Nation's compensation for war wounds and work incapacities. The creation of a new welfare system for physically disabled veterans and civilians of the First World War in Interwar Belgium, 1918–1928

This article explores the creation of a new social welfare system for physically disabled veterans and civilians of the Great War in Belgium during the early interwar period. Through an analysis of debates among ministers and legislators, doctor's opinions and the member's periodicals of the two largest national associations for war-wounded veterans and civilians it examines how these actors shaped a new set of benefits that caused significant socio-economic inequalities inside and between both groups of victims and in relation to physically disabled citizens without war injuries. Consequently, this article reveals how the welfare system characterised a reimagining of war compensation, the physically disabled worker and disability equality in Belgium.