One of the first war crimes committed by the German Wehrmacht (Not the SS or Waffen SS) in World War II took place at and near the Vinkt bridge over the Schipdonk Canal in Belgium. As the German 225th Divison approached the bridge they found it blocked by refugees fleeing south. Soldiers of the 225th then took a number of refugees and used then as human shields. Others were herded into the Meigem church where a grenade was thrown in amongst them killing 27. For no known reason the 225th started to execute their hostages. Next day (May 28) he Belgium army capitulated in the early morning and another nine hostages were shot. Altogether the number of hostages shot amounted to 86. Others killed in the cross-fire on the bridge brought the total to around 140. After the war, two German officers, a Major Kuhner and Lieutenant Lohmann were arrested, tried and convicted of the crime. They were both sentenced to 20 years imprisonment but released after only five years. This is in Dutch but the pictures tell the story ... Vinkt - Mei 1940
Awful story .... isn't it ? Heres pictures of the monuments .. Commemorative monuments in Vinkt and Meigem
