SocietyAntwerp's 'human zoo': Belgium confronts the shame of its colonial past

During Antwerp’s 1894 World’s Fair, more than 100 Congolese people were forcibly brought to the Belgian city and displayed in the Congo Pavilion. Seven Congolese men eventually died from disease in what became known as a “human zoo”. The episode remains one of Belgium’s darkest colonial chapters, and a monument to the victims was unveiled this year.

AntwerpBelgian colonial historyCongo Pavilion

FFrance 24★★★☆☆2026-08-22 11:05Original