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Unobstructed view
This bunker complex is a 1:1 replica of the existing Flak installation on the Beveland side of the Sloedam. Like the original, the bunker is constructed from concrete and brick and is partially built into the dike body. This earthen embankment provided additional protection for the troops. From the gun emplacements on these Flak bunkers, the Germans had an unobstructed view over the Sloedam—at that time not yet reclaimed—and the surrounding tidal flats. This was no unnecessary luxury, as this fiercely contested area would come under heavy Allied fire multiple times.
Battle for the Sloedam
During the German occupation, the Sloedam played a crucial role as a key connection route. This is still evident in the two gun emplacements and their accompanying troop bunker. Without these German defensive structures, the dam would have been an easy target for Allied fighter planes and bombers. In September 1944, during the retreat of the German 15th Army from northern France and Belgium via the Western Scheldt, the Sloedam was attacked multiple times by British fighter aircraft. The Allied tactical air force also bombed the dam twice. In late October and early November 1944, the Sloedam became the scene of intense fighting for several weeks, claiming the lives of countless soldiers.
Trenches and Shelter
This reconstructed Flak installation is connected to a nearby Tobruk bunker, about 20 meters further along the dike, by trenches. A trench is an underground and reinforced passage designed to protect soldiers from enemy fire. For the German soldiers stationed here, life was anything but comfortable. As you walk through the trench, you can try to imagine what it must have been like in 1944, when bullets and shells literally flew around their heads near the Sloedam.