The departure of the German troops, photographed by a civilian from the window of his house on Chaussée de Waterloo. Crossing deserted streets, the German troops left the capital, the last of the occupiers leaving on 15 November 1918. After four years of war, Brussels was liberated.
Rumours that the conflict was nearing its end had been spreading since the summer of 1918. Despite the censored press, the people were informed of the allied offensive and the setbacks suffered by the German troops. Since October, more than 100,000 evacuated French refugees had arrived to Brussels from the front. Tens of thousands Reich soldiers went through the capital fleeing the advancement of Allied troops, and the families of German officers began to leave Brussels.
