Portal:Belgium/Anniversaries/March/March 17


 * 659: death of Gertrude of Nivelles, saint and first abbess of the Benedictine abbey of Nivelles
 * 1822: death of Lieven Bauwens (pictured), early industrial spy
 * 1862: birth of Silvio Gesell, theoretical economist, social activist, anarchist and founder of Freiwirtschaft
 * 1948: the Treaty of Brussels is signed, creating the Western European Union (WEU) between Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Luxemburg, and the United Kingdom