Germany and Belgiums border problem.
Photo:gunnsteinlye/Flickr
Along the German-Belgian border runs an old disused railway track, the Vennbahn.
This area originally belonged to the Kingdom of Prussia, which became part of the German Empire in 1871.
Construction of the railway started in 1882 to help integrate the region better into the newly unified German state.
Germany insisted that the Vennbahn should remain German property because it was built by the German people.
The Vennbahn thus became a Belgian railway running through German territory.
A section of the German-Belgium border highlighting the odd borders.
The areas in yellow are German territory.
The light areas are Belgium territory, including the narrow serpentine Vennbahn.
The Vennbahn created seven German exclaves and one Belgian.
One German exclave was ceded entirely to Belgium and ceased to exit.
Two merged together to become one.
Currently, the number of German exclaves is five.
The northern section of the Vennbahn with the 5 German exclaves shown.
Belgian operated five stations in various German exclaves, serving citizens of a foreign country.
German public venturing on to railway land for railway purposes were exempt from customs control.
The line operated until the 2000s, after which the Vennbahn was abandoned.
The Vennbahn today near Kornelimunster.
Photo:Lewin Bormann/Flickr
The Vennbahn today, near Monschau.
