War Memorial Romsée

This monument honors the 24 residents of Romsée and 9 unknowns who were executed by the 35th German Infantry Division from Berlin on Aug. 6, 1914.

This was on the 2nd day of the war for Belgium !

Recalling that on August 4, 1914, Germany's unexpected attack on neutral Belgium began, these victims were executed on the 2nd day of the attack.

Germany thought they could overrun Belgium on their campaign to France without too much resistance. They were wrong. Belgium defended itself with pride and without fear.

It is known that as they passed through, the Germans would eliminate any resistance with fierce. Insurgent civilians who shot at passing troops, so called franc-tireurs, in worst case were shot, and their houses set on fire. Anything that delayed the passage to France (Duisland was following the von Schlieffen plan to attack the weakly defended northern side of France through Belgium, which demanded a meticulous timetable), was crushed with brute force. France had to be defeated before Russia had mobilized its army and Germany would be in a two-front war.

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Source

• Text: Ed Lewandowski
• Photos: Ed Lewandowski