Forgotten trenches an bunkers at Antwerp

[Nordabschnitt]

Did you know that the Germans build an immense defence line to keep the Allies from invading Belgium throug Holland.

There is a great work of this line The Hollandstellung by Hans Sakkers which handles the line from the Belgian coast to the west of Antwerp.

But the defence line of Antwerp is not documented, I live nearby and visited it many times, there are hundreds of intact bunkers and more than 10 miles of trenches still visible today.

[towisuk]

Nice posting, I often see bunkers either side of the motorway when travelling from Zeebrugge port to Dunkirk on the E40.

But I was unaware that there was 10 miles of trenches still existed in the area, any information you have on these please post them here, I'm sure many of our forum members woud be interested.

The photo's of the bunkers you posted shows them to be in "pristine" condition, certainly far better than many that exist further down the Western front....

regards

Tom

[ianw]

Strange that there seems to have been no great desire or motivation to destroy these bunkers over the last century. Do they now have protected historic status of some sort?

[trajan]

Or keeping them ready just in case the northern neighbours have expansionist or recidivist ambitions?!

[Nordabschnitt]

I estimate that about 10% of the bunkers are demolished, the rest are indeed in perfect condition, the were all bricked up by the Germans in 1943 to prevent partisans and paratroupers to occupy these bunkers.

Some of them are opened to convert them to Bat refuges by placing bricks at the walls.

I include a kmz file of the complete line with a colourcode for each type of bunker, this code is given by the Belgian military and is not the original German nomenclature.

Any questions or photograph about this bunker-line will be given according to forum rules.

Duitse Bunkers.kmz

[Simon Jones]

Thank you, much appreciated. An amazing piece of work.

Simon

[Yorke Scarlett]

Nordabschnitt,

Thanks for bringing these to our attention.

A very rare and unheard of line of defence works.

Are they all WW1 vintage or are some possibly from the German defences of Antwerp in WW2?

Regards,

Wayne

[Nordabschnitt]

No they are all WW1, some of them were modified by the Belgians in the late thirties to MG bunkers for protection of the nearby Antitank ditch.

For those who downloaded the kmz, here is the code

Type I Unterstand für Bereitschaften MG-gruppe - Shelter for MG crew

Type II Munitionsraum - ammunition bunker

Type III Unterstand - small 3 person bunker with observation slith

Type IV MG-Schartenstand - MG bunker (always flanking)

Type VI Unterslupf - Shelter for 9 man crew

Type VII Untertreteraum - Lager shelter/storage bunker

Type VIII Zwischenstreiche - Bunker with Belgian 7,5cm canon on wall plate

Type IX Jnfanterie Beobachtungsstand - Infanterie Observation bunker with steel armor plate

Type X Gruppenunterstand für Battallions oder Regimentskommandeur - Bunker for battallion or regimental commander

Type XIV Artillerie Beobachtungsstand - Artillerie observation bunker

Type XV Belgische Bunker - Belgian bunker from 1914 incorporated in the defence line

Type XVI Artillerie oder Infanterie Kommandant - Command post always in the rear

Type XVII Zugführer Unterstand - Platoon leader bunker

Type XXII Jnfanterie beobachtungsstand - Observation bunker like type IX but without the steel dome and with a scharte

[Yorke Scarlett]

Thanks again Nordabschnitt

Will make a note to visit some of the sites when I am next in the area.

Wayne

[Mick D]

amazing bit of work, love it.

Mick

[towisuk]

Thank you, much appreciated. An amazing piece of work.

Simon

I echo Simons sentiments, and using Google earth took a few seconds to find one of the bunkers next to a road.......another in excellent condition..

And a good idea to turn some of them into bat refuges.....like the Great Crested Newt it means that the destruction of these is an official no-no

regards

Tom