A Belgian farmer in the French-speaking Wallonia area of the country recently shifted the border with France, moving the division between the two countries a bit over two metres into France near the village of Erquilinnes.
The incursion happened when the farmer found a border marker a nuisance to his work and shifted it out of his way, notifying no one, and likely never expecting to be caught out. News reports do not suggest how long ago the incursion may have taken place.
But, in recent days, the thousands of border stones set along the border in 1819 have become a new fascination for historians and local groups in some areas have set up plans to restore them. And to make sure they are in the right place, which this one wasn’t. The stones were set after the Napoleonic Wars, and mark the border set for the newly-created nation of Belgium.
Local Mayor David Lavaux, said that “the 1819 boundary marker has been moved, Belgium and our commune have been enlarged; the French do not agree, of course. We will have to put things back in place.” The French mayor of the town on the other side replied “We should be able to avoid a new border war.”
