The 36 people who lost their lives when American pilots bombarded Genk 80 years ago during World War II were remembered on Wednesday at a small commemoration ceremony at the St. Martinuskerk in the Flemish town’s Crypteplein area.
Mayor Wim Dries and Alderwoman in charge of culture Anniek Nagels laid a wreath and unveiled a memorial stone bearing the names of the victims.
On 14 September 1944, Genk was liberated from the Germans by units of the American Second Armoured Division. However, on 2 October 1944, the people of Genk were dragged back into the war when the city centre received another load of bombs. However, these were not from the Germans but from US bombers.
The Americans had mistaken their position and thought they were flying over the Siegfried Line, the German defence line that ran some 40 kilometres from the Dutch border to the Swiss border. The bombing caused a great deal of new damage in the city centre and claimed 36 lives.
The 80th anniversary of that bombing was commemorated on Wednesday with the unveiling of the memorial plaque. Mayor Dries and Alderwoman Nagels then read out the names of the 36 victims.
The Genk Videoclub also made a documentary about the bombing. It can be viewed on the website of the City of Genk from 4 October.
