Malle (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈmɑlə]) is a municipality located in the Campine region of the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises the villages of Oostmalle and Westmalle. On 1 January 2015 Malle had a total population of 15,070. The total area is 51.99 km² which gives a population density of 290 inhabitants per km².
Malle | |
|---|---|
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
Location of Malle  | |
| Country |  Belgium |
| Community | Flemish Community |
| Region | Flemish Region |
| Province | Antwerp |
| Arrondissement | Antwerp |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Harry Hendrickx (DBM) |
| • Governing party/ies | DBM, N-VA |
| Area | |
| • Total | 51.9 km2 (20.0 sq mi) |
| Population (2020-01-01)[1] | |
| • Total | 15,602 |
| • Density | 300/km2 (780/sq mi) |
| Postal codes | 2150 |
| NIS code | 11057 |
| Area codes | 03 |
| Website | www.malle.be |
History
Early history
The origin and meaning of the word Malle is uncertain: on the one hand it could refer to an extended plain, border or stop, but more likely it refers to a place which was used by the Franks for legal matters. A Mallum was a general court session presided by the count.[2] In Celtic, the name O Maoileoin, means a devotee of St. John.
A record of the name Malle emerges for the first time in 1194, when the bishop of Kamerijk donated the altar of Malle and Vorsele to the Chapter of Our Kind Lady of Antwerp. Originally Malle comprised the territory of the current day villages of Westmalle, Oostmalle and [[Zoersel] and was part of the County Toxandria.
Malle's (Westmalle's) origin dates to before 1100, when the place of residence (Mansus) of the representative (Villicus or Meier) of the Duke of Brabant was mentioned in historical record.
First divide
In 1194 an eastern part, comprising 28,27 km²; a third of the total surface (73,69 km²) of theSaint Martin parish of Malle was split off, to form a new parish which would become Oostmalle. The originalSaint Martin parish stayed in Malle, which became known as Westmalle over time.
The history of Westmalle Castle reflects the history of the governing families of Westmalle. Henry I, Duke of Brabant granted some feudal rights to the abbot of the Abbey of Villers on the condition that a monastery would be built in Westmalle. However, the monastery was built in Hemiksem instead. Westmalle was governed by a local Meier belonging subsequently to the families van der Moelen, de Cotereau en Powis and also by the Abbot of the Abbey of Villers.
About 1300 the feudal rights of Oostmalle were divided between Jan van Hesselbeke and Jacobus van Dworp. Jan Volkaert I, was married with the daughter of the Jan van Hesselbeke. He owned half of the feudal rights of Oostmalle, while the other half was owned by his brother-in-law Jacob van Couree.[3] Later on the feudal rights went to the Lords of Berchem. Between 1431 and 1464 Willem van Berchem built a castle in Oostmalle. By the end of the 16th century, from 1602 onwards, during the entire Ancien Régime, all feudal rights of Oostmalle belonged to the family van Renesse (French: de Renesse), descendants of Jan van Renesse.
16th to 18th century
Almost continuously the Campine villages were plundered and besieged; foreign troops caused severe havoc, and also brought with them diseases like the Bubonic plague. Oostmalle suffered most from the plague between 1575 and 1605.
In 1542, during the wars of Charles of Guelders against Charles V, Oostmalle and Renesse Castle were destroyed by the troops of Maarten van Rossum. The entire region suffered severely during the Eighty Years War, between the Protestant north of the Low Countries and the Spanish-controlled Southern Netherlands.
During the eighties of the 16th century, only 23 families survived in Westmalle and they had to hide for four years at Westmalle Castle because of the Spanish troops, which were ravaging the region. During the 17th century the region suffered from several attacks from the Dutch Republic. Around 1620, Croatian (In old Flemish: Krawaten) soldiers of the Spanish army occupied Westmalle. In 1626 a Chapel of Saint Anthony was built in Salphen for people from Oostmalle who fled their village to escape the plague. At the end of the 17th century, during the Dutch War (1672–1678) Westmalle was almost entirely burned to ashes.
