HistoryCulture
How the Kempen Became Belgium's Diamond Region
From backyard diamond polishing to a global hub: how Belgium's Kempen region became a diamond-cutting powerhouse and what ended its reign.
—7 min read
Category
History
35 articles
HistoryChina
Hong Kong Honors Anti-Japanese War Martyrs in Ceremony
Hong Kong holds memorial ceremony honoring Anti-Japanese War martyrs on 81st anniversary of Japan's WWII surrender, with over 150 attendees.
—4 min read
HistoryInternational
New Artifacts Reveal Japan's Wartime Atrocities in China
New artifacts from Japan's WWII invasion found across China, providing fresh evidence of wartime atrocities including the Nanjing Massacre.
—6 min read
HistoryHeritage
Gold Treasure in Dendermonde Linked to Brewer Family
A 9 million euro gold treasure found in Dendermonde likely belonged to the wealthy Van Assche brewer family, says former mayor Piet Buyse.
—5 min read
PoliticsHistory
Unit 731 Member Confirms Poison Gas Shells Buried in China
A former Unit 731 member's testimony confirms Japanese forces buried poison gas shells in China during WWII, adding to wartime evidence.
—7 min read
CultureHistory
Medieval Papal Seals of Innocentius IV Found in Kortemark
Two 13th-century papal seals of Pope Innocentius IV found in Kortemark, Belgium, reveal medieval ecclesiastical connections in rural Flanders.
—5 min read
HistoryBelgium
Bois du Cazier: AI Recreates 1956 Mining Disaster
As Belgium marks 70 years since the Bois du Cazier disaster, RTBF uses AI to reconstruct the tragedy that killed 262 miners in 1956.
—6 min read
HistoryTechnology
RTBF Uses AI to Reconstruct 1956 Bois du Cazier Disaster
RTBF uses generative AI to reconstruct the 1956 Bois du Cazier mining disaster, bringing new insight to Belgium's deadliest industrial accident.
—5 min read
HistoryEurope
Bois du Cazier: 70 Years of Wallonia's Mining Legacy
Belgium marks 70 years since the Bois du Cazier mining disaster, tracing Wallonia's UNESCO-listed mining heritage and the tragedy's lasting impact.
—6 min read
History
Limburg's Hidden Underground: 30 Years After Mines Closed
More than 30 years after Belgium's last coal mine closed, locomotives, chemicals and 30 billion tons of coal remain hidden beneath Limburg.
—5 min read
HistoryTechnology
RTBF Uses AI to Reconstruct 1956 Bois du Cazier Disaster
RTBF uses generative AI to reconstruct the first hours of the 1956 Bois du Cazier mining disaster, airing on the eve of its 70th anniversary.
—5 min read
SocietyHistory
Belgian Railway NMBS Sued Over WWII Deportation Role
The Nico Gunzburg Foundation sues Belgian railway NMBS and the state for compensation over NMBS's role in deporting 25,000 Jews during World War II.
—4 min read
SocietyHistory
SNCB at 100: How Crisis Forged the Destiny of Belgian Rail
Belgium's SNCB marks 100 years since its founding in 1926, born from post-WWI crisis. A look at a century of transformation from steam to liberalization.
—4 min read
HistoryEurope
30 Years On, Brother Remembers Pilot Lost in Hercules Crash
Thirty years after the Hercules C-130 crash at Eindhoven killed 34, the brother of Belgian pilot Gigi Gielen shares his story of loss and remembrance.
—4 min read
HistoryChina
China Marks 89th Anniversary of July 7 Incident
China commemorated the 89th anniversary of the July 7 Incident, honoring war martyrs and warning against resurgent Japanese militarism.
—5 min read
SocietyHistory
90 Years of Paid Leave in Belgium: A Social Conquest
Belgium marks 90 years of paid leave, a landmark social achievement born from the 1936 general strike that revolutionized workers' rights.
—4 min read
HistoryMilitary
Unit 516 Archives Reveal New Evidence of Japanese War Crimes
Newly declassified Unit 516 archives provide irrefutable evidence of Imperial Japan's chemical warfare program and its link to Unit 731.
