According to the 2000 census, there are 360,642 persons of Belgian heritage in the United States. Michigan, with 53,135 persons claiming Belgian descent, has the second-largest community, after Wisconsin. The Belgians in Michigan are mostly Flemish (Dutch-speaking), and concentrated in the Detroit area.Immigration from Flanders to the US happened in several waves, starting in the 19th century. Thousands of new immigrants arrived in the years before, during, and after the First World War (1914-1918). One of them, Camille Cools from Moorslede, owned a print shop located at 928 E. Congress Street, Detroit, together with his brother-in-law, Peter Vinckier. He founded the Gazette van Detroit as a link between the Belgians in America and their homeland. The first issue of the Gazette was published on August 13, 1914. It contained news of the activities of various organizations, the names and origins of new arrivals and announcements of upcoming social events, from pigeon flying to archery and bicycle races. The articles in the weekly publication, aimed mostly at craftsmen and farmers with no more than an elementary education, were written in simple Flemish.

At Cools’ death in 1916, Frank Cobbaert from Aalst became editor and publisher. A second weekly, De Detroitenaar, appeared on the scene but soon merged with the Gazette, which moved to larger quarters on Mack Avenue. By 1920, most of the stock was acquired by Peter Corteville and his brother-in-law Leo Leplae, who erected a larger building at 11243 Mack Ave. for the company now called The Belgian Press. Frank Cobbaert stayed on as editor until 1922 when he was succeeded by Hortense Leplae.

With Hortense as editor, the Gazette grew into a prosperous full-size 8-page weekly with more than 20 correspondents in the US, Canada and South America. The language remained simple and was criticized as “archaic” by some.

When Peter Corteville died in 1966, his son Richard had already taken over as manager of the printing office and publisher of the Gazette, while Godelieve Van Reybrouck, a recent immigrant, had succeeded Mrs. Leplae as editor in 1954.

Richard Corteville’s death in 1974 marked the beginning of a difficult period for the Gazette. The shares were still held by the Corteville heirs but no family member was capable of keeping the printing business, and the Gazette, going. Moreover, subscriptions were in decline due to the disappearance of the older generation.

For a few months the Gazette was not published, causing complaints from faithful subscribers, until a non-profit organization, led by René de Seranno was formed in December 1974: The Belgian Publishing Company. The Corteville family donated their shares to the new company. Legally, the Gazette never ceased to exist, it had just changed hands. The Belgian Publishing Company became the publisher and Leon Buyse was the new editor.

In 1977, the headquarters and archives moved to the Fr. Taillieu Residence (now American House East II) where the paper was edited and typed and from there taken to a printing firm for the final process. The Gazette, run by Mr. Buyse with help from Fr. Karel Denys, Oscar Haezebrouck, Margaret Decraene, Gabrielle Casteleyn and Rika McGhie, became biweekly. Articles in English were added to attract the younger generation, many of whom no longer knew their parents’ language.

In recent years the paper has been struggling due to the deaths of the original investors and of Leon Buyse, Oscar Haezebrouck and Margaret Decraene, as well as the transfer of Fr. Denys. Until recently the paper was run by one paid employee and five volunteers, all seniors, and most of them inexperienced in modern newspaper technology and management. The number of readers and advertisers has been dwindling steadily, partly due to the fact that the younger generation of Belgian-Americans no longer speaks or reads the language.

Fortunately, Margaret Roets, (volunteer) business manager, and Ludwig (Luke) Vandenbussche, correspondent in Belgium, have managed to attract a new team of young Belgian expatriates in the Detroit area, as well as generate some media attention and goodwill in Belgium itself. Together they hope to revitalize the paper and bring it into the 21st century. The Gazette is trying to attract more people with Belgian roots and knowledge in specific areas: publishing, communications, information technology, law, accountancy, marketing and administration, who are willing to donate a little bit of their time.

For information: Contact@GazettevanDetroit.Com