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A: Leuven, Vlaanderen, Belgium

The German Army Destroys the University Library at Leuven

8/25/1914
Leuven University Library

The library building designed by Whitney Warren and built from 1921–1928, now the Catholic University of Leuven's central library.

On August 25, 1914, as they plundered the city of Leuven, the invading German Army destroyed the library of the Catholic University of Leuven, the oldest and most prominent university in Belgium, founded in 1425 by Pope Martin V.

Along with the historic libary building about 300,000 books, and an untold number of manuscripts were lost, including irreplaceable medieval and renaissance treasures. The destruction of this library was part of brutal retaliations by the Germans for the extensive activity of "francs-tireurs" against the occupying forces.

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