeans settlers, 3,016 Colore, and around 16 million Africans. The new government brought over more settlers and troops to defend attacks from unfriendly natives. Most of the natives were driven out and either sent to British Protectorates or French Protectorates with some going to Rwanda-Urundi. This would lower the Noir population significantly, causing mistrust among both races.

Flag of the Royal Dominion of Of Belgian Congo

 

[calt]

World War I

On August 4th, German troops invaded neutral Belgium. The Belgian army was 1/10th the size of the German army but managed to hold up the German offensive for nearly a month. The Belgian people retaliated against the German occupation but the invaders treated any resistance as illegal and subversive, often attacking the perpetrators. For this reason, Belgian civilians were eager to escape German rule. Some would flee to parts of Belgium that still was under Belgian rule, while others fled to England and France. Belgian Congo stood up to it's duty as a colony and outlined a plan to have 400,000 Belgian, Dutch, and Luxembourgers to escape. They purchased ocean liners from several shipping companies and signed contracts with others to have civilians escape German occupied territory. They paid Germany with goods such as copper (which would skyrocket in production with over 30,000 tons being produced each year) and rubber. However, the Belgian Congo would receive only 289,288 refugees arriving from 1914-1918, far lesser than the expected as most fled to France and England (government in exile). Many ships also get in refugees from Austria-Hungary (30,000).

The influx of new immigrants results in a production boom. With more workers, copper, gold, diamond, rubber, cocoa, rice, and cotton production skyrocketed. Hundreds of thousands of new homes were built for the refugees, along with schools, churches, hospitals, transportation, shops and stores, and public services. The large scale immigration also resulted in troops driving out the Natives. Many tribes that aren't so happy with European rule and such large scale immigration are expelled to other parts of Africa. Incidents such as the Rape of Belgium resulted in strong feelings against Germany. After German troops left Belgium, the Royal Family took a trip to the Belgian Congo to thank their efforts in pacifying the Belgians. International relief was sent to both Belgium and the Congo resulting in the Roaring 20's, a decade of economic prosperity and cultural dynamism. By 1920, there were 684,391 White Congolese settlers, 9,126 Colore, and 13 million Noirs. In 1916, Auguste Gilliaert, a colonial official and army officer was voted (women are given the right to vote in this election) as the new Prime Minister and Eugène Joseph Marie Henry was voted the new Governor General.

Street Scene in Leopoldville circa. 1920


Please comment if you like it or if there are any errors

 

[Japhy]

Oh I'm so glad the Liberals and Catholics of Belgium were able to make their country take up the White Man's Burden ITTL. Things will be so much better now.

 

[calt]

Map

Here's a map just so you all know the political situation in Central Africa by 1920

 

[calt]

Les Années Folles

The end of WWI in 1918 resulted in the boom of the 1920's. Belgian Congo's trade and economy expanded as did the production and exporting of copper, gold, diamonds, rubber, coffee, palm oil, cotton, sugar, tea, and cocoa. During and After WWI, European manufacturers desperately needed copper for manufacturing and Congo's vast copper industry looked very promising. By 1927, nearly 40,000 tons of copper was being produced each year. Many European furniture companies begin importing timber from Congo, some begin building factories for manufacturing furniture and some relocate to the Congo altogether. Car companies such as Renault and Peugot build factories too. The rubber that is produced is mostly used for tires for the booming car industry, crude oil is also extracted at a rate of over 8,000 barrels per day which made cars a regular sight. The demand for jewelry increases the mining of gold and diamonds. The cotton industry also shapes up Belgium's fashion industry which increases cotton production (and the need for farm hands). The demand for coffee and tea rises after the war. The cocoa that is harvested is processed into milk chocolate and branded as "Belgian Chocolate" which would be one of the most expensive and prized type of chocolate of the time. The first airport would be constructed in Leopoldville in 1923 to accommodate the newly created Belgian national airline, Sabena. With more schools being constructed, even to accommodate Noirs, the simple literacy rate reached 43% but for higher education, it was only 12%. Belgian culture thrived with French and Dutch language literature being installed and French and Dutch newspapers became common. Theaters, stores, markets, operas, and factories became much more common in the 20's. With the installation of the first radio station, broadcasts began in 1925. The first cable and telephone lines were installed in 1922 bringing telephone communication and electricity to major cities. This is accompanied with a new sewer and drainage system, a water pipeline system, a gas distribution system, and even air conditioning and heating. Hospitals and clinics would be built throughout Belgian Congo to prevent outbreaks of tropical diseases. Racial segregation was still very much alive as public services were different for Whites and Noirs. It must be noted that most Congolese tribes have almost completely merged into European culture and society by this time. Investors began buying huge swaths of land to develop and the government began leasing more and more land to farmers. All this massive growth allowed the European population to reach 1,061,249 by 1929 (just before the Great Depression), the colored population reached 42,838 (a large number of young men came to the colony and chose to marry Noirs), and the Noir population would be reduced to 10 million (those who didn't accept European culture were driven out into other colonies, the British, Portuguese, and French didn't find this very helpful). A plan to resettle millions of native Congolese Noirs in their ancestral land was introduced by the new Governor General, Maurice Eugène Auguste Lippens, in 1923. This plan was criticized by the parliament, prime minister, and the king which led to Maurice stepping down from his position. Martin Joseph Marie René Rutten would replace him until 1927 when he too was replaced by Auguste Constant Tilkens, who's have to go through handling the Great Depression. Maurice's plan wouldn't be reintroduced until after the Civil Rights Movement.

