ANTWERP IN THE GREaT WaR

Historical Background

This is a publication issued by the Vredescentrum (the Peace Centre) of the province and city of Antwerp, Lombardenvest 23.

2000 Antwerp, Belgium, telephone +32 (0)3 292 36 52 - info@vredescentrum.be - www.vredescentrum.be

he Vredescentrum focuses on educational projects concerning peace and remembrance for youngsters as well as adults. In

2013 and 2014, it will celebrate the centenary of the First World War. As the coordinator of commemorative events in the city of Antwerp, the centre will collaborate with a multitude of partners on the international commemoration project Antwerp 14 - 18.
Vredescentrum of the City and Province of Antwerp Telephone 03 292 36 55 Info@vredescentrum.be www.vredescentrum.be www.antwerpen14-18.be

World War 1 centenary in Antwerp

Antwerp as the temporary capital in 1914 Historically, Antwerp has valid reasons to commemorate the start of the First World War in 2014. Shortly after Belgium became independent in 1830, the fortified city of Antwerp was proclaimed the Nationaal Rduit (National Safehaven) of Belgium: the last bastion of the Belgian army in case of an invasion by enemy troops and a safe haven from which to await help from the allies When the German troops invaded Belgium in early August 1914, it was widely believed that the fortified city of Antwerp, with its impressive double ring of forts, was invincible. Soon after the invasion in the east of Belgium and subsequent fall of Brussels, Antwerp became the temporary capital of Belgium. As a consequence it became the seat of government, parliament, the army, the royal family and the diplomatic services. The impregnable fortress, however, proved no match for the German forces and Antwerp surrendered on 9 October 1914. The invasion had also created an unprecedented wave of refugees, who sought refuge in Antwerp first and who after the fall of that city, escaped to the Netherlands, France and Britain. In the end, one Belgian in five fled the country. Antwerp in the European Union In the wider region round Antwerp, people have known peace for nearly seven decades. The European Union has emerged as a unique peace project and now unites 28 countries, among them many former enemies. Antwerp, a destination for refugees a century ago, now plays host to people from elsewhere. With one of the largest ports in Europe, a vibrant diamond trade, an internationally renowned art and fashion scene and internationally respected higher education, Antwerp remains a magnet for people both from within Belgium and from abroad. The commemoration of WWI in Antwerp is an excellent opportunity to build bridges between the past, present and future. Together with many partners, the Vredescentrum welcomes you to an ambitious programme of events. Gilbert Verstraelen, Chairman Vredescentrum Board of Trustees Marleen Van Ouytsel, Director Vredescentrum

Belgium

before the war

sons and day labourers headed for industrial areas. Life in the factories was miserable. This led to a pronounced social struggle against poverty and universal suffrage; at that time for men only. The country had some major faults: the French-speaking, industrialised south was very different from the agricultural Catholic north where Dutch was spoken.

The 19th century was characterised by substantial change. The Industrial Revolution and the exploitation of raw materials from the colonies led to a dramatic growth in the world economy. In the early 20th century this also led to international tensions between the superpowers. The world found itself in a state of armed peace.

Belgium becomes an economic powerhouse

Belgium is the first industrialised country on the European continent. The first railway line on the European continent connects Brussels and Mechelen. Antwerp is the worlds largest port, after New York. Mining in Walloonia, the steel industry and the construction of railways, trams and heavy machinery form the three pillars on which the Belgian economy thrives. Belgium is the main hub of European trade and the fourth trading power in the world. The Belgian royal family is closely connected to both the German and the British royal families.

With 7.6 million inhabitants in 1914, Belgium was the worlds most highly populated country. It had more inhabitants even than the Netherlands. Despite the countrys strong economic position, the average standard of living in Belgium was lower than in neighbouring countries. The distribution of wealth was very unequal. Most people lived in villages, small cities and towns. Catholic Flanders was poor. Because they had to go to work in the fields, hundreds of thousands of Flemish children only went to school in the winter. In their search for work, farmers
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The Brabo Fountain on Antwerps main square, the Grote Markt, financed primarily by German merchants

Antwerp: a cosmopolitan city

At the beginning of the 20th century, Antwerp was a vibrant city with great appeal. More than thirteen percent of the more than 300,000 inhabitants were of foreign origin. Most immigrants came from the Netherlands. The German community was very well organised and strong socioeconomically: one third of the members of the Chamber of Commerce was of German origin. At the outbreak of war the German citizens of Antwerp were stuck between two sides: were they Belgian or German?

The hotels Wagner and Weber near the opera

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the European powers

In 1914, there are two opposing camps: the Entente with Britain, France and Russia and the Central Powers with Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary an act committed with a Belgian FN weapon - is the spark that ignites Europe: 62 consecutive declarations of war set Europe ablaze. Even the neutral state of Belgium is dragged into the war. At that time hardly anyone realises that an utterly destructive World War had begun and that it would keep the world in its grip for four long years.

