Bruges was remarkably fortunate during World War II. Unlike many Belgian cities, the medieval centre survived the war largely undamaged. But the story of how and why is more complex than simple luck.

Germany occupied Bruges in May 1940. The occupation lasted four years. Daily life continued under German control — restricted, monitored, but without the catastrophic destruction that hit cities like Tournai, Leuven, and parts of Antwerp.

The port of Zeebrugge, just 15km away, was a major German naval base. It was heavily bombed by the Allies. Bruges itself was spared partly because it had no significant military targets and partly because the retreating German forces chose not to destroy it.

The most dramatic moment came in September 1944, when Canadian forces liberated the city. The German garrison withdrew with relatively little fighting — a decision that saved the medieval centre from street-by-street combat.

But the war left scars. The Jewish community of Bruges was virtually destroyed. Deportations to concentration camps claimed dozens of lives. A small memorial on the Hauwerstraat marks the site of a former Jewish-owned business.

The Michelangelo Madonna from the Church of Our Lady was looted by the Nazis and hidden in a salt mine in Austria. The Monuments Men recovered it in 1945 and returned it to Bruges.

The Liberation is still commemorated annually on September 12th. Canadian veterans — fewer each year — are treated as heroes.