List of massacres in Belgium

This is a list of massacres which have occurred in the territory now covered by the modern country of Belgium.

Massacres before 1914

Name Date Location Deaths Notes
Genocide against the Eburones 53 BC Belgium Unknown Annihilation of the Eburones tribe by Roman forces led by Julius Caesar. According to the Gallic Wars, "He wanted...to annihilate the race of the Eburones and even the name itself."
Matins of Bruges 18 May 1302 Bruges, West Flanders 2,000 Massacre of the French garrison of Bruges by Flemish militia during the Franco-Flemish War
Brussels massacre 22 May 1370 City of Brussels, Brussels Capital Region 6 Massacre of the Jewish community in Brussels
Spanish Fury at Mechelen 2 Oct 1572 Mechelen, Province of Antwerp Unknown Sack and massacre of citizens in the city of Mechelen by Spanish soldiers after the fall of the city during the Eighty Years' War.
Sack of Antwerp 4 Nov 1576 Antwerp, Province of Antwerp 7,000 Massacre of citizens and militia of Antwerp by renegade Spanish soldiers after the fall of the city during the Eighty Years' War.
Belgian general strike of 1893 17 Apr 1893 Mons, Province of Hainaut 7 Garde Civique fired on strikers protesting for universal suffrage during the general strike of 1893.

Massacres during World War I and II

Name Date Location Deaths Notes
Aarschot massacre 19 August 1914 Aarschot, Flemish Brabant, 156 Massacre of Belgian civilians by invading German troops in collective punishment during the First World War
Andenne massacre August 1914 Andenne, Province of Namur 211 Massacre of Belgian civilians by German troops in collective punishment during the First World War
Massacre of Tamines 21 Aug 1914 Tamines, Province of Namur 384 Massacre of Belgian civilians by German soldiers in response for "Franc-tireur" attacks during the First World War
Dinant massacre 23 Aug 1914 Dinant, Province of Namur 674 Massacre of Belgian civilians by German soldiers in response for "Franc-tireur" attacks during the First World War
Sack of Louvain 25 Aug 1914 Leuven, Flemish Brabant 248 Massacre of Belgian civilians by rampaging German soldiers (the "Rape of Belgium") during the First World War
Vinkt Massacre 25 May 1940 Vinkt, East Flanders 86-140 Massacre of Belgian civilians during the German invasion of Belgium.
Courcelles Massacre 18 Aug 1944 Courcelles, Province of Hainaut 20 Massacre of Belgian civilians by Rexist collaborators in retaliation for the murder of a politician by the resistance.
Malmedy massacres December 1944 Malmedy and surrounding region 473 (83 in main incident) Massacre of POWs and civilians by SS troops led by Joachim Peiper in a dozen incidents during the Battle of the Bulge
Baugnez crossroads massacre 17 Dec 1944 Baugnez (near Malmedy), Province of Liège 81 Massacre of captured US soldiers by SS troops during the Battle of the Bulge
Wereth massacre 17 Dec 1944 Wereth, Province of Liège 11 Torture and murder of African-American POWs by German troops during the Battle of the Bulge
Bande Massacre 24 Dec 1944 Bande, Province of Luxembourg 34 Murder of 34 men between 20–31 years old by German soldiers during the Battle of the Bulge.[1][2]
Chenogne massacre 1 Jan 1945 Chenogne, Province of Luxembourg 80 Massacre of German POWs by American soldiers in retaliation for the Malmedy massacre during the Battle of the Bulge.[3]

Post-war period

Name Date Location Deaths Notes
Grâce-Berleur shooting 30 Jul 1950 Grâce-Berleur, Province of Liège 4 Massacre when Gendarmerie fired on demonstrators during the Royal Question.[4]
Bogaarden shooting 12 May 1987 Bogaarden 8 (including the perpetrator)
Dendermonde nursery attack 23 Jan 2009 Sint-Gillis-bij-Dendermonde, East Flanders 3 Attack on a nursery by an individual. 12 people were also injured in the attack.
Liège attack 13 Dec 2011 Liège, Province of Liège 6 Gun and grenade attack on civilians by an individual. 125 people were also injured.
Brussels bombings 22 Mar 2016 Zaventem, Province of Flemish Brabant and City of Brussels, Brussels-Capital Region 32 (+3 suicide bombers) Three coordinated nail bombings by five suicide bombers: two at Brussels Airport, and one at Maalbeek metro station. Responsibility claimed by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). 340 people were also injured in the attacks.
2023 Brussels shooting 16 Oct 2023 Brussels-Capital Region 3 (including the perpetrator) An Islamist Terrorist attack where the perpetrator opened fire on Swedish football supporters on their way to a football match.

References

  1. ↑ "The massacre of Bande". www.liberationroute.com. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  2. ↑ Franchimont, Benoît (7 November 2020). "79 otages dans le village - Le Soir". Le Soir (in French). Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  3. ↑ "Massacre at Malmedy during the Battle of the Bulge". Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  4. ↑ Laporte, Christian (2 January 2012). "Drame de Grâce-Berleur : le chef des gendarmes brise le silence - La Libre". La Libre Belgique (in French). Retrieved 14 February 2024.
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