Figure 1.-- The single most serious incident of the Germans destroying culrural reasures was the destruction of Louvain. Louvain is the internationally known name of the town which in the Flemish-speaking part of Belgium, where it is known as Leuven. It should be noted when viewing the destruction in Louvain, that German occupation policies in both World Wars were to favor the Flemish for cultural and racial reasons. The city center was leveled except the town hall which the Germans appropiated for their military headquarters. The destruction included Leuven University and its priceless library which contained irreplaceable medival manuscripts. The Library was burned to the ground. Click on the image to see the destruction of the city center. AftervtheWar theGernas objected vto mpaying repoarationms, but one has to ask who dhould pay for the damage they did.

The Gemans also engaged in the destruction of cultural trasures without any realtion to the War or fighting. Unlike World War II, this does not appear to have been a planned campign by the German Govrnnment, but there vwer serious incidents. And it is important to note that most of these incidents did not occur during the fighting and urban warfare. The destruction of Belgian cities and the cultural trasures housed there occurred after the front line had passed and the Germans were in full possession of the cities. The gallant little Belgisn Arnmy did not make major stands in th cities. The single most serious incident of the Germans destroying culrural reasures was the destruction of Louvain. Louvain is the internationally known name of the town which in the Flemish-speaking part of Belgium, where it is known as Leuven. It should be noted when viewing the destruction in Louvain, that German occupation policies in both World Wars were to favor the Flemish for cultural and racial reasons. The city center was leveled except the town hall which the Germans appropiated for their military headquarters. The destruction included Leuven University and its priceless library which contained irreplaceable medival manuscripts. The Library was burned to the ground. German destruction of culturl trasures also included attacks on churches and cathedrals at Visé, Diksmuide (Dixmude), Louvain, the Cathedral at Ypres, the Cathedral at Malines, and others. [Denry] We also note the shelling of the world-famous Reims Cathedral. [Horne/Kramer, pp. 196-201.] In addition to tyhe destruction there were the killing of civilians, inmcluding women and chiltrn,. We see no reason for these actions except the desire of the German Army to generate terror among Belgian civilians.

Sources

Denry, Fabien. E-mail message (July 15, 2014)

Horne, John and Alan Kramer. German Atrocities, 1914: A History of Denial (Yale University Press, 2002).

Created: 6:53 PM 4/10/2022
Last updated: 6:53 PM 4/10/2022