“He is as uncontrollable and crabby as one can imagine. Not to be understood, because neither his mother nor his father is like that.” Leopold IiBelgiumLeopold I Author:Leopold I
“Take a serious look at yourself. Ask yourself questions about your mood, the way you view the world and people, think about your mistakes and the dangers they unleash. Today the character of a person determines whether he can exercise influence and authority, far more than all the minds on this earth. As you know, this is all the more true in Belgium, and Belgians want to see in their leader the qualities they will never want from themselves. (Leopold I In a letter to his son Prince Leopold II)” HistoryLeopold IiBelgiumLeopold I Author:Leopold I
“You can find it on almost any tree. As we made our way through the forest, it was literally raining rubber juice. Our clothes were full of it. The Congo has so many tributaries that a well-organized company can easily extract a few tons of rubber per year here. You only have to sail up such a river and the branches with rubber hang almost up to your ship. (In a Letter to King Leopold II of the Belgians)” CongoLeopold IiBelgiumCongo Free StateBelgian CongoHenry Morton Stanly Author:Henry M. Stanley
“Do I still need to tell you that I am not guided by selfish motives? No gentlemen, although Belgium is small, it is happy and content with its fate. I have no ambition other than to serve it. In this century, our civilized society imparts unprecedented values to barbarian communities in other parts of the world.” CongoLeopold IiBelgiumCongo Free StateBrussels Geographic Conference Author:Leopold II
“I have only one goal and one desire, namely to give myself a practical instruction, to get to know the world and its inhabitants. There will come times when this knowledge will be of use to me.” Leopold IiBelgiumPrince Leopold Ii Author:Leopold II
“Trading posts and colonies, gentlemen, have not only strengthened the commercial positions of the peoples concerned; these nations owe their greatness to these institutions.” ColonialismLeopold IiBelgiumBelgian ColonialismBelgian Colonial EmpireBelgian EmpireBelgian Colony Author:Leopold II
“I sleep poorly. This long abstinence is destroying me. My nature needs frequent contacts with the beautiful gender. I don't understand how priests can live like this.” Leopold IiBelgiumLeopold Ii Of Belgium Author:Leopold II
“In the Far East, compulsory labor can work wonders, just like here... If only Belgium wanted to see that. This could create "inexhaustible resources and exploiting the soil and peoples of the Far East can only be brought to civilization and well-being in this way.” EgyptLeopold IiBelgiumForced LaborSuez CanalFerdinand De Lesseps Author:Leopold II
“India has never cost England one centime. it paid back What it cost. India provides a livelihood for all benjamins of English families.” ColonialismLeopold IiGreat BritainBelgiumLeopold Ii Of BelgiumBritish ColonialismBritish IndiaEnglish Colonists Author:Leopold II
“It is not the first time that Belgium has had to undergo a dangerous ordeal. But never has the situation been more serious than today! … Freedom, honor, the very existence of the fatherland is at stake.” WarFranceLeopold IiBelgiumPrussiaLeopold Ii Of BelgiumKing Leopold IiFranco Prussian WarFranco Prussian Author:Leopold II