Citadel of Antwerp

At this place where the Citadel of Antwerp once stood, the money of the fledgling Belgian state was stored in 1870. On July 19 of that year, France declared war on Prussia. The Franco-German War had begun. Leopold II, who had only been King of Belgium for a few years, felt that Belgium would be caught like a vice between these two great powers and opted for caution. The gold reserves of the National Bank of Belgium were hastily transferred to the Fortifications of Antwerp. When this leaked, panic ensued. Although Belgium's position in the Franco-German War was neutral, there was a particularly great fear of an invasion by either country. The mobilization of the Belgian army in 1870 made the shortcomings of the Belgian armed forces clear and led to a reform of the military conscription. Furthermore, the so-called 'remplacement militaire', which allowed wealthy citizens to buy out their conscription, was abolished. Although some significant battles took place not far from the Belgian border, such as the Battle of Sedan, Belgium was never truly attacked.

Pascal Brackman