Consider this imposing structure before you a silent witness to over a century of history. This is the Prison de Saint-Gilles Gevangenis van Sint-Gillis. Opened in 1884, this prison stands on the borders of Saint-Gilles, Ixelles, and Forest. It is next to Forest Prison and Berkendael Prison.
Saint-Gilles Prison was planned in 1883. It was meant to replace the Petits Carmes Prison in central Brussels. Joseph Jonas Dumont designed it. Francois-Jacques Derre built it between 1878 and 1884. The prison embodies the cellular system of the 19th century.
Originally, Saint-Gilles Prison served two purposes. It was for both remand and sentencing. Men and women were held separately. They were either awaiting trial or serving sentences. In 1909, Forest Prison took over the role of remand prison. This was because Saint-Gilles Prison could not handle both functions.
During World War I, Belgium was under German occupation. The Germans used Saint-Gilles Prison to incarcerate those awaiting trial. These individuals faced the German Council of War in Brussels. People were jailed for being part of clandestine networks. Others protested against the occupying forces. Some tried to cross the Dutch border. Violent treatment was reported within the prison.
Three notable women were once held here. Edith Cavell, an English nurse, was imprisoned here. Louise de Bettignies, a French secret agent, was also held here. Gabrielle Petit, a Belgian spy, was another inmate. Gabrielle Petit’s prison cell was preserved.
During World War II, opponents of the Nazi regime were imprisoned here. Some were awaiting deportation to Germany. An infirmary was set up during the war. Prisoners from Fort Breendonk received treatment here.
In September 1944, the Germans tried to deport 1600 prisoners. They were to be sent to concentration camps in Germany. Belgian railway workers and the Resistance thwarted this. This event involved the Nazi ghost train.
After the war, collaborators were locked up at Saint-Gilles Prison. General Alexander von Falkenhausen was detained here. He was the military governor of Belgium and northern France. He was held from 1948 to 1951.
In the 1980s, Jean Bultot was deputy director. He was named in the Nijvel Gang case. Overcrowding and staff shortages caused tensions. Prisoner uprisings and staff strikes occurred. Since the 1990s, the prison has been overcrowded.
In 1993, gangsters escaped from Saint-Gilles Prison. They took inspector-general Harry Van Oers hostage. They forced him onto the hood of their getaway car.
Saint-Gilles Prison is scheduled to close. The initial closing date was set for 2023. The closure was postponed due to difficulties in recruiting prison guards. The new Haren Prison was meant to replace it. The closure has been extended until 2028.
Saint-Gilles Prison faces controversies due to detention conditions. Overcrowding remains a problem. The European Committee has pointed to high overcrowding rates. The Brussels Tribunal of First Instance ruled on detention conditions. The court ordered the Belgian State to reduce the number of inmates. The European Court of Human Rights has also condemned Belgium for violating human rights. This was due to the detention conditions at Saint-Gilles Prison.
Saint-Gilles Prison stands as a stark reminder. It reminds us of the complexities of justice. It embodies the ongoing challenges of prison reform.