Betuwe Line and De Spees

A remnant of the extended Grebbelinie in the Betuwe bears the whimsical name "De Spees". Close to the farm 'De Spees' at the time, a fortified line dike connected to the Rijndijk. Spees comes from the spear-shaped parcel formed by the junction of the Rijnbandijk and the Marsdijk. The fortification dates back to 1799 and was constructed under French supervision. The hornwork was intended to stop the enemy, who would likely approach over the dike. The area in front of De Spees was too high to be flooded, which meant the defense of this location received extra attention.
At Fort De Spees, there is also a replica of a Roman watchtower. Although its accuracy can be questioned, it is a fun play object for children. The fort itself is a monument within the context of the Grebbelinie. Source: Grebbelinie.nl

Purpose and function

The hornwork 'De Spees' is the northern closure of a defense line running across the Neder-Betuwe. It is the southern extension of the Grebbelinie, considered important for defense.

As early as the mid-18th century, sketch drawings and maps were made, but it wasn't until the years 1799-1800 that the Liniedijk and the hornwork at Spees were constructed. The ramparts, bastions, and hornworks were raised from earth, and originally there would have been a parapet on the highest part to protect the soldiers.

To the south, the defense line connected to the Waaldijk at Ochten. There, a hornwork comparable to Spees, known as 'De Batterij', was built. This hornwork was excavated in the 1920s and 1930s and has now virtually disappeared. Only a part of the foundations can still be faintly seen in the floodplains near Ochten.

Water nuisance

De Spees has been the subject of discussion several times over the past two centuries. Periodically, it has been considered for excavation, and just as often, restoration work has been carried out. The line was constructed for purely military purposes. Additionally, it also served as a cross dike.

During dike breaches in the Over-Betuwe, the water flowing west caused problems for residents of Opheusden, Hien, Dodewaard, and Eldik. The cross dike hindered the flow of water, allowing it to rise to great heights, keeping the area wet for an extended period. Water could only be drained through the narrow inundation sluice in the Linge. During the dike breaches in March 1827 in Eldik, the strain on the Liniedijk was so heavy that it broke between Ochten and the Linge.

Military significance

During the first hundred years of its existence, the Linie and the Spees were never militarily threatened. This changed only in the 20th century.

Due to the German threat, a general mobilization was called in the Netherlands in 1939. All fortifications had to be made defensible again. At Spees, the Liniedijk, and the already vanished fortifications at Ochten, frantic work was done to reinforce them.

Under the name Betuwesteiling, the former line Ochten-De Spees was put back into use. Dozens of defensible outposts were established in the forward area, and tank trenches were dug at several strategically important locations. A large number of concrete casemates (bunkers) were built, some of which have been preserved on and around De Spees. The southern part of the line could be further defended by inundation (flooding).

The German invasion in 1940

When the German army invaded our country in May 1940, the focus of fighting in the Betuwe was at the outposts and positions in front of Ochten. It remained quiet at De Spees. In this sector of the Betuwestelling, combat actions were limited to skirmishes at the more easterly located outposts.

On the Grebbeberg across the Rhine, there was heavy fighting for three days for the freedom of our country, and from the hornwork De Spees, heavy flanking fire was directed at the German invaders during that battle. The passage of supplies in the Nude and the occupation of the brick factory 'De Blauwe Kamer' was particularly complicated by this. After the German invasion, the positions were quickly dismantled, and during the occupation, it remained quiet.

The end of the war: 1944

When in September '44 the Allied operation 'Market-Garden' was carried out, the threat suddenly came again from the east. In a hurry, the Germans occupied the dismantled Betuwestelling and brought it back into as good a state of defense as possible. The hornwork at De Spees was also readied again. Although there was heavy fighting in the period October '44-May '45 in the area east of the Betuwestelling, military actions at the Linie and De Spees were limited to fire contact with reconnaissance units.

Nevertheless, the Linie played an important role in the fight against water. On December 2, '44, the Germans blew up the Rijndijk near Elden to drive the Allies out of the Over-Betuwe. The water was to be held back by the Liniedijk. However, on December 6, that dike broke through and the area between the Liniedijk and the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal was flooded. When the thaw set in after a frost period in January '45, the Rhineland water rose again and flowed freely through the dike breach at Elden into the Betuwe. Again, attempts were made to hold back the water at the Liniedijk. However, on February 8, it broke through for the second time and the Neder-Betuwe was underwater again.

End of a defense work

After the German capitulation on May 5, 1945, the Betuwestelling was dismantled, and in 1950 the function of defense work was officially abolished. As part of the land consolidation efforts, the Liniedijk was almost completely excavated in 1951. Thanks to the efforts of the Menno van Coehoorn Foundation, the hornwork 'De Spees' has been preserved along with a piece of Liniedijk as a national monument. Aside from this monument, only the inundation sluice in the Linge and a piece of the nearby Liniedijk serve as a reminder of the historical defense work that the 'Linie Ochten-De Spees' once was. Source: information board

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