The Belgian army was stationed in Unna from 1946. The soldiers planned to bring their families from their homeland to Unna for this period of stay with unknown length, and suitable accommodation had to then be found for these people.
Because the town of Unna and its population protested strongly due to the confiscating of apartments by the Belgian army and the planned resettling of Unna citizens who had no permanent occupation in order to gain free living space for Belgian families (the „Transplant“ action), 26 apartments for officers were constructed in the Goethestraße and the former Friedensstraße (now „Am Südfriedhof“). Local reporters had the opportunity to inspect the apartments up until their completion in May 1952.
The press described the officer accommodation as extremely splendid and equipped with chandeliers, damask curtains and marble. If it is considered that at the beginning of the 1950s many Unna citizens still frequently lived in poor conditions with several other persons in small flats, it can be understood why the richly furnished officer’s quarters did not go down particularly well with the press representatives and general population.
In 1955, 25 further apartments were constructed on the site of the former „Düllberg“ brick factory.
Terraced houses in „Little Belgium“ in the 1950‘s.
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