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Fort Veldhuis, also known as Fort bij Veldhuis, is a historic military fortress located on the border between Heemskerk and Assendelft in North Holland, Netherlands. Built as part of the Stelling van Amsterdam (Defence Line of Amsterdam), a UNESCO World Heritage site, it forms a key component of the Dutch Water Defence Lines, a system of fortifications designed to protect the country through controlled inundation. Today, the fort houses the Luchtoorlogmuseum Fort Veldhuis (Air War Museum Fort Veldhuis), which focuses on the aerial warfare of World War II from 1939 to 1945, highlighting the contributions of allied air forces. The site serves as both a preserved historical monument and an educational museum, attracting visitors interested in military history and aviation.
Construction and Early Design (1893–1903)
Construction of Fort
Veldhuis began in 1893 under the direction of the Dutch fortification
unit, as part of the broader Stelling van Amsterdam project initiated in
the 1880s. This was a response to evolving warfare technologies, such as
improved artillery range, which rendered traditional city walls
obsolete. The Stelling was designed to flood vast areas to a depth of
about 30–50 cm—enough to hinder troops and vehicles but too shallow for
boats—creating a defensive moat around Amsterdam.
Fort Veldhuis is
classified as a "Model A" fort, one of the earliest concrete designs in
the line, based on blueprints from 1897. These were among the oldest
reinforced concrete forts in the Netherlands, marking a shift from brick
to more durable materials. Construction was completed by 1903, though
some sources pinpoint the start more precisely to the late 1890s. The
fort was built to accommodate up to 310 soldiers during mobilization,
with barracks, storage, and defensive positions integrated into its
structure.
Key architectural features include:
Inundation
duct: Located on the west side, this allowed controlled flooding of
surrounding polders via a system of sluices and canals.
Secondary
battery (Nevenbatterij): A supporting artillery position to the south,
built in the early 20th century to enhance the fort's firepower. This
land battery was designed for open-field defense.
Line wall: A
protective barrier behind which troops and equipment could move safely,
though it lacked water-retaining capabilities.
Armaments: Typical for
Model A forts, it included provisions for four 10 cm guns in the main
buildings, along with machine guns (mitrailleurs) and possibly 6 cm
cannons. The design emphasized earthworks and moats for camouflage and
protection against shelling.
The fort's location in the
Noord-Kennemerland region was strategic, guarding access routes to
Amsterdam from the north. Its total cost and exact labor details are not
well-documented, but the Stelling as a whole was a massive engineering
feat, involving thousands of workers and innovative hydraulic systems.
Role During World War I (1914–1918)
Although the Netherlands
maintained neutrality during World War I, the Stelling van Amsterdam,
including Fort Veldhuis, was fully mobilized as a precautionary measure.
Soldiers were stationed there from 1914 to 1918, ready to activate the
inundation system if German or Allied forces threatened Dutch borders.
No actual combat occurred, but the mobilization tested the fort's
readiness and highlighted its deterrent value. The period was marked by
routine drills, maintenance, and occasional tensions from nearby trench
warfare in Belgium and France.
Post-WWI, the fort was demobilized but
remained in military reserve, with minimal upkeep as defense priorities
shifted toward mechanized warfare.
Role During World War II
(1939–1945)
Fort Veldhuis was mobilized again in 1939–1940 amid
rising European tensions. However, following the German invasion of the
Netherlands in May 1940, the fort fell under occupation without
significant resistance, as the Stelling's water defenses were not fully
activated in time.
Under German control, the fort was repurposed as
part of the Atlantikwall—a massive coastal defense network stretching
from Norway to Spain. Modifications included:
Construction of a
searchlight shed with a ramp integrated into the front wall, used to
illuminate Allied aircraft or naval vessels during night operations.
Addition of a kitchen building to support garrisoned troops.
General
adaptations for anti-aircraft roles, given its proximity to coastal
areas vulnerable to Allied bombings.
The fort served as a
barracks and searchlight emplacement, contributing to the defense of
occupied Dutch territories. A notable event occurred on February 10,
1944, when six survivors from a crashed U.S. B-17G bomber, nicknamed
"Hell's Belles," were captured and briefly held at Fort Veldhuis as
prisoners of war before transfer. Four crew members died in the crash,
underscoring the intense air war over the Netherlands.
