Grebbelinie Scherpenzeel

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 water line 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 the construction of a water line from the eighteenth century. Because no major interventions in the structure of the line have taken place since then, the greater part of the line embankment, the barrier dykes and the earth defence works have been preserved. The Grebbelinie comprises dykes, earth forts, sluices, casemates, outposts, anti-tank ditches, inundation areas, trenches, bunkers etc. Because it was always assumed that the line would have to be defended by a temporary field army, no permanent accommodation for soldiers was built in the Grebbelinie.

The line was directed against a possible advancing enemy from the east. By inundating land, enemy troops could be held back. The Grebbelinie was intended 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 line with vessels. At places that were too high to be inundated, defence works were constructed. In establishing the inundation areas, use was made of the lower-lying fields. To flood the area as efficiently as possible, the line was divided from south to north into 11 compartments. The water in each compartment was raised by means of a barrier dyke that lay across the line dyke.

After occasional fortifications had been constructed in this area from the end of the 16th century, in 1744, on the recommendation of the then Director-General of Fortifications B.J. de Roy, work began on the construction of the earth embankment that would later become the Grebbelinie dyke. The embankment had to hold back the water so that the Gelderse side of the dyke could be inundated. Furthermore, the plan took into account the height difference between the Nederrijn and the Zuiderzee by providing for the construction of barrier dykes or cross dykes that could hold back the water. In this way, a series of water-filled compartments was created, which descended further northward like a series of steps. In total, eight barrier dykes were constructed to enable the area to be flooded in a controlled manner. In 1786, further fortifications were constructed.

The first time the line was brought to readiness was in 1793 when France declared war on the Netherlands. However, the water level in the Rhine was too low at that time to flood the line. Because the advance was not continued, the French did not reach the line at that time. When, however, the French under General Pichegru returned in late 1794, the line could be flooded. But a severe frost period in early 1795 meant that the French armies could cross the frozen rivers and inundations without problems.

Ultimately, in 1799, the French gave the line its final form. They paid much attention to improving the defence of the barrier dykes and constructed earth outposts there. Because Napoleon incorrectly believed in 1809 that there was no longer any threat from the east, the Grebbelinie was abolished as a defence work.

Only in 1846 did the importance of the Grebbelinie for national defence begin to be recognised. To protect the railway line Utrecht - Arnhem, this was laid across the fort at the Buursteeg. In 1860 it was determined that the Grebbelinie should be one of the most important defence lines in the country. Following this, new sluice gates were installed in the main barrier dykes, so that the area in front of the line could be flooded more quickly. In 1866, the Omleidingskanaal was constructed to the east of Veenendaal, which reduced the inundation time from 20 to 12 days. But despite this, the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie became the most important defence line, because inundations there could be achieved more quickly and easily.

Only during the mobilisation of 1939-1940 did the Grebbelinie, under the name Valleilinie, become the main defence line of the country. Because shortly before this 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 eastern side were now flooded and farms 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 the 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 barbed-wire barriers, particularly in the non-inundatable areas between Woudenberg - Renswoude and Veenendaal. On 10 May, German troops invaded the country. Although the battle at the Grebbeberg became the most famous, heavy fighting also took place at other points on the line. The Germans ultimately made the final modification to the line in 1944. The line was now given the name Pantherstellung. The aim of the line was to stop an enemy advancing towards Germany and the main direction of fire was this time to the west and south. More than 20 gun casemates were built, of which 12 are still preserved today. In 1951, the Grebbelinie was permanently abolished as a defence line.

The Lambalgerkeerkade was constructed in 1745 as a support dyke for the inundations and as a defence embankment. The dyke served as a compartment barrier between the 2nd or Groepse compartment and the 3rd or Lambalgerkeerkompartment. In 1865, in the context of compartment division, the more northerly road from Widenberg to Scherpenzeel was made into a compartment barrier. This ended the function of the Lambalgerkeerkade. However, this did not lead to the removal of the dyke. The area around the dyke was the scene of some of the heaviest fighting within the Grebbelinie during the May days of 1940, but the dyke itself played no role in this.

Description:

Earth DEFENCE WORK constructed in 1745, consisting of an earth embankment. The Lambalgerkeerkade is located in the municipality of Scherpenzeel between the Valleikanaal to the north of the Lambalgseweg and the Stationsweg. The dyke is approximately 700 metres long. The dyke is not everywhere up to profile, but is still clearly recognisable as such everywhere. On the section of the dyke within the built-up area of Scherpenzeel, there is a tiled cycle path with street lighting.

Evaluation:

The object is of general importance because of:

Cultural-historical values as part of the Grebbelinie, as this was constructed in six phases over a period of 200 years. In particular, the dyke is also important as an example of an 18th century barrier dyke or compartment barrier.

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),

This is an object which in its original construction is an example of defence works from the period:

phase 1: from 1744, construction of line dyke and works

Ensemble value because of its location within the system of the Grebbelinie in general, in particular as a compartment dyke at the line dyke between the Werk aan de Roode Haan and the core of the municipality of Leusden. There is also a well-preserved/reasonably well-preserved relationship with the line of fire and inundation area.

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

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