In 1916, Felix Timmermans unveiled his debut novel, ‘Pallieter’. This work emerged as an unequivocal bestseller, within the Dutch-speaking realm but also, thanks to translations by esteemed foreign publishers, resonating far beyond these boundaries. In this contribution, the authors delve into the impact of this literary work, firmly rooted in an (imagined) Flanders, on both Germany and France. Their analysis begins by shedding light on how Timmermans harnessed an image of the ‘licentious’ yet ‘devout’ Flemish populace, a construct previously propagated by francophone-Belgian literature. The authors further investigate how the international propagation of this image, facilitated by authors such as Maurice Maeterlinck and Emile Verhaeren, contributed to the reception of ‘Pallieter’ in France and Germany. Subsequently, the authors reconstruct the publication history of Timmermans’ text in both Germany and France. Their examination encompasses the translation process, the paratextual elements, the role played by publishers (Insel Verlag and Les Éditions Rieder, respectively), and the reception of the work. The findings illuminate a stark contrast: within the German-speaking domain, the signifier ‘Belgium’ fades into obscurity in favor of a sharper focus on Flanders, whereas in the French-speaking sphere, Belgium continues to play a significant role, with heightened emphasis on ‘Pallieter's’ cosmopolitan character compared to its reception in Germany.