Philippe Raxhon, Which republic for the principality of Liege (1792-1793) ? History and memory in the 19th century. The liegeois patriots refugeed in France after the defeat of their revolution in January 1791 were republicans before France became a republic. At that time, they supported French intervention in adjoining the old bishopric to France. After 1814, the particularism of Liege was submerged by thoughts of a unitary Belgian state. Republicanism, inextricably associated in the recent memory with the French conquest was refused. For both liberals and catholics, the republic was synonymous with popular violence. In 1889, the Socialist-republican party, deeply enrooted in the Walloon coal region, was repressed. This caused the one hi...