Antwerp during World War I

We are standing here before the monument dedicated to the victims of the First World War. This story is about the First World War and what Antwerp endured during that time.

In 1914, the German army invaded Belgium to reach France through this neutral country. Antwerp was then an important fortress city, surrounded by a ring of modern forts. After the fall of Liège and Namur, the Belgian army withdrew here, hoping to slow down the German advance.

General Hans von Beseler led the German siege. With hundreds of heavy cannons, including the infamous “Big Berthas,” the Germans bombarded the outer forts. The city held for almost three weeks, but without sufficient support from the Allies, resistance became pointless. On 9 October 1914, Antwerp surrendered.

The consequences were severe. Tens of thousands of civilians fled to the Netherlands or Great Britain. Others were killed by the bombardments or taken as prisoners of war. Antwerp fell into German hands and remained occupied until the end of the war.

This monument reminds us of that difficult time and the citizens of Antwerp who lost their lives during the siege and the occupation.