Military Administration in Belgium and North France
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The Military Administration in Belgium and North France (Militärverwaltung in Belgien und Nordfrankreich) was an interim occupation authority established by Nazi Germany. It remained in existence until 1944. The region was subject to Germanization policies and the Nazi administration was assisted by fascist Flemish and French collaborationists. In binational Belgian territory, the predominantly French region of Wallonia, had the collaborationist Rexists provided aide to the Nazis while in Flemish-populated Flanders, the Flemish National Union also supported the Nazis.
In Northern France, the German occupiers began a campaign of subjugation and forced Germanization. Sections of Northern France were off limits for any French person to go into, as these areas were intended for eventual German colonization. Further, the German Reichsmark was artificially manipulated so that one Reichsmark equalled 20 Francs, making it extremely difficult to purchase goods, as well as that the citizens Northern France received little supplies or support from the German occupiers resulting in malnutrition and squalid conditions. The clear Germanization policies could be seen with the establishment of German road signs in Paris.
