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As the old
fortification from the 17´th century around Copenhagen was demolished
from 1872, the
contruction of a new defence line began from 1880.
The old naval and coastal forts were modernized, and a number of new
forts north of the capitol were made. Also a new Defence LIne "Vestvolden"
(The Western Rampage) south west of Copenhagen was constructed. The
seaside also got some new naval and coastal forts and batteries.
At the time of the construction the defence line was a worthy opponent
to any agressor. New and modern 15 cm. artillery, mitrallieuses and
machineguns hidden behind concrete walls.
But the military devellopments went very fast at the time, and just 20
years after the construction, the
defence line was out of date from a technological point of view. Also it
was to close to the capitol.
The fortification needed a lot of crew to be effectice. All the 50.000
men that were enlisted to protect Danish neutrality in 1914, were
deployed around Copenhagen.
As a result of this knowledge, a political agreement form 1909 became
basic for a knew
Defence Line 30 km. west of the city. The
Tune stronghold between the Køge Bugt (Koge Bay) and
Roskilde Fjord (The Fjord og Roskilde). This line is the narrowst place
on the island of Sjælland.
The construction started just after the outbreak of World War I.
No more great forts or big batteries. Now it was dirty and wet trenches
at foxholes.
In 1920 the
Defence LInes of Copenhagen were abandoned.
The purpose of this site is to tell the story of a dramatic period of
danish
fortification history and the unique way this fortification
line was build.
www.vestvolden.info
Member of
the European fortress network The Fortress Ring and the
worlswide fortress network Site0 |
