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Wilhelmshaven fortress plan
The Wilhelmshaven Fortification Plan was the blueprint for the fortification of the Prussian war port of Wilhelmshaven.[1]
Original plan
[edit]
The fortification plan was developed simultaneously with the planning of the harbor. The original plan envisaged a rampart along the border with Oldenburg between Banter Siel and Heppenser Trift. Six fortifications were to be built along the rampart. However, the plan entailed high costs, and it also displeased the Minister of War.[2] In 1861, a new plan was developed. This planned to include Heppens and the train station in the enclosure. This attempt also failed.
Lessons from the Franco-Prussian War
[edit]After the Franco-Prussian War, the previously developed plans were abandoned. It was recognized that fortified ramparts with ditches and bastions served little purpose. Instead, one wanted to orientate oneself on the effective French fortifications, which worked with forts in front. The original plans were discarded; only the reconstruction of Fort Heppens and the Groden Battery on the Neuengroden dike, which had already been started, were brought to completion. These fortifications were intended to protect the entrance to the Jade bight. To protect the land side of the war port, it was decided in 1873 to build three forward forts, Fort Rüstersiel (Fort I), Fort Schaar (Fort II) and Fort Mariensiel (Fort III), as well as the outer fort Altona. These were connected by a light railroad.[3][2] The Maade formed the defense line of the forts. The area around the forts, the fortress arrayon, was subject to certain constructional and agricultural restrictions to ensure a clear field of fire.[2] In the event of an attack, the lands in front of the forts were to be flooded with the help of the river Maade. For this purpose, the wooden Rüstersiel and Mariensiel sluices were rebuilt significantly larger with stone.[2] The fortifications were manned by naval artillerymen and used primarily for training, although they were on constant firing standby after mobilization in 1914.[1]
World War I
[edit]The defense of the war port was not sufficiently secured with the three Maadeforts, the outer fort of Altona as well as Fort Heppens, since it practically started right at the city limits. The foreland of the city and the coastal strip in the north were unfortified. Therefore, at the beginning of World War I, many smaller outer forts were built on the land side: Fort Crildumersiel, Fort Hooksiel, Fort Tammhausen, Fort Wehlens, Fort Sillenstede, Fort Moorwarfen, Fort Siebetshaus, Fort Jungfernbusch, Fort Schortens, Fort Dykhausen, Fort Hohemey, Fort Blauhand, Fort Ellenserdamm, Fort Meedengroden, Fort Wehgast, Fort Nordendergroden, Fort Vareler Hafen, Fort Stollhammerdeich, Fort Iffens, Fort Mitteldeich, Fort Sinsum, Fort Fedderwardersiel, Fort Niens. The coast was protected by small forts at Hooksiel, Crildumersiel, the battery Horumersiel and Schillig, which was developed into a fortress, with its three forts.[1][4] In Butjadingen, the dike battery Eckwarderhörne was built.[4]
World War II
[edit]Many of the facilities fell into oblivion after the First World War. The large installations were partly used by the Reichswehr and the Wehrmacht. In 1939, the forts became interesting again due to their favorable location, even though they were technically completely obsolete. From here, a large part of the air defense of the still highly important war port in Wilhelmshaven was established. The forts at Schaar, Vareler Hafen, Blauhand, Hohemey, Sillenstede and Hooksiel were equipped with heavy anti-aircraft batteries. In addition, various new anti-aircraft batteries were built: [4] the Flak Battery Tirpitzhafen, Flak Battery Sande, Flak Battery Kirchreihe, Flak Battery Geniusbank, Flak Battery Rüstersiel, Flak Battery Tirpitzschleuse, Flak Battery Raederschleuse, Flak Battery Schweiburg, Flak Battery Seefeld, Flak Battery Dangast, Flak Battery Schortens, Flak Battery Siebetshaus, Flak Battery Horumersiel, Flak Battery Schillig, Flak Battery Mellum, Flak Battery Langwarden, Flak Battery Tossens, Flak Battery Eckwarderhörne. In addition, there were the floating anti-aircraft batteries Arcona and Medusa.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Werner Brune: Wilhelmshavener Heimatlexikon A-J. Ed. Vol. 2, 1986, p. 297.
- ^ a b c d Doris Wilkens: Ein Ring von Festungsbauten sollte Wilhelmshaven vor Angriffen schützen. Fort Rüstersiel veränderte das Leben im kleinen Sielort. In: Wilhelmshavener Zeitung (Hrsg.): Heimat am Meer. Vol. 12/2016. Wilhelmshaven June 11, 2016, pp. 46.
- ^ Wilhelmshavener Heimatlexikon A-J. p. 319
- ^ a b c Friedrich August Greve: Die Luftverteidigung im Abschnitt Wilhelmshaven 1939-1945. 2. Marineflakbrigade. Jever 1999, pp. 7.