Second World War-era cellars to be preserved

To the passersby’ eye, house numbers 453 and 347 along avenue Louise don’t stand out from the rest. But a dark history exists beyond the doors and below surface, a history worth remembering. During the Second World War occupation of Brussels the building’s cellars were used by the German secret police Gestapo, to lock up prisoners.

Now the Government of the Brussels-Capital region wants to preserve the cellars and has started the process of having them listed in order to protect them from alterations, or being removed altogether.

The cellars hold great importance to both the city and country’s history. Not only the destination for prisoners, but the Gestapo also sent resistance members, Nazi political opponents, as well as Jews.