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There is a particular geography around Liège. Hills, valleys, villages. And sometimes, behind a discreet entrance or at the end of a road, a mass of concrete that seems no longer to belong to the landscape. These are the forts of Liège.
For many, they evoke school visits, memorial ceremonies or family stories. But their story goes far beyond that of military works. It recounts two world wars, the hopes placed in technology, the courage of men, strategic errors and the fate of a region located at the heart of the great European highways.
When the forts were supposed to stop the invasion
At the end of the 19th century, Belgium strengthened the defense of Liège. Around the city, a first belt of twelve forts was built under the direction of General Henri Alexis Brialmont. Their mission: slow down an enemy army and protect the strategic axes of the region.
In August 1914, the fighting around Liège marked the first days of the German invasion. The fortifications held out, but the heavy artillery revealed the limitations of modern artillery during its construction. The Loncin fort became one of the most tragic symbols of this confrontation.
Four episodes, four perspectives
Sunday, November 8, 8:30 a.m. — 1914: Liège, the first line of resistance. The Brialmont belt, the battles of August 1914 and the tragedy of the Loncin fort.
Monday, November 9, 8:30 a.m. — 1940: Eben-Emael, the fortress taken by surprise. The German airborne assault of May 10, 1940 and the fall of a supposedly formidable fortification.
Tuesday 10 November, 8:30 — Liège during the Second World War. The occupation, the resistance, the liberation and the final trials of the war in the Liège region.
Wednesday, November 11, 8:30 a.m. — Cointe, the monument that bears the memory. The history of the Interallié Memorial, its symbolic significance and the place of remembrance in today’s city.
A military story, but above all a human one
Forts are not just structures made of concrete and steel. They are also places where men waited, fought, suffered, and sometimes lost their lives. These are places whose families carried the memories long after the end of hostilities.
Through this series, we will revisit historical events without seeking to transform them into a spectacle. The facts, the available testimonies, and the context will be at the center of the narratives. We will also discuss what these places have become and how they continue to transmit the memory of the two conflicts.
The first episode will be published tomorrow, Sunday 8 November, at 8:30 a.m. Four mornings to revisit a story that belongs to Liège, to Belgium and to Europe. Because behind every fortress lies a story. And behind every story lie lives that it is important not to forget.
