The 1888 Congo Railroad: Building Belgium's Iron Lung

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the construction of the Matadi–Kinshasa railway, a brutal 400-kilometer project that became the economic lifeline of the Congo Free State. They discuss the political motivations behind Leopold II's decision to build the line, the staggering death toll among African laborers—exact figures from archival records—and the rivalry with Portuguese Angola. The conversation also covers the engineering challenges of the Crystal Mountains, the role of British contractor Albert Thys, and how the railroad reshaped colonial extraction. Listeners will learn about the 'iron lung' metaphor, the specific number of workers recruited and lost, and the railway's legacy in connecting the interior to the Atlantic. #History #FexingoHistory #BelgianCongo #CongoFreeState #MatadiKinshasaRailway #LeopoldII #AlbertThys #CrystalMountains #BulaMatari #ForcePublique #AfricanLabor #ColonialExploitation #RailwayHistory #1890s #1888 #CongoRiver #Imperialism #Belgium Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo