field battery Hannover

This field battery dates from World War II and was part of the coastal defense of the Germans, the so-called Atlantic Wall. The site is a protected monument. The various buildings are situated amidst a meadow and are quite heavily damaged. The field battery consists mainly of two gun casemates, concrete trenches, and open beds. Artillery was also positioned on the round pedestal within the open beds. In addition, there are also half-buried concrete ammunition bunkers and a brick barracks. The square concrete posts of about one and a half meters high are called 'Rommel asparagus', an invention of Field Marshal Rommel, who was the commander of the Atlantic Wall. Wires were stretched between the posts to prevent airborne operations. They are a relatively late measure (from March 1944) and were erected out of fear of the Allies. To this end, the local population was compelled to work. On the beaches, similar Rommel asparagus had to be buried, often with a mine attached to destroy landing boats. Along the entire Atlantic Wall, remnants of Rommel asparagus can still be found here and there, although many have also disappeared.

Toerisme Middelkerke