The Battle of Louvain (1940) - A Forgotten WWII Battle During the German Invasion of Belgium

The Battle of Louvain (Slag om Leuven) took place in 1940 during the German invasion of Belgium. It's a forgotten WW2 battle where the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) fought against the invading Germans. The German invasion of Belgium during the Second World War started on May 1940. On that day Germany's attack on the west begun. Belgium was invaded by the German armies and it's most important bulwark of defence - Fort Eben-Emael - was neutralized within a day when German paratroopers (Fallshirmjäger) managed to reach the roof of the fortress via glider planes. The Belgian Army of 1940 barely stood a chance. The main German attack went through the Ardennes. Belgian special forces (the Chasseurs Ardennais) fought back but weren't able to stop the German assault. The Battle of Belgium, also known as the 18 Days' Campaign (Campagne des 18 jours / Achttiendaagse Veldtocht) lasted till 28 May 1940. In this video I'll talk about a forgotten WWII battle.
History Hustle presents: The Battle of Louvain (1940) - A Forgotten WWII Battle During the German Invasion of Belgium.
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SOURCES
- Retreat and Rearguard. Dunkirk 1940. The Evacuation of the BEF to the Channel Ports (Jerry Murland) [e-book].
- België in de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Deel 10. Mei 1940, van Albertkanaal tot Leie (Frank Decat & Luc De Vos).
- www.royal-irish.com/events/ba... (22-12-2021).
- 18daagseveldtocht.be/infanter... (22-12-2021).
- www.abdijvanvlierbeek.be/de-1... (22-12-2021).
- • The Battle of Leuven -... (22-12-2021).
IMAGES
Images from commons.wikimedia.org.
VIDEO
Video material from:
Ufa Tonwoche 508 - 30/05/1940
archive.org/details/ufa-tonwo...
Het Belgisch Leger Waakt 1938/39 (Belgian Army / L'Armée Belge)
• Video
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MUSIC
"Clenched Teeth" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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"Crossing the Chasm" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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SOUNDS
Freesound.org.
Wanna ask some something? Send me an email at: [e-mail]

[@HistoryHustle]

Learn more about BELGIUM in WW2: The Invasion (1940): kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJaaZnmLqst-jNU The Liberation (1944): kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJnCeJeridWdhJo Flemish Collaboration: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXKYf5WfeZKqjLM Walloon Collaboration: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3i1mWSPlJWrm6M

[@mammuchan8923]

The University library attacked again😭. Thanks for the video, there’s not always a lot of information on the invasion of Belgium in the SWW

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks Tanya. In a few weeks another video on Belgium 1940👍

[@mammuchan8923]

@@HistoryHustle excellent looking forward✌️

[@6412mars]

You tell history in a very good way... enjoyable and informative...thank you

[@HistoryHustle]

You're welcome 👍

[@coling3957]

highly recommend Hugh Sebag-Montefiore's book on the BEF in Belgium and France 1939-40 "Dunkirk - fight to the last man"... deals with the story of the BEF 1939-40 and the SECOND BEF 1940.

[@HistoryHustle]

👍

[@Artur_M.]

I would like to say that Louvain/Leuven looks very beautiful.

[@HistoryHustle]

Sure does. Lovely city.

[@cameronbrown9080]

Im a new subscriber and I know im going to enjoy your videos so glad that I found you thanks Cameron from Kenilworth England

[@HistoryHustle]

Awesome. Welcome to the channel, Cameron!

[@cameronbrown9080]

@@HistoryHustle thank you

[@fouad1663]

Interesting video, very entertaining and clearly explained. The center of gravity of the German attack was located a few kilometers southeast, near to Gembloux, where a relatively unknown heavy battle took place between the French and Germans. The Moroccan Regiments stopped the German Armored Division there, it was the only territorial victory of the French in the May/June 1940 campaign. Would be nice if you could make an item about that too, very interesting! Further kudos to your dedication, thank you and keep the good work up!

[@HistoryHustle]

Yes, also a fairly unknows battle. Hope to cover more on that in the future. Thanks for watching👍

[@mordok7987]

@@HistoryHustle don't forgot about the tank battle of stonne.

[@xvsj5833]

Stefan, teaching history while visiting the actual battlefield locations. Can only broaden a student’s knowledge. Thank you for sharing 👍

[@HistoryHustle]

You're welcome 👍

[@finwake]

Yes, and at a thrice built and twice destroyed library no less!

[@tonnywildweasel8138]

Man, what a good vid you made. Again 👍 Greets from the Netherlands 🌷, T.

[@HistoryHustle]

Cheers T.! 👍👍

[@Blazeburn1944]

Interesting video Stefan, thanks!

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍👍

[@nikkibaugher2427]

Interesting and informative lecture, Professor. Thanks for your efforts. 😀

[@HistoryHustle]

You're welcome Nikki. Thanks!

