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Defence lines of the Netherlands

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Overview of the Dutch defense lines in 1940

Roman defense line

Pre-1874 defense lines

Fortification law 1874

The Vestingwet (eng: Fortification Law) or Wet tot regeling en voltooiing van het vestingstelsel (eng: Law to regulate and complete the fortification) was signed on 18 April 1874. The law dealt with the defense of the Netherlands against enemy attacks.

The main principle was defense by flooding where as the army of the Netherlands would withdraw to the area around Amsterdam. After the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871) it became clear that a new defense plan was needed. The law was made by the Minister of War August Weitzel under King Willem III. The Law became dysfunctional at 28 March 1938.

Interbellum (1918–1940)

  • Bath & Zanddijk Stellingen
  • Geullinie
  • Grebbe Line (Grebbelinie)
  • IJssel Line (IJssellinie)
  • Kazematten Afsluitdijk
  • Maaslinie
  • Linge - Waallinie
  • Oranjestelling
  • Peel-Raam Line (Peel-Raamstelling)
  • Waal-Maaslinie
  • Weerstandslinies Noord-Oost Nederland

World War II (1939–1945)

During the occupation of the Netherlands, the Germans made fortifications to stop the Allies from liberating the Netherlands and to protect their V2 rocket platforms in the Netherlands. The Germans built new defense lines like the Atlantic Wall but also reused the Dutch defense line like the Grebbe line.

  • Assenerstellung / Frieslandriegel
  • Atlantic Wall (Atlantikwall)
  • Brabantstellung
  • Vordere Wasserstellung
  • Hintere Wasserstellung
  • Panther Line (Pantherstellung)
  • IJsselstellung

Cold War (1946–1991)

During the Cold War a defence line was created to slow down a potential Soviet attack on the Netherlands.

Maps of the defense lines

  • Stelling van Amsterdam Defense line of Amsterdam Stelling van Amsterdam
    Defense line of Amsterdam
  • Oude Nederlandse waterlinie Hollandic Water Line Oude Nederlandse waterlinie
    Hollandic Water Line
  • Nieuwe Nederlandse waterlinie New Hollandic Water Line Nieuwe Nederlandse waterlinie
    New Hollandic Water Line
  • Stelling van het Hollands Diep en Volkerak Defense line of Hollands Diep en Volkerak Stelling van het Hollands Diep en Volkerak
    Defense line of Hollands Diep en Volkerak
  • West Brabantse waterlinie West Brabentse Water line West Brabantse waterlinie
    West Brabentse Water line
  • Grebbelinie Grebbe line Grebbelinie
    Grebbe line
  • Peel-Raamstelling Peel-Raam line Peel-Raamstelling
    Peel-Raam line
  • Circumvallatielinie van Groenlo Circumvallation of Groenlo Circumvallatielinie van Groenlo
    Circumvallation of Groenlo
  • Atlantikwall Atlantic Wall Atlantikwall
    Atlantic Wall

References

  1. http://www.engelseschans.nl/ Site with English summary
  2. http://www.circumvallatielinie.nl/ Dutch site with new discovered parts of the line
  3. http://www.forten.info/index.htm?http://www.forten.info/wetten/vestingwet.htm Text of the Fortification Law
  4. http://www.grebbelinie.nl/ Dutch site of the Grebbe Line
  5. http://www.stelling-van-amsterdam.nl/?art_id=57 English information about the Defense Line of Amsterdam
  6. http://www.grebbelinie.nl/page/pantherstellung Dutch information about the Pantherstellung
  7. http://www.ijssellinie.nl/ENGELS/index.html Archived 2012-04-26 at the Wayback Machine English information about the Ijssel Line

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