Defence Position North

Facts

An inverse Dannevirke

By Flemming Sørensen, Arkitekt og leder af Museum Sønderjyllands bygningskontor (3 stories)

In 1916-18, the German military built a barrier across the Jutland peninsula called Defence Position North. They aimed to forestall a British invasion from the north. The barrier worked in connection with the Zeppelin base in Tønder. Prisoners of war built up to 900 emplacements, explosive depots, bunkers for soldiers and trenches. Dams were built across rivers and streams to flood low-lying areas. Branch lines from South Jutland's narrow-gauge railways transported materials and ammunition to the lines of defence. The defence position's mighty construction followed tunnel-like valleys and hilltops from Hoptrup in the east to Skærbæk in the west.

Public place

Selected entry

Blowing up lines of defence

Story written by Flemming Sørensen

Time / Periode 1916 1918

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Defence Position North was not the first line of defence across Jutland. Near the emplacement position at Andholm, the German line of defence meets the almost 1,800 year old counterpart Vendersvold. Seventy kilometres south of this stands the majestic Dannevirke. The massive German construction never saw any action. The battles in World War I took place in other locations and gradually the construction was abandoned. The Danish military used 22 tons of explosives to blow up most of the construction after South Jutland was reunified with Denmark in 1920. The Danes feared that enemies could benefit from the north-facing line of defence if there was an attack from the south. In 1994, 25 preserved constructions were opened to the public in a joint project between municipalities, site owners and South Jutland County.