—5 min read
Arts & CultureHistory
The Statue of Liberty: Stranger and More Complex Than Known
A New York Times feature reveals the Statue of Liberty's surprising Egyptian origins, revolutionary engineering, and hidden contradictions.
—5 min read
HistoryCulture
Rare 1776 Declaration of Independence Found in UK Archives
A rare Exeter Declaration printing of the Declaration of Independence, seized by the British in 1776, discovered at The National Archives in London.
—5 min read
CultureHistory
China Central Archives Opens 44,000 Documents to Public
China's Central Archives released over 44,000 historical documents to the public on the 105th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party's founding.
—4 min read
CultureHistory
Gent Places Explanatory Plaques at Colonial Statue Sites
Gent installs explanatory plaques at seven colonial traces, honoring victims of Belgian colonialism and providing historical context.
—4 min read
HistoryCulture
150 Years After Little Bighorn, Tribes Reclaim the Narrative
Native American tribes gathered at Little Bighorn Battlefield to mark the 150th anniversary of the battle, honoring ancestors and reclaiming their history.
—5 min read
HistoryCulture
Native Tribes Mark 150 Years Since Little Bighorn Victory
Native American tribes mark the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Little Bighorn with horse rides, reenactments, and cultural celebrations.
—5 min read
International PoliticsHistory
10 Years After Brexit: Britons Stunned by Their Own Decision
A decade after the Brexit referendum, 57% of Britons say leaving the EU was wrong. Political chaos and economic costs mark the anniversary.
—5 min read
PoliticsHistory
Court Allows Trump to Replace Washington Slavery Exhibit
A federal appeals court ruled the Trump administration can replace a slavery exhibit at Washington's Philadelphia home, rejecting city contract claims.
—4 min read
CultureHistory
Over 100 Western Xia Artifacts Go on Display in Shanxi
More than 120 artifacts from the mysterious Western Xia Dynasty go on display at Shanxi Museum, offering a rare glimpse into the Tangut empire's culture.
—4 min read
MilitaryHistory
China's First Nuclear Submarine: The Story of Long March 1
A historical retrospective on the Long March 1, China's first nuclear-powered submarine, tracing its journey from 1958 to museum display.
—5 min read
ReligionHistory
Jesuits Prepare to Leave Liège After 456 Years
After 456 years, the Jesuits are leaving Liège. The farewell Mass on June 13 closes a historic chapter in Belgian religious and educational history.
—4 min read
CultureHistory
Shijiahe Museum Opens, Revealing 5,000-Year-Old Civilization
A new museum in Hubei showcases the Shijiahe civilization, one of China's earliest urban societies, with exquisite jade artifacts and immersive exhibits.
—5 min read
ReligionHistory
Pope Leo XIV Apologizes for Vatican's Role in Slavery
Pope Leo XIV issued an unprecedented apology for the Vatican's role in legitimizing slavery through 15th-century papal bulls, marking a historic reckoning.
—5 min read
PoliticsHistory
Etienne Davignon Dies at 93; Lumumba Family Pursues Justice
Belgian statesman Etienne Davignon dies at 93, ending his criminal case over Lumumba's assassination. The Lumumba family prepares a state lawsuit.
—5 min read
ScienceHistory
Neanderthal Dentist: 59,000-Year-Old Molar Reveals Surgery
A 59,000-year-old Neanderthal molar from Siberia shows evidence of invasive dental surgery, pushing back the history of medicine by over 40,000 years.
—4 min read
CrimeHistory
Mark Fuhrman, LAPD Detective in OJ Simpson Case, Dies at 74
Mark Fuhrman, the former LAPD detective in the OJ Simpson murder case whose perjury conviction made him a controversial figure, has died at 74.
—4 min read
HistoryRoyalty
Secret Succession Pact: Baudouin and Albert II Revealed
Newly revealed secret agreement between King Baudouin and Albert II outlined succession plans if Baudouin died before Prince Philippe married.
—4 min read
HistoryHeritage
Skeletons and Tombs Found in Paterskerk Renovation, Halle
Workers renovating a 17th-century church in Halle, Belgium, discovered 14 skeletons and 2 burial vaults beneath the floor, revealing medieval secrets.
—4 min read