No major
battles took place at the fort, but it witnessed the broader occupation,
including forced labor and resource extraction in the region.
Post-War Period and Internment Camp (1945–1951)
After liberation in
1945, Fort Veldhuis was repurposed as an internment camp for Dutch
collaborators, including members of the Nationaal-Socialistische
Beweging (NSB, the Dutch Nazi party) and other sympathizers. From 1947
to 1951, it housed prisoners during the post-war purges, with
modifications like bars on windows and doors still visible today. This
era reflected the Netherlands' efforts to reckon with collaboration,
detaining thousands across similar sites.
Following the camp's
closure in 1951, the fort was largely abandoned, falling into disrepair
amid post-war demilitarization.
Modern Era: Museum and
Preservation (1989–Present)
In 1989, the Stichting Aircraft Recovery
Group 1940-1945 leased the fort and established the Luchtoorlogmuseum
Fort Veldhuis (Air War Museum Fort Veldhuis). The museum focuses on the
air war over the Netherlands during WWII, emphasizing the human stories
of air force personnel from both Allied and Axis sides. Exhibits include
recovered aircraft engines, propellers, fuselage sections, weapons,
uniforms, and personal artifacts from crash sites. It highlights local
history, such as downed bombers and the impact on Dutch civilians, with
interactive displays, films, and a collection of over 1,000 items.
Ownership transferred to Staatsbosbeheer (Dutch Forestry Commission),
with management by Landschap Noord-Holland. In 2023, a major restoration
by Akerbouw focused on facades, windows, gates, and stonework, ensuring
the site remained operational as a museum during work. The project
adhered to heritage preservation standards, costing undisclosed amounts
but emphasizing sustainability.
Ecologically, the fort and its
surroundings have become a protected nature area, overgrown with trees
and shrubs. It serves as a habitat for rare species, including the
little grebe (dodaars) and little owl (steenuil), and functions as a
"green corridor" for biodiversity in North Holland.
Construction History
Construction of Fort bij Veldhuis began
between 1893 and 1899, with completion in 1903, making it one of the two
oldest completed concrete forts in the Stelling van Amsterdam (the other
being Fort bij Vijfhuizen). It was built during a period of rapid
military innovation, transitioning from traditional brick fortifications
to more modern concrete structures in response to advancements in
artillery, such as high-explosive shells. The fort was mobilized during
World War I (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-1945). During the latter,
German occupiers modified it in 1941 by adding a searchlight remise
(shed) with a sloping ramp on the left terreplein and anti-aircraft
machine guns. It served as a listening post with a heavy machine gun for
a Flak battery and housed up to 150 men from the "Herman Göring" unit in
1944. Post-war, from 1946 to 1947, it functioned as "Kamp Fort
Veldhuis," a custody and residence camp for political detainees
(including black marketeers and NSB members), with added barbed wire and
window grilles. It was decommissioned as a fortress in 1956 and later
used for military storage. Since 1989, it has housed the
Luchtoorlogmuseum (Air War Museum) managed by the Stichting Aircraft
Recovery Group 1940-1945, focusing on World War II aviation history,
with exhibits in restored casemates including a radio room. The fort is
now owned by Staatsbosbeheer, leased to Landschap Noord-Holland, and
holds provincial monument status in North Holland.
Overall Layout
and Structure
Fort bij Veldhuis is classified as a Model A fort (Type
A), the earliest standardized design in the Stelling van Amsterdam's
concrete phase (1897-1907). This type emphasizes compact, shallow
buildings to minimize vulnerability to artillery, with a focus on
infantry support and limited armored elements. The fort is constructed
primarily from unreinforced concrete (onversterkt beton), with brick
used in ancillary structures like culverts. Its layout follows a typical
Model A configuration: a central main building (hoofdgebouw) connected
via a sally port building (poternegebouw) to a large front building
(frontgebouw), all surrounded by earthworks and a moat.
The main
building serves as the core, housing living quarters, storage rooms, and
two throat casemates (keelkazematten) on the rear (keel) side. These
casemates are unique in their design, providing flanking fire to
adjacent forts and rear defense via machine gun positions. The sally
port building acts as a muster area (appélplaats) and connects the main
and front buildings with two steel doors leading to divided halves of
the terreplein (open ground level area). The front building is notably
large for Model A, containing seven rooms for the guard unit and
ammunition storage, with one room featuring a splinter-proof observation
post (scherfvrije observatiepost). Earthworks include a front wall
(frontwal) and short side fronts forming shoulders, where infantry could
be positioned. Two hoist cupolas (hefkoepels)—retractable armored
turrets for artillery—are located at the shoulder corners, attached to
the ends of the main building, allowing coverage of surrounding terrain.
