First World War history as seen through Belgian eyes

Opening of the exhibition at Slovenian National Museum

24. april 2015 ob 11.57 • MMC RTV SLO

Belgium mobilized its army rather late. Only on July 31 church bells started ringing the warning, and people started preparing for war. The army confiscated vehicles and horses, and 2,000 Belgians volunteered for military service. Foto: The Slovenian National Museum

The exhibition Great War in Trenches: Belgium and the world during the First World War in broad strokes depicts the history of World War I as seen through Belgian eyes, and with some less known episodes allows us to get to know one of the facets of the great war.

On June 28, 1914 the first shot in the First World War was fired. At that time nobody even considered the possibility that within a few months the entire Europe could already be in flames, and that the war which lasted almost four years could spread through the whole world. Belgium was attacked and plundered by German forces during the first months of the war. By the end of 1914 almost the entire Belgian territory was occupied. The government ran away, the king and the army stayed at Westhoek region.
The key battles and events, but also less known episodes
The exhibition deals with different aspects of war, and its consequences; the war as a rule accelerates the technical development – new and new technological achievements are being tested, with the intention of gaining advantage against the opponents.
The exhibition concentrates mainly on the outbreak of war, mobile war in Belgium, life in trenches, technological achievements, medical services, forced labour, the role of animals in war, activism and rebellion, and situation throughout the world.
The exhibition in the Slovenian National Museum, organized in cooperation with the embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium, will be open from April 23 to May 21, 2015.