Bruges, a city of art

In the early 20th century, Bruges and its museums were already a major tourist attraction. During the Great War, that was no different for the German military.

The city council was concerned about the safety of its artistic heritage. Even before the German occupation, it considered different options. One of them was to evacuate the Flemish Primitives to London. Ultimately, the council decided to keep the works in Bruges and take them to the vaulted cellars of ‘Huis Arents’.

That is how eight selected works were transported on stretchers and in secret to their safe haven, but that was not to the German occupier's liking. For a long time, the city council and the Germans were involved in a tug-of-war over the evacuation of the works of art and about keeping the Bruges museums open, or closing them.

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