Kernwerk

The island this Dutch coastal fort was built on, later known, as the 'Forteiland', was used by the Germans as 'Kernwerk', the most important part of the Festung. It had to be defended at all costs. A total of 24 heavy bunkers were built. The following types were represented at the island:

1 x 636, fire control post
3 x M 170 + 656, coastal gun casemate + bunker for personnel
2 x 611, gun casemate for field guns
1 x 671 SK, coastal gun casemate
6 x 631, 4,7cm Pak casemate
4 x 644, casemate for 2 MGs in a steel cupola
2 x 633, casemate for 5cm automatic mortar M19
2 x 191, casemate for firing depth charges
1 x 635 in A, bunker for personnel
1 x 668 (two floors), in this case as a small dressing station

Due to the digging of a new canal in the 1960s almost all the bunkers on the northern part of the island were demolished. Three 644s, five 631s, two 633s, a 191 and a M 170 had to be removed. The 636 and the two 611s, which lay on the fort, were demolished too.

Photo from the fifties merged with a recent photo.

A view made from the cruiseship MSC Opera, Ria Bos 2012.