Deelen/Groot-Heidekamp

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

Description

TERRAIN with LAYOUT. The soil of Groot-Heidekamp and its surroundings consists of sand and forms part of a relatively flat area in the southern Veluwe pushed up by glacial ice. The camp lies on the southern side of the Kemperberg along the roughly east-west running, straight Koningsweg. This road would date in rudimentary form from the last quarter of the 17th century - the time when stadtholder Willem III was king of England. The Koningsweg is still present as an important connection and as a spatially structuring element, partly because it served as a basis for clearing and settlement. To the east of the Kemperberg, from the middle of the 19th century onwards, (clearing) estates with (tenant) farms were established on either side of the Koningsweg, notably on lands of the local nobility and/or major landowners. In practice, farming on the poor Veluwe soils proved difficult, and especially on the southern side of the Koningsweg forestry soon became dominant, together with hunting for game and other forms of recreation. Groot-Heidekamp was laid out on the gently westward and southwestward sloping sandy soils of a former golf course southwest of the clearing farm Leipzig, between the current Clément van Maasdijklaan and the Waterbergseweg - and in fact only between the Clément van Maasdijklaan and the current Lange Jammer, a long forest lane dating from the clearing period of the area, from the Leipzig farm towards Schelmse Weg. In the southeastern part of the terrain, the leaching zone of glacial ice from the penultimate ice age is recognizable. While in particular the northernmost and southernmost parts of the terrain around 1940 were intersected by a number of forest lanes laid out predominantly in geometric pattern, for the construction of roads and buildings a choice was made for the north, west and south flanks of the relatively sparsely vegetated core of the terrain. The core itself remained virtually unbuilt and was laid out as a (quasi) agricultural area, with the aim of making Groot-Heidekamp appear from the air as an organically grown esdorp. The existing north-south running Lange Jammer - on the eastern side - was retained, while along the north, west and south sides of the sparsely vegetated terrain a roughly semicircular road - partly with rear lane - was realized. To this simple, gently curved, linear pattern several branches were attached - mostly without right angles - including towards the existing geometric lane system in the north and in an easterly direction towards the Lange Jammer. In particular these latter connections were laid out without relation to existing structures. The result was that Groot-Heidekamp developed a road pattern that aligned only slightly with the existing (forest) lane structure, and was characterized by gently curved, mostly flowing lines, but sometimes also abrupt bends - the whole interspersed with some remarkably straight lanes. The total network has via the two parallel axes a predominantly greatest extent from northeast to southwest, with branches towards northwest and southeast. The roads were presumably comprehensively clinker-paved (and probably in various patterns), while effort was made to align the layout as much as possible with the adjacent landscape, including through the retention, planting and local densification of greenery on the western side and through the (suggestion of) agricultural land use in the east. Moreover, the green space structure around the road branches was accentuated by open space and low vegetation. The entire layout was part of the occupier's camouflage strategy, which sought to integrate roads, greenery and buildings as far as possible into forms and structures characteristic of or pre-existing in the region. The latter is evident in particular on the northwest side of Groot-Heidekamp, where the existing geometric forest lane system was retained to be used for the layout of the terrain with rectangular parking positions for vehicles. Furthermore, small paths of 30 x 30 cm concrete tiles were laid to and around the buildings. Presumably partly as a result of camouflage as a Veluwe village, a clear paved muster ground stemming from the German period is scarcely discernible, but on the topographic map of around 1955 two rectangular green fields are indicated to the east of the building line that could have functioned as such; additionally there were vehicle parking positions in the northern part of the terrain that could have fulfilled such a function. The camp was fenced with wire barriers attached to concrete posts, but at a few places (permanent or temporary) access points to the terrain were realized. The main entrance was that at the western end of the straight connection to the current Clément van Maasdijklaan, where the guardhouse was also built. Slightly further south, opposite the guardhouse of Klein-Heidekamp, a direct connection with this camp was also made.

