The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-07-25
DUTCH LIMBURG MAY BE
RESTORED TO BELGIUM
Territory Smaller Than Rhode Island
Famous Because of Smelly
Cheese and Siepe

Washington, July 2f.--"Dutch" Linn
burg that portion of ancient Limburg
which Belgium seeks to have Holland
restore to her because it will enable
her to fortify her frontiers more
strongly, is described in the following
bulletin from the Washington head
quarters.
"That portion of Limburg now ruled
by Holland lies east of the Meusc, is
smaller than Rhode Island in area,
and has population slightly less than
that of Detroit, Michigan.
Limburg cheese is famous, though
its significant history is almost for
gotten. It's name. applying to a CON
siderable area, dates back to the 18th
century and was derived from a castle
built along the Vesdre river on the site
of the present town of Limburg.
For two centuries thereafter the
history of Limburg was one of tedious
disputes until it suddenly was il,umin-
ated by the exploits of John Of
Brabant whose brilliant battles against
superior forces resulted in the union
of Limhurg and Brabant. Thus Linn
burg became the beneficiary of the
Magma Carta of the continent, known
as the Joyous Entry granted by
John H. Duke of Brabant. The docu-
ment established miniature league
of nations among the feudal states,
pledging the rulers of Brabant to re-
spect territorial integrity and to a
referendum of taxes, wars and treaties
to their subjects.
For time Limburg was annexed tC
France; portions of ii then fell to
Luxembourg and thus passed into the
German confederation. That section
of the original Limburg now in con-
troyersy was incorporated in Holland
by the London conference at the c.ose
revolution nearly 80 years earlier, it's
chief city and present capital
Masstrlcht, adhered to Holland The
rest of Limburg, including the area
which now is a province of Belgium,
sent its legislators to the Brussels
assembly throughout the period of
nearly decade when Holland refused
to recognize the independence of
Belgium IN
"Maastricht's most conspicuous ex-
plot was its four months resistance
of the siege of the terrible Duke of
Parma With a small garrison as
nucelus, citizens and peasants from
the vicinity resisted veteran army
of about equal numbers. Parma had
miners tunnels under the walls. A
woman's regiment" from the city
Scalded hundreds to death with show
ers OF boiling water. Meanwhile men
employed Bellows from church organs
to blow burning brush into the sub
terranean trenches. Then the women,
nicknamcd mine mistresses, hurled
blazing torches of pitch upon the
enemy at the city's gates.
When, after a terrific siege. the
defense crumbled the citizens threw
up inner fOrtificatir MS. They held out
until attacked as hey slept from ex-
haustiun ono night, concentrated at
tack by oYcrwhe ming numbers invad-
ed their last stronghold Red hot sand
and boiling water deluged them from
their own roof tops. Even the aged
women and the children were
butchered. About 5000 persisted, and
the city was plundered'
Concerning the cheese that made
Limburg famous, the bulletin quotes
a communication from William
Wisner Chaplin as follows:
,'Limburg is sometimes called the
Garden of Holland OF the celebrated
relish known as Limburger cheese it
has long been query how an article
of food made from delicious material
and considered such delicacy can
possess so obnoxious an odor and still
retain its self respect The popularity
has made Limburger cheese respon-
sible for many amusing Incidents
"A Dutch-American rural citizen
once went to town to make some
among which was some Of
this odoriferous commodity. For con-
venieuce he placed 1t in long box
in the wagon, behind the seat. Hap
pening to stop en- the road, an in