The Kazematten, Bunkers and Surroundings

In 1921 it was decided to construct the Afsluitdijk, a barrier between the Inland sea/Zuiderzee and the Wadden Sea. In order to protect the ‘Holland Stronghold’, the Department of War wanted extra defences placed at the northern end of the Afsluitdijk. That is the reason why the fortifications: the casemates (kazematten) were built. It was designed by the army and is made up of a number of casemates, each having a different function. The firing range could be in all directions, but especially towards the Frisian coastline, because from that direction any hostile enemy approaching from the east over the Afsluitdijk could reach the ‘Holland Stronghold’. The standard of the concrete is W21-W28: that means that it could endure a shelling of a calibre of 21 to 28 cm. The outer walls are built out of 2.8 mtr. thick monolith cast reinforced concrete. The inside walls are 1.5 mtr. thick. The construction is built on steel foundations with extra concrete piles to prevent against subsidence due to grenade fire and bombs. Over the top of the casemates is a one metre thick layer of sand. A casemate always has two exits with steel doors. The entrances are low to protect against shrapnel and provided with a drainage gulley to prevent against flooding with rainwater. The gunnery emplacement casemates have concrete parapets with a recess for machine guns on the outside.