The First World War changes the face of the world. The technological advances in weaponry and their destructive power are unprecedented. Never before have so many citizens been mobilised for the war industry. Never before have so many people sought refuge elsewhere; millions of families are torn apart. All over the world, the war leads to major political changes and radical revolutions. The post-war period sees the development of new democracies based on universal suffrage. The new world order of American President Wilson is only a distant memory.

The Great War

More than 50 countries are involved. 1.5 billion people - more than 80 percent of the worlds population - are at war with one another. 70 million military personnel are mobilised, including 60 million Europeans. More than 9 million soldiers are killed. The total cost of the war far exceeds $ 2,000 billion.

The Belgian weapon that unleashes World War I

1914

28 june

Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in Sarajevo.

The First World War is one of the most dramatic conflicts in history.

breaks out

The world is ablaze

In 1839, the Treaty of London recognises Belgium as an independent country. The Treaty includes armed neutrality as an obligation. In the case of conflict, Belgium is to maintain a back seat, although it is allowed to defend its borders. In 1909, King Leopold II signs the law on conscription. Initially, the Belgian army recruits its soldiers from volunteers and before 1909 even by drawing straws.

The clash between

All certainty is blown to smithereens.

before 1909 even by drawing straws.

28 july
Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia.

With possible conflict looming, conscription is extended in August 1913 to one son per family. At the outbreak of the war, it soon becomes clear that the small, poorly armed and scarcely trained Belgian army is no match for the mighty German forces.

31 july
Mobilisation of the Belgian army.

2 august
Germany would like to attack France and advance with its army through neutral Belgium. Belgium refuses free passage.

4 august
Germany declares war on Belgium and crosses the German-Belgian border with several hundred thousand soldiers. Germany only wants to pass through Belgium to be able to attack France (the Schlieffen Plan).

7 august

The German army conquers Lige and for the first time in history, carries out an aerial bombardment on civilian targets.

Antwerp

The Great War comes to

17 august

People move out of the capital, Brussels. The king, the government and the army top brass move to Antwerp.

Antwerp is the Nationaal Rduit: protected by a double ring of fortifications around the city, it is considered the ultimate safe haven for the government and military. King Albert I moves into the Royal Palace on the Meir. The opera is used by the Belgian House of Commons, the Flemish Theatre becomes the Senate. The General Staff of the Belgian army stays in the Governors Palace on the Schoenmarkt.

1914

1914
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25 august
A zeppelin drops bombs on Antwerp. This is the second aerial bombardment on civilian targets in history.

9 september
The French army halts the German advance on the Marne. Germany revises its plans and the fortified city of Antwerp becomes a target

The zeppelin bombardments of Antwerp inspire the famous poet Paul Van Ostaijen to create visual poetry.

28 september
The fortified rings and the city of Antwerp are shelled. It soon becomes clear that the forts around Antwerp are not a match for the heavy German artillery. The Belgian Supreme Army Command leaves Lier and settles in Antwerp.

2 october

The news of a possible surrender of Antwerp reaches London. The then 40-year-old Winston Churchill, First Lord of the The damaged Fo rt of Lier Admiralty, heads for Antwerp to encourage the Belgians to stand firm.

3 october

A new wave of German soldiers is aiming for Antwerp. WWinston Churchill arrives in Antwerp with a British Royal Navy Division brigade. He is greeted enthusiastically by the crowds, which in turn fosters hope. Churchill stays at the hotel St. Antoine, on the Groenplaats, where the supermarket Albert Heijn is currently located. To represent the interests of the population, the civil government establishes an advisory committee on 4 October, chaired by Louis Franck.

6 october

German troops break through the outer ring of fortifications. After liaising with Churchill, Albert I and his officers decide to leave Antwerp.

7 october

Germany announces more shelling should Antwerp fail to surrender. At 1.30pm King Albert leaves the city by car and heads west for Sint-Niklaas.. The field army withdraws over the temporary pontoon bridges at the Steen and in Hoboken / Burcht. The British troops follow the Belgian army. A number of troops also withdraw from the forts.

Antwerp is bom bed by zeppelin s

8 october
The Bombing of Antwerp. German shells fall on the city every three to four minutes for a period of 36 hours. The city is alight and more than a hundred thousand people flee.

