Editing Leuven (section)

===20th century===

====World War I====
{{Further|The Rape of Belgium#War crimes}}
{{Main|Sack of Louvain}}
[[File:Interior of the Famous Library at Louvain destroyed during World War I.jpg|left|thumb|The ruins of the [[Catholic University of Leuven (1834–1968)|Catholic University of Leuven]]'s [[Academic libraries in Leuven|library]] after it was burned by the German army in 1914]]
Leuven has several times been besieged or occupied by foreign armies; these include the [[Battle of Leuven (891)]], the [[Siege of Leuven]] (1635) and the [[Battle of Leuven (1831)]]. In the 20th century, both world wars inflicted major damage upon the city. Upon Germany's entry into [[World War I]], the town was heavily damaged by rampaging soldiers.<ref>[[Michael S. Neiberg]], ''Fighting the Great War: A Global History'', Harvard University Press, 2005. p. 15.</ref> In all, about 300 civilians died.<ref name="eb12">{{Cite EB1922|wstitle=Louvain}}</ref> [[University Hall, Leuven|The university library]] was [[List of destroyed libraries|destroyed]] on 25 August 1914, using petrol and incendiary pastilles.{{sfn|Kramer|2007|p=6, 8}} Approximately 230,000 volumes were lost in the destruction, including [[Gothic art|Gothic]] and [[Renaissance]] manuscripts, a collection of 750 medieval manuscripts, and more than 1,000 [[incunabula]] (books printed before 1501).<ref>Knuth 2006, p. 164.</ref>{{sfn|Williams|2018|p=38}} The German atrocities and the cultural destruction caused worldwide outrage.{{sfn|Charney|2010|p=122}}{{sfn|Williams|2018|p=41}} The burning of the city was done as a reprisal, which at the time was legal under international law, as the Germans alleged that Belgian civilians had taken part in the fighting and killed German troops.<ref>{{cite book |title= International Law: A Treatise, vol.2, Disputes, War and Neutrality |last= McNair|first= Arnold D. |year=1926 |publisher=Longmans, Green and Co.}}</ref><ref name="McNair">{{cite journal |last= Vance |first= Jonathan F. |title= Men in Manacles: The Shackling of Prisoners of War |journal= The Journal of Military History |date= July 1995 |doi= 10.2307/2944619 |jstor= 2944619 |url= https://www.jstor.org/stable/2944619 |access-date= 18 July 2021 |archive-date= 9 August 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210809133917/https://www.jstor.org/stable/2944619 |url-status= live }}</ref> The old library building was rebuilt after the war, and much of the collection was replaced. A new, dedicated Central Library was built on the square now known as [[Ladeuzeplein]]; it was officially opened on 4 July 1928.<ref>[http://www.kuleuven.be/international/news/historiker/Mark-Derez.pdf ''The burning of the library of Leuven and the international response''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103131847/http://www.kuleuven.be/international/news/historiker/Mark-Derez.pdf |date=3 November 2013 }}, Mark Derez, 2012, University Archives KU Leuven (pp. 9–12)</ref>

====World War II====
In World War II, after the start of the [[Case Yellow|German offensive]], Leuven formed part of the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]]'s front line and was defended by units of the [[3rd Division (United Kingdom)|3rd Division]] and Belgian troops. From 14 to 16 May 1940, the German [[Army Group B]] assaulted the city with heavy air and artillery support. The British withdrew their forces to the [[River Senne]] on the night of 16 May and the town was occupied the next day.<ref>*Ellis, L. F. (1954) [http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-NWE-Flanders/UK-NWE-Flanders-4.html The War in France and Flanders 1939–1940] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521205612/http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-NWE-Flanders/UK-NWE-Flanders-4.html |date=21 May 2013 }}. J. R. M. Butler (ed.). HMSO. London (p. 62)</ref> The new university library building was set on fire by shelling, on 16 May, and nearly a million books were lost.<ref>Derez p. 13</ref>