War Tourist in Denmark

A WALL
Touring the

WAR TOURIST in DENMARK

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STRONGHOLDS
S O M E I M P O R TA N T AT L A N T I C WA L L

i n D e n m a r k d u r i n g W o r l d W a r Tw o

With its geographical position, Denmark formed The purpose of this presentation by the TWT Group
an integral part of Hitler’s Atlantic Wall, and is to give the viewer a first glance at the Atlantic
was consequently saturated with German fortifications Wall in Denmark and maybe encourage to a further
to repel allied landing attempts. Nobody knows exactly acquaintance with this exciting and well preserved
how many, but an accepted estimate says that as many part of WW2 history. Obviously there is much more to
as 8000 concrete bunkers, big and small, were erected, be seen than presented in this brief introduction, i.e.
most of them along the western seaboard. Nearly one airfields, bridges and super-heavy batteries; stuff that
quarter was actual Regelbau constructions. will be dealt with in later presentations.

TWT Group issues The War Tourist,
Two meter thick reinforced concrete walls are not easily
demolished, not even by the forces of nature, so most a bimonthly Magazine,
of these remnants from a dark epoch are there today. and an interactive Calendar, both available as free
Some have descended from the dunes to the beach as a subscriptions. The group will also strive to promote the
result of coastal erosion, and some have even migrated concept and share the joy of historical traveling and
into the sea, but the bulk remains, almost as they were battlefield tourism by bringing more free presentations
left by their occupants in May 1945. from around Europe as visits are made and material
gathered.
Denmark never saw large scale land
combat and thus, many of You can contribute to this by sending in your own
these installations are in excellent condition. A large photos along with description and details. Contributors
proportion of bunkers are left unattended, providing a will receive full credit for their contributions. Read
more about this on the website: www.wartourist.eu
kind of open air museums where the war tourist may
let his fantasy roam while scavenging for photogenic
motives.
In several locations however, bunkers have been Navigation in this presentation is easy. Simply click
refurbished, original equipment installed and trenches the locations on the map to the left to be taken to the
restored, thus providing a tangible picture of the life appropriate slide. The small maps on each slide works
lived here six decades ago. as return buttons.

The War Tourist Group is an apolitical and non-
commercial assembly of bunker connoisseurs, history
buffs and plain devotees of the great fortifications
and battlefields, forged together by a joint interest in
these calling cards of a thousand years of European
warfare.
Photo courtesy of Tonny B. Jensen, Hirtshals, Denmark


HALS
STRONGPOINT

AA Battery and Coastal Battery
There have been fortifications here for
at least the past 500 years to protect the
entrance to the Limfjord and to enforce
customs duty. This particular one was
established in 1940 but reinforced with
bunkers in 1943-44.
The strongpoint consisted of two units;
a coastal battery brandishing 127 mm
German naval guns (S.K. C/34) and a
battery with 20 mm AA guns.
The anti-aircraft battery was built first
and furnished with regular Regelbau
bunkers, models L410A and L409A.
The coastal battery only had lightly
constructed bunkers of which few
remain today.
Large photo: The distinctive profile
of an L410A bunker, now in use with
the Home Guard and thus fitted with a
watch tower.
Right photo: The thin-walled fire
control bunker of the coastal battery.
Far right photo: Remnants of a 127 mm
gun emplacement.
See more photos from Strongpoint Hals
at www.wartourist.eu


FREDERIKSHAVN
STRONGPOINT GROUP SOUTH aka BANGSBO FORT

Coastal Battery and AA Batteries
The Strongpoint Group South formed
part of Defense Area Frederikshavn and
was assigned to protect the naval base
and the city of Frederikshavn against
airborne and seaborne attacks.
The group consisted of two strongpoints;
a coastal battery with four 150 mm guns
and two AA batteries with 105 mm and
20 mm AA guns. The AA batteries were
frequently in action during the war.
Large photo: The original M162a fire
control bunker was modified post-war
when the battery served in the Danish
Armed Forces as a Cold War fortress.
Right photo: One of the 150 mm naval
guns in a Regelbau 671 bunker. The
guns were commandeered from the
Danish warship Niels Juel.
Far right photo: A well-hidden 622
crew bunker in the woods to the north.
See more photos from and read about
Strongpoint South in December issue
of The War Tourist Magazine, on the
www.wartourist.eu website or on
Bangsbo Fort homepage (Danish only).


