Snapshots of the Albert Canal in the region Kanne, Vroenhoven, Veldwezelt

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the canal, cut out in the Limburg marl hills

The Albert Canal is small and shallow, and located in northeastern Belgium, which was named for King Albert I of Belgium. It connects Antwerp with Liège, and also the Meuse River with the Scheldt River. Its total length is 129.5 kilometres (80.5 mi).

Vroenhoven, along the canal

During most of the 1930s, before the completion of the Albert Canal, it took about seven days to travel from Antwerp to Liege by water. In the 21st century, that same distance can be covered in about 18 hours.

Vroenhoven bridge

The Albert Canal was constructed from 1930 through 1939. The German construction company worked on the canal between 1930 and 1934, but then it was completed by Belgian companies.

Vroenhoven bridge

It was used for the first time in 1940, but because of World War II, it intensive use began later, in 1946.

view from above

During World War II, the Albert canal functioned as a defense line. It was used not only to defend part of Belgium, but it also became the northeastern arrondissements of France. The crossing of the canal by the Nazi German Wehrmacht and the destruction of theFort Eben-Emael on May 11, 1940, was a milestone in the German invasion of Belgium.

crossing ships

During the liberation of Belgium by foreign armies, in September 1944, the Second Canadian Division was the first Allied unit to cross the Albert Canal.  The British Army  also crossed the Albert Canal on its way north across Belgium and into The Netherlands, and the U.S. Army entered Belgium farther to the east on its way to liberate the rest of Belgium, and Luxembourg, and then proceed east to invade Nazi Germany. Hence, Belgium was liberated from the south by three different armies, two of which needed to cross the Albert Canal.

Veldwezelt bridge