Antwerpen14-18_Antwerp builds bridges ENG

Antwerp
1914-2014
builds bridges

This is a publication issued by the Vredescentrum of the province and the city of Antwerp, Lombardenvest
23, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium, tel 0032 (0) 292 36 52 - info@vredescentrum.be - www.vredescentrum.be

1914-2014: Antwerp builds a bridge to commemorate the ‘Great War’
In 2014, we are commemorating the ‘Great War’. The
Vredescentrum of the city and province of Antwerp is collaborating
with more than 40 partners, Belgian and foreign, to launch a
fascinating cultural program commemorating the First World War
in the city. The programme includes exhibitions in Antwerp’s main
museums, lectures, walks, a dance event for young people, a light
spectacle put on by students and an educational programme for
children.
The Magnus Opus is the reconstruction of a temporary footbridge
across the River Scheldt, from Steen Castle to the Left bank
(Linkeroever), by the Belgian and Dutch Engineer Corps on 3
October 2014.
At that very location 100 years ago, at the outbreak of the First
World War, the Belgian army built a pontoon bridge across the
Scheldt. By using this bridge, the fortified city of Antwerp could
be adequately supplied and also quickly evacuated.
The construction of a modern ‘Peace Bridge’ is a technical tour
de force as well as a powerful example of Belgian-Dutch military
cooperation. The realisation of a bridge across the River Scheldt
in the city centre is also a beautiful symbol of connecting past,
present and future, one that will undoubtedly inspire people. But
above all, the bridge provides a unique experience for the many
tens of thousands of visitors who will be able to walk across the
River Scheldt from 3 to 5 October 2014 following in the footsteps
of the Belgian army and more than 100,000 refugees who, in
1914, were leaving a burning and bombed out city behind them,
in search of safer places.
The Antwerp Port Authority believes that this exciting and
ambitious project will be successful and wholeheartedly supports
the construction of the footbridge in 2014. See you on the bridge!
Marc Van Peel
Alderman Port of Antwerp
3

The pontoon bridge 1914
4
Six bridges, as part of a broader military plan
Antwerp was designated Nationaal Réduit in 1859, the
last line of defence where King, government and military
leadership were able to withdraw in case of a siege.
Pending support from the allies, Antwerp was basically
easy to defend and supply. The forts would be able to
provide the fortified city with a lifeline, consisting of troops
and food, as well as to ensure that the city would be able
to withstand a possible attack via the Netherlands and the
River Scheldt.
In 1914, the last fixed bridge on the Scheldt was located
at Temse. In Antwerp ferries leave from the Suikerrui. But
none of it was sufficient to carry the size and weight of a
quick evacuation of the city.
Therefore, four bridges were built over the Scheldt:
between Steen Castle and St Anna on the Left Bank,
between Hoboken and Burcht, between Hemiksem and
Basel, and in Rupelmonde. Two more bridges across the
river Rupel were added: at the Tolhuis and the Hellegat. All
the material had already been purchased before the war
and was stored in the Vlaams Hoofd: the metal deck, the
wooden floors and the ramps between the bridge and
quay.
The bridge at the Steen is ready in a week
The construction of the bridge starts on 2 August 1914,
two days before the German invasion. The first task is to
transport all the material from the Vlaams Hoofd redoubt
to the location of the bridge, about 400 meters away. The
pontoon engineers work long hours, from six o’clock in
the morning until six o’clock in the evening. The only
break they have involves a second meal. The work often
continues well into the evening and night. “Sometimes
work lasted more than 15, 20, even 24 [hours], regardless
of the weather conditions”, testifies Commander Pierard
The bridge floats on 25 riverboats. The ships are anchored
so that they stay put and so that they do not drift apart,
carried by the tide or current. To compensate for the
movement of the tide, the bows of the ships are positioned
alternately upstream and downstream. Beams are mounted
on the ships and on them, the bridge deck and railings.
The ramps between bridge and quay move with the tide.
The bridge has to be able to open up for inland navigation
on the River Scheldt. Near the Vlaams Hoofd two ‘portières’
or passages are made, each with a width of 42 meters.
They are mounted each on two boats. To allow riverboats
to pass through, the ‘doors’ are temporarily moved
aside.
Thursday 13 August 1914
A bridge made of ships at Antwerp
“Opposite St. Anneken a bridge crosses the
River Scheldt. The bridge is intended to
ensure the passage of troops and the transport
of materials, ammunition and heavy
artillery. The bridge is built on a series of
merchant ships. Some of these have been
donated voluntarily; others have been requisitioned
by the military authorities.”
Tuesday 13 October 1914.
“People withdrew from hell in great haste.
The part of the armed forces that defended
the city were able to cross the bridge just in
the nick of time (which, as we know, was
set on fire moments later). Many Belgian
soldiers were captured; others escaped by
quickly changing into civilian outfits and
continued on their way dressed like that.”

