Unfortunately, with this idea of riches also
came a deep dark secret that is, at best,
skimmed over in the history books today.
In a letter to his brother, Leopold II had
made it clear that he wanted to gain
this wealth for Belgium through the
colonisation of a Central African country
known at the time as Congo, and so in
1885, he proceeded to invade.
At first, Leopold gained wealth through
the ivory trade but after discovering that
the rubber trade was also starting to
boom, Leopold II forced the Congolese
natives to work under horrifically
inhumane conditions on the plantations he
had created.
Whilst the Belgian government was
creating unions for employees along with
working rights for women and children,
the King of their country was bringing
pain and suffering to millions of people far
away.
Punishments included having hands cut
off if the quotation of rubber was not filled
and stories of other sick penalties such
as beheading became rife, and mutilated
hands were well known to be used as
currency!
Once authorities finally figured out what
was happening, punishments were justly
made and the scandal spread throughout
the countries. But the sad truth is, King
Leopold II got away with these atrocities
for almost 25 years with the deaths of an
estimated 10 million+ Congolese nationals.
It is generally accepted that more
Africans were murdered under the rule of
King Leopold II than Europeans murdered
by Hitler in WW2. However, the genocide
of The Congo is not something that is
widely known outside of Africa itself.
12
ISSUE 100 / 2017
GUESTLIST
In the year 1865, at the age of 30, Leopold II became
the King of Belgium, bringing with him the promise
of strength and prosperity to the citizens of this small
European nation.
KING LEOPOLD: THE BELGIAN
TYRANT THAT COMMITTED SOME
OF THE WORST ATROCITIES EVER
RECORDED
BAD HISTORY