[@lordnavjot5921]

I have work now. I'll watch this video later.

[@HistoryHustle]

👍

[@schepvogelk5971]

Thanks for this useful piece of information my friend.

[@kudoodle1085]

Not going to lie. I have never heard of this battle. Nice job Stefan👍

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your comment.

[@gumdeo]

The relatively quick success of Fall Gelb tends to overshadow the individual battles, but this story I find interesting, particularly the university library.

[@HistoryHustle]

Great! Thanks for your reply 👍

[@jscatt6123]

Thanks Stefan, another great video

[@HistoryHustle]

👍

[@eleanorkett1129]

Thank you for another great episode. Interesting that the Germans, allegedly representing a land of great culture, always seemed to target the university and library

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for replying!

[@marcoskehl]

On saturdays, after WW2 with Indy Neidell, History Hustle is always the next one in my playlist. Obrigado, Stefan! 🇧🇷

[@HistoryHustle]

Awesome 👍

[@stuartmountjoy7975]

Stefan... my compliments and regards 🙂👍, yet another fabulous video. I'll confess to have never heard about this battle before now, so thank you for educating me & in the marvellous fashion that you do it in. 😀. Congratulations on yet another top quality, informative production. Thank you .

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks Stuart.

[@daveanderson3805]

Somehow the destruction of the library seems to be the worst aspect of the battle, especially in WW1. All those irreplaceable books and documents going up in smoke. It's barbarism. It's not only belgium history, but shared history of all of us as europeans. Terrible

[@HistoryHustle]

Indeed.

[@upatriot1997]

Went to KU Leuven for my master’s. That library is incredible: if you go into the library portico and entryway, all the columns are engraved with the names of the US universities and colleges that helped rebuild the library the first time around. Leuven was a bit of a cause célèbre during the First World War: the destruction of the library in particular was textbook propaganda for how ruthless the “Hun” could be. Great to see Leuven getting some attention!

[@HistoryHustle]

Beautiful building indeed.

[@MjrCarnyx]

Leuk stuk geschiedenis! ik heb er best wat tijd doorgebracht met werken. De slag om Hannuit is ook echt heel gaaf, wellicht heb je hem al een keer besproken op je kanaal, indien niet, zou ook heel tof zijn. De grootste tankslag tot die tijd als ik me het goed herinner. Anyway, top video weer zoals altijd!

[@HistoryHustle]

Hopelijk kan ik die plek ook eens bezoeken. Dank voor het kijken!

[@KAMiKAZE-T.V.]

Hopefully one day you can make a video on the 29th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (Italian SS volunteers) my grandfather Alexander Psquetti was a member of that Division thats all i know he died when i was only 4 and i only ever saw like 2 pictures of him in his uniform. I have no idea what he went through or how he even survived and there are not very many youtube videos on the subject that are worth watching. I love your channel and look forward to all of your future content!

[@HistoryHustle]

Perhaps one day 👍🏻

[@gibraltersteamboatco888]

Very interesting. Bz Sad about the library. If memory serves the local rector was quite an individual.

[@HistoryHustle]

Ok👍

[@gibraltersteamboatco888]

@@HistoryHustle Had to dig through old papers but found the article with his name New York Jan 7 1945 News from Belgium The thrill filled story of " Resistance at the University of Louvain" .......The "magnificent conduct" of the Rt. Rev. Msgr.Honore van Waeyenbergh..

[@HowlingWo1f]

Good video 👍

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for watching!

[@jarraandyftm]

Fascinating. Nice to see not only the Americans fought in WW2.

[@HistoryHustle]

Indeed, my thoughts also.

[@icecoffee1361]

No one likes the Poor library 📚 fab episode Stefan 👍🏻 another small piece of history you have taught me…..

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍👍

[@46FreddieMercury91]

imagine someone trashes your house, you put it back together then after 26 years the same culprits come back and trash it again

[@HistoryHustle]

Crazy yeah..

[@vonsprague7913]

I'd love to see you cover the actions by the French and British after Dunkirk and in particular the 51st Scottish Highland Division and supporting units who were left to aid the French struggle. You have a unique perspective Stephan and produced some excellent footage of the 1940 campaign.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks. Hope to visit Dunkirk one day.

[@bellestarr444]

My middle name is Louvain 😁 my great grandad and great uncle fought there together. But my great grandad never spoke of it or why he gave my gran (who passed it to me) that middle name. Great video 😁

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing this!

[@Belgianbanshee]

Aha! Leuven 😉 (je weet wel waarom). Geabonneerd!

[@HistoryHustle]

Top. Welkom op het kanaal.

[@karmadave]

Interesting. I spent a week, at the University of Louvain, in 1996, for my Masters Degree program. Never knew about any of this 😐

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for watching!

