Fort het Hemeltje

This fortress was built from 1877 to 1881. It was the last fortress off the New Dutch Waterline.

In 1914-1918, the fort was mobilized.

At the start of the Second World War the fort was used by the Dutch army and afterwards by the German army. Both used the fort especially for anti aircraft guns.

Shortly after the war, on 28 June 1945, three people were killed on the fortress by exploding ammunition.

The Fort is surrounded by a spacious moat and set up within an earthen wall. The garrison of the fort consisted of about 245 men and about 35 pieces of artillery. The Fort was manned in particular during the mobilization period of the First World War and the Second World War in the years 1939-1940. From 1940 to 1945, the Germans used the fort mainly as storage space. After years of changing destinations and vacancy, Staatsbosbeheer became the owner of the fort in 2004. After a renovation in 2015, the Kazerne was finally used as offices for entrepreneurs who strive for sustainability.

The fort is free to visit on working days from 08:00 to 16:30.

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Source

• Text: Fedor de Vries en Peter Schipper
• Photos: Peter Schipper