After seven days, the bridge is ready. On 9 August, a
delegation of military and civilian officials inspect the
bridge, including the Mayor, General Dufour, the governor
of the province and a few foreign consuls. According to
the newspaper the Gazet van Antwerpen “the wonderful
work of the pontoon workers was admired by all.
Commander Pierard, the head of this fine corps of sappers,
was warmly congratulated by General Dufour.”
Soldier Odon Van Pevenage was one of the soldiers. He
was very impressed. “We hit the dike where we had to cross
the river. I had never seen such a wide river. The bridge we
had to cross was made of ships with planks on top of them.
The bridge had been constructed by the engineer troops to
facilitate the transport of armed forces. I believe the river
was at least three hundred meters wide.”
The pontoon bridge is in permanent use
In 1914, the author Josef Muls described everyday life in
the besieged city. He witnessed the departing troops for
instance. “From the pontoon bridge, at the foot of the
old grey Steen Castle, a wooden bridge on barges
went to the opposite river bank. On 5 September, we
saw sizeable cavalry divisions cross the bridge with
their artillery, aiming to recapture Dendermonde from
the Germans and keep the connection open between
Antwerp and the coast open.” (Jozef Muls)
The headquarters of the pontoon workers was located in the Vlaams Hoofd
redoubt on the Left Bank. This military stronghold was located at what is
currently known as Frederik van Eedenplein. Around the fort a lively area had
formed, with many pubs and eateries. From its own train station, trains had
been departing from the Vlaams Hoofd to Ghent since 1844.
5

The Pontoon Bridge as a supply line
The bridges across the River Scheldt have to ensure rapid
troop movements, the transport of materials and supplies
between the two river banks. The construction is
done by specially trained pontoon workers of the Belgian
army. They are engineer corps soldiers with combat training.
They are responsible for the construction of bridges,
for maintenance and repairs, for monitoring, for opening
and closing of bridges, for the maintenance of the railway
bridge in Temse and the few ships that cross the River
Scheldt, for monitoring the Scheldt and should the need
arise, for the destruction of the bridges.
The military control of the bridge and the River Scheldt
The pontoon bridge is closely guarded. The military
authorities are weary of sabotage and want to keep an
eye on people entering or leaving the city.
• The technical guard (two sergeants, two corporals and
35 to 40 soldiers) ensures the proper functioning and
maintenance of the bridge.
• The army guards the approaches to the bridge and
runs call duties. The bridge at Steen Castle is guarded
by infantry units and the other bridges by the pontoon
soldiers themselves.
• The river guard has two boats at anchor upstream
and downstream. During the day they hoist the flag,
lighting the lanterns at night. They monitor upstream
traffic with a motor boat and downstream with a tug.
• Along the river banks patrols walk up and down
continuously.
• To prevent the bridges from being blown up by the
Germans using floating mines, armed motor boats
guard the River Scheldt at all times.
There are two fire brigade cars ready to extinguish fires at
each bridge.
The bridge is narrow, the ramps steep
The narrow bridge can be used in one direction only. It is
three meters wide, has a carriageway of 1.80 meters, and
an an adjacent path for pedestrians. To determine which
direction is needed, the guards keep in touch with one
another by telephone.
Crossing the bridge is subject to strict rules.
• Vehicles that are too heavy have to be unloaded first.
The load is then divided or remains on the quays.
• Some vehicles are too wide and cannot cross.
• Foot soldiers have to step out of cadence to reduce
the thunder of their steps.
• Soldiers and officers on horseback have to dismount
and cross the bridge in pairs.
• Artillery has to be rolled across at a walking pace.
• Cars have to drive slowly, maintaining a safe distance
from one another.
• Soldiers are given priority, but citizens can also use the
bridge.
6

The slope of the entry and exit ramps of the bridge depends
on the tide and the traffic on the bridge. At low tide
the boats are much lower, making the ramps steeper. At
times of heavy traffic, the weight makes the bridge even
lower. Horses often have trouble in reaching the river bank.
The ramps suffer from the weight of the vehicles and are
repaired regularly.
At night the bridge is lit up by electric lanterns. The wiring
is done by a civilian company. However, after the first zeppelin
bombings the city has to remain in darkness overnight.
The lanterns on the pontoon bridge are extinguished
or obscured.
“After the zeppelin attack, the people of Antwerp lived
in complete darkness at night. At eight o’clock, everything
had to be closed and all tram traffic was suspended.
If there were lights visible from the windows
of the houses police officers or civilian guards would
ring bells to notify the owners. In the dark, the city’s
streets and squares were scarcely recognisable.”
(Jozef Muls)
Antwerp bombed by a zeppelin
7

The pontoon bridge as an
escape route
The strategic retreat of the field army
On 6 October, King Albert commands the field army to
retreat to the other side of the River Scheldt. This happens
at night to prevent the Germans from noticing the withdrawal.
Josef Muls writes: “A rumble of thunder seemed
suddenly to come out of the darkness as though out of
nowhere. I stood still and listened attentively to the
strange noise. It became very loud. It was as frightening
as if I were stuck in a maze. Then I was clearly
able to distinguish the sound of countless of horses’
hooves.”At the Central Station Muls notices a procession
of “dark riders” who head for the town centre and who
“rode through the streets with rattling guns and caissons”
He follows the procession towards the Scheldt and
in the faint light of the moon he sees “how the dark, lamentable
flight pushes slowly towards the river bank
opposite, across the long wooden bridge whose beams
and planks clattered...” Back at home Muls hears the
retreating cannons rolling through the city all night. On 7
October, he witnesses King Albert’s car leaving the city via
the pontoon bridge at the Steen...
The population also flees
The threat of German bombing hangs over the city. The
soldiers are defeated, tired and afraid. Fear reigns everywhere
and hundreds of thousands of civilians try to flee.
The sheer mass of people forms “an unbridled crowd,
which rolled on the spot, like a harvest in a storm,
voicing its anger, complaining and cursing.” The roads
to the quays are completely blocked, people have to
queue for hours. The sea of people and carriages often
hinders the army. Yet people try to organise the exodus in
an orderly manner.
The citizens have to wait until the soldiers have crossed
the bridge. A British newspaper reports how gendarmes,
armed with bayonets, keep the surging crowd at bay for
hours on end so as to ensure the army their passage. However,
when the bridge becomes overwhelmed by people
in blind panic, the guards can no longer keep things under
control.
The retreat is chaotic
Fleeing people are stuck for hours without being able to
move either forwards or backwards. They have put on
their best clothes; who knows where they might end up
during their flight? Hurriedly they gather a few personal
belongings, dragging them along in wheelbarrows, prams
or trolleys, often pulled by oxen and donkeys. There is a
feeling of panic; people are shouting, babies crying, dogs
are barking and cows lowing. Cars, ambulances and
buses are stuck in the crowd. 200 people are transferred
to St Anna by ferry every fifteen minutes.
De vluchtelingen (The Refugees),
Eugeen Van Mieghem,
1914
8

