The Vinkt Massacra
One of the first war crimes committed by the German Wehrmacht (Not the SS or Waffen SS) in World War II took place at and near the Vinkt bridge over the Schipdonk Canal in Belgium. As the German 225th Divison approached the bridge they found it blocked by refugees fleeing south. Soldiers of the 225th then took a number of refugees and used then as human shields.
Others were herded into the Meigem church where a grenade was thrown in amongst them killing 27. For no known reason the 225th started to execute their hostages. Next day (May 28) the Belgium army capitulated in the early morning and another nine hostages were shot. Altogether the number of hostage shot amounted to 86.
Others killed in the cross-fire on the bridge brought the total to around 140. After the war, two German officers, a Major Kuhner and Lieutenant Lohmann were arrested, tried and convicted of the crime. They were both sentenced to 20 years imprisonment but released after only five years.
Thanks to George Duncan’s research
Wiki: 25 May
Arriving near the bridge on May 25, the German 225th Division, consisting mostly of badly trained soldiers from Itzehoe in the North of the Hamburg area, found it impossible to cross. They then took 140 civilians hostage and used them as human shields. As the Chasseurs ardennais managed to continue to harass the German positions with great precision, and crossing remained impossible, a grenade exploded among the hostages, killing 27.
26 May
On this Sunday, the Germans took hostages both at the Meigem and Vinkt church, and at various farms in the neighbourhood. Some hostages were killed on the spot, but the most horrible event happened at Meigem church, where an explosion killed 27 hostages.
27 May
Adolf Hitler, on German radio, demanded Belgium's immediate and unconditional surrender. Belgian King Leopold III announced to his government that he would use his authority as Commander-in-Chief to lay down arms.
Meanwhile, the Chasseurs ardennais, unaware of these developments, were still holding and defending the bridge against vastly superior odds. For unclear reasons, the 225th Division now started to execute their hostages, and taking new ones, executing them on the spot. Refugees were taken out at random from the endless columns on the trek south and executed immediately. One priest managed to escape, being buried under two dead colleagues. He was one of four such victims who managed to escape.
28 May
Leopold III and the Belgian army capitulated in the early morning (4 am, 5 am German time).
This did not stop the carnage in Vinkt. Nine hostages were shot after the capitulation. The last five victims had to dig their own graves beforehand.