In Flanders Fields - World War I Locations

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IN FLANDERS FIELDS World War I Locations location flanders Film Commission

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FOTO Menenpoort – Ieper IFF Boek pg 162

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Menin Gate – Ypres

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World War I (1914-1918) Flanders notoriously played a key role during one of the largest wars in history, World War I (1914-1918). Starting from 2014, the outbreak of the Great War will be elaborately commemorated, both during memorials as well as through a wide variety of audiovisual productions.

Not only the Westhoek (with cities like Ypres, Diksmuide and Passendale) suffered from the atrocities and destruction of the War. Main Flemish cities such as Antwerp and Leuven weren’t safeguard against it either. The coastal cities of Bruges and Ostend, on the other hand, played an important role in the naval warfare of the conflict, more precisely for their strategic position and for their part in the development of German U-boats.

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This publication provides a concise overview of Flanders’ remaining World War I locations. One by one, they remain silent witnesses of four years that changed the course of history. In partnership with the academic research team of In Flanders Fields, Location Flanders will take care of all your WWI-related shooting requests.

Caterpillar Crater (mine crater) – Zillebeke

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BUNKERS & TRENCHES The First Battle of Ypres in October-November 1914, marked the end of mobile actions and the beginning of trench warfare. Ypres became the centre of the Ypres Salient, an arc of defensive lines running from the Boezinge village in the north to Ploegsteert in the south.

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Bayernwald – Wijtschate

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Trench of Death - Diksmuide

Although none of the original constructions of the trenches have been preserved, several battlefield sites show reconstructed versions on the original trench location.

The Bayernwald trenches near Kemmel; the Dodengang (Trench of Death) near Diksmuide and the educational Yorkshire Trench & Dug-out Site in the northern part of the Salient are good examples of reconstructed trenches.

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Atlantikwall – Ostend

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In the early days of the war, bunkers and shelters were constructed out of all sorts of materials found in the immediate surroundings of the battlefield. These temporary hide-outs were soon replaced by more solid constructions. As of 1915, iron and concrete became standard materials for German bunkers in order to resist the ever intensifying shootings and bombings. Several of these bunkers can still be visited today.

Well preserved examples are the German Commando Post in Zandvoorde which consists of multiple rooms, the four British Hide-outs at the Lettenberg near Kemmel and the Kanaaldijk Site, where Canadian doctor John McCrae wrote the world famous poem ‘In Flanders Fields’.

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German Commando Post – Zandvoorde

Some of these bunkers have been re-used during the Second World War, for instance as part of the German Atlantikwall aimed at protecting the Continental coasts against an allied invasion.

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British Hide-outs – Lettenberg (Kemmel)

Kanaaldijk Site – Ypers

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MILITARY INFRASTRUCTURE

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Fortress of Merksem – Antwerp

Although the Great War in Flanders predominantly took place in the dreadful trenches of the Westhoek, other parts of Flanders suffered from the hostilities too.

Following the invasion of Belgium on 4 August 1914, the German army intended to sweep over Belgium in order to quickly attack France but encountered unexpected resistance from the small Belgian army. After the fall of Brussels, the Belgian troops withdrew into a network of 19th Century fortresses encircling the city of Antwerp, also known as Brialmont’s belt. Between the fortresses of Kapellen and Brasschaat, the army used a military railway to supply the troops with food and ammunition.

Today, some of these fortresses surrounding Antwerp, such as the Fortress of Merksem and Fortress n° 8 in Hoboken, remain fairly intact.

Other existing military infrastructure, such as the Leopoldskazerne (Leopold Military Station) in Ghent (renamed ‘Kaserne Kaiser Wilhelm’ during the occupation) was also incorporated by the German military forces.

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Leopold Military Station – Ghent

Fortress n° 8 (Hoboken) – Antwerp

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Harbour – Zeebrugge

The coastal cities of Ostend and Zeebrugge came into German hands as early as October 1914. Its harbours were used by the German submarine U-boats. The impressive 18th Century pentagonal fortress Fort Napoleon in Ostend was armed with heavy guns to protect the coastline. The German artillery used the fortress as an assembly room.

The Ostend Military Hospital too, built in 1917, was handed over to the German forces.

It maintained its function as a hospital until the building was partly destroyed in a bomb attack in 1918. Today, the Military Hospital and its surroundings are the object of a new housing project, in which the original architecture of the hospital is being preserved.

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Military Hospital – Ostend

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In Poperinge, an execution pole in the courtyard of the town’s city hall, reminds us of the hundreds of allied deserters who were executed in front of firing squads. Many of these so-called deserters probably suffered from shell shock, a mental disorder first believed to be caused by the never ending bombings. The convicts spent their last night in the Death Cell before being shot at dawn the next day.

In Bruges, the Cloth Hall near the Market Square, served as a German prisoner’s camp and kitchen.