The burning oil tanks form
an apocalyptic spectacle,
with flames “a hundred
feet high.” The people
waiting on the quays complain
that they are almost
choking “in the thick air
dense with petrol fumes.”
(Dirk Van Thuyne)
Number of refugees
Tens of thousands of people flee the burning city over
the pontoon bridge. The newspaper reports vary concerning
the exact number of refugees, which is difficult
to gauge amidst the chaos. The New York Times
writes: “Besides the long exodus by the roads to Holland
I saw a crowd estimated at 150,000 blocking the
ferry and pontoon (at Antwerp) on their way to get
trains to St. Nicholas and Ghent.”
“An old docker from the Schipperskwartier told me
of the flight that he had witnessed along the Scheldt.
Barges, mussel trawlers, rowing boats, sailing ships,
anything that could float and move was used to escape
the horror of the burning and besieged city. People
jumped from the high quay into the vessels, often overloaded
and on the point of sinking. The river was a
swarm of black boats on its broad even surface, against
the backdrop of the red glow of the burning petrol
tanks coming from the direction of Hoboken.”
(Jozef Muls)
An endless crowd of people and convoy of vehicles head
for the Left Bank. The low tide and the weight of the crowd
tilt the ramps at the quay to such an extent that soldiers,
civilians and even a pram end up in the river. A journalist
from the New York Times writes: “The twenty-foot entrance
to that pontoon bridge seemed to me like the mouth
of a funnel through which poured the dense misery of an
entire nation.”
The newspaper Le Bruxellois mentions 200,000 refugees,
other newspapers as many as 500,000. More
than a hundred thousand people flee the city via the
foot bridges or ships to the Left Bank, heading for
Ghent, Bruges, the coast and Zeeland. They usually
go on foot. The Vlaams Hoofd railway can only be
used for military purposes.
Many refugees also go to the Netherlands on foot or
by train. Soldiers who have lost their unit and who flee
to the neutral nation of the Netherlands are interned
there, an international martial law prescription.
There is a sea of people, a chaotic mass consisting
of carriages, automobiles, wagons, fairground vehicles,
anything you can imagine. Packed, the steam
ferry crosses over to the other side at regular intervals,
I hold my breath ... if a grenade were to hit the
vessel... “
9

Technical details
Pontoon bridge 1914 Pontoon bridge 2014
units that built the
bridge
commanding officer
Pontoon forces Forteresse de la Position
Fortifiée d’Anvers,
1st Company Pontoon Engineers of the 1st
Engineer Battalion
Captain-Commander Virgile Piérard
11th Belgian Engineerg Battalion from Burcht and the
105th Bridge Company from ‘s-Hertogenbosch, which is
part of the 101st Dutch Engineer Battalion from Wezep.
Coordination: Staff Colonel Dirk Verhaegen, Military Commander
of the Province of Antwerp Command: Lieutenant-
Colonel Peter Philipsen, Commander of the 11th Engineer
Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Ed Caelen, Commander of
the 101st Engineer Battalion
number of troops
headquarters
about 310 men, commanded by seven
officers
Vlaams Hoofd, fort located at the current
Van Eedenplein (Left Bank)
length of the bridge 390 meters 370 meters
+ / - 150 to construct and deconstruct, + / - 60 during the
operation
Headquarters:
Burcht, Wezep en ‘s-Hertogenbosch
width of the bridge 3 meters 8.12 meters and 4.10 meters for the road
Type
Eiffel - The construction plan had already
been conceived and built before the war.
Faltswimmbrücke (FSB) pontoon bridge
material iron, wood, requisitioned ships Aluminum and wood
location
Suikerrui, Steen - Vlaams Hoofd
construction from 2 to 9 August 1914 2 & 3 October 2014
destruction
by command: 8 October 1914
execution: 9 October 1914, 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Between mooring pontoon at Steen Castle on right bank
and the landing of the pilotage on the Left bank.
6 October 2014
10

