Toerisme magazine and newspaper catalogue

“Tourism”, the official organ of the Flemish Tourist Association (VTB).
Magazines from this period (1940) often display a striking duality: on the one hand, they offer a form of escape through nature, culture, and poetry; on the other hand, they are subject to the clear restrictions and censorship of the occupation regime.

In practice, “free” tourism was virtually impossible in October 1940. Rationing, a curfew, and an acute fuel shortage made travel by car almost out of the question. The VTB responded to this by shifting the focus to walking and cycling in the local region. The local landscape and Flemish heritage were presented as something to cherish—not only from a recreational perspective, but also as a subtle form of identity preservation in an occupied society.

Publications of this type constitute a particularly valuable source for local historians. They provide insight into the language usage of the time, show which companies—such as Gevaert—were still actively advertising, and illustrate how the Flemish movement, including through the VTB, attempted to maintain its position during the first months of the war.