Ekerenpolder

Today, the Ekerenpolder near Antwerp is known above all as a historic site where a major battle of the War of the Spanish Succession took place in 1703. The area, located seven kilometers from the city of Antwerp, was the scene of a fierce clash between French and Dutch troops. Originally planned as part of a larger military operation aimed at besieging Ostend or Antwerp, the Dutch detachment under General Obdam found itself in a difficult position. French forces under the Duc de Villeroy surrounded the allied troops and cut off their escape route to Breda and Bergen op Zoom.

The fighting on June 30, 1703, lasted the entire day and spread across several villages, including Oorderen, Wilmarsdonk, and Lillo. Despite the French advantage in numbers, the Dutch managed to break through the enemy lines with a surprise bayonet attack through the water. This tactical move allowed a large number of soldiers to withdraw under cover of darkness, while the French held the battlefield. The battle ended in a draw, as both sides claimed victory, but it dashed the Allies' hopes of a decisive success that year.

For visitors today, the site is defined less by surviving buildings than by its historical significance. A large part of the original battlefield, including the villages mentioned above, was built over in the 1960s during the expansion of the Port of Antwerp and disappeared from the landscape. The area is thus a reminder of a time of intense military conflict that had a lasting influence on the fate of the region and the nations involved.