Passage for ships
The pontoon bridge has two passages for riverboats. They can only pass
provided they have explicit permission. Commander Pierard issues a
message including the following guidelines.
• From the southern tip of the quays along the Scheldt to the Royers
locks, no vessel without authorisation given by the Commander of the
pontoon engineers will be granted access. All ships without permisson,
must move to the docks immediately or to the tiny port of the Left bank.
• The ships at anchor on the river or moored at the quayside, must reinforce
their anchors and ropes.
• The fact that the bridge is closed is indicated by a black sphere on top
of a mast. When the bridge is open, ships may sail through only against
the current and at stagnant water.
• The bridge will never be opened after sunset and before sunrise.
The destruction
On the evening of 8 October 1914, Captain-Commander Piérard receives
the order from Lieutenant-General Deguise to blow up the bridges
at Steen Castle and Burcht. They must not fall into enemy hands. The
morning of 9 October, the pontoon bridge in Burcht is destroyed at 5am,
the pontoon bridge at the Steen at 8.30am. Along the right bank, the side
of the city, 25 ships are set alight by the pontoon engineers. The New
York Times writes: “... there was a crash that shook the whole building,
the sound of falling glass, and out into the river a geyser of water shot up,
timbers and boards flew from the bridge, and there were dozens of narrower
splashes as if from a shower of shot. It was the Belgians blowing
up the bridge to cover their retreat.”
On the Left bank torpedoes are used to detonate six ships, but the plan
is only partially successful. A journalist writes: “The mines which were
exploded beneath it did more damage to the buildings along the waterfront
than to the bridge however, only the middle spans of which were
destroyed.” Other ships are targeted, with the aim of sinking them. The
pontoon engineers take the floating passageways to the shore. They
also destroy the hangars and the equipment in the Vlaams Hoofd fort.
The destruction takes about twenty minutes. At that time there are still
soldiers present in the city. When they find out there is no longer an escape
route, they panic. Witnesses see that they are still trying to get into
boats and call for help. Some who have been left behind even shoot at
the fleeing boats, demanding them to turn round and pick them up.
Piérard and the pontoon engineers leave Antwerp in the direction of the
Netherlands and are interned there on 10 October. After internment in
Amersfoort and The Hague, Piérard is repatriated to Belgium after the
war.
To cover their retreat Belgian troops destroyed the mooring
platform on the Left bank
11

Pontoon Bridge 100 years later
Left bank
Right bank
‘Anchored to the pier of
the maritime police’
‘Folding bridge 340 meters’
“Gangway anchored 38
meters on shore ‘
12

Dirk Verhaegen is Staff Colonel and
Military Commander of the Province
of Antwerp. As the link between
the military and the civilian populations,
he will be responsible for
coordinating the pontoon bridge in
2014.
The fixed part of the bridge is about 60 meters long and
consists of about 60 tons of steel. The floating section is
about 270 meters long and consists of 15 to 20 pontoon
boats, each driving roughly three linked pontoon elements.
The total weight of the aluminum frame is approximately
200 tons - which accounts for 40 trucks of equipment.
The assembling and inspecting of the bridge is
carried out by 250 sappers, half of them Dutch, half Belgian.
Divers will also be on guard.
The fixed section of the bridge is anchored with support
poles in the river bottom of the Scheldt, floating pontoons
are held together using the screws of the pontoon boats.
These will have to be monitored round the clock. For
example, during the ‘slack’ period between high and low
tide the river water almost comes to a standstill, but at its
strongest it can flow at 9 kilometers per hour. This represents
a tremendous force. In addition, the bridge should
be able to open up regularly to let ships sail through. This
is already monitored at Flushing, close to the estuary of
the River Scheldt.
“Constructing such a bridge will not be
easy, not least because the River
Scheldt in Antwerp is about 370 m wide and the tidal currents
are at times very strong. The sappers of the 11th Engineer
Battalion from Burcht will take care of the fixed section
of the bridge. The 101th Engineer battalion from Wezep in the
Netherlands and their 105th Bridge Company from ‘s-Hertogenbosch
will build the floating section. Because the entire
operation won’t be easy, the bridge will be constructed for a
first time, as a test, in September 2013. The whole event is
like a large collection of Meccano, with pieces that do not
always fit together properly.
Additionally, the preparation represents a huge technical
challenge. We are including a risk assessment as well, a prevention
and safety plan, agreements with the port authorities,
with civil and military authorities, and so on. Over thirty delegates
are usually present at the meetings. But the cooperation
works very well, everyone is excited. The construction of
this bridge is a wonderful example of international defense
cooperation at a European level, in this case between Belgium
and the Netherlands and fully in line with the policy of our
respective Secretaries of Defence. And it is wonderful to be
able to build a ‘Bridge of Peace’ for all citizens across the
River Scheldt in Antwerp in 2014!”
13

Historic bridges across the Scheldt in Antwerp
1584 1895
During the Eighty
Years War Antwerp
is besieged in
1584. The Spanish
army led by
Alexander Farnese
aims to enclose the
city. To close the
circle, he builds
a floating bridge
across the Scheldt
In 1795, Antwerp
is ‘liberated’ from
the Austrians
by France. To
commemorate
that event, a
floating bridge is
laid across the
Scheldt in 1895
1565
Sometimes ice
forms a natural
bridge between the
two banks. Images
exist of a frozen
River Scheldt in
1565, 1670, 1871
and 1891
During World
War II, the German
occupying
force established
another pontoon
bridge across the
Scheldt. When
they withdrew in
September 1944,
they blew up that
bridge
1944
14

1914
The bridges built in 1584, 1914 and 1944 on the
Scheldt were military bridges.
The new bridge in 2014 is intended to be a ‘Bridge
of Peace’.
A bridge that connects people, young and old,
natives and foreigners.
The pontoon bridge of 1914 was an important
supply route for military equipment and an escape
route for countless citizens. A few hours after the
destruction of the bridge, the Germans entered the
city. The German army aims to build a new pontoon
bridge itself. This proves not too straightforward
as each attempt is washed away by each high
tide. Eventually a bridge is constructed across the
Royerssluis, 2.6 kilometers downstream of Steen
Castle.
A bridge that contributes to the collective memory
of the city.
A bridge that encourages dreams for the future.
15

