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."
Bruges Matins	May 18, 1302	Bruges, West Flanders	2,000	Massacre of the French garrison of Bruges by Flemish militia during the Franco-Flemish War
Brussels Massacre	May 22, 1370	City of Brussels, Brussels Capital Region	6	Massacre of the Jewish community in Brussels
Spanish Fury of Mechelen	Oct 2, 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.
Spanish Fury of Antwerp	Nov 4, 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	Apr 17, 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	August 19, 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	Aug 21, 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	Aug 23, 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	Aug 25, 1914	Leuven, Flemish Brabant	248	Massacre of Belgian civilians by rampaging German soldiers (the "Rape of Belgium") during the First World War
Vinkt Massacre	May 25, 1940	Vinkt, East Flanders	86-140	Massacre of Belgian civilians during the German invasion of Belgium.
Courcelles Massacre	Aug 18, 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	Dec 17, 1944	Baugnez (near Malmedy), Province of Liège	81	Massacre of captured US soldiers by SS troops during the Battle of the Bulge
Wereth massacre	Dec 17, 1944	Wereth, Province of Liège	11	Torture and murder of African-American POWs by German troops during the Battle of the Bulge
Bande Massacre	Dec 24, 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	Jan 1, 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	Jul 30, 1950	Grâce-Berleur, Province of Liège	4	Massacre when Gendarmerie fired on demonstrators during the Royal Question. [4]
Bogaarden shooting	May 12, 1987	Bogaarden	8 (including himself)
Dendermonde nursery attack	Jan 23, 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	Dec 13, 2011	Liège, Province of Liège	6	Gun and grenade attack on civilians by an individual. 125 people were also injured.
Brussels bombings	Mar 22, 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	Oct 16, 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.

Photo of massacre in Belgium

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.