[@YoussefDaanBenAmor]

Ideas for future videos the battle of hurtgen forest and the battle and siege of Köningsberg.

[@HistoryHustle]

One day. Kaliningrad is surely on my list!

[@rthjong]

Love your Flemish. Love all Belgians anyway 🇳🇱🇧🇷🇧🇪

[@HistoryHustle]

👍

[@andysvehiclehistorychannel]

I'v never heard of this battle

[@HistoryHustle]

You have now 👍

[@elbronco80]

May I suggest a few video ideas: 1. Operation Frulingserwachen 1945 2. Dieppe Raid of 1942 3. Third Battle of Kharkov 1943 4. Operation Dragoon 1944

[@HistoryHustle]

Covered 4 in my video on the liberation of France. Others maybe in the future.

[@elbronco80]

@@HistoryHustle Excellent. Well done series!

[@Autobotmatt428]

You should do Antwerp

[@HistoryHustle]

1914?

[@williamcoleman9451]

My father was in the 2nd battalion of the Ulster Rifles and fought in Leuven.

[@HistoryHustle]

Did he ever speak about his experiences about this battle and the war? Feel free to share.

[@williamcoleman9451]

Actually he never spoke about his experience in the war, like many old soldiers, must've been a terrible experience. Although he did say that his ship was attacked in the channel and they all were transferred to another cruiser. The ship they were on eventually sank. Wish I had known about Leuven when I was there.

[@anderssimonsss]

i am from leuven

[@nerozero8266]

👍

[@HistoryHustle]

👌

[@leonleese4919]

I used to live in Louvain Avenue in north Staffordshire The Germans tried to bomb the British Aluminium Factory about a mile away from my house. They, during that attempt destroyed the gate of my fathers house in Bucknall. He had the shrapnel in his desk but it was lost during his his move to live in N.Wales.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing this.

[@WNH3]

More proof that WW2 is an inexhaustible source of interesting material.

[@HistoryHustle]

Agree.

[@WNH3]

@@HistoryHustle My hat is off to you, sir. Please teach on!

[@jokodihaynes419]

The British soldiers in 1940 were like dragons that refuse to die

[@HistoryHustle]

In Leuven it felt that way for the Germans at some moments.

[@Dutch_Army_Roblox]

Ik heb nooit geweten dat in leuven een gevecht was

[@HistoryHustle]

Vrij onbekende slag ja.

[@palmierlover]

Also on this Battle, with more details kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZulhYSbbs2dedU When we think of the 1940 campaign in the west, we often think about the battles for fortress Eben-Emael, Sedan, and Dinant. In today’s video, we will take a closer look at a forgotten battle: The Battle of Leuven.

[@HistoryHustle]

Good video 👌

[@MrBobVick]

Not sure why you got a 3 minute woke commercial at the beginning of this post, generally that happens when Their Tube does not like a key word. However see no other way to write the title. The ads at the end were shorter, but guess only a few of us stay for those.

[@HistoryHustle]

I don't do the ads. It's the platform.

[@gerry4b]

Who else but the invading Germans can possibly incur any guilt for the destruction that followed? If a bank robbery occurs, and an innocent bystander is shot accidentally by a guard, who is responsible - the guard or the thief? I know it’s important to forensically explore all aspects of a conflict in order to learn and improve. But honestly, does it make any difference… the stamp of manufacture on the shell? The destruction of the University Library first and foremost is another German atrocity.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing your insights.

[@coling3957]

first comment here! .... a first for me!

[@HistoryHustle]

#1 👍👍👍

[@redhutsgaming3067]

This was a pretty interesting video. And yes that was a terrible Flemish accent sorry

[@HistoryHustle]

Lol, thanks.

[@lucianwong420]

(Just a dutch comment passing through) sorry, maar ik lach elke keer als een nederlander engels praat. Ik tel mezelf ook mee. Je hoort gewoon dat accent. 😂

[@HistoryHustle]

👍

[@longtabsigo]

People can say what they will, but the destruction of the library there was enough for me to feel Zero Ducks when it came to the Germans forced to pay reparations post war.

[@HistoryHustle]

Zero ducks?

[@longtabsigo]

@@HistoryHustle yes, I had to substitute the D for an F so I didn’t you or I in trouble.

[@tng2057]

If a war like this happens now the enemy only needs to destroy the data centre and servers, not library (actually not funny).

[@HistoryHustle]

Yeah

[@user-bu3gi1sy2j]

СЛАВА СССР

[@HistoryHustle]

?

[@sirdarklust]

You'd think that after WWI the Belgians would have learned that leaving books in that library wasn't a good idea. Also, don't waste your time trying to speak Flemish, as there are about 5,000 dialects of it... Take it easy and ding dong.

[@HistoryHustle]

lol, fair point. Cheers!

[@ericvantassell6809]

not the absolute worst flemish accent 🙂

[@HistoryHustle]

lol