Fort of Huy

The Fort of Huy (French: Citadelle de Huy) is a fortress from the early 19th century on a hill along the Meuse. The fort was built during the time of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and is therefore also called the Dutch Fort .

The original castle of Huy was described as early as the 9th century. Since the Middle Ages, the castle, which was called Li Tchestia, has been further expanded due to its strategic position along the Meuse. In the 17th century, during the wars of Louis XIV, the castle suffered heavily. After the Barrier Treaty in which the defense of the Dutch Republic against French aggression was arranged, the castle of Huy was demolished (1715) . For a century the rock on which the castle had stood remained empty.

Li Tchestia was one of the so-called 'four wonders of Huy'.

A new fortress was built on the rock where Huy Castle had been located between 1818 and 1823. Due to the location of the fort near a bend in the Maas, there was a clear view of the river for hundreds of meters in both directions. The layout of the fort was such that 600 troops could stay in large dormitories. An old well, which was dug in the former castle on behalf of Everhard van der Mark, provided water supply.

After the Belgian Revolution, the fort came into Belgian possession in 1831. From 1848 to 1855 it functioned as a state prison.

In the second half of the 19th century, the Belgian general Brialmont, who was responsible for the positions around Antwerp and Liège, included the fortress of Huy in the defense of the Meuse.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the fort no longer had military significance. During the First World War, the Germans used the fort as a prison. From 1920 to 1932 a military school was located in the fort, after which the fort was released by the defense and tourist tours could be given.

Due to the threat of a new world war , a garrison of the Belgian army was stationed in the fort in 1937. During the Second World War there was a German prison in the fort. A large number of the prisoners were deported to concentration camps.

The fort has been operated as a tourist attraction since 1946.

In 1992 it was decided to house the Museum of the Resistance and the Concentration Camps in the fort. As the name suggests, a visit gives you an impression of life in the fortress and in concentration camps during the Second World War. This is an educational experience for young and old.

As soon as you step through the enormous carriage gate, you enter that oppressive world . A long, dark corridor takes you past cells, interrogation rooms and primitive washrooms that depict the living conditions of the prisoners and the population under the German occupation. This is followed by an audiovisual documentary with testimonies from the survivors of this dark period. The powerful emotions that this museum of the resistance and concentration camps evokes make the fort an impressive memorial site for the Second World War.

Willem Vandenameele