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Den Helder

The defense of Den Helder was organized around and characterized by the presence of the Navy base. Built early in the 19th century by the emperor Napoleon, the home port was steadily enlarged in the years thereafter. The area features several defensive forts dating from before the First World War. The military significance of these forts diminished with the advent of modern weaponry and aircraft, and defensive construction was then redirected towards the building of artillery casemates.
During World War II, the Germans reinforced the Den Helder defenses with a number of new anti-aircraft and coastal batteries in addition to an extensive land and sea front.
Under the header “clarification”, one will find a description of the main map of Verteidigungsbereich Den Helder and the six detail maps one level below.