On the way to Brussels we stopped at one of the best conserved camps in Europe called Fort Breendock. Fort Breendock is located around the city of Antwerp, Belgium. Fort Breendock dates way back to WWI when it was built by the Belgium army for defense purposes. They built a huge moat around the entire camp and they built up tones of soil for defense against bombings. During the years, Fort Breendock was used first as a fort and then a prison.
However, Fort Breendock was also used as a prison camp by the Germans during World War II.
During out tour of the camp, we saw the yard where the prisoners had to pass their days in forced hard labor. The Nazis turned the fort into a prison. During our tour of the camp, we learned that the hard labor consisted of removing thick layer of top soil that covered the fort. We saw the shower rooms, the hard wooden beds, and the toilets. During our tour there was audio and visual guides that helped us be immersed in the life of the detainees; which were controlled by the SS. During our tour we learned that the prisoners were only served a very small amount of food each day. In 1947, the nation of Belgium declared Fort Breendock a national memorial.
All in all, If you are looking for a good history lesson about WWII go visit Fort Breendock near Antwerp, Belgium. However, I think that it is not a place to bring small children.
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