SKAGEN
STRONGPOINT GROUP

C o a s t a l B a t t e r y, I n f a n t r y S t r o n g p o i n t s a n d A i r f o r c e R a d a r S t a t i o n
The northernmost part of Denmark,
the pointy isthmus of Skagen, was
heavily saturated with bunkers (130+).
However, due to coastal erosion many
of them have migrated into the sea.
The area embraced a radar station
(Schackal), infantry strongpoints and a
coastal battery.
The coastal battery had four obsolete
120 mm Danish guns, model 1912 with
a max range of 10 km, and a number of
AA guns (2 cm and 3.7 cm).
Large photo: This 628 crew bunker has
almost become a landmark for Skagen
and is visible on Google Earth.
Right photo: One of four M272 gun
emplacements on the beach.
Far right photo: Most likely a munitions
bunker with its entrance covered in the
dunes.
See more photos from Strongpoint
Group Skagen at www.wartourist.eu


HIRTSHALS
STRONGPOINT GROUP

Coastal Batteries, Infantry Strongpoints and Resistance Nests
The west coast harbor of Hirtshals was
a possible entry point for an invading
enemy, and thus heavily fortified
by occupation forces. The harbor
was protected by no less than two
coastal batteries, East and West, both
sporting four 105 mm French field guns
(Schneider Le Creusot 1913).
The western battery had close to 70
Regelbau bunkers and a number of
Tobruks and other light constructions.
Large photo: The small Tobruk bunkers
fitted with a concrete copula are
indigenous to Hirtshals, due to lack
of materials (steel). They shielded a
machine-gun nest.
Right photo: The bunker in full
Right photo II: Fitted with Wehrmacht
standard MG 34
Right photo III: Inside view with
machine gun MG 34
Photo II & III courtesy of Tonny B.
Jensen, Hirtshals
See more photos from Hirtshals at
www.wartourist.eu


VIGSOE
STRONGPOINT

Coastal Battery
Coastal erosion has made many Danish
bunkers migrate into the sea, and
nowhere is this as visible as the battery
at Vigsoe. The battery is all but vanished
into the sea today, but acquired some
local fame when it appeared as a set in
a 1971 Danish comedy;
“The Olsen gang in Jutland”.
The motion picture used a mix of on
location shots and studio tricks to create
the impression of a super large bunker
with an under water entrance.
Vigsoe is also clearly visible on Google
Earth (57°06’02.80’’N - 8°43’37.61’’E)
Large photo: The beach at Vigsoe has
been subject to substantial coastal
erosion since the 1940ties.
Right photo: A small Tobruk has
toppled on the beach.
Far right photo: Bunkers of many sizes
and constructions were applied here.
See more photos from Vigsoe at
www.wartourist.eu


AGGER TANGE
STRONGPOINT

C o a s t a l B a t t e r y, I n f a n t r y S t r o n g p o i n t s a n d N a v a l R a d a r S t a t i o n
The Limfjord is the access to Aalborg
and its important harbor and thus the
western entrance at Agger-Thyboroen
was a vital point of defense for the
German occupiers. Both isthmuses
were subsequently subject to heavy
fortification. Although this is most
predominant on the southern side of
the entrance, also the Agger Tange
had significant installations, e.g. a
coastal battery and a naval radar station
(Würzburg Riese) for surveillance.
The guns themselves (S.K. C/34) were
never entombed in concrete as fear of
coastal erosion convinced the Germans
to move the battery inland.
Many of the crew and ammo bunkers
have today vanished into the dunes, but
the impressive radar bunker is visible on
the beach.
Large photo: The majestic V174 radar
bunker towering in the dusk.
Right photo: A Würzburg Riese dome
Far right photo: Inside the V174
See more photos from Agger Tange at
www.wartourist.eu


THYBOROEN
STRONGPOINT GROUP

C o a s t a l B a t t e r y, A A B a t t e r i e s a n d I n f a n t r y S t r o n g p o i n t s
This is one of Denmark’s more
fascinating bunker sites. Not only is it
home to a multitude of bunkers, but
also to some of the more elaborate
attempts to camouflage a large military
installation. Bunkers here have been
shaped to look like adobe houses,
factories and farms. Some were even
clad with roof tiles and had chimneys
and window frames installed.
Today these efforts seem amateurish
and futile, but considering the work put
into this deception, it must have made
sense to the Germans.
Large photo: Standing on top of an
L409A, looking down bunker alley, with
ill-camouflaged gun emplacements
lined up in a row.
Right photo: Interior of the small
exhibition bunker.
Far right photo: A 501 crew bunker
masked as a small factory or warehouse.
See more photos from Thyboroen at
www.wartourist.eu


SOENDERVIG
STRONGPOINT GROUP

C o a s t a l B a t t e r y, A i r f o r c e S t r o n g p o i n t a n d I n f a n t r y S t r o n g p o i n t
In the early summer of 2008, Houvig
Beach with one blow (literally) became
the talk of bunker-town world wide; A
storm unearthed four crew bunkers that
had been lying dormant in the dunes
since 1945, and they turned out to be
fully equipped with furniture and full of
all kinds of WW2 artifacts.
Obviously time had taken its toll on
the interior, but nonetheless it was
a major find and a sensation in the
bunker community. A 24-hour guard
was established as the bunkers were
emptied for goodies that now rest with
the conservator - while the rest of us
wait impatiently for the things to come
on display at a museum.
Large photo: The beach at Houvig.
Right photo: Part of the interior in one
bunker. Bunks have been dismantled
and lined up.
Far right photo: The findings attracted
nationwide attention.
See more photos from Houvig at
www.wartourist.eu


HVIDE SANDE
R E S I S TA N C E N E S T

Artillery Observation Post
Hvide Sande (White Sands) can boast
of three bunkers only; two six-man
crew bunkers (668) and one artillery
observation bunker (666). It was
nonetheless an important part of
the Wall as it served as a forward
observation post for a battery of 194
mm guns protecting the entrance to
Ringkoebing Fjord.
As it came about, only one gun was
ever entombed in concrete. Legend has
it, that the German artillery crew was
extremely anxious when they first test-
fired the ancient piece, dating back to
1919, and used a very small charge that
sent the 78 kg shell only a few meters
away. Actual range of the guns was
some 20 kilometers.
Large photo: The cupola of the artillery
observation bunker.
Right photo: Entrance to a crew bunker.
Far right photo: Posters in the
exhibition bunker.
See more photos from Hvide Sande at
www.wartourist.eu


BLAAVAND
STRONGPOINT GROUP

Coastal Batteries, Airforce & Infantry Strongpoints and Radar Stations
Several strongpoints reside at Blaavand
(Blue Water), including two Army
batteries, two Luftwaffe radar stations
and – in the rear – the mighty bunkers
for the 380 mm Batterie Vogelnest
(Birds Nest) that wasn’t installed before
the war was over.
Access to the area is somewhat
complicated by the fact that Danish
Armed Forces have their tank firing
range at the adjacent moor and thus
frequently prohibits public access to
Blaavand for safety reasons.
Check with the calendar before you go.
Otherwise an interesting area with lots
of bunkers.
Large photo: A corner of the large L485
bunker supporting the Mammoth radar.
Right photo: A buried copula for an
M19 automatic mortar. Cupola weighs
39 ton.
Far right photo: A V174 radar bunker.
Access denied for some reason.
See more photos from Blaavand at
www.wartourist.eu


FANOE
STRONGPOINT GROUP

Coastal Batteries, AA Batteries and Infantry Strongpoints
The small island of Fanoe is a real
bunker heaven with more than 300
installations. With its position off
Esbjerg Harbor, the largest on the west
coast and a likely target for an allied
landing. Strong fortifications were thus
built on Fanoe, including bunkers with
two 150 mm twin turrets from the
decommissioned German battleship
Gneisenau (these are now at Stevns).
The hi-tech Donau 60 Infrared system
was installed on Fanoe for detection of
approaching enemy vessels. The virtue
of the system was that it relied on
passive detection; it did not send out
any signal like radar does and could thus
not be detected itself.
Large photo: The so-called Bus Shed
that once housed the advanced
Donau 60 IR System.
Right photo: Contemporary photo of
the main component.
Far right photo: The staircase from the
bunker to the shed as it looks today.
See more photos from Fanoe at
www.wartourist.eu


SILKEBORG
SUPREME ARMY COMMAND POST

R a d i o a n d Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s C e n t e r
Although the Silkeborg Command
Center can show nothing more
impressive in terms of armament than
20 mm AA guns, the site is nonetheless
one of the most important in the
Danish part of the Atlantic Wall. The
Wehrmachtsbefehlshaber Dänemark
(Supreme Army Commander, Denmark)
resided here, and in case of an allied
landing on the Jutland Peninsula, this
would be the nerve center to direct
German defenses.
Home to several large communication
bunkers it is definitely worth a visit.
There is also a bunker museum in a 622
crew bunker, and it is recommended to
take the tour, they offer.
Large photo: The secondary entrance to
the V196 Telecommunications bunker.
Right photo: Entrance to the
commanders personal bunker (608).
Far right photo: Entrance from within.
See more photos from Silkeborg at
www.wartourist.eu and at
www.silkeborgbunkermuseum.dk
(Danish only)


War Tourist in Denmark

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