Fort Breendonk

During World War II, Fort Breendonk, originally built as a military stronghold near Antwerp, was taken over by the Nazis and converted into a prison and transit camp. The site became infamous for its harsh conditions, forced labor, and brutal treatment of inmates. Thousands of prisoners—political opponents, resistance fighters, Jews, and other targeted groups—were held there, with many eventually deported to larger concentration camps in Germany and Poland. Though smaller in scale than the major camps, Breendonk’s cruelty left a deep scar on Belgian history. Today, it stands preserved as a national memorial to commemorate the victims and to bear witness to the crimes committed there.