page_title: Albert Canal
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Albert Canal / History
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Blick auf den Albert-Kanal bei Kanne, flämische Provinz Limburg, in Richtung Südost English: South-east view on the Albert Canal in Kanne, Belgium Français&#160;: Canal Albert à Kanne Nederlands: Albertkanaal bij Kanne
context_page_description: The Albert Canal is a canal located in northeastern Belgium, which was named for King Albert I of Belgium. The Albert Canal connects Antwerp with Liège, and also the Meuse River with the Scheldt River. It also connects with the Canal Dessel-Turnhout-Schoten, and its total length is 129.5 kilometres.
context_section_description: The Albert Canal was constructed from 1930 through 1939. The German construction company Hochtief AG worked on the canal between 1930 and 1934, but it was completed by Belgian companies. The Albert Canal was used for the first time in 1940 but, because of World War II and the German occupation, intensive use only began later, in 1946.
  During World War II, the Albert Canal functioned as a defence line. The crossing of the canal by the German forces and the destruction of Fort Eben-Emael on 11 May 1940 was a milestone in the German invasion of Belgium.
  During the Liberation of Belgium by the Allies in September 1944, the Second Canadian Division was the first Allied unit to cross the Albert Canal. The British Army also crossed the Albert Canal on its way north across Belgium and into The Netherlands and the U.S. Army entered Belgium further to the east on its way to liberate the rest of Belgium, and Luxembourg, and then proceed east to invade Nazi Germany. Hence, Belgium was liberated from the south by three different armies, two of which needed to cross the Albert Canal.
caption: The Albert canal near Kanne, Limburg
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