Tram with prisoners of war

Between 30 May and 4 June 1940, more than 52,000 Belgian and French prisoners of war were transported in the Ghent region to the port of Walsoorden in Zeeland. In open beet wagons on the ZVTM tram line, the prisoners of war drove right through the centre of Axel. The Germans expressly forbade the population of Axel to provide these prisoners with food and drink. This photo shows that the Axelaars paid little attention to this ban. Whenever possible, they give food and drink to the hungry prisoners of war. Among this group of men were also soldiers from the French colonies. They attracted a lot of attention, because most of the inhabitants of Axel had never seen a black man before. The prisoners of war were embarked in the port of Walsoorden and then transported to Germany.

drumont