Fort, vesting en -onderdelen, Fort Uitermeer Weesp (Amsterdam 27)

English translation

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Description

Cluster 4. Concrete block cast-steel cupola casemate.

NEW HOLLANDIC WATERLINE

Introduction

CONCRETE BLOCK of CAST-STEEL CUPOLA CASEMATE TYPE G on the east side of Fort Uitermeer. In 1936, as a supplement to the reinforced concrete casemate, the so-called cast-steel cupola casemate was introduced in the Netherlands, which was based on a system already applied in France in 1917. The armoured cupolas used were small in size (favourable with regard to visibility and target likelihood), circular in form (favourable with regard to deflecting hits and strength), relatively simple to produce in series, and they had an 'external' firing aperture (favourable with regard to gases and sound). Moreover, they could be manufactured in the Netherlands, which greatly reduced dependence on foreign countries. A first order of 100 pieces in the Netherlands (from DEMKA) was however followed by a second order of 50 pieces from the Belgian Soc. Anonyme John Cockerill. In total, more than 700 must have been cast in a short time, but only a few of these remain. The cast-steel cupolas, with a diameter of 1.75 m and thicknesses of 10-17 centimetres, were installed in multiple casemate types with resistance classes W 12-15 to W 21-28. Shortly before the beginning of the Second World War, so-called Cupola Casemates Type G were built at various locations in the Dutch lines, in particular in the IJssel line, the Meuse line, the Grebbe line (each approximately 150) and the New Hollandic Waterline (approximately 80). The usual construction of reinforced concrete with one or more fixed gun emplacements was hereby abandoned in favour of a system that had, within variable limits (up to 270°), a projectible line of fire, within a cast-steel cylinder with cupola roof. Standard Cupola Casemates were equipped with a heavy machