Okay, went to Kornwerderzand last week. Spent the whole day there with the chaps from the Fokker G-1 foundation. Had a great day. There is so much to tell about Kornwerderzand.
Kornwerderzand is an area with many "Kazematten" or bunkers at the eastern side of the Afsluitdijk. Tha afsluidijk is a 32 km long dam, separating the Ijselmeer (former Zuiderzee) fro the Waddenzee. It turned the saltwater Zuiderzee into fresh water. The dam was build in 1932. Amsterdam was not happy with it. It provided a backdoor in their defense and if someone would get hold of the waterdoors in the dam, they can drown the whole of the Netherlands in a matter of weeks. by closing them. Obvious a strategic point. Fortunately the dam is relatively narrow, so easily defended. The Dutch created their most modern fortification at the eastern side of the dam. This is Kornwerderzand. It consist of many bunkers, occupied by arouond 300 men. Unfortunately there was no artillery installed when the Germans attacked in 1940, so there were only machineguns. Also AA was not installed, but this was remedied during the first night. They ultimately kept the 15000 men of the german 1st cavalry division from crossing the dam and had to surrender separately 2 days after the general surrender.
Later Kornwerderzand became part of the German Atlantic wall.
The site consists mainly of Dutch kazematten and some German bunkers.
The middle of the Afsluitdijk, om my way to Kornwerderzand
The waterdoors in the Afsluitdijk as seen from Kornwerderzand
Dutch flag flying again over Kornwerderzand
The commandbunker "Kazemat IV" where kapiteit (captain) Boers led the defense.
Kapitein Boer's bed inside the commandbunker
Original German gun in one of the German bunkers. This gun was thrown into the lake, but recovered in the '80ies and placed on it;s original position.
There was a small line in fornt of the Afsluitdijk called the "Wonsstelling". This weak line had no bunkers or so, only small ditches and wooden positions. It was overrun in 3 hours. Dutch soldiers fled and threw their weapons in the canals. They are still found sometimes.