Belgische Militaire Begraafplaats

The Belgian Military Cemetery of Leopoldsburg is a memorial site on König Leopold II Avenue in Leopoldsburg, in the Belgian province of Limburg. Spread across less than two hectares, it holds more than 1,300 graves of soldiers and civilian victims from both World Wars, making it one of the larger military cemeteries in the region.

How did the cemetery come to be?

The site's history goes back to the First World War. Until 1928, a German military cemetery stood here, laid out by the occupying forces during the war. When the decision was made in 1928 to clear that cemetery, a Belgian military cemetery was established on the same grounds. Among those buried in the new cemetery were Belgian prisoners of war whose remains were brought back from Germany — a symbolic act of returning the fallen to rest on their home soil.

How did the cemetery change over the following decades?

During the 1930s, around 400 additional German graves were added to the site. After the Second World War, these graves were relocated to the German Military Cemetery in Lommel, and the freed space was used to bury Belgian soldiers who died between 1940 and 1945, along with executed resistance members, deportees, and political prisoners. In this way, the cemetery became a resting place for victims of two separate conflicts, a quarter-century apart, yet linked by the shared fate of the region's population.

What can visitors see on site?

Two chapels stand on the cemetery grounds, dedicated to those whose identities could not be established — unknown political prisoners and unknown prisoners of war. Rows of uniform white gravestones line the neatly arranged pathways, creating the solemn, quiet atmosphere typical of this kind of memorial site. The cemetery is not a tourist attraction in the conventional sense; it is, above all, a place for reflection on the fate of the soldiers and civilians who died during both World Wars.

Why is this place worth visiting?

Leopoldsburg has long been associated with a military presence — the town and its surroundings are home to training grounds and barracks, and local history has been intertwined with the Belgian army for generations. The cemetery stands as tangible evidence of this history and helps visitors understand how deeply the region was marked by the armed conflicts of the twentieth century. It is a worthwhile stop for anyone interested in Belgium's military history and the traces left by both World Wars in the Kempen region.

Frequently asked questions

How many people are buried at the Leopoldsburg cemetery? More than 1,300 people are buried here — soldiers and civilian victims from the First and Second World Wars.

Are there also German graves at the cemetery? No — the German graves, added during the 1930s, were relocated after the Second World War to the German Military Cemetery in Lommel.

What do the chapels on the grounds commemorate? The two chapels are dedicated to unknown political prisoners and unknown prisoners of war whose identities could not be determined.

Can the cemetery be visited independently? Yes, the grounds are open to visitors — it is a quiet, low-key site, visited mainly by those with an interest in the region's military history.