Diksmuide
Town Hall and St Nicholas Church
Flag Coat of arms
Diksmuide Location in Belgium
Coordinates: 51°02′N 02°52′E / 51.033°N 2.867°E / 51.033; 2.867
Country	Belgium
Region	Flemish Region
Community	Flemish Community
Province	West Flanders
Arrondissement	Diksmuide
Government
• Mayor	Lies Laridon (CD&V)
• Governing party/ies	CD&V, SP.A-Open
Area
• Total	149.40 km2 (57.68 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2011)[1]
• Total	16,365
• Density	110/km2 (280/sq mi)
Postal codes	8600
Area codes	051
Website	www.diksmuide.be
Map of Diksmuide

Diksmuide (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌdɪks.ˈmœy̯.də]) (French: Dixmude) is a Belgian city and municipality in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Diksmuide proper and the former communes of Beerst, Esen, Kaaskerke, Keiem, Lampernisse, Leke, Nieuwkapelle, Oostkerke, Oudekapelle, Pervijze, Sint-Jacobs-Kapelle, Stuivekenskerke, Vladslo and Woumen.

Most of the area west of the city is a polder riddled with drainage trenches. The major economical assets of the region are agriculture and farming, producing the famous butter of Diksmuide.

History[link]

Medieval origins[link]

The 9th-century, Frankish settlement of Dicasmutha laid at the mouth of a stream near the Yser (IJzer in Dutch). By the 10th century, a chapel and market place were already established. The city’s charter was granted two centuries later and defensive walls built in 1270. The economy was already then based mainly on agriculture and farming, with milk products and linen driving the economy. From the 15th century to the French Revolution, Diksmuide was affected by the wars that confronted the Netherlands, France, Spain, and Austria, with a corresponding decline in activity. The 19th century was more peaceful and prosperous.

Marked by World War I[link]

At the outset of World War I, German troops crossed the Belgian border near Arlon, then proceeded hurriedly towards the North Sea to secure the French ports of Calais and Dunkirk. The Battle of the IJzer started in October 1914. Thanks to the water the Belgians could stop the Germans. At the end of October the Belgians had opened the gates of the Yser river and flooded the area. As a result, the river became a front line throughout the First World War. The city was first attacked on October 16, 1914 and defended by Belgian and French troops, which marked the beginning of the Battle of the Yser. Colonel Alphonse Jacques de Dixmude led the troops that prevent Diksmuide from being taken by the German Army. By the time the fighting ended, the town had been reduced to rubble. It was, however, completely rebuilt in the 1920s.

Sights[link]

The IJzertoren in Diksmuide

• The belfry contains a 30-bell carillon and is one of the several Belfries of Belgium and France that are recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites.
• The City Hall and neighbouring Saint Nicolas Church were completely rebuilt after World War I in the Gothic style of the 14th and 15th century.
• The “Trench of Death” (Dodengang in Dutch), about 1.5 km from the center of the city, preserves the trench setting where Belgian soldiers fought under the most perilous conditions until the final offensive of September 28, 1918.
• A peace monument, the IJzertoren, was built after the First World War in the twenties. This tower was destroyed by a bomb in 1946 because during the Second World War the IJzertower was the scene of ceremonies by Nazis and collaboration. The new tower was built in the 1950s. The tower houses a United-Nations-owned, World War I museum, where you can, among other things, experience the odour of mustard gas. The IJzertoren is also the scene of the yearly IJzerbedevaart, a celebration of peace and of Flemish political autonomy. During World War II, it was used for Nazi-inspired meetings. After the war it still had problems with neo-Nazis from all over Europe. However they were a minority, but the press emphasised this minority participation. But after long years the organisers succeeded in banning those radical neo-Nazis from the Yserpilgrimage. The more radical Flemish fraction now organizes the IJzerwake.
• Several military cemeteries are located around Diksmuide, including the Vladslo German war cemetery, which is now the resting place for more than 25,000 German soldiers. Famous sculpture of the 'Mourning parents' by Käthe Kollwitz.

The Pax is a four-star hotel, the Polderbloem on the main square a 2 star one.

Notable inhabitants[link]

• Maria Doolaeghe, (1803-1884), writer
• Wim Vansevenant, Record three-time Tour de France Lanterne rouge winner

Twin cities[link]

• Ellesmere, United Kingdom
• Ploemeur, France
• Rottach-Egern, Germany
• Finnentrop, Germany