Both the pattern of roads and paths and part of the originally applied material is still present in the field or recognizable, with the intended character thereof also remaining clearly recognizable. Some of the main connections have meanwhile been provided with an asphalt wearing course, but a number of smaller roads and paths remain in a condition that recalls that of the years 1940-1945. The original main entrance - although no longer intact - is still present and operational, while some other - modified or otherwise - access points are still readily recognizable as such. The fencing is only partially retained, partly due to relatively recent adjustments to the security of the terrain.

Groot-Heidekamp was first and foremost intended for the housing of personnel of the 'Luftwaffenachrichtenkompanie' (the signals troops) and further for accommodation of facilities - including a hospital - and of the so-called 'Fahrbereitschaft', the transport service. The camp was arranged accordingly with many dozens of larger and smaller dwellings, which were occupied in varying densities. Furthermore, several buildings in the south of the terrain were erected as a pavilion-style built hospital. In the north of the terrain stands a number of garages. The buildings were almost all erected along the specially laid out roads, whereby they were placed at various distances, but with the roof ridge usually at right angles to or parallel with those roads. The dozens of buildings were, despite the standardization applied and series production by means of 'Regelbau', moreover very different in floor plan and volume. Furthermore, the buildings were executed in such a way that they could pass as indigenous structures through their roof form, painted shutters, outbuildings and yards - in particular as farms and other structures with an agricultural function. In particular the differently executed roof forms - mainly gabled roofs, half-hipped roofs and hipped roofs were applied - and the non-uniform coloring of the tile covering provided camouflage related to the buildings. Beyond this, aesthetic aspects were also not forgotten. Some of the most striking of these - and possibly deliberately eye-catching - were the decorative accents executed in imitation natural stone on the hospital buildings and also the tile paths, flowerbeds and lawns included from the point of view of 'innocence'.

Many artifacts brought about on the camp for functional purposes and/or as part of camouflage remain recognizable in the terrain or are present more or less intact. This concerns first and foremost the buildings, but the flowerbeds and lawns and the tile paths also constitute striking aspects of the detailed layout of Groot Heidekamp, Großes Heidekamp, dating from 1940-1941. At several locations boiler houses of central district heating systems were installed, which can be counted among the oldest in the Netherlands. The camp is provided underground with a number of heating pipe networks for this purpose, of which sump covers and maintenance access points are visible at several locations. Additional heating took place on site via stoves or fireplaces. Electricity distribution took place (among other things) from an electricity building located on the green space at the northwest side of the parallel roads; the consumption power transmission took place - differing from what is currently common - above ground. With regard to (waste) water disposal the septic system was used: via a piping system with overflow and settling pits, executed in cast iron, earthenware pipe, masonry and concrete, a separate discharge was laid for each building. The camp included a fire water reservoir and a number of underground fire water bunkers - the latter in order to also have fire water available during frost.

The various originally underground systems are still present in more or less complete and original form and partly also still operational; of the fire water bunkers, some are still readily recognizable, filled and usable. The electrical network was however replaced after the war - except for the electricity building; here and there some switching and fastening material remains that could stem from the construction period.

Valuation

TERRAIN with LAYOUT of Groot-Heidekamp, of general importance as a relatively intact component of a large military airfield stemming from the Second World War and set up by the German occupier, on account of: architectural-historical, urban planning, historical-geographical, technical-historical, military and cultural-historical and complex and ensemble values, which can manifest themselves among other things through the predominantly locally inspired traditional building style, through the components and details characteristic of the construction period, through the elements incorporated in the concept partly already present in the landscape and partly inspired by it, through the quasi-authentic course and likewise execution of roads and paths, through the quasi-agricultural functions of buildings and lands, through the relics of technical innovation, through the artificially established rural structure with linear and green space village characteristics and with camouflage implemented down to the finest detail, through the coherence with the total military airfield concept and the spatial main lines and components of the encampment, and through the mutual relationship of the forms applied therein.