The history of the Force publique, with its European commissioned and non-commissioned officers, has been described by many an author; the Congolese soldier, however, always seems to have been overlooked. Only a few rare colloquia or university papers and an exhibition at the Royal Military Museum in 1985 have briefly put him centre stage. A recent publication by the Brussels Royal Society of the Friends of the Military Museum, the Militaria Belgica 2007-2008 issue, eventually managed to turn the tide and also highlighted the riches contained in both public and private collections. It moreover paved the way for this very exhibition.

Prior to the creation of the Force publique, the earliest soldiers in the Congo came from Zanzibar. In 1879, they accompanied H.M. Stanley who had been sent out by the Study Commission for the Upper Congo to explore the area. Later on, royal recruiting officers cruised the length of the African coast and enrolled the “volunteers from the coast”. In 1884, when King Leopold II passed his instructions on to Stanley’s successor Gordon Pasha, he insisted upon “diminishing the numbers of our Aoussas and our Zanzibari in order to replace them by indigenous forces”.

The term “Force publique” for the first time appeared on October 30, 1885, in a royal decree outlining central government; a decree dated August 5, 1888 described the Force publique’s official organisation. It was designed as a constabulary, it had to support territorial explorations, effectively occupy the region and maintain law and order. The Force publique in that way became a unique occurrence in Central Africa, as it was the modern and indigenous military force of an independent state, which was only to become a Belgian colony in 1908.

In 1914-1918 and again in 1940-1945, the Force publique constabulary evolved into a full-fledged army actively participating in the two large world conflicts. Together with the Allies and on behalf of a distant metropolis occupied by the enemy, the Congolese fought first the German Empire and then Nazism and Fascism. These men writing Congolese history travelled coast to coast in Africa, from Tanzania, Cameroon or Zambia to Ethiopia, Somalia, Madagascar, Nigeria or Egypt and even further out to Palestine, India or Burma. The changes in climate, the material difficulties linked to transport as well as those on the battle-field or the problems of daily life gradually shaped a collective conscience and paved the way for a national identity.

The Congolese soldier may well have been forgotten by history, he nevertheless was turned into a key player in an active colonial propaganda campaign. As early as 1897, a Congolese settlement and camp were presented to the public in Tervuren, during one of the large colonial exhibitions. However, the climate and the dire circumstances took a heavy toll and several Congolese died. The Ghent world fair in 1913 displayed the Congo Panorama and the colonial army was also represented there. On several occasions, Congolese soldiers were sent out to Europe on representation missions. In 1917, a contingent accompanied general Tombeur (the victor at Tabora) to France. In 1930, a contingent and a military band met with a lot of success during the festivities for the Belgian centennial. In the 1950s, several contingents participated in the ceremonies for the national holiday, November 11 or the Colonial Days. During the Brussels world fair, some twenty military policemen permanently resided at the Congolese pavilion. A band and a contingent were also present for the occasion.

During each and every trip, within Africa or on other continents, the soldier discovered a cosmopolitan universe, which turned his social values upside down and which confronted him with new realities. An occasion par excellence to return home to the Congo with countless new ideas and concepts. The soldier returning to his village fundamentally differed from the soldier leaving that village. Questions inevitably would be raised, leading all the way to independence.

This exhibition not only presents the visitor with the opportunity of following the Congolese soldier both across the Congo and abroad, but also – and perhaps primarily – shows that soldier’s daily trials and tribulations.

Philippe Jacquij, Pierre Lierneux and Natasja Peeters,
Curators for the exhibition Lisolo na Bisu

ISBN : 2-87051-049-7
Legal Depot : 2010/2010/0935/4
Price: € 30,-- plus shipping and handling