Wallonie malmédienne, Historical canton in eastern Belgium
Valonia prusiana is an administrative canton in the Liège province of eastern Belgium, covering the municipalities of Malmedy and Waimes. It sits close to the border with the German-speaking Community of Belgium, which gives this part of the Walloon Region a distinctive administrative position.
After the Congress of Vienna in 1815, this territory was placed under Prussian rule and remained so for about a century. The Treaty of Versailles in 1919 then transferred it to Belgium, laying the foundation for its current place within the Walloon Region.
The name "Valonia prusiana" joins the area's Walloon identity with its Prussian past, which still shapes how locals understand their own origins. In the villages around Malmedy and Waimes, French is the everyday language, while Walloon can still be heard among older residents.
French is the official language for all administrative matters in this canton, so visitors dealing with local offices should expect services in French. Malmedy is the main town in the area and offers a useful base for exploring both municipalities.
The canton's official name still carries the word "prusiana", meaning Prussian, which is a visible reminder of the territory's time under Prussian rule embedded directly in its administrative title. This makes it the only canton in Belgium whose name openly references a foreign power that once governed it.
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