Rape of Belgium
The Rape of Belgium (French: Viol de la Belgique, lit. 'Rape of Belgium'; Dutch: Verkrachting van België) was a series of systematic war crimes, especially mass killing and deportation, by troops of the German Empire against Belgian civilians, many or most of them real or suspected francs-tireurs and other guerilla fighters, during the invasion and occupation of Belgium during World War I in violation of Belgian neutrality. The neutrality of Belgium had been guaranteed by the Treaty of London of 1839, which had been signed by the German Confederation (of which Prussia was a member).