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Death Cell – Poperinge

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Cloth Hall and Belfry – Bruges

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RESIDENCES Many cities in Flanders did not have a military infrastructure, but its city halls and even private villas were transformed into military headquarters or assembly rooms.

The gothic City Hall of Leuven and the Liberty of Bruges became military headquarters during the German offensive in Flanders in the early days of the war. In Leuven, the City Hall was one of the few grand architectural buildings that was not destroyed by the fire set by the German army on 25 August 1914 and which damaged more than 1,000 buildings in the city centre, including the famous university library.

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Liberty of Bruges – Bruges

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City Hall – Leuven

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Palace at the Meir – Antwerp

When Brussels fell into the hands of the German army in August 1914, King Albert I of Belgium and the Belgian army retreated to Antwerp. During the decisive weeks before the capture of the city, the king resided in his Palace at the Meir.

The surrender of Antwerp to the German army was signed on 9 October 1914 in a villa known as Villa Rest and Be Thankful.

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From Antwerp, the King retreated to Veurne where he resided in its City Hall from October 1914 till January 1915. This building also served as temporary headquarters of the Belgian army during the Battle of the Yser in October 1914. Here, the allied troops discussed the famous flood of the land east of the Yser river. By opening the sluice gates in Nieuwpoort (the current Ganzenpoot), deliberately allowing sea water to flood this reclaimed, low-lying area of Flanders, the German army was prevented to advance towards the Channel ports of Dunkirk and Calais.

Today, during a wet winter, the Yser river can still flood its surrounding lowlands. This is a natural phenomenon.

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Ganzenpoot – Nieuwpoort

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City Hall – Veurne

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Albert I Monument – Nieuwpoort

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Although a large part of Flanders was occupied by the German imperial army, the war didn’t affect every city or village.

Poperinge, a small village surrounded by hop fields a few kilometres behind the frontlines of the Ypres Salient. Here, British soldiers could relax. The Talbot House and Concert Hall became a famous soldiers’ house of the British Army where all soldiers were welcome. The original interior has been largely preserved and the house is still open to the public.

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Talbot House and Concert Hall – Poperinge

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MONUMENTS, MEMORIALS & CEMETERIES

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Saint-George Memorial Church – Ypres

In the aftermath of World War I, soldiers from dozens of nationalities, from both sides, were laid to rest in cemeteries all over the Westhoek. Nearly every town in Flanders has honoured its fallen soldiers and civilians with monuments, memorials and cemeteries.

One of the most impressive and well-known memorials is the Menenpoort (Menin Gate, see p. 2) in Ypres. The gate was constructed in 1927 and is dedicated to the commemoration of 54,896 British and Commonwealth soldiers who were killed in the Ypres Salient, and whose graves are unknown. Their names are carved in the stone panels that cover the inside of the gate. The gate has been designed by architect Sir Reginald Blomfield, who also designed the Saint-George Memorial Church (Ypres), built in 1929 as a typical English parish church.

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Anglo-Saxon cemeteries and memorials are wide-spread in the Ypres region. The cemeteries are managed and maintained by the Commonwealth Wargraves Commission.

The Commonwealth Tyne Cot Cemetery is the largest British military cemetery on mainland Europe. Among the 11,956 fallen men also lie a few German soldiers. On request of the British King George V, the so-called Cross of Sacrifice was built on top of a captured German bunker. With a remarkable garden and fine architecture the Bedford House Cemetery in Zillebeke, a classified monument, is just as impressive.

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Bedford House Cemetery – Zillebeke

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Commonwealth Tyne Cot Cemetery – Passendale

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Island of Ireland Peace Park – Mesen

Both the Irish Island and New Zealand have memorial parks in Mesen. The Island of Ireland Peace Park with its round tower commemorates the Battle of Mesen on 7 June 1917 during which Irish Protestants and Catholics fought side by side. By doing so, they transcended all religious and political conflicts. A New Zealandic division took part in the same battle, annually commemorated in the New Zealand Memorial Park.

New Zealand Memorial Park – Mesen

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French Military Cemetery Saint Charles de Potyse – Ypres (top and bottom)

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Carrefour des Roses – Boezinge

The most important French memorial sites are located in Ypres (French Military Cemetery Saint Charles de Potyse) and in Boezinge (Carrefour des Roses). The latter is one of the most striking memorials in the Westhoek. Designed in the spirit of a picturesque Breton-Normandy landscape, it was raised in honour of the Breton soldiers killed during Germany’s first gas attack on 22 April 1915.

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The Vladslo Praatbos is home to a German military cemetery. Young German volunteer Peter Kollwitz was laid to rest here. Deeply affected by her son’s death, Käthe Kollwitz made the world famous ‘Mourning Parents’ sculpture group, which can be admired in Vladslo since 1957.

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Praatbos – Vladslo

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Monument Martyr’s Square – Leuven

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In Bruges, 13 people accused of espionage or of assisting the enemy, were executed by German firing squads between December 1914 and August 1916. A memorial called Beluik der Gefusilleerden (Courtyard of the Executed) commemorates the place of execution which is also known as the Aurorahof.

