Belgium Memorial Park

The Belgian municipality of Halen is a historical site where many young Belgian and German soldiers died far too early during the so-called 'Battle of the Silver Helmets' (12 August 1914). On that day, a fierce battle broke out between German soldiers on horseback and the Belgian army. The Germans had to retreat in defeat. The battlefield was littered with hundreds of dead horses and the helmets of the German cavalrymen. The Battle of the Silver Helmets is the only battle the Belgians will win in World War I on their own. This German defeat showed that the cavalry charge as a strategy was totally outdated.

The memorial park in Halen wants to be a lasting symbol that commemorates the First World War. Large concrete helmets neatly arranged in four rows next to each other in a green expanse.
Young and old went to work together. They creatively depicted a war story on each helmet and gave the helmets a message. Each helmet symbolises a municipality in Limburg.

The helmets are placed in a waiting basin. When it rains heavily, this basin collects the excess water from the IJzerenbeek. In case of heavy rainfall, the helmets may therefore be partly flooded. In the following years, the creations on the helmets will fade away. Nature will definitively incorporate the helmets into the landscape. In this way, the 44 creations will be covered by a uniform green carpet, which will hide the personal stories.