Vinkt massacre facts for kids
The Vinkt massacre was a terrible event that happened during World War II. German soldiers killed many innocent people in the villages of Vinkt and Meighem in Belgium. This happened between May 26 and 28, 1940, during a big battle called the Battle of the Lys. Between 86 and 140 civilians lost their lives. The German soldiers from the 225th Infantry Division did this, supposedly because the Belgian Army fought back strongly in the village.
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Why Vinkt Was Important
As the German army moved west, pushing back the British and Belgian armies, Vinkt became a very important place. It was on a key road from Ghent to Lille. It also had the Schipdonk Canal, which blocked the German advance.
By May 25, 1940, everyone knew that the Battle of France was not going well for the French. The Belgian Army was mainly trying to protect the British soldiers so they could escape to Dunkirk.
A bridge over the Schipdonk Canal was guarded by a brave Belgian group called the Chasseurs Ardennais. This group was known for being very determined. The Belgian commanders decided not to destroy the bridge. Instead, they guarded it to help British soldiers and Belgian people escape. More than a million Belgians had already become refugees, meaning they had to leave their homes. News of what happened in Vinkt made another million people flee. By mid-June, a large part of the Belgian population had left the country.
What Happened
May 25: Hostages Taken
On May 25, the German 225th Infantry Division arrived near the bridge. These soldiers were not very well trained. They found it hard to cross the canal. So, they took 140 innocent people from the villages. They used these people as human shields, hoping the Belgian soldiers wouldn't shoot.
But the Chasseurs Ardennais kept fighting the German positions. Crossing the canal was still impossible for the Germans. Sadly, a grenade exploded among the people being held. This killed 27 of them.
May 26: More Hostages and Killings
On Sunday, May 26, German soldiers took more people from the churches in Meigem and Vinkt. They also took people from farms nearby. Some of these people were killed right away. At the Meigem church, another explosion happened, killing 27 more people.
May 27: Fighting Continues
On May 27, Adolf Hitler spoke on German radio. He demanded that Belgium give up right away. King Leopold III of Belgium told his government that he would surrender the army.
The Chasseurs Ardennais didn't know about this. They were still bravely defending the bridge against many more German soldiers. For reasons that are not clear, the German 225th Division started to kill the people they were holding. They also took people who were trying to escape and killed them. Only four people managed to get away. One priest survived by hiding under two dead friends.
May 28: Surrender and Final Killings
King Leopold III and the Belgian Army officially gave up very early in the morning on May 28.
But even after the surrender, the killings in Vinkt did not stop. Nine more people were shot after the Belgian Army had given up. The last five people who were killed were forced to dig their own graves before they died.
How Many People Died
Most reports say that between 86 and 140 people died in total. The number 86 usually means the people who were directly killed by the soldiers. The higher number, 140, includes those who died in front of the bridge and the 27 people killed by the explosion at the church in Meigem.
The grenade that exploded on May 25 was almost certainly German. But there's some debate about the church explosion. Some people who survived said they saw German officers throw grenades into the church. Also, all the women who were being held in the church were taken out just before the explosion. This meant that all 27 people who died in that incident were men.
One priest who escaped on May 27 said he saw dead women, children, and even babies. However, no bodies of women or children were found later. If his story was true, it would mean the area was cleaned up, and many more people died than we know. But most Belgian historians believe that any extra people the priest saw were likely killed by accident during the fighting, not on purpose.
What Happened Later
When news of the terrible events spread, German newspapers denied it or made excuses. They claimed that Belgian civilians had dressed up as soldiers.
Even though this event was mostly forgotten outside of Belgium, the German officers involved were put on trial after the war.
See also
- List of massacres in Belgium
- Oignies and Courrières massacre - another massacre of civilians in France (May 28, 1940)
- Le Paradis massacre - a massacre of British prisoners of war (May 27, 1940)
- Wormhoudt massacre - a massacre of British and French prisoners of war (May 28, 1940)