9 october

Antwerp falls into German hands. The Belgian army withdraws. The pontoon bridges are blown up. The last Belgian armed forces realise they can no longer get away. Those who want to leave Antwerp The villa Rest and be thankful in Kontich head for the Netherlands. Former Minister Louis Franck and Mayor De Vos meet the German delegation in Kontich. At 5.40pm, the treaty of Kontich is signed: Antwerp surrenders. German forces enter the abandoned city in the evening. They distribute a warrant Het duitsche leg er treedt uwe stad bin-nen alsover through the German Commander von winnaar. Aan gee n enkele vanuwe bur gers zal kwaad Beseler. gedaan en uwegoede
ren zullen ge erbiedigd worden,indien gij uw onthoudt van alle vijande-lijkheid. Iedere tegens tand zal ges tra ft wordenvolgens de wetten van den oorlog en kanals gev olg hebben de ver nieling van uwe sch one stad.

10 october

Den opperbelhebb er van het beleglege r

Hundreds of thousands of Belgians flee across the Dutch border, including about 33,000 Belgian, German and British soldiers. These soldiers are interned in camps in neutral Netherlands.

12 october

The Belgian army regroups on the other side the river IJzer.
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Antwerp refugees on the Dutch border

1914

towards Antwerp

The advance of the German army

s Gravenwezel

Oelegem

Broechem

German Commander Hans von Beseler Flooded area

Fort 1 ANTWERP

zeppelin air raid

Fort 2 Fort 3 Fort 4

First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill 7-9 October: withdrawal of the Belgian army Flooded area
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Air raid 8-9 October: Inner ring of forts no longer holds

Kruibeke Zwijndrecht

The principal politicians in Antwerp

The first line of defence around Antwerp - the outer belt of fortifications - is 95 kilometres long and consists of 36 forts, with smaller hamlets in between and areas that can be flooded. King Albert I

Kessel Koningshooikt Flooded area St-Katelijne-Waver LIER The second ring of forts around the city - the inner belt - is 29 kilometres long and numbers 29 forts, including the Brialmont forts. Fort 5 KONTICH 9 October: the treaty of Kontich is signed Flooded area Lieutenant-General Victor Deguise

At the outbreak of the war, the fortified rings are not quite ready. And yet everyone assumes that Antwerp is an impregnable fortress. The first ring is broken in a matter of days.

Mayor Jan De Vos Former Minister Louis Franck

Fort 6

After a siege of only 13 days Antwerp is in German hands.

Captain-Commander Virgile Pirard Flooded area

g of

Fort 7

Fort 8

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Panic in the city

Luggage left behind on the quays in Antwerp.

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The steam ferry worked all night to bring masses of terried refugees to the other side of the Scheldt and the military pontoon bridge supported a seem ingly never-ending train packed with cars, carriages and munitions wagons. After the German Commander Von Beseler had sent a member of parl iament to the Commander of the fort ress for a second time, demanding surrend er, a demand which was rejected, the bom-

bardment resumed with unabate d fury. South of the city munitions stoc ks exploded, and in the harbour area of the city and close to the Palace of Justice, more res broke out under the intense shelling. Still capable of greatnes s as well as tragedy, Antwerp was reso lutely defended.

THE FLIGHT OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND

I walked through the garden, onto the road and witnessed the continuous procession of refugees, the sheer misery of it! Horses and carts, handcarts and bicycles sped past, ushered by an approaching storm; ocks of slowly moving cattle and crowds of frightened men, mothers dragging crying children with both hands, sons transporting a lame or sick father in a wheelbarrow, hordes of people pulling and pushing carts, piled with a few chairs, a table, a mattress, a stove, a birdcage. Men with worn-out shoes or barefoot, women with crooked high heels and owery summer hats on heads with loose hair, absurd. I stood watching, transxed and started to cry. These were my people eeing by the thousand, hastening, their faces ruddy with exertion. They hurried like hunted animals escaping certain, imminent death, as if the Germans were chasing them, hard on their heels. Their xed, empty gaze, their heads bowed as if the sky was about to collapse under the weight of earthly events. The ongoing mufed rumble of German heavy artillery in the distance. I thought of the other thousands of refugees who at that very moment were struggling to nd their way through Flanders, heading for the sea. Half a million people without any shelter amid the clamour of a retreating, exhausted army and slowly progressing war vehicles.
Diary excerpts Jozef Muls, 1914

Refugees H. Prat

hotels were All shops, pubs and landscape, te closed. In this desola rlei and ize Ke the I approached iiiiiz, I Wh . ard lev bou crossed the a ... mere halted, terried. There a grename m 200 meters away fro of the dle mid the in de had landed I was As ay. aw ried hur I . boulevard te, Ver ce about to turn into the Pla

d behind there was another loud thu right beme. On the Meir, on the where t, raa nst fore the Vierwinde pped dro n bee had b recently a bom tile jec pro r the ano in, pel from a zep woed, tter fell. Shop windows sha eascr ay, aw ran men and children ed. und wo re we n ming. A few me

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