“Toorenvliedt” Divisional Headquarters

In 1942, the Torenvliedt Estate with its mansion dating from 1726, became the headquarters of a division. The first structures to be built in the park were light bunkers, shelters and storage buildings but in early 1944, construction was started on 10 heavy bunkers: three type 608 command bunkers, five 622 personnel shelters with a capacity of 20 men each, a type 645 kitchen bunker and a large type 618 communications bunker. The garrison consisted of 13 superior officers (the highest in rank being general Daser), 35 non-commissioned officers and 131 enlisted men. In quiet times, they lived in the Toorenvliedt mansion, with neighboring Ter Hooge castle serving as the officers’ mess and the residence of the commander.

When the Allies started their bombardments of the sea walls on October 3rd 1944, the high command started to prepare for evacuation. On October 17th, the Germans left Toorenvliedt and relocated to Middelburg. Allied bombings caused intentional inundations and the park remained flooded for over one year. After the war, the badly damaged mansion was restored. Landscape architect C. Broerse has designed a new plan for the grounds in which the bermed-up and planted bunkers are an integral part of the trails and the greenery. This has preserved the headquarters and in 2008, a local group, the Stichting Bunkerbehoud, has made one of the command bunkers accessible to the public.