Editing Voeren (section)

==History==
Since the 11th century, two-thirds of the territory of the present municipality of Voeren was in the county of [[Dalhem]], which was a possession of the [[dukes of Brabant]], and the remaining one-third in the [[Duchy of Limburg]], which also belonged to Brabant after 1288. Both of these duchies were part of the [[Holy Roman Empire]] but they developed a relatively independent regime ruled by powerful dynasties. They successively became part of the [[Burgundian Netherlands]], the [[Habsburg Netherlands]], and after the [[Dutch Revolt]], part of the Spanish, later Austrian controlled, [[Southern Netherlands]].

During the [[First French Empire|French occupation]] (1794–1815), the old boundaries of the "[[ancien regime]]" were rejected and the [[Departments of France|French "département"]] of [[Ourthe (department)|Ourthe]] was created. After the defeat of France and the end of [[Napoleonic wars]], this became the modern Belgium's [[Liège Province]] until 1963 when the Voer Region was detached from Liège, and became part of the province of [[Limburg (Belgium)|Limburg]], within [[Flanders]].

On 11 or 12 September 1944, during [[World War II]], Voeren was captured by the American [[30th Infantry Division (United States)|30th Infantry Division]]. With its capture, the allies had reached the [[Belgium–Netherlands border]] and crossed into the Netherlands. Hence, neighbouring [[Mesch]] became the first Dutch village to be liberated on 12 September.<ref name=":12">https://www.dodenherdenking-beek.nl/documents/PDF/BeekseHistorie/Beek%20in%20WW2-deel%203-De-buren-ons-huis-uit.pdf</ref><ref name=":13">{{Cite web |last=Nadine |first=Scheepers |title=Amerikaans kamp in Voeren (transcript) |url=http://www.pcce.be/erfgoedonderderadar-transcriptamerikaanskampvoeren |access-date=2023-09-15 |website=www.pcce.be |language=nl-NL}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ramaka |date=2019-09-12 |title=12 september 1944: Mesch, het eerste bevrijde dorp in Nederland |url=https://www.maxvandaag.nl/sessies/themas/terug-naar-toen/12-september-1944-mesch-het-eerste-bevrijde-dorp-in-nederland/ |access-date=2023-09-15 |website=MAX Vandaag |language=nl}}</ref>