The tragic act of insanity on December 13, in which a lone man attacked a Christmas-market crowd with grenades and gunfire, is all the more shocking considering its location. The Belgian city of Liège deserves a far better distinction for its historical and cultural wealth, and its friendly residents.

The city is the capital of its province, also called ‘Liège,’ located in eastern Belgium. It sits on the river Meuse, not far from Cologne in Germany or Eindhoven in the Netherlands. It is the economic capital of Wallonia, the Francophone part of Belgium, and is the third-largest city of the land, behind Brussels and Antwerp.

Although the birthplace of Charlemagne, King of the Franks and Holy Roman Emperor, remains a mystery, some historians suggest it was in Liège or the nearby town of Herstal; others propose it was in one of half a dozen other (German) cities.

Liège’s location so near to Germany, the Netherlands and France has been a boon to its economy and relations, but it has also placed it in the middle of heavy battles over the centuries past. In particular, the famous ‘Battle of the Bulge’ in WWII was fought around the area and principally in the nearby Ardennes (‘Ardenne’ in Belgian) forests.

There are still buildings preserved with bullet-holes from the war. Other buildings of note include many churches, the cathedral and the palace of the Prince Bishops. This last one is located on the main square, ‘Place St.-Lambert,’ named after the bishop martyred c. 700AD. This is the square in which the attacks of December 13, 2011 occurred.

The Place St.-Lambert hosts a Christmas market, among the oldest and biggest in Europe. More than one million visitors pass through each year. A third of this number visits the city mid-August for ‘The Feast of the Assumption’ (the celebration of the Virgin Mary) and the fête of ‘Tchantchès,’ a folkloric character from the 19th century.

This character has puppets, a statue and a museum dedicated to him. There are several other museums, as well as festivals and holidays to entertain. Finally, Liège also offers a superior and varied culinary experience.

Liège waffles are found all over Belgium; meatballs are particularly popular; French fries are reckoned to have been created in the Meuse valley –they are especially good here; and ‘jambonneau,’ tender leg of ham, is a popular dish –the brasserie ‘L’Industrie’ specializes in these and in mussels, another Belgian forte, both with French fries.

It must be mentioned that there are over 500 types of Belgian beer, many of which can be found in Liège –sometimes in the cooking. Belgian truffles are also easily found and enjoyed here. Liège’s accessibility and its attractions have made it a popular stop in many European travels. With luck, the recent tragedy will not dissuade people from visiting this city.

Pawel Kielpinski / Shutterstock.com

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A 75-year-old woman is the 6th victim in the wake of Nordine Amrani’s December 13 rampage in the Belgium city of Liege as the death toll continues to rise, but many questions still remain unclear. According to Reuthers, the dead include the two teenagers, ages 15 and 17, a 17-month-old toddler, a 20-year-old man, a two-year-old girl, a cleaning woman and the gunman, Nordine Amrani, 33.

There were also 120 people who were injured and approximately 40 treated for shock. His apparent motive to attack unarmed citizens milling about the town’s annual Christmas market remains unclear. ”I saw a man wave his arm and throw something at the bus shelter. I heard an explosion.

He turned around, picked something else up, pulled the pin. I started to run. He was alone and seemed very much in control” Journalist Nicolas Gilenne reported to AFP after the occurrence. The methodic and careful process of the perpetrator’s pre-holiday spree in Saint Lambert square, the center of Liege, leaves many questions unanswered as officials continue to try and paint a clear picture of the gunman, a Belgium citizen of Moroccan origin.

“It’s very difficult to determine the reasons for the attack, but we’re investigating all avenues,” Benoit Ramacker said via AFP. However, no apparent religious reason has been determined, especially with the debate of Muslim diaspora being significant in Western Europe.

“He was not being identified as a Belgium when he was a Belgian citizen,” Glyn Ford, a former Member of the European Parliament, told Russia Today. “Because of his Moroccan origins, people are talking about killing the Muslims.” Ford continues to cite this crime to be seen as an average gun crime.

“They should take the right reactions and not overreact, as far as we can tell at the moment, there is no evidence [of a racial motive] from the assassin’s side,” he said. Amrani was a known criminal with several drug and gun conviction therefore, the Belgian government is focusing on stricter gun laws.

“New Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo will detail government proposals before the parliament later Thursday after calls for a tightening of laws on weapons trafficking and an examination of whether to re-examine rules on repeat offenders,” The Hindustan Times reports.

The truth may never be fully understood on suspect or his reasons for such carnage, but his defense lawyer, Jean-Francois Dister, told CNN, ”He was someone that was integrated into society. He felt Belgian. I’m not sure if he was a practicing Muslim but he knew about his culture and his roots.”

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