10 Darkest Crimes in European History

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Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be discussing the most heinous crimes against humanity that were carried out throughout European history.

The Rape of Belgium

War crimes are tragically not a modern phenomenon, with many historical examples dating back to the very invention of warfare. The Rape of Belgium refers to Germany’s occupation of Belgium during World War I, as well as the atrocities committed during this time. Over 23,000 people were killed and 33,000 more injured, as Belgium saw many of her people deported, detained or systematically executed. German forces even constructed a deadly barrier, known as the Wire of Death, to keep in those native Belgians who sought escape through the border. The reason behind this disturbing moniker? The Wire of Death was an electrified fence.

The Assassination of Thomas Becket

Although Thomas Becket died several centuries ago, his legacy as Lord Chancellor and Archbishop of Canterbury remains controversial. King Henry II had appointed Becket as Archbishop, expecting their already strong relationship to foster cooperation. However, both men soon clashed over the Church’s rights and privileges, with the King aiming to limit its power and bring clergy under royal jurisdiction, while Becket resisted. Things came to a head in 1170 when four knights, who had interpreted Henry’s frustrated outburst as an assassination order, marched to the Canterbury Cathedral and killed Becket. His assassination sent shockwaves throughout both the ecclesiastical and secular communities in England, and turned Becket into a martyr who was canonized just three years later.

Chemical Warfare in World War I

Some historians view the widespread use of chemical compounds as weapons during World War I as a turning point for casualties and mass destruction. Unfortunately, no single battle or incident stood out as the worst, as chemical warfare was employed across several fields and campaigns throughout the war. The use of deadly agents like phosgene, mustard gas and chlorine to kill or incapacitate soldiers was extreme, and in direct violation of previously established declarations banning the implementation of such asphyxiating gasses on the battlefield. Overall, an estimated 1.3 million people were affected by these chemical attacks, with approximately 90,000 losing their lives.

The Crimes of Gilles de Rais

It seems beyond the pale. The fact that a former knight and war hero could descend to the depths of filth, amorality and depravity achieved by one Gilles de Rais. This former compatriot to Joan of Arc was alleged to have desired luxury above all else, selling off land belonging to his family in order to finance this lifestyle. It’s also been alleged that Rais was a serial killer who targeted children, while also indulging in demonology and the occult. Historians today question whether local rumors played a part in fueling his infamous reputation. However, the soldier himself confessed at his trial to killing over a hundred children, a crime for which he was hanged and burned.

Jack the Ripper

Europe has seen more than its fair share of notable serial killers, from Elizabeth Bathory’s midnight baths to The Yorkshire Ripper’s 1970s killing spree. Perhaps none of them, however, have entered the public consciousness more than Jack the Ripper. This Victorian-era slasher haunted the district of Whitechapel, as he stalked sex workers and dissected them with surgical skill. Jack’s taunting letters to authorities added to his mystery, and the killer was never caught. This lack of closure has contributed to Jack the Ripper captivating the morbid imaginations of true crime enthusiasts around the world.

Urkun

This comparatively obscure historical uprising is known by a number of names today, from the Semirechye Revolt to the Central Asian Revolt of 1916. Still other historians refer to it simply as Urkun, an attempt by those native to Russian-occupied Turkestan to fight against the colonialist regime. The Imperial Russian Army put a stop to Urkun with violence, killing between 100,000 to 500,000 natives. In the end, many of the Kyrgyz, Kazakhs, Tajiks, Turkmen, and Uzbeks living in the region were dispersed, escaping Urkun by entering areas such as China. It’s a dark period in history that affected not only Europeans living in Russian Turkestan, but also those of Asian descent caught in the crossfire.

The Spanish Civil War

There are never any winners during a civil war. The Spanish Civil War of 1936 was a particularly dark time, however, not only for the Spanish government but for all of its people. Nearly half a million people died after Generalisimo Francisco Franco’s right wing Nationalists defeated the left-leaning collaborative of the Second Spanish Republic. Terror continued in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, as well, since Franco’s dictatorial rule was infamous for its politically-motivated violence, repression of free speech and widespread censorship. It was also, paradoxically, a period of healthy growth for Spain’s economy, yet there’s no denying that a post-Francoist Spain was one of more personal freedom and exponentially less fear.

Ethnic Cleansing in the Balkans & Bosnia

It’s a story similar to that of wartime chemical warfare; the rampant instances of ethnic cleansing that occurred in conflicts such as The Balkan Wars. It’s alleged that up to 25,000 Albanians died as a result of either violence or conditions set into motion by Serbian or Montenegrin forces. This tactic would be echoed decades later during the Bosnian War of 1992, when Croats and Bosnian Muslims faced similar attacks from secessionist Serb forces. It’s since been alleged that over a million people were deported by force, while tens of thousands died or were tortured during the conflict.

The Armenian Genocide

The area that’s known as Turkey today was once the Ottoman Empire. In the aftermath of the aforementioned Balkan Wars, Ottoman Pasha leaders initiated what’s now referred to as the Armenian Genocide. A paranoid fear of uprising during a post-war economic downswing was set alight by the tinder that was racism, nationalism and the Germanophile political ideologies of leaders like Ismail Enver. The result was over a million deaths and forced deportation marches from Constantinople into concentration camps. Around the same time, the Ottomans also carried out similar genocides against Assyrians and Greek people, resulting in the loss of at least 500,000 lives combined. Turkey, for its part, refuses to acknowledge any of these incidents as genocide.

The Holocaust

“Inconceivable.” It’s a word that comes up again and again when many scholastics, educators and historians attempt to describe The Holocaust. Yet, the certified proof is all there, in black and white, for everyone to see. This systematic execution of men, women and children that were deemed “undesirable” to Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party in their plan for ethnic cleansing. Horrific stories have emerged regarding the amoral medical experiments conducted on prisoners during The Holocaust. Stories that echo the Jewish eradication that took place during [xref] The Black Death, emphasizing just how history can repeat itself. Hitler’s “Final Solution” serves as a foreboding reminder today of how only a single demagogue can lead an entire nation down a dangerous path.


Did any of these stories shock you? Let us know in the comments.