Below is another quote from the Congolese history book "L'Histoire du Congo Belge":

Les années folles était une période où tout le monde pourrait vivre une vie de luxe et de prospérer sous la grande économie.

Translation: the roaring twenties was a time period in which everyone could live a life of luxury and thrive under the great economy


Leopoldville in the 1920's. Residents enjoyed all the luxuries of living in Europe or America

Largest cities in The Royal Dominion of Belgian Congo in 1929*:
Leopoldville: 883,000
Elizabethsville: 696,500
Costermansville: 542,000
Boma: 499,000
Jadotville: 447,000
Coquilhatville: 412,000
Stanleyville: 399,000
Lusambo: 361,000
Usumbura: 297,000
Matadi: 289,000
*All races

 

[Morraw]

All this massive growth allowed the European population to reach 1,061,249 by 1929 (just before the Great Depression), the colored population reached 42,838 (a large number of young men came to the colony and chose to marry Noirs), and the Noir population would be reduced to 10 million (those who didn't accept European culture were driven out into other colonies, the British, Portuguese, and French didn't find this very helpful).

I really hope this timeline isn't leading towards a white-majority settler colony in Africa.

 

[calt]

I really hope this timeline isn't leading towards a white-majority settler colony in Africa.

Don't worry, that would be nearly impossible. I plan on having many of those driven out to resettle after the civil rights movement.

 

[calt]

La Grande Dépression

The great prosperity of the twenties came to a swift end in 1929, with the depression causing trade to decline by 60% while industrial production decline by 25%. It was accompanied by a plague destroying a lot of the crops. Congo's economy was struggling to stay above water. Immigration came to a standstill, with only families of some immigrants arriving in the colony. Belgian Congo fell into economic and political crisis. The election of 1929, resulted in the Catholic Party's victory although by a very slight margin. The Catholic Party recognized workers misery and agreed that something should be done to help them, in reaction to the rise of socialist and trade union movements. The newly created Belgian Labor party lost the majority by a close margin, they believed in reforms such as the repeal of a law that prohibited picketing, an 8-hour workday, old-age pensions, inheritance taxes, and a graduated income tax. The Liberal Party came in third, they believed in “cultural pluralism, religious and ethnic toleration, national self-determination, free-market economics, representative and responsible government, free trade, unionism, and the peaceful settlement of international disputes through a new body, the League of Nations.” Luckily, cooperation of the parliament and improving conditions led to Belgium's recovery after 5 years. The decisions made by the parties for Congo was for the construction of secular school, diminishing or racial violence and segregation (hardly anything would be changed though), created a national healthcare system, a system for economic recovery, improved roads, highways, railways, ports, airports, and made way for more construction and development in the colony. Thanks to the newly elected Prime Minister of Belgian Congo, Charles Antoine (Prince Charles, Count of Flanders), Congo's situation greatly improves but it's still not as good as it was before the depression. August Constant Tilkens, the Governor general at the time of the depression also makes changes to improve the situation of the Belgian Congo. The Belgian Government recruits military personnel for the colonial military, whose numbers increase to 40,000 by 1940. In 1940, the unemployment rate decreased from 23.5% to just 9% and trade and manufacturing was on the rise again.

Leopoldville in 1939, before the breakout of WWII

 

[CELTICEMPIRE]

I'm on board!

 

[calt]

European Refugees

Even before WWII, the Belgian Congo had established itself as one of the havens for refugees. When Pierre Marie Joseph Ryckman was elected the new Governor General of Belgian Congo, he declared to get more immigrants to keep Congo "a whites man's country" (something it would never be). He got a telegram from a prominent Greek Jew who told about the rising antisemitism in the country. Along with Prime Minister Charles, he authorized most limits on immigration to be removed. Ships from the Compagnie Maritime Belge would pick up Greek immigrants from ports in Athens and Thessaloniki and go back to Congo. In just two years, over 70,000 Greek immigrants are brought over to Congo (around 50,000 were Jewish). In 1939, with the Nazi invasion of Poland and the Soviet invasion of the Baltic, the government decides to get more refugees. The Compagnie Maritime Belge has 24 ships, all of which are to be used in the refugee crisis. Many other countries such as Britain and The United States of America also get refugees. In the midst of the refugee crisis something shocking and unexpected happens, Belgium is invaded by Nazi troops.

Some of the ships owned by the Compagnie Maritime Belge, helped send refugees


If you're interested, there are details about more of the ships on http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/2CoBelge.html#anchor18692