Belgian Congo's 1959 Coquilhatville Prison Break

The History of Belgium: A Small Country with a Giant Colonial Legacy — Fexingo History · May 8, 2026 · 5m · transcript

In this episode of The History of Belgium, Lucas and Luna delve into the dramatic prison break at Coquilhatville in 1959, a pivotal yet often overlooked event that shook Belgian colonial rule. With independence looming, political prisoners—including key figures like Patrice Lumumba—were held in a notorious colonial prison. The escape, planned with remarkable precision, involved local guards, hidden tunnels, and a network of Congolese nationalists. Lucas narrates the tense sequence of events, from the initial planning in the prison's latrines to the mass breakout under the cover of a…