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Sicherungsstellung Nord
Sicherungsstellung Nord (Defence Line North) was build by the Imperial
German Army in the years 1916-1918, to prevent an
invasion by either landed
English troops, or an attack by Denmark
900 concrete and timber rooms and artillery platforms were build across the Southern
Jutland. From the Lillebaelt in the east to
the Island of Roemoe in the west
this very strong and heavily defence line blocked the Northern flank.
How could it be possible for Germany to build a Defence Line in an area that
is known to be Danish?
In 1848 a rebellion started in two of the three the small Danish duchies
Slesvig and Holsten. It was supported by Prussia.
The Danish Army moved into the region, and won what later is known as the
First Danish-Prussian war
1848-1850.
It ended without a lasting peace, but a treaty dictated by the big powers,
England, France and Russia.
In
Denmark it was considered a great victory.
The victorious Danish army
returning to Copenhagen 1850. |
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In
1864 Prussia provoked the Danish King, and he acted as Germany hoped, and
the second Danish
Prussian
War was a reality.
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The Boarder before 1920,
guarded by the Landsturm |
Denmark had a series of defeats, the last at Dybbøl outside the town
Sønderborg.
For
3 month the Danish palisades were bombarded by better German artillery than
the Danish. The Danish positions were
occupied, and only a peace
treaty saved the remaining troops at the little island of Als.
This peace meant, that Denmark lost the southern part of Jutland, 20 % of the
territory, and overnight the Danish population in
the area became German
subjects. The Area was considered German, the names of the cities were changed and
the Danish flag
forbidden.
German became the language in the schools.
Also the young men were enlisted in the German Army.
In
1864 all the green areas became
German and the new boarder was drawn
at the top of the light-green area.
After 1920 the boarder was moved south
to the midle of the light green area. |
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At the time the defence line was build, the area was Germany and the
population Germans.
After World War 1, a referendum was held in the area. The people in the
three former Danish duchies were able to
determine,
where they
wanted to belong.
The Northern third voted for Denmark and the boarder was moved south again to where it is
to
day.
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The blown heavy Battery
at Gammeskov 2009 |
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After a
short documentation of the defence line, the Danish Army demolished most of
it in 1921-1922. The government was afraid
it later could be used ad the basic for a new
German attack on Danish territory. The Defence could not be used by Denmar
because it was directed to the
north.
The Defence Line was forgotten by most people a covered by natural
vegetation. Some places the little bunkers were used as
storage for
potatoes. But the Danes that had seen the batteries, the boys who played around them
remembered what they
looked like and what was in them.
In the mid 70’s a Danish engineer, Mogens Scott Hansen, got interest in the
defence line. He quitted his job, and used 15 years to
listen to witnesses, draw and
photograph the constructions and trace the forgotten and concealed
constructions.
Most of our knowledge about the defence line to day is due to his work.
The original drawings and other papers were destroyed at an English air raid
on the German Naval Headquarters in 1945.
The
Sources:
This site is mainly based on Mogens Scott Hansens Phenomenal works.
This website is
dedicated all the common people, who at a daily basis, works to reveal our
common History.
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