World War One: German Occupation of Belgium

Belgium was occupied by the Germans throughout World War One.

They attacked Liege, which they captured on August 16, 1918, and August 18 the main advance began.
Heavy fighting took place near Tirlemont and at other places, and despite a gallant defence the Belgian army was forced back.

Brussels was surrendered on August 20, and two days later the 5th French Army was attacked at Charleroi, and the British at Mons on August 23. The fall of Namur on August 25 liberated the main German armies for beginning their wide turning movement into France, later leaving a sufficient force to subdue Antwerp, the last remaining stronghold. The city fell in October and by the 14th the Germans had reached the coast at Ostend. At the end of November all Belgium except Neuport, Furnes and Ypres was in their hands.

The country was placed under a German governor and deprived of all legal rights and protection. Property was confiscated, bank securities appropriated and, factory and works systematically stripped of machinery and plant.

The Germans made no provision for feeding the population, and that it was able to live at all was due to outside help. There were wholesale deportations of men for forced labour in Germany.

It is estimated that the cost to Belgium of the German invasion was in excess of 1n £1,000,000,000.

The evacuation of Belgium by the Germans was one of the conditions of the Armistice.