Belgium's Wartime Rail Secrets: A Jewish Foundation Demands Answers

Dr. Annette Baumgartner · 2026-07-30

Seventy-five years after the liberation of Belgium, a painful question refuses to fade away. A Jewish foundation has stepped forward demanding reparations, and the target of their scrutiny is surprising: the national railway company, the NMBS. It's a story that forces us to revisit a dark chapter in Belgian history, one where infrastructure and occupation became dangerously intertwined. ### The Uncomfortable Question About the NMBS During the Second World War, the NMBS (Nationale Maatschappij der Belgische Spoorwegen) operated under Nazi occupation. The company's trains crisscrossed the country, moving troops, supplies, and, most tragically, civilians. The foundation's claim is straightforward: the railway played a role in the deportation of Jewish people from Belgium to concentration camps, and that role demands acknowledgement and financial restitution. This isn't a new accusation, but it's one that has gained fresh momentum. The foundation argues that the NMBS profited from the occupation, charging the German authorities for each transport. They're not just looking for a symbolic apology; they want concrete compensation, a way to acknowledge the suffering that began at Belgian train stations like the Dossin Barracks in Mechelen. ### Why This Matters Now More Than Ever You might wonder why this is coming up now, so many decades later. The answer lies in the changing landscape of historical accountability. We've seen similar reckoning in other countries, where national institutions have had to confront their wartime actions. For Belgium, this feels like a final chance to hear from the last surviving witnesses and their descendants. The NMBS has previously expressed regret, but the foundation believes that words aren't enough. They point to the sheer scale of the operation. Between 1942 and 1944, more than 25,000 Jews and Roma were deported from Belgium via those tracks. Only a small fraction survived. Each one of those numbers represents a family, a life, a story that was cut short. ### The Human Cost Behind the Headlines It's easy to get lost in the legal arguments and the financial figures. But the heart of this story is about people. Consider the journey from the Kazerne Dossin to Auschwitz. It took days, in cramped cattle cars, with no food, no water, and no idea of what awaited them. The railway was the critical link in this chain of horror. - The first transport left Mechelen on August 4, 1942. - In total, 28 convoys departed from Belgium. - The last transport left on July 31, 1944, just weeks before the Allies liberated Brussels. - Only about 1,200 people from these transports survived the war. These aren't just statistics; they're the legacy of a system that used modern technology for an ancient evil. The foundation's demand isn't just about money. It's about ensuring that the role of the NMBS is fully documented and remembered, not just as a footnote, but as a central part of the story. ### A Step Toward Reconciliation or a Pandora's Box? There's a legitimate debate about whether financial reparations from a company that has changed so much since the 1940s is the right path. Some argue that the NMBS today is a completely different entity, and that the current generation of workers and managers bears no responsibility. Others counter that the company's corporate lineage is unbroken and that its profits during the war were part of the Nazi war machine. The Belgian government has already apologized for its role in the past. But this is about more than just the state. It's about a public company that served the occupier. The foundation's move could set a precedent, not just for Belgium, but for other countries and companies that are still grappling with their wartime histories. ### What Happens Next? For now, the ball is in the court of the NMBS and the Belgian government. The foundation has made its demands clear, and they are prepared to take legal action if necessary. This isn't a story that's going to disappear quietly. It's a reminder that history doesn't end; it just waits for the right moment to demand our attention. As we mark the 75th anniversary of Belgium's liberation, this is the moment to listen. The survivors and their families are asking for something that can never be fully repaid. But acknowledging the role of the NMBS is a crucial step in honoring their memory and ensuring that we never forget the true cost of war.