16
The reconstruction of the bridge in October 2014 is realised in
collaboration with:
• Antwerp Tourism & Conferences
• Artesis Plantijn Hogeschool
• Fire Brigade Antwerp
• City Mayor and Aldermen
• Department Events City of Antwerp
• Department Emergency Prevention and Planning City of Antwerp
• Department Protocol City of Antwerp
• Port of Antwerp Authority
• Military Engineer Corps Burcht - 11 GN
• Engineer Corps Netherlands - Den Bosch 101 Engineer Battalion / 105th
Bridge company
• GeoSea (DEME)
• Federal Department Defense
• Federal Department Transport DG Maritime Transport
• Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History
• Military Command Province of Antwerp
• Dutch Ministry of Defence
• Dutch Consulate-General Antwerp
• Police Antwerp
• Waterways police Antwerp
• Tourism Flanders Impulse Fund 100 years The Great War
• Flemish Department of Mobility and Public Works -
Maritime Access Division
• Flemish Agency for Maritime and Coastal Pilotage
• Waterways and Sea Canal Flanders
The Scientific Committee Antwerp ‘14 - ‘18 is responsible for the content
quality of the project:
• Marnix Beyen, historian and professor University of Antwerp
• Christophe Declercq, PhD student Imperial College London
• Piet Lombaerde, Simon Stevin Foundation and Artesis Hogeschool
• Dirk Martin, Centre for Historical Research and Documentation on War and
Contemporary Society (Cegesoma)
• Koen Palinckx, historian and former director Vredescentrum
• Eric Rombouts, VIP Guide Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military
History
• Inge Schoups, city archivist Felix Archives Antwerp
• Maarten van Alstein, researcher Flemish Vredesinstituut
• Luc Vandeweyer, archivist National Archives Brussels
• Alex Vanneste, Professor Emeritus University of Antwerp
• Antoon Vrints, Postdoctoral researcher at Ghent University
• Marleen Van Ouytsel, Director Vredescentrum Antwerpen
• Lotte Dodion, project coordinator Vredescentrum Antwerpen
• Sophie Serraris, project coordinator Vredescentrum Antwerpen
References
General histories
• SOPHIE DE SCHAEPDRIJVER, De Groote Oorlog, Amsterdam / Antwerp, Atlas,
1979.
• ANTOON VRINTS, De Klippen Des Nationalismus, De eerste Wereldoorlog en
de ondergang van de Duitse kolonie in Antwerpen, 2002.
• SAM VAN CLEMEN, Den Oorlog Verklaard, De Grote Oorlog in de provincie
Antwerpen, Antwerpen, Provinciebestuur, 2003.
Pictures
‘Antwerp in the Great War’
• Image archives Cegesoma (p. 4)
• Churchill Archives Centre (p.10)
• Collection Hugo Buyle (p.8, 9)
• Collection Alex Elaut, picture Peter Maes (p.13)
• DANIEL JAMES, My First World War, Franklin Watts, London, 2009 (p.7)
• German propaganda booklet, Hugo Resseler (p.7)
• Photo Collection city archive Lier (p.8)
• Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History (p.1, 11, 12, 17)
• Phil Douglis, The Douglis Visual Workshops (p.6)
• Antwerp City Archives (p. 5, 8, 9, 10, 11)
• The War Illustrated (p.12)

Colophon
‘Antwerp builds bridges’
• BRABO archives (p.14)
• Collection Hugo Buyle (p.7)
• Museum Eugeen Van Mieghem (p.8)
• The Virtual Skating Museum (p.14)
• Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History (p.2, 6-7, 9)
• Letterenhuis Antwerpen (p.17)
• Private Collection (p.5)
• Antwerp City Archives(p.1, 11, 14, 15)
• Technical drawing, 105th Hydraulic Company NL (p.12-13)
Quotes
‘Antwerp in the Great War’
• De Tijd, 9 October 1914, Genie Museum Jambes (p.12)
• Het Volk, 9 October 1914, Genie Museum Jambes (p.13)
• JOZEF MULS, De val van Antwerpen, Ons Vlaanderen, Ghent, 1918 (p.13)
‘Antwerp builds bridges’
• ALEXANDER POWELL, Fighting in Flanders, London, Heinemann, 1914 (p.8, 11)
• DIRK VAN THUYNE, 1914, De Duitsers komen: de moordende begindagen van
de Eerste Wereldoorlog, Lannoo, Tielt, 2010 (p.8, 9)
• Gazet van Antwerpen, 10-11-12 August 1914 (p.5, 11)
• HORACE GREEN, The Log of a noncombatant, www.greatwardifferent.com (p.9)
• IVAN ADRIAESSENS, Odon, dagboek van een IJzerfrontsoldaat, Lannoo, Tielt,
2009 (p.5)
• JOZEF MULS, De val van Antwerpen, Ons Vlaanderen, Ghent, 1918 (p.5, 7, 8, 9)
• Rapport kapitein-commandant Piérard, collection Royal Museum the Armed Forces
and of Military History, Moskou, Compagnie de Pontonniers, rapport établi
le 26 juin 1916, par le Cpt - Cdt Piérard, emploi du temps, nature et importance
des travaux executés (p.11)
• Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad, 13 August 1914, Genie Museum Jambes (p.4)
• The New York Times, 11-12 October 1914, Genie Museum Jambes (p. 8, 11)
The publisher has sought to settle the rights of the published pictures according to
the legal stipulations. Those who nevertheless feel to assert certain rights should
contact the publisher.
Composition: Vredescentrum,
Scientific Committee Antwerp’14-’18
Historical research by Geheugen Collectief
Author: Stefaan Vermeulen
Editor: Lotte Dodion and Sophie Serraris
Design Het Geel Punt bvba
Translation Christophe Declercq
At the outbreak of war in August 1914, the
young lawyer Joseph Mulch (° 1882) joined
the Antwerp civilian guards. Only a week into
the conflict he became the German translator
for the military government and clerk at the
court martial. By the end of September, he
was appointed civil lawyer of the war governor
and oversaw the ware houses whose German
owners or trade managers had been expelled
or taken into custody’ .
Josef Muls was a first hand witness of events
in the city. His chronicle ‘De Val van Antwerpen’ (The Fall of
Antwerp) paints a lively picture of everyday life in the besieged
city. On 7 October, he fled from the city himself. He
stayed in London first, but then moved to Paris. After the
armistice he returned to Antwerp, where he became a professor
of art history.
Writer Thomas Maes incorporates diary excerpts from ‘De Val van Antwerpen’
by Josef Muls in his book ‘Antwerpen 1914’. The book ‘Antwerpen
1914’ was launched in cooperation with publishing company
Linkeroever during Cultuurmarkt 2013.
17

