Belgium - Working Class Unite!

November 2024

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Belgium (Ghent or Gent); Flemish region. OB: "Door Samenwerking Tot Verheffing Der Werkende Klasse" is: 'By Working Together to Uplift the Working Class'. Has a counterstamp (?, dragon w/crown on it's back, or SMv) below. Two center figures, top one is female; the one below appears to hold a book or plaque that might say "Mai", for the traditional May 1 revolutionary movement day.
Rx: "Warder Vijf Frank" is 'Value 5 Frank'. "VOORUIT" on the center banner means 'FORWARD!' (just like the 2nd election campaign slogan of Barrack H. Obama).
Bread Token or a type of ration card. This is a medal of the socialist consumer organization (or cooperative) "Forward" (1880-1970), in 1880, first as a cooperative bakery "Come On". These also appear with the date 1921, hence this repunched 8 over 1.
Vooruit (Dutch: Kunstencentrum Vooruit,[a] lit. 'Forward Arts Centre') is an historic complex in Ghent, Belgium. Vooruit was originally the festival and art center of the Ghent-based labor movement, with a ballroom, cinema, theater, etc. It is now mainly used for concerts and other cultural events.
Vooruit was designed by Ferdinand Dierkens and built between 1911 and 1914 and became a symbol of the socialist movement in the interwar period. The building is named after the socialist consumer organization (or cooperative) Vooruit ("Forward") (1891-1970), supported by Edward Anseele, to protect workers against the instability of capitalism. There workers could eat, drink and enjoy culture at affordable costs.
You can see more information on Belgian tokens at this: [ link ]