The Belgian railways under occupation: between collaboration and resistance
The special exhibition at the Train World museum in Brussels highlights the role of the Belgian railways during the German occupation from 1940 to 1945. It is based on a scientific study that examines this dark chapter in history. The exhibition impressively illustrates the tension between collaboration and resistance that the Belgian railways faced at that time.
The design blends sensitively into the existing permanent exhibition while remaining recognizable as a distinct, clearly defined narrative space. The scenography creates a dignified setting for this challenging topic. Documentary style meets spatial storytelling: large-format images, striking graphics, and carefully staged original exhibits convey the individual and collective experiences of the occupation period.
Films, audio stations, and extraordinary media installations deepen the discussion. The so-called “talking heads” impressively bring key contemporary witnesses into the room and give their perspectives a strong presence.
Visitors move through thematic layers: from structural changes under occupation to deportations and forced labor to acts of resistance in the rail network. The design remains deliberately understated to give space to historical sources, voices, and documentary material.
The result is an exhibition space that informs, moves, and invites visitors to reflect on questions of responsibility, morality, and scope for action in extreme times.
Photography: © Stefan Schilling