Latest / The History of Belgium: A Small Country with a Giant Colonial Legacy — Fexingo History
The 1960 Flight of the Belgians: Congo's Great Departure
In this episode of The History of Belgium, Lucas and Luna revisit the frantic summer of 1960, when some 80,000 Belgians fled the newly independent Congo in a chaotic exodus. From the first tremors of violence in Léopoldville to the evacuation efforts at Ndjili airport and the port of Matadi, we trace how a colonial society unraveled in weeks. We meet Governor Hendrik Cornelis, who stayed to coordinate the departure, and hear the voices of those who left behind homes, jobs, and a way of life. The episode also explores the role of the Force Publique mutiny in triggering the panic, the rescue…
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