At the start of the 18th century, the region suffered during the War of the Spanish Succession when French troops occupied Malle in 1703. Following the French Revolutionary Wars the Austrian Netherlands were invaded and annexed by the First French Republic in 1792. Shortly after the invasion of the French army, an epidemic of dysentery hit Westmalle and Oostmalle.
Second divide
In 1794 Malle had its second divide. Zoersel, a rural hamlet in the south of Westmalle, gained the status of separate community. Again Malle lost almost a third (21.70 km²) of her original surface (73.69 km²).
Modern era
After the defeat of Napoleon I of France in 1814, Cossacks occupied Malle and plundered the village. Only after the Dutch rule during the period of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands (1815–1830) and the establishment of the kingdom of Belgium, came a period of increasing prosperity for the region. In 1885 Oostmalle and Westmalle became the centre for the Tram network of the region, which would last until 1962. During World War I and World War II Malle escaped severe damage. On 25 June 1967, Oostmalle was hit by a tornado which destroyed the church and 135 houses.
Reattachment
On 1 January 1977 Oostmalle became a borough of Westmalle, first under the name Westmalle, and since 30 June 1979 under the original name of the village of Westmalle; Malle.
Tourism
Important curiosities in Malle include the Trappist Abbey of Westmalle and its brewery, Renesse Castle, the Scherpenberg mill, Westmalle Castle which dates back to 1100, and the Castle of Blommerschot. The Chapel of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Dutch: Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Bijstand) at the Herentalsebaan was built by Leonard Pierre Joseph du Bus de Gisignies in 1837. In 1930 a Lourdes cave was added to the chapel (inaugurated on 7 May 1933), and in 1934 a Stations of the Cross was added in remembrance of King Albert I of Belgium. The sculptor of the latter was Simon Gossens.
Malle has three churches: the Church of Saint Lawrence (Dutch: Sint Laurentius, Oostmalle), the Church of Saint Paul (Dutch: Sint Paulus, Westmalle) and the Church of Saint Martin (Dutch: Sint Martinus, Westmalle). The most important local festival is called "Salphenkermis", which is held in the hamlet Salphen in honor of Saint Anthony.
The forests of Herenbos, Molenbos (Drieboomkesberg), Bruulbergen and Schrabbenbos are also worth a visit.
Twin towns
Malle is linked to the following towns as twin towns, also known as partner towns:
Economy
History
Malle is located in the Campine (Dutch: Kempen) region, which historically was not densely populated, and consisted of enormous heaths and marshlands, interrupted by woods and swampland. Since the Middle Ages the majority of the land in the Campine has been cultivated.
Until the 18th century Oostmalle was known for its black pottery, such as "Lollepotten" which were small stoves used for room heating in winter.
Modern era
Nowadays, Malle is a regional economic centre. It is home to several companies like ETAP Lighting, ETAP Yachting, Ecover, and Meubelfabrieken Karel Mintjens (among the TOP500 of the Belgian Companies).
Notable inhabitants
- May Claerhout, sculptor
- Viscount Leonard Pierre Joseph du Bus de Gisignies (1780–1849)
- Maria Rosseels (1916–2005), journalist and writer
- Godfroy Lenaerts, ground owner and landlord (1925–2006)
Evolution of inhabitants
After merger
| Year | 1977 | 1980 | 1985 | 1990 | 1995 | 2000 | 2005 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inhabitants | 9798 | 10.520 | 11.353 | 12.096 | 13.301 | 13.922 | 14.150 | 14.083 |
| Remark:Inhabitaints on 01/01 – Bron:NIS | ||||||||
See also
References
- ^ "Bevolking per gemeente op 1 januari 2020". Statbel.
- ^ Francis N. Estey, The Meaning of Placitum and Mallum in the Capitularies, Speculum, Vol. 22, No. 3 (Jul., 1947), pp. 435–439
- ^ Th. de Molder, Geschiedenis van Oostmalle, Turnhout, 1947
External links
