How do you neutralize the strongest fort of Europe? A traditional ground attack with artillery and infantry would cost time, material and people, while the German military leaders wanted to force a fast breakthrough. An innovative and daring plan was setup. The key idea was to use large gliders to transport elite-troops. On Mai 10, 1940, at daybreak, the gliders landed on top of the fort. There was no official war declaration. In a few minutes, the Germans used new explosive –“shaped charges”— to destroy most of the Belgian guns. It was a success, in less than 15 minutes most of the artillery was damaged. The three bridges over the Albert canal, located in the north direction, underwent a similar attack. Two of them were taken intact. Counterattack were useless. The regimen gave up after 31 hours of fight. After this short but intensive attack, the final toll stands at 650 death in and around Eben-Emael (10% of the total losses in Mai 1940). The German success had multiple consequences. Not only there was a break through the Albert Canal but the fall of Eben-Emael had a major psychological effect on the Belgian and Allies that helped the German troops. The largest fort of Europe had been taken in a minimum of time. This breakthrough had a much larger strategic scope. As planned the French and English troops penetrated into Belgium that opened the way for the Germans through the Ardenne. The result is well known: the allies were surrounded in Belgium and pushed back towards Duinkerken and Calais.
75 ha of nature
