1914-1918 : The occupation

The German Hour

Four German soldiers stand guard at the Palace of Justice. The cannon aims at the Marolles neighbourhood, located right below the building. In 1914, Brussels was declared capital of the general government of Belgium. The occupation regime modified the administrative structure and upset political, economic and social life. In November 1914, for instance, official time was modified, replacing Greenwich time by “normal Central European time ”. All the clocks in public places and cafés were moved 60 minutes forward.