Free Walking Tour Brussels WW2 | An Intro to Occupied Brussels
Explore Brussels through the lens of World War II. Discover the stories and visit the landmarks most closely connected to the Nazi occupation of the city between 1940 and 1944. During this 75 min introduction to the official Occupied Brussels tour you will learn:
- How the Belgian government responded to the invasion.
- How ordinary people adapted to survive: the Belgian exodus, black markets, bombings, and resistance movements.
- How the Jewish population was discriminated against, persecuted, and targeted for deportation.
- How Brussels managed to regain its freedom and peace once more.
What we will see
- Royal Palace
2. Rue de Ruysbroeck 35
Now a high school, this building once housed a printing shop that became world-famous for a bold act of resistance against Nazi propaganda during the occupation.
3. Grande Synagogue de Bruxelles
At Belgium’s most important synagogue, we will reflect on the experience of Brussels’ Jewish community during the occupation: daily restrictions, persecution, arrests, deportations, and the systematic violence of the Nazi “Final Solution.”
4. Place Poelart
We will visit the monument honouring Belgian infantrymen of both World Wars, before turning to two major sites of occupation history: the Palais de Justice, occupied by the Nazis and set on fire during their retreat, and Avenue Louise, where the Gestapo headquarters became the target of a daring act of resistance by a Belgian pilot.
5. Place du Jeu de Balle
In the heart of the Marolles district, where black markets once flourished under occupation, this lively square conceals an almost forgotten wartime secret beneath its cobblestones.
6. Rue Haute 60
In April 1945, Hitler killed himself in his Berlin bunker. But in Brussels, the news gave rise to rumours, disbelief, and one of the city’s most unusual acts of public satire.
7. Grand-Place de Bruxelles
In September 1944, Brussels returned to local hands. After two German occupations in less than thirty years, the city was free once again.
Now a high school, this building once housed a printing shop that became world-famous for a bold act of resistance against Nazi propaganda during the occupation.
3. Grande Synagogue de Bruxelles
At Belgium’s most important synagogue, we will reflect on the experience of Brussels’ Jewish community during the occupation: daily restrictions, persecution, arrests, deportations, and the systematic violence of the Nazi “Final Solution.”
4. Place Poelart
We will visit the monument honouring Belgian infantrymen of both World Wars, before turning to two major sites of occupation history: the Palais de Justice, occupied by the Nazis and set on fire during their retreat, and Avenue Louise, where the Gestapo headquarters became the target of a daring act of resistance by a Belgian pilot.
5. Place du Jeu de Balle
In the heart of the Marolles district, where black markets once flourished under occupation, this lively square conceals an almost forgotten wartime secret beneath its cobblestones.
6. Rue Haute 60
In April 1945, Hitler killed himself in his Berlin bunker. But in Brussels, the news gave rise to rumours, disbelief, and one of the city’s most unusual acts of public satire.
7. Grand-Place de Bruxelles
In September 1944, Brussels returned to local hands. After two German occupations in less than thirty years, the city was free once again.
The tour lasts 1 hour and 15 minutes
Available in English and Spanish
Guide: Héctor
Guiding since 2026Héctor Martínez is a fiction writer whose work draws inspiration from war, memory, and the moral choices people face in times of crisis. He is the author of La Dama de Belleville and regularly publishes short stories online, some of which have been featured in the literary magazine Letralia.
He created this tour after noticing how many powerful wartime stories unfolded in Brussels during World War II. He realised that although many of these stories are well documented, they remain difficult for visitors to access because of language barriers, scattered sources, and the difficulty of reading the city without historical context.
Drawing on research and storytelling, Héctor has crafted an experience that connects these stories to the streets where they happened, so that each guest can begin to imagine what it meant to live in Occupied Brussels.
Free Walking Tour Brussels WW2: Life in Occupied Brussels
Other cities after visiting Brussels
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