Hazebrouck

Sister cities

• Faversham
• Soignies

History

The incorporation into France of what had previously been a Flemish town was ratified in the 1678 Treaties of Nijmegen. Hazebrouck's town hall was built in the 19th century and the oldest monument of the town is St Eloi's church. During the two world wars Hazebrouck was an important military target. Many British soldiers are buried in the cemeteries around the town. In the town museum, which was originally a chapel and friary of the Augustines, visitors can see the Hazebrouck's giants: Roland, Tijse-Tajse, Toria and Babe-Tajse; a collection of Flemish and French paintings and a traditional Flemish kitchen. An attack by the German army was proposed in October 1917 by the Army Group Commander Field Marshal Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria as a large-scale attack either carried by itself or as an attack to relieve pressure on the German Front. Rupprecht's Army Group held the German Front in Flanders and Picardy; his command covered the Belgian coast to Ypres and on to Armentières. The operation was given the codename of "George" and plans were submitted for an offensive attack between Ypres and Bethune. The breakthrough would be made in the British Front just south of the Belgian-French border in the Lys river area with the intention to get past the Allied Front there and advance to Hazebrouck. This would divide and cut the British Second Army near the Lys river away from the British Army in Artois. The British-held rail centre of Hazebrouck would be captured and the British troops in Belgian Flanders could be forced westwards and stuck on the Belgian coast. The operation would, however, only be possible to start from April. During the Battle of the Lys, the German Sixth Army renewed its attack in the south on 12 April 1918, towards the important supply centre of…

Most-observed species

• Eurasian Coot

  Fulica atra Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,514
• Eurasian Blackbird

  Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,459
• Common Wood-Pigeon

  Columba palumbus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,359
• Common Chaffinch

  Fringilla coelebs Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,284
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,233
• African clawed frog

  Xenopus laevis (Daudin, 1802) · Amphibia
  1,053
• Eurasian Wren

  Troglodytes troglodytes (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  999
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  962

Most recent

• M 2.6 — 2008-08-08
  1 km SSE of Boussu, Belgium
• M 3.2 — 2008-07-14
  1 km SW of Boussu, Belgium
• M 3.1 — 2005-02-27
  1 km NW of Libercourt, France
• M 2.5 — 2004-10-03
  0 km ESE of Maubray, Belgium
• M 3.1 — 2001-07-02
  3 km NNE of Oostduinkerke, Belgium