History
The Albert Canal was dug from 1930-1939. The German construction firm Hochtief AG worked on the canal between 1930 and 1934. It was used for the first time in 1940, but because of World War II, serious use only began in 1946.
During the Second World War the canal functioned as a defense line. It had to secure not only Belgium but also the northeastern arrondissements of France. The canal locks were used to control the water level. The crossing of the canal and the destruction of the Fort Eben-Emael on 11th May 1940 was a milestone in the invasion of Belgium. In September 1944, the Second Canadian Division forged a bridgehead across the canal as the Allies fought to liberate Belgium and The Netherlands from Nazi occupation.
Coordinates: 51°04′03″N 5°11′27″E / 51.0674°N 5.1907°E / 51.0674; 5.1907
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—Desiderius Erasmus (c. 1466–1536)
“Don’t give your opinions about Art and the Purpose of Life. They are of little interest and, anyway, you can’t express them. Don’t analyse yourself. Give the relevant facts and let your readers make their own judgments. Stick to your story. It is not the most important subject in history but it is one about which you are uniquely qualified to speak.”
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“Every generation rewrites the past. In easy times history is more or less of an ornamental art, but in times of danger we are driven to the written record by a pressing need to find answers to the riddles of today.... In times of change and danger when there is a quicksand of fear under men’s reasoning, a sense of continuity with generations gone before can stretch like a lifeline across the scary present and get us past that idiot delusion of the exceptional Now that blocks good thinking.”
—John Dos Passos (1896–1970)