Scientific study groups are worked out the museal outline of the 22 floors of the Tower. The ‘No-More-War’-vision of the front soldiers has been visualised in three phases: War, Peace, Flemish emancipation. Director of the study groups was Prof. Dr. Luc De Vos. Twenty-two floors on WWI are opened to the public. Using ultramodern audiovisual equipment and technics the following themes are evocated in a vivid and exact way: -the panorama of The Great War: 100 m² painting around the panorama room; -a replica of the trenches, giving an idea of their claustrofobic nature; -a model showing the inundation of the IJzer valley; -an evocation of a gas attack; -front scenes; -the Flemish struggle for emancipation during World War I; -a scene of a zeppelin attack, showing the technological nature of modern war.; -a model of a destroyed village centre; and the role of priest Daens; -life in prison; and curse to the war (Committee VOS); -the Grammens character; Tour of Flanders (cycling); -setting of Flemish houses; -the invasion of the nazi's, setting of a raid shelter and a bombed town, Fortress of Breendonk, Hiroshima; -executions after World War II, the Royal Question, International Treaties; - … You’ll sample and go through the atmosphere of “Den Grooten Oorlog 1914-1918” (The Great War 1914-1918”) and World War II. You’ll sample the fear the front line soldiers and the ordinary people must have felt. You’ll smell chlorine and mustard gas. You’ll see and walk through authentic trenches; You’ll hear and find yourself in the middle of bombings. In 1917, the destruction of the region around this Tower was almost complete, although the killings hadn’t come to an end yet. The battle caused a mental revolution and fastened the struggle for the Flemish independence in the Northern part of Belgium. Since 1830, three generations of supporters of the Flemish Movement had done their utmost to give the Dutch language the deserved status of cultural language. From 1917 the radicalized generation of the front line soldiers came into action, but their heirs still needed many decades to furnish the Flemish people – via the reformation process of the nation – a full place partner in society. Spread over 22 floors, starting in this panorama room – you’ll experience the story of the 2 centuries lasting struggle for Flemish independence. For any information and reservations : VZW BEDEVAART NAAR DE GRAVEN AAN DE IJZER IJzerdijk 49 — 8600 Diksmuide Tel.: 051/50.02.86 - 50.22.86 — Fax: 051/50.22.58 e-mail: ijzertoren@unicall.be — website : www.ijzertoren.org