Welcome to Atlantikwallplatform.eu...
... A work in progress – for you and by you... to be continued!
This site is dedicated to describing the Atlantic Wall, its history, the landscape that surrounds it and its social ramifications during and immediately following the Second World War: evictions, evacuation, destruction, clearance, and reconstruction. In various places throughout the many maps (see overview map by country), you will find brief introductions, descriptions of points of interest (POIs), historical and present-day maps and photographs, as well as audio and video fragments. The authors (see Colophon) think of it as a work in progress, with a steadily expanding body of textual, cartographic and photographic content, to become a truly comprehensive European site about the entire Atlantic Wall.
You can navigate the site in two ways.
1) taking a cartographic approach
2) using the white, horizontal menu at the top of the main page.
1 > Cartography
Four levels of scale. The framework of the site has a cartographic basis with four levels. Each level offers thematic maps. Specific background information can be accessed by mouse-over for all maps showing the information “i” in the upper left corner of the screen.
The largest scale (level 1) is that of the Atlantic Wall in its European context, where you can choose one of seven countries. By clicking on one of the maps you drop down one level.
The country of choice forms the second level. The pale blue map shows areas of military/strategic importance with red borders; these indicate the position of the fortresses [Festungen]. These fields are the “active windows”. When clicked, a regional overview map appears.
This regional map represents the third level and it contains several detail maps. Clicking the detail map of your choice will get you to the map with the smallest scale and the most detail.
Level Four presents information in the form of ‘points of interest’ or POIs. When you move your mouse across the map, the POIs light up. Clicking on a POI brings up an information window on that particular section of the Atlantic Wall. The window contains text and such additional content as maps, aerial photographs, historical or present-day images, audio or video interviews, movies etc.
The header ‘Points of interest’ in the left margin lists POIs on the detail map in clickable form for easier identification. Have fun reading, watching and listening!
2 > Horizontal menu
Under ‘navigator’ you can choose a European country or a region or city in a given country. After clicking ‘go’, the selected map comes into view. It shows several detail maps with red borders that light up when you move across them with your mouse. Clicking the detail map of your choice will get you to the map with the smallest scale and the most detail. This is level four and it presents information in the form of clickable points of interest or POIs. Each of these POIs brings up a wealth of information about that particular section of the Atlantic Wall. The header ‘Points of interest’ in the left margin lists POIs on the detail map for easier identification. Have fun reading, watching and listening!
Introduction
This site consist of three substantive pillars with respect to the Atlantic Wall. Its focus is on:
· The military context
· The environmental context and the wall’s ramifications during and after the Second World War
· The social context and the consequences of the far-reaching social changes wrought by war and reconstruction
But also on the interconnectedness of these events and consequences with present-day and future memory and commemoration. This broad context forms the basis of the site. So you will find under the “Introduction” button a review of the Atlantic Wall in terms of its military and social context and its effect on the landscape. Thematic maps and background information, as well as hyperlinks to other sites are included where needed. The information has been assembled for the Netherlands with the hope and ambition that similar data can be gathered and presented for the other “Atlantic Wall-countries” and Great Britain.
Search
The search function enables you to search the site for key words. Entering a term and hitting “search” will list all the pages pertaining to the key word(s) in question.
Favorites
Allows you to save your favorite atlantikwallplatform.eu pages so you can quickly retrieve needed information.
Update
Atlantikwallplatform.eu is designed as a work in progress. New information that has been added to the site will be listed under this button. This feature allows you to quickly scan what is new and which specific pages have received updated information. The information has been assembled for the Netherlands with the hope and ambition that similar data can be gathered and presented for the other “Atlantic Wall-countries” and Great Britain.
Contact
This is a platform for you and by you. That means that you can contribute any information you feel is relevant for the site. To do so, please complete the contact form, add an attachment (if applicable) and submit it to the editors. You will notified of safe receipt and of course, your information will be treated in the strictest confidence. The editorial board has quarterly meetings to review all newly submitted content. You will be contacted by phone in response to your email to discuss how best to present your information on the site.