Belgium commemorates 80 years since Auschwitz liberation

On the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation on Monday, prime minister Alexander De Croo and King Philippe will attend the official commemoration in Poland. The event will also highlight Belgium’s historical connection to the Holocaust, particularly through the Mechelen convoys that transported thousands to their deaths.

Monday marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi extermination camp, where more than 1.1 million people perished. Belgium will be represented at the official commemoration in Poland by outgoing prime minister Alexander De Croo and King Philippe and Queen Mathilde.

The ceremony at Auschwitz-Birkenau will include speeches from survivors and a tribute to the victims. At the request of the museum, no political speeches will be delivered. Russia is once again excluded from the event due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will also not attend. 

Belgian connection

Auschwitz holds a significant place in Belgian history. Between 1942 and 1944, 28 convoys departed from Mechelen to the camp, deporting 25,843 Jews and Roma. Only 1,195 of them survived. A Senate-commissioned report, published in late 2023, detailed the role of Belgian railways in these deportations.

Prime minister De Croo told Belga he was deeply moved by the commemoration: “It reminds us of the millions of lives lost and the courage of those who fought for freedom. It is also a wake-up call, as antisemitism is once again on the rise in Europe.” A recent EU survey revealed that 70 per cent of Belgian Jews sometimes hide their identity due to safety concerns.

Commemorative events are also taking place across Belgium. In Brussels, 300 secondary school students are gathering at the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History to learn about the major Nazi death camps. Meanwhile, visitors to the city’s Marolles district can take part in a historical walk retracing the footsteps of Holocaust survivors through a free app provided by the House of European History.

^{#FlandersNewsService | Belgium deported tens of thousands of Jews and Roma to Auschwitz between 1942 and 1944 © BELGA PHOTO MAARTEN WEYNANTS}