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Diksmuide

• Official city web site (in Dutch)

v t e Municipalities in the Province of West Flanders, Flanders, Belgium Bruges Beernem Blankenberge Bruges/Brugge Damme Jabbeke Knokke-Heist Oostkamp Torhout Zedelgem Zuienkerke Diksmuide Diksmuide Houthulst Koekelare Kortemark Lo-Reninge Kortrijk Anzegem Avelgem Deerlijk Harelbeke Kortrijk Kuurne Lendelede Menen Spiere-Helkijn Waregem Wevelgem Zwevegem Ostend Bredene De Haan Gistel Ichtegem Middelkerke Oostende/Ostend Oudenburg Roeselare Hooglede Ingelmunster Izegem Ledegem Lichtervelde Moorslede Roeselare Staden Tielt Ardooie Dentergem Meulebeke Oostrozebeke Pittem Ruiselede Tielt Wielsbeke Wingene Veurne Alveringem De Panne Koksijde Nieuwpoort Veurne Ypres Heuvelland Ieper/Ypres Langemark-Poelkapelle Mesen Poperinge Vleteren Wervik Zonnebeke

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (April 2012)

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Slap Shot (film). (Discuss) Proposed since November 2010.

The Hanson Brothers are fictional characters in the 1977 movie Slap Shot. The characters are based on three brothers who were actual hockey players; two of them starred in the film.

The movie, which stars Paul Newman, was written by Nancy Dowd. The story was based in part upon the experiences of her brother, Ned Dowd (who appears in the film as notorious hockey player Ogie Ogelthorpe), when he played for the North American Hockey League club in Pennsylvania called the Johnstown Jets.

The Hanson Brothers provide several humorous moments in the film and are best remembered for:

• starting fights
• interrupting the coach in the locker room during pre-game speeches with overzealous shouting
• wearing extremely thick glasses
• playing with toy cars and trucks in their hotel room, although the brothers range in age from 18 to 20

In the film, The Hansons are brought in by the front office as part of an inexpensive deal, also as enforcers for the flagging Charlestown Chiefs during their 1976 (and final) season in the Federal league. They are in order of their numbers:

• Jack Hanson (portrayed by David Hanson) – #16 Left Wing
• Steve Hanson (portrayed by Steve Carlson) – #17 Center
• Jeff Hanson (portrayed by Jeff Carlson) – #18 Right Wing

Biography[link]

Jack Carlson was unable to act in the film as the Edmonton Oilers called him up for the WHA playoffs. In his place, Dave Hanson (born April 12, 1954, in Cumberland, Wisconsin) filled the role.

While the film's 'Hanson Brothers' were based on the real Carlson Brothers, the character of "Killer Carlson" is based on Dave Hanson-whose real hockey nickname was "Killer" Hanson. Thus, Dave Hanson filled in for Jack Carlson as one of the fictional Hanson Brothers - while another actor played a character modeled after Dave Hanson. Jack Carlson, the man Dave "played" in the movie, was also very well known throughout his career as an enforcer, and did pick up the real hockey nickname "Killer" Carlson.

In the movie, the Hanson Brothers speak with a typical North Central American accent, owing to their hometowns, in areas where hockey is prevalent. The United States Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Eveleth, Minnesota, only a few miles from Virginia, home of the Carlsons. The Iron League, from which the Hansons are supposedly bought, may be a reference to the Marquette Iron Rangers or the Iron Range, a hockey hotbed in Northern Minnesota.

Along with their time on minor professional teams like those depicted in the film, all three of the actors playing the Hanson Brothers played in the major leagues. Steve Carlson played in 225 games, in both the NHL and the WHA. Dave Hanson played in 136 games in the NHL and WHA. Jeff Carlson played 7 games in the WHA. Like their characters, both Dave Hanson and Jeff Carlson were known for a willingness to "drop the gloves". Steve Carlson did have some fights in his professional career, but was known more as a finesse player. Dave Hanson's son, Christian Hanson currently plays in the Washington Capitals organization.

Jeff Carlson, Steve Carlson and Dave Hanson continue to make personal appearances as the Hanson Brothers, typically at minor league hockey games as of 2007^[update]. The brothers latest appeared at the first Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Alumni Game in Wilkes-Barre, PA on April 4, 2009.

In popular culture[link]

• The Hanson Brother characters inspired Canadian rock / punk band Nomeansno to create an alter-ego band The Hanson Brothers, playing Ramones-style songs about girls, hockey and beer.^{[citation needed]}

• The Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League have a trio of long-haired, horn-rimmed-glasses-wearing guys who do "ice maintenance" during the official time-outs at home games named The Mullet Brothers, who are patterned after the Hansons.

• It was mentioned in the 2005 documentary Forever Hardcore by Pro Wrestler Scott "Raven" Levy that the idea for the Stable known as The Dudleys was inspired by the Hanson Brothers from Slapshot after he and Dean Malenko watched the movie one night in Florida.

• At the June 2011 NHL Awards, the Hanson Brothers appeared in a spoof sketch based on the popular television series Pawn Stars, in which they try to sell the Stanley Cup to proprietor Rick Harrison at his pawn shop.^[1]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Steve Hanson at the Internet Movie Database
• Jack Hanson at the Internet Movie Database
• Jeff Hanson at the Internet Movie Database
• http://www.hansonbrothers.net/ - Official site for the Hanson Brothers