Work on a rewilding project in Belgium has unearthed several bunkers, trenches and other structures built by the German army during World War II, officials announced this week.
The restoration work is being carried out at the Willemspark Secretariat in Heist, Belgium, and will focus on restoring coastal dunes in an area of less than 1 square mile by removing invasive plants, according to a regional authority news release. ing.
Heist, also known as Heist-Aan-Zee, is located in the north. flanders region of Belgium. This area was the site of many battles during World War I. The acts of violence there were immortalized in the poem “In the Fields of Flanders” and inspired the use of warfare. red poppy As a symbol of remembrance for those who died in war.
Two German artillery batteries were built on this site during the war. World War I. One was called Freya and the other Augusta. Officials said both batteries contained artillery, observation bunkers and crew quarters, as well as “all types of trenches and fortifications.” Most of these structures were demolished after the war, officials said.
However, in 1942, the park was again converted into a military base by German soldiers. At the height of construction, there were approximately 60 structures in the area, including ammunition depots and crew quarters to repel invasions from the sea.
Sam de Decker and Chris Vandevorst Real Estate Heritage Agency
“Anyone who grew up in the Heist will not be surprised that war remains were also discovered during excavations,” Heist officials said in a statement announcing the discovery.
Several structures from the World War II stronghold were discovered preserved underground, including “three completely intact bunkers” covered under just a few inches of soil. Each bunker had only one room, but the walls and ceiling were made of reinforced concrete.
Officials also found two brick ditches, pieces of a concrete track believed to have been used to transport soldiers and supplies during the war, and a well. During the excavation, workers also discovered a “large pile of rubble” containing everyday items such as tableware and ammunition.
“These ruins aptly represent previous desperate attempts to completely erase the park's war history,” officials said in a news release. “The lighter structures were demolished and reduced to rubble, while the heavier bunkers were covered with a layer of earth and hidden as if they had never existed.”
Sam de Decker and Chris Vandevorst Real Estate Heritage Agency
Officials said more war-related structures could be built in the park outside of the restoration work. No World War I artifacts were discovered during the project.
Officials said archaeologists from the country's national heritage agency were on site overseeing restoration work and “mapped all the finds” as they were discovered. However, after thorough investigation, the ruins were covered with sand again.
“No one disputes that war sites have heritage value, but that doesn't necessarily mean that all bricks used in war must be preserved,” the official said. Sand plans to preserve the ruins for the future, according to a news release.