The fort's exterior features thick concrete walls and grass-covered
bunkers within brick enclosing walls, blending into the open polder
landscape for camouflage. A storage shed (bergloods) is on the rear
side, and a kitchen building (shared with nearby camps during its prison
phase) adjoins a German-era storage area. The entrance is via a bridge
over the moat, leading into the fortified core. While exact dimensions
are not documented in sources, Model A forts typically span several
hundred meters in width, with buildings designed wide but shallow for
bomb resistance. The fort could accommodate up to 310 soldiers during
wartime mobilization.
Unique interior elements include dedicated
washing rooms (wasruimten) and the specialized throat casemate design.
The casemates now host museum exhibits, such as a recreated radio room
with historical equipment.
Defensive Features and Integration
The fort's defenses are integrated into the Stelling van Amsterdam's
water-based strategy, relying on inundation (controlled flooding) of
polders to create barriers too deep to wade (about 30-50 cm) but too
shallow for boats, combined with clear fields of fire. Surrounding
moats, thick walls, artillery positions, and secondary batteries enhance
this. On the west side is an inundation diver (sluice for flooding
control), and to the south, a secondary battery.
Key adjoining
elements include:
Inundation Dike West (Inundatiekering
Bewesten): A 19th-century earthen dike, widened and heightened from the
existing Zuidermaatweg between 1893 and 1895, extending westward from
the fort's front to Hoflaan in Heemskerk. It separates inundations from
the Noordzeekanaal and Schermerboezem, ensuring polder communication.
Features three culverts: a large brick one (1902-1903) near the fort,
and two smaller ones (one concrete from ~1930, one brick from
1893-1895). It crosses a railway line and includes border posts.
Line
Wall East (Liniewal Beoosten): A 970-meter earthen dike east of the
fort, from Genieweg to Hoge Dijk, with a front ditch and gun emplacement
profiles (banken). It serves as a covered communication path for troop
movement out of enemy sight, without water-retaining function (unlike
the northern Hoge Dijk). The profile remains largely intact, with tree
rows on both sides and border posts at the Hoge Dijk junction.
The fort's open field of fire extends to nearby forts like Fort aan den
Ham and Fort bij Krommeniedijk, with a unique double rampart
(Groenedijk) nearby. Armament in 1910 included mobile artillery between
forts, with the fort itself having fixed positions. The surrounding
polder landscape remains open, aiding historical readability, though
modern elements like the A9 highway and a golf course have impacted
views.
Current State and Significance
Today, Fort bij Veldhuis
is well-preserved, with its original structure intact despite
modifications. The grass-covered bunkers, brick walls, and moat are
visible, and the museum adds a glass-roofed section for exhibits. It
exemplifies Dutch hydraulic engineering in military architecture,
blending landscape camouflage with robust concrete design. Visitors can
explore the casemates, terreplein, and exhibits, gaining insight into
both the fort's defensive role and WWII air warfare.
As of 2025, Fort Veldhuis operates as a museum managed by volunteers,
open to the public on select days. It attracts enthusiasts of WWII
history, aviation, and military architecture, offering guided tours,
educational programs, and special events. The site is particularly
appealing to those interested in the air war, with its niche collection
providing in-depth insights not commonly found elsewhere.
Access is
via the Genieweg in Heemskerk, with the fort situated in a rural area
ideal for combining visits with explorations of the surrounding Dutch
countryside. Admission fees support preservation efforts, and the museum
encourages donations to maintain its exhibits. For the latest opening
hours and events, visitors are advised to check official sources, as the
site continues to evolve as a living historical landmark.
Fort Veldhuis holds significant cultural value as a testament to Dutch ingenuity in defense and a memorial to the aerial dimensions of WWII. Its inclusion in the UNESCO-listed Dutch Water Defence Lines underscores its importance in global heritage. The museum not only preserves artifacts but also educates on the broader impacts of war, fostering remembrance and understanding. As a hidden gem for history buffs, it contributes to the narrative of European military evolution and the pivotal role of air power in modern conflicts.