De hel van Breendonk
During World War II, Fort Breendonk was turned into an SS prison. Prisoners endured terror, starvation and forced labour, and around half would not survive the war. In the documentary series "De hel van Breendonk", Professor Koen Aerts takes viewers on a journey through the testimonies, historic sites and archives that tell their story.
Episodes
During World War II, Fort Breendonk was turned into an SS prison. The camp quickly gained a terrifying reputation. Prisoners endured starvation, forced labour and terror. Professor Koen Aerts reconstructs the horrors of the camp and explores the lives of some of its unfortunate prisoners.
As the war progresses, the violence escalates. In 1942, a torture chamber and execution site are set up at Fort Breendonk. Prisoners know that any day could be their last. Belgian SS men and block leaders brutally terrorise their fellow countrymen. One of them will pay with his life. Shortly before the end of the war, several Breendonk prisoners take revenge on their former tormentor...
Johnna Fox’s great-uncle was commandant of Fort Breendonk during World War II. Today, she visits for the first time the place where her grandfather’s brother spread terror. Schmitt would be the last person sentenced to death to be executed in Belgium, in 1950. Breendonk’s troubled history has also left its mark on writer Jeroen Olyslaegers. He visits the fort in search of answers about his great-grandfather...