18
rLinkeroeve

Rechteroever
See you on the bridge!
19

Antwerp
in the Great War
Historical Background

This is a publication issued by the Vredescentrum (the Peace Centre) of the province and city of Antwerp, Lombardenvest 23.
2000 Antwerp, Belgium, telephone +32 (0)3 292 36 52 - info@vredescentrum.be - www.vredescentrum.be
The Vredescentrum focuses on educational projects concerning
peace and remembrance for youngsters as well as adults. In
2013 and 2014, it will celebrate the centenary of the First World
War. As the coordinator of commemorative events in the city of
Antwerp, the centre will collaborate with a multitude of partners on
the international commemoration project Antwerp ‘14 - ‘18.
Vredescentrum of the City and Province of Antwerp
Telephone 03 292 36 55
Info@vredescentrum.be
www.vredescentrum.be
www.antwerpen14-18.be
2

World War 1 centenary in Antwerp
Antwerp as the temporary capital in 1914
Historically, Antwerp has valid reasons to commemorate the start
of the First World War in 2014. Shortly after Belgium became
independent in 1830, the fortified city of Antwerp was proclaimed
the Nationaal Réduit (National Safehaven) of Belgium: the last
bastion of the Belgian army in case of an invasion by enemy troops
and a safe haven from which to await help from the allies
When the German troops invaded Belgium in early August 1914,
it was widely believed that the fortified city of Antwerp, with its
impressive double ring of forts, was invincible. Soon after the
invasion in the east of Belgium and subsequent fall of Brussels,
Antwerp became the temporary capital of Belgium. As a
consequence it became the seat of government, parliament, the
army, the royal family and the diplomatic services. The
‘impregnable’ fortress, however, proved no match for the German
forces and Antwerp surrendered on 9 October 1914. The invasion
had also created an unprecedented wave of refugees, who
sought refuge in Antwerp first and who after the fall of that city,
escaped to the Netherlands, France and Britain. In the end, one
Belgian in five fled the country.
Antwerp in the European Union
In the wider region round Antwerp, people have known peace for
nearly seven decades. The European Union has emerged as a
unique peace project and now unites 28 countries, among them
many former enemies. Antwerp, a destination for refugees a
century ago, now plays host to people from elsewhere. With one
of the largest ports in Europe, a vibrant diamond trade, an
internationally renowned art and fashion scene and internationally
respected higher education, Antwerp remains a magnet for
people both from within Belgium and from abroad. The
commemoration of WWI in Antwerp is an excellent opportunity to
build bridges between the past, present and future. Together with
many partners, the Vredescentrum welcomes you to an ambitious
programme of events.
Gilbert Verstraelen, Chairman Vredescentrum Board of Trustees
Marleen Van Ouytsel, Director Vredescentrum
3

Belgium
before the war
The 19th century was characterised by substantial change.
The Industrial Revolution and the exploitation of raw
materials from the colonies led to a dramatic growth in
the world economy. In the early 20th century this also led
to international tensions between the superpowers. The
world found itself in a state of “armed peace”.
Belgium becomes an economic powerhouse
• Belgium is the first industrialised country on the
European continent.
• The first railway line on the European continent
connects Brussels and Mechelen.
• Antwerp is the world’s largest port, after New York.
• Mining in Walloonia, the steel industry and the
construction of railways, trams and heavy machinery
form the three pillars on which the Belgian economy
thrives.
• Belgium is the main hub of European trade and the
fourth trading power in the world.
• The Belgian royal family is closely connected to both
the German and the British royal families.
With 7.6 million inhabitants in 1914, Belgium was the
world’s most highly populated country. It had more inhabitants
even than the Netherlands. Despite the country’s
strong economic position, the average standard of living
in Belgium was lower than in neighbouring countries. The
distribution of wealth was very unequal. Most people
lived in villages, small cities and towns. Catholic Flanders
was poor. Because they had to go to work in the fields,
hundreds of thousands of Flemish children only went
to school in the winter. In their search for work, farmers’
sons and day labourers headed for industrial areas. Life
in the factories was miserable. This led to a pronounced
social struggle against poverty and universal suffrage; at
that time for men only.
The country had some major faults: the French-speaking,
industrialised south was very different from the agricultural
Catholic north where Dutch was spoken.
The Brabo Fountain on Antwerp’s main square, the Grote Markt,
financed primarily by German merchants
4

Antwerp: a cosmopolitan city
At the beginning of the 20th century,
Antwerp was a vibrant city with great
appeal. More than thirteen percent of the
more than 300,000 inhabitants were of
foreign origin. Most immigrants came from
the Netherlands. The German community
was very well organised and strong socioeconomically:
one third of the members of
the Chamber of Commerce was of German
origin. At the outbreak of war the German
citizens of Antwerp were stuck between
two sides: were they Belgian or German?
The hotels Wagner and Weber near the opera
5

The clash between
the European powers
In 1914, there are two opposing camps: the “Entente”
with Britain, France and Russia and the Central Powers
with Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy.
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary
– an act committed with a Belgian FN
weapon - is the spark that ignites Europe: 62 consecutive
declarations of war set Europe ablaze. Even the neutral
state of Belgium is dragged into the war. At that time
hardly anyone realises that an utterly destructive World
War had begun and that it would keep the world in its grip
for four long years.
All certainty is blown to smithereens.
The First World War changes the face of the world.
• The technological advances in weaponry and
their destructive power are unprecedented.
• Never before have so many citizens been
mobilised for the war industry.
• Never before have so many people sought refuge
elsewhere; millions of families are torn apart.
• All over the world, the war leads to major political
changes and radical revolutions.
• The post-war period sees the development of
new democracies based on universal suffrage.
The ‘new world order’ of American President Wilson
is only a distant memory.
In 1839, the Treaty of London recognises
Belgium as an independent country. The
Treaty includes “armed neutrality” as an
obligation. In the case of conflict, Belgium
is to maintain a back seat, although it is
allowed to defend its borders. In 1909,
King Leopold II signs the law on
conscription. Initially, the Belgian army
recruits its soldiers from volunteers and
before 1909 even by drawing straws.
The world is ablaze
The First World War is one of the most dramatic conflicts
in history.
• More than 50 countries are involved.
• 1.5 billion people - more than 80 percent of the
world’s population - are at war with one another.
• 70 million military personnel are mobilised, including
60 million Europeans.
• More than 9 million soldiers are killed.
• The total cost of the war far exceeds $ 2,000 billion.
6
The Belgian weapon that unleashes World War I
The Great War
breaks out
1914
28 june
Assassination of Archduke Franz
Ferdinand of Austria in Sarajevo.

28 july
Austria-Hungary declares war
on Serbia.
With possible conflict looming,
conscription is extended in August 1913
to one son per family. At the outbreak of
the war, it soon becomes clear that the
small, poorly armed and scarcely trained
Belgian army is no match for the mighty
German forces.
31 july
Mobilisation of the
Belgian army.
2 august
Germany would like
to attack France
and advance with its
army through neutral
Belgium.
Belgium refuses free
passage.
4 august
Germany declares war
on Belgium and crosses
the German-Belgian border
with several hundred
thousand soldiers. Germany
only wants to pass
through Belgium to be able
to attack France (the Schlieffen
Plan).
7 august
The German army conquers
Liège and for the first time in
history, carries out an aerial
bombardment on civilian
targets.
17 august
People move out of
the capital, Brussels.
The king, the government
and the army
top brass move to
Antwerp.
The Great War
comes to
Antwerp
Antwerp is the Nationaal Réduit: protected
by a double ring of fortifications
around the city, it is considered the
ultimate safe haven for the government
and military. King Albert I moves
into the Royal Palace on the Meir. The
opera is used by the Belgian House of
Commons, the Flemish Theatre becomes
the Senate. The General Staff of
the Belgian army stays in the Governor’s
Palace on the Schoenmarkt.
7

1914
The zeppelin bombardments
of Antwerp inspire
the famous poet Paul Van
Ostaijen to create visual
poetry.
25 august
A zeppelin drops
bombs on Antwerp.
This is the second aerial
bombardment on civilian
targets in history.
9 september
The French army halts the
German advance on the
Marne. Germany revises its
plans and the fortified city of
Antwerp becomes a target
28 september
The fortified rings and the city
of Antwerp are shelled.
It soon becomes clear that the
forts around Antwerp are not
a match for the heavy German
artillery. The Belgian Supreme
Army Command leaves Lier and
settles in Antwerp.
The damaged Fort of Lier
2 october
The news of a possible surrender
of Antwerp reaches London.
The then 40-year-old Winston
Churchill, First Lord of the
Admiralty, heads for Antwerp to
encourage the Belgians to stand
firm.
3 october
• A new wave of German soldiers is aiming
for Antwerp.
• WWinston Churchill arrives in Antwerp
with a British Royal Navy Division brigade.
He is greeted enthusiastically by the
crowds, which in turn fosters hope.
Churchill stays at the hotel St. Antoine, on
the Groenplaats, where the supermarket
Albert Heijn is currently located.
• To represent the interests of the
population, the civil government
establishes an ‘advisory committee’ on 4
October, chaired by Louis Franck.
6 october
• German troops break through the
outer ring of fortifications.
• After liaising with Churchill, Albert
I and his officers decide to leave
Antwerp.
1914
8

7 october
• Germany announces more shelling
should Antwerp fail to surrender.
• At 1.30pm King Albert leaves the city by
car and heads west for Sint-Niklaas..
• The field army withdraws over the
temporary pontoon bridges at the
Steen and in Hoboken / Burcht. The
British troops follow the Belgian army. A
number of troops also withdraw from the
forts.
Antwerp is bombed by zeppelins
8 october
The Bombing of Antwerp.
German shells fall on the city every
three to four minutes for a period of 36
hours. The city is alight and more than a
hundred thousand people flee.
The villa ‘Rest and be thankful’ in Kontich
9 october
Antwerp falls into German hands.
• The Belgian army withdraws. The pontoon
bridges are blown up. The last Belgian
armed forces realise they can no longer get
away. Those who want to leave Antwerp
head for the Netherlands.
• Former Minister Louis Franck and Mayor De
Vos meet the German delegation in Kontich.
At 5.40pm, the treaty of Kontich is signed:
Antwerp surrenders.
• German forces enter the abandoned city
in the evening. They distribute a warrant
through the German Commander von
Beseler.
Het duitsche leger treedt uwe stad
bin-nen alsoverwinnaar. Aan geen enkele
vanuwe burgers zal kwaad gedaan
en uwegoederen zullen geëerbiedigd
worden,indien gij uw onthoudt van alle
vijande-lijkheid.
Iedere tegenstand zal gestraft
wordenvolgens de wetten van den oorlog
en kanals gevolg hebben de vernieling
van uwe schone stad.
Den opperbelhebber
van het belegleger
10 october
Hundreds of thousands of Belgians
flee across the Dutch border,
including about 33,000 Belgian,
German and British soldiers. These
soldiers are interned in camps in
neutral Netherlands.
12 october
The Belgian army
regroups on the other
side the river IJzer.
Antwerp refugees on the Dutch border
9

1914
The advance
of the German army
towards Antwerp
’s Gravenwezel Oelegem Broechem
German Commander
Hans von Beseler
Flooded area
ANTWERP
Fort 1
zeppelin air
raid
Fort 2
Fort 3
Fort 4
First Lord of the Admiralty
Winston Churchill
Air raid 8-9 October: Inner ring of
forts no longer holds
7-9 October: withdrawal of the
Belgian army
10
Flooded area
Zwijndrecht
Kruibeke

The principal politicians
in Antwerp
The first line of defence around
Antwerp - the outer belt of fortifications
- is 95 kilometres long and consists
of 36 forts, with smaller hamlets in
between and areas that can be flooded.
King Albert I
Fort 5
Kessel
The second ring of forts around
the city - the inner belt - is 29
kilometres long and numbers
29 forts, including the Brialmont
forts.
Fort 6
Fort 7
Flooded area
LIER
KONTICH
9 October:
the treaty of
Kontich is
signed
Koningshooikt
Flooded area
At the outbreak of the war, the fortified rings
are not quite ready. And yet everyone assumes
that Antwerp is an impregnable fortress.
The first ring is broken in a matter of days.
After a siege of only 13 days
Antwerp is in German hands.
St-Katelijne-Waver
Lieutenant-General
Victor Deguise
Mayor Jan De Vos
Former Minister Louis
Franck
Fort 8
Flooded area
Captain-Commander
Virgile Piérard
11

Panic in the city
Luggage left
behind on the
quays in
Antwerp.
12
““The steam ferry worked all night to
bring masses of terrified refugees to the
other side of the Scheldt and the military
pontoon bridge supported a seemingly
never-ending train packed with cars,
carriages and munitions wagons.
After the German Commander Von Beseler
had sent a member of parliament
to the Commander of the fortress for
a second time, demanding surrender, a
demand which was rejected, the bombardment
resumed with unabated fury.
South of the city munitions stocks exploded,
and in the harbour area of the
city and close to the Palace of Justice,
more fires broke out under the intense
shelling. Still capable of greatness as
well as tragedy, Antwerp was resolutely
defended.”

THE FLIGHT OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND
“I walked through the garden, onto the road and witnessed
the continuous procession of refugees, the sheer misery of it!
Horses and carts, handcarts and bicycles sped past, ushered
by an approaching storm; flocks of slowly moving cattle and
crowds of frightened men, mothers dragging crying children
with both hands, sons transporting a lame or sick father in
a wheelbarrow, hordes of people pulling and pushing carts,
piled with a few chairs, a table, a mattress, a stove, a birdcage.
Men with worn-out shoes or barefoot, women with
crooked high heels and flowery summer hats on heads with
loose hair, absurd. I stood watching, transfixed and started
to cry. These were my people fleeing by the thousand, hastening,
their faces ruddy with exertion. They hurried like
hunted animals escaping certain, imminent death, as if the
Germans were chasing them, hard on their heels. Their fixed,
empty gaze, their heads bowed as if the sky was about to
collapse under the weight of earthly events.
The ongoing muffled rumble of German heavy artillery in
the distance. I thought of the other thousands of refugees
who at that very moment were struggling to find their way
through Flanders, heading for the sea. Half a million people
without any shelter amid the clamour of a retreating, exhausted
army and slowly progressing war vehicles.”
Diary excerpts Jozef Muls, 1914
““All shops, pubs and hotels were
closed. In this desolate landscape,
I approached the Keizerlei and
crossed the boulevard. Whiiiiiz, I
halted, terrified. There ... a mere
200 meters away from me a grenade
had landed in the middle of the
boulevard. I hurried away. As I was
about to turn into the Place Verte,
‘Refugees’
H. Prat
there was another loud thud behind
me. On the Meir, on the right before
the Vierwindenstraat, where
recently a bomb had been dropped
from a zeppelin, another projectile
fell. Shop windows shattered, women
and children ran away, screaming.
A few men were wounded.”
13