WWII walk

During the night of May 27-28, 1940, the 256th Infantry Division of the German Army occupied our town. During WWII, Blankenberge held an important military-strategic position as a coastal town. The seaside town was literally on the front line and therefore had to be defended against a possible Allied invasion from the sea. Therefore, the Germans built several support points and batteries here and the beach, dunes and sea dike were barricaded as part of the so-called Atlantic Wall. Our city also suffered many bombings during the war. Many defenses were built by our residents themselves who were forced to do so by the occupying forces. In addition, our city had many hotels and lodgings that were requisitioned by the Germans to house troops in transit or on leave. This in turn led to a strict food requisition policy imposed by the Germans to the detriment of the inhabitants. Many Blankenbergen residents suffered from hunger. The black market and smuggling were rampant and several armed resistance movements were active in Blankenberge at the time. It is striking that many Blankenberge residents also collaborated with the occupier. In other words, the impact of the war and occupation on the local population was enormous. This walk guides you through the Blankenberge of shortly before, during and shortly after WWII.

📏 9.4km
🕑 2h 30 min
⭐ easy
📍 Church Stairs
🏁 Casino