Grebbelinie, Groeperkade, Amerongen

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, in Dutch. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

Description

Introduction:

The Grebbelinie is a waterlinie of approximately 60 kilometres in length, which makes use of the wet conditions in the western, lowest-lying part of the Gelderse Vallei. It is a unique example of a waterlinie constructed in the eighteenth century. Because no major interventions have taken place in the structure of the linie since then, the greater part of the linie embankment, the weirs and the earthen defensive works have been preserved. The Grebbelinie comprises embankments, earthen forts, sluices, casemates, outposts, anti-tank ditches, inundation areas, trenches, bunkers etc. Because it was always assumed that the linie had to be defended by a temporary field army, no permanent accommodation for soldiers was built in the Grebbelinie.

The linie was directed against a possible enemy advancing from the east. By inundating land, enemy troops could be stopped. The Grebbelinie had to ensure that this happened in a controlled manner. The water in the inundated area had to be sufficiently deep to prevent enemy vehicles and artillery from passing, but not so deep that the enemy could approach the linie with vessels. At places that were too high to be inundated, defensive works were constructed. In laying out the inundation areas, use was made of the lower-lying fields. In order to flood the area as efficiently as possible, the linie was divided from south to north into 11 basins. The water was dammed up in each basin with the aid of a weir which lay across the linie embankment.

After fortifications had been laid out sporadically in this area since the end of the 16th century, in 1744, on the proposal of the then Director-General of Fortifications B.J. de Roy, a start was made with the construction of the earthen embankment which would later become the Grebbeliniedijk. The embankment had to hold back the water, so that the Gelderse side of the dike could be inundated. Furthermore, the plan provided, because of the height difference between the Nederrijn and the Zuiderzee, for the construction of weirs or cross-dikes which could hold back the water. In this way a series of water-filled basins was created, which descended like a series of steps further to the north. In total, eight weirs were laid out to enable the area to be flooded in a controlled manner. In 1786, further fortifications were constructed.

The first time the linie was put on alert was in 1793 when France declared war on the Netherlands. However, the water level in the Rhine at that time was too low to inundate the linie. Because the advance was not continued, the French did not reach the linie at that time. However, when the French under General Pichegru returned in late 1794, the linie could be inundated. But a severe frost period in early 1795 meant that the French armies could cross the frozen rivers and inundations without difficulty.

Ultimately, in 1799 the French gave the linie its final form. They paid much attention to improving the defence of the weirs and laid out earthen outposts there. Because Napoleon wrongly believed in 1809 that there was no longer any threat from the east, the Grebbelinie was decommissioned as a defensive work.

It was not until 1846 that the importance of the Grebbelinie for national defence began to be recognised again. To protect the railway line Utrecht - Arnhem, it was laid right through the fort at the Buursteeg. In 1860 it was determined that the Grebbelinie should be one of the most important defensive lines in the country. Following this, new dam sluices were installed in the most important weirs, so that the area in front of the linie could be flooded more quickly. In 1866 the Omleidingskanaal was dug to the east of Veenendaal, which reduced the inundation time from 20 to 12 days. But the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie nevertheless became the most important defensive line, because inundations could be established there more quickly and easily.

It was only during the mobilisation of 1939-1940 that the Grebbelinie, under the name Valleilinie, became the main defensive line of the country. Because shortly before, the Valleikanaal had been dug to improve drainage in the Gelderse Vallei, a continuous canal had now been created between the Nederrijn and the IJsselmeer, which could also serve as an anti-tank ditch and also offered better opportunities for inundating the area.

Large areas on the east side were now flooded and farmhouses that were in the line of fire were demolished. Around Veenendaal, extensive trenches and anti-tank ditches were dug and 271 concrete machine-gun casemates were built. In March 1940, the main defence of the eastern front of Vesting Holland was moved from the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie to the Grebbelinie. This led to the construction of even more trenches, anti-tank ditches and wire obstacles, particularly in the non-inundatable areas between Woudenberg - Renswoude and Veenendaal. On 10 May the German troops invaded the country. Although the fighting at the Grebbeberg became most well-known, heavy fighting also took place at other places on the linie. The Germans ultimately made the final adjustment to the linie in 1944. The linie was now given the name Pantherstellung. The purpose of the linie was to stop an enemy advancing towards Germany and the main line of fire was this time towards the west and south. More than 20 gun casemates were built, of which 12 are now still preserved. In 1951 the Grebbelinie was permanently decommissioned as a defensive line.

The Groeperkade is located between the section of the Grebbeliniedijk south of the railway line Utrecht-Arnhem in the municipality of Utrechtse Heuvelrug and the Werk aan de Daatselaar in the municipality of Renswoude. The Groeperkade is an example of a basin weir of a waterlinie combined with a defensive embankment. It served as a basin weir between the 2nd or Groepse basin and the 3rd or Lambalgerkeerbassin.

Description:

Earthen DEFENSIVE WORK, constructed in 1745 and 1746, consisting of an earthen embankment. The section of the Groeperkade in the municipality of Utrechtse Heuvelrug is approximately 700 metres long. The embankment is located between the Valleikanaal and the municipal boundary with the municipality of Renswoude.

Valuation:

The construction is of general interest because of:

Cultural-historical values as part of the Grebbelinie, as this was constructed in six phases over a period of 200 years. Of great importance because of its commemorative value owing to its role during combat operations in 1939-1940.

Architectural-historical values in particular as an expression of military-strategic building, which is based on:

a. the system of inundation and access defence (18th, 19th and 20th centuries), b. the system of 'living' field fortification in depth (20th century) c. the outpost function during mobilisation and combat operations 1939 - 1940

This is an object which in its original form is an example of defensive works from the period:

phase 1: from 1744, construction of linie dike and works.

Ensemble value because of its location within the system of the Grebbelinie in general, in particular as a well-preserved basin embankment at the linie dike between the Werk aan de Roode Haan and the centre of the municipality of Leusden. Also because of the functional and physical coherence of the components of the object. Finally, there is a good or reasonably good relationship with the line of fire and inundation area.

The object is rare because it is a still virtually complete surviving example of an 18th century defensive work in the Grebbelinie and as such is representative (characteristic) of this type of defensive work.

The object has been well preserved and is still present in more or less recognisable form and function.