Courcelles Massacre: Belgian Nazi Collaborators Murdered 27 Civilians

The Courcelles massacre was one of the worst atrocities committed by Belgian Nazi collaborators during the Second World War, when members of the Rexist movement murdered 27 civilians near Charleroi in August 1944.After Nazi Germany invaded Belgium on 10 May 1940, the country was placed under military occupation. Political freedoms disappeared, Jewish communities were subjected to persecution, and thousands were deported through the Mechelen transit camp toward Auschwitz. At the same time, collaborationist movements such as the Rexist Party gained influence, particularly in Wallonia.By 1943–44, as Germany suffered mounting defeats, the occupation authorities increasingly depended on local collaborators. Among the most notorious were Rexist militias, whose campaign of violence reached a climax in August 1944 after the assassination of a prominent collaborator.On 17–18 August, Rexists seized dozens of civilians around Courcelles, including priests, lawyers, workers, and other local figures accused of supporting the Resistance. Twenty-seven people were murdered in cold blood in an act of reprisal that shocked Belgium and became a lasting symbol of collaborationist terror.After liberation, Belgian authorities pursued those responsible. Numerous collaborators were arrested and tried, and in 1947, 27 Rexists were executed for their involvement in the killings.This documentary examines the Courcelles massacre, the rise of violent collaboration in German-occupied Belgium, and how political fanaticism and revenge culminated in the murder of innocent civilians by their fellow Belgians.This episode is part of the series Massacres of Civilians During World War II.Watch the full documentary and explore hundreds of historical films at:WorldHistory.tv