National Content: Belgium
Scenes of horror and distress in bombed Brussels
| Source | “Le Journal de Charleroi”, the 8th of September 1943 |
| Event referred to | Cities Bombing during World War II |
| Technological characteristics | Type of file: Image Extension : pdf Characteristics Dimension of the file: 1439 Ko Availability proposed: pdf document with zoom options |
| Description of the source | Kind of source: Daily newspaper Origin of the source: Archives of the National Library of Belgium, Brussels Language: French Copyright issues: reproduction and pedagogical exploitation authorized in the framework of the MHM project |
| Contextualisation of the source | “Le Journal de Charleroi” was a daily newspaper, edited from the 1st of July 1940 till the 31th of August 1944. During the war, this paper was controlled by the Germans. |
| Interpretation of the source | The German propaganda tries to create hostile feelings towards the Allies, moving the readers by description of scenes of distress and in the same time calling the Anglo-Americans “liberators”. |
| Original Contents | |
| Original Contents (English Translation) | On the morning of Tuesday, the Anglo-saxon “liberators” came too on Brussels. The first planes were seen around 9h40 ; a few minutes later their work of destruction was carried out and some sides were seriously damaged ... A few moments after the disaster, the German high authorities went too on the spot, while some Wehrmacht contingents took part everywhere to the helpworks... The streets show a terrific sight. Everywhere, there are open gaping funnels, piles of ruins, broken open water and gaz pipes. Two tramways have been hit...result : 17 killed... Further, one gets out the ruins a bloody child’s shoe and shortly afterwards, the mutilated corpse of a young boy. But people show a magnificent courage... Are all those ruins and all those dead really the work of “liberators” ? This question, the inhabitants of the ravaged districts will not raise it any more after having seen the raid of this morning... |