Fort Harssens

The Dutch Fort Harssens was constructed between 1879 and 1884 for the defense of the harbors at Den Helder. It featured two 30.5-cm cannon in armored cupolas. The Germans took over the fortress in 1940. They first named it WN 106, then renamed it WN108M in May of 1943. The old fort was expanded with several light emplacements including a 3.7-cm cannon, two machine guns, two anti-aircraft guns and a 150-cm searchlight. Interior spaces were used for storage. An obstacle capable of blocking access to the harbor was positioned between the fortress and the Wierhoofd breakwater. A so-called Blockierungsfahrzeug [blockship] was anchored nearby, ready to be sunk in the channel as an additional barrier. On the channel-side of the fort, the Germans built an emplacement for firing depth charges into the water to prevent ships from entering the harbor. Near the end of the war, the Germans removed and scrapped the cupolas and the guns. The fort is now buried by sand and the property serves as a training site for the Dutch Marine Corps. A new harbor master’s office is slated for construction on the site of the old signaling tower.