The Vinkt Massacre - 4 days in May 1940

**liverpool annie** · 03-26-2009, 03:53 PM

One of the first war crimes committed by the German Wehrmacht (Not the SS or Waffen SS) in World War II took place at and near the Vinkt bridge over the Schipdonk Canal in Belgium. As the German 225th Divison approached the bridge they found it blocked by refugees fleeing south. Soldiers of the 225th then took a number of refugees and used then as human shields. Others were herded into the Meigem church where a grenade was thrown in amongst them killing 27. For no known reason the 225th started to execute their hostages. Next day (May 28) he Belgium army capitulated in the early morning and another nine hostages were shot. Altogether the number of hostages shot amounted to 86. Others killed in the cross-fire on the bridge brought the total to around 140. After the war, two German officers, a Major Kuhner and Lieutenant Lohmann were arrested, tried and convicted of the crime. They were both sentenced to 20 years imprisonment but released after only five years.

This is in Dutch but the pictures tell the story ...

Vinkt - Mei 1940

**liverpool annie** · 03-26-2009, 04:03 PM

Awful story .... isn't it ?

With the capitulation of the Belgian army on Tuesday 28 May officially ended the 18-Days Campaign. But this did not mean the end of the drama in Vinkt. Several citizens had been caught before, and they were still taken as hostages on the meadow of Rene D' Oosterlinck.

That day nine people once more were brought in front of the firing squad. Five of them, Louis of the Vennet, but Goyvaerts and Oscar, Herman and Roger Pieters were obliged to dig their own grave and then were immediately executed.

Heres pictures of the monuments ..

Commemorative monuments in Vinkt and Meigem