In Leuven, a remarkable, story-telling monument was erected on the city's Martelarenplein (Martyrs’ Square) to commemorate the death of hundreds of civilians on 25 August 1914. The ravaged city and the destruction of the university library soon became a symbol of the German aggression against Belgium. The monument has been beautifully restored in 2004.

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Belgian soldiers have been buried in municipal cemeteries all over Flanders. In Mechelen, for instance, 309 soldiers were laid to rest. Most of these soldiers were killed during the Battle of Antwerp in August and September of 1914.

Courtyard of the Executed – Bruges

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ABOUT US

IN FLANDERS FIELDS MUSEUM & KNOWLEDGE CENTRE

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The In Flanders Fields Museum, accommo­dated in the Cloth Hall of Ypres, gives an elaborate overview of the history of World War I. Fourteen sections, which run into each other nearly imperceptibly, provide a chronological overview of the events, during and after the Great War. This chronology also covers various topics, such as industrial warfare, the high flight of medical technology, refugees and prisoners of war, the multinational facet of the war,... Three types of interactive booths make it possible to explore the stories , facts and connections in more depth.

The In Flanders Fields Knowledge Centre holds a number of very wealthy and unique collections: books, photos, front maps, newspapers, magazines, documentation folders, memorabilia, personal documents, posters, audiovisual material and shadow archives of and about World War I or related subjects. The Knowledge Centre is only at a stone’s throw from the museum, behind the St Martin’s Church.

In Flanders Fields Museum In Flanders Fields Knowledge Centre Lakenhallen, Grote Markt 34 Janseniusstraat 9 BE-8900 Ypres BE-8900 Ypres T +32 (0)57 239 220 T +32 (0)57 239 450 E flandersfields@ieper.be E stedelijke.musea@ieper.be W www.inflandersfields.be W www.inflandersfields.be PHOTO CREDITS: All pictures by In Flanders Fields – Daniel Leroy except for: Cover: Monument Martyr’s Square © Toerisme Leuven / Fortress n°8 (Hoboken) © Bart Dewaele / Commonwealth Tyne Cot Cemetery © Location Flanders / Fort Napoleon © Bart Dewaele | p. 6: Atlantikwall © Bart Dewaele | p. 9: Fortress of Merksem © Bart Dewaele | p. 10: Leopold Military Station © Dienst Toerisme Gent / Fortress n° 8 (Hoboken) © Bart Dewaele | p. 11: Harbour Zeebrugge © Jan Darthet – Toerisme Brugge | p. 12: Fort Napoleon © Bart Dewaele / Military Hospital © Vanhaerts nv | p. 14: Cloth Hall and Belfry © Asier Villafranca | p. 15: Liberty of Bruges © Raym's Fotosite | p. 16: City Hall © Jorisvo | p. 17: Palace at the Meir © Location Flanders | p. 18: City Hall © Dienst Toerisme Veurne | p. 21: Saint-George Memorial Church (interior) © Location Flanders | p. 23: Commonwealth Tyne Cot Cemetery © Location Flanders | p. 28: Monument Martyr’s Square © Toerisme Leuven | p. 29: Courtyard of the Executed © Stad Brugge Dienst Monumentenzorg en Stadvernieuwing

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Location Flanders Location Flanders is the central film commission for Flanders, Belgium, providing information, introductions and support to all filmmakers interested in shooting in the Flanders region. It joins the resources of the Film Offices of its member cities Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent, Leuven, Mechelen and Ostend and of Flanders Image, the division of VAF promoting Flemish films throughout the world. Location Flanders is a member of both AFCI and EUFCN. Location Flanders aims to be your first stop for information about Flanders as a location for feature films, television films and series, documentaries, music videos, commercials, etc. Our award-winning website allows you to view the wide range of available locations in Flanders and information on how to contact the local Film Office.

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The database can be searched by geographical position, type of location and historical era. You can also see the professional expertise available in Flanders through our online production guide and industry database. It features local studio facilities and lists location scouts and management services, production and post-production companies, and other providers of innovative audiovisual services.

In addition to the regulations for Belgium’s Tax Shelter system and the financing opportunities the system offers to co-productions with Flanders, you’ll find all the terms and conditions for the Location Bonus, Location Flanders’ very own incentive, for which we also have a comprehensive flyer available. Moreover, our award-winning ‘Shooting Manual’ offers a user-friendly guide to shooting in Flanders.

An on-line Shooting Request service allows you to receive more detailed information.

Once your production gets the green light, Location Flanders and the local Film Offices will take care of shooting permits, assist you with location scouting, introduce you to local partners, liaise with the different city or regional departments and offer logistic support where possible.

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www.locationflanders.com locations, contacts, action!

Contact: Location Flanders, Bischoffsheimlaan 38, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium, T: +32 2 226 06 30, F: +32 2 219 19 36, E: locationflanders@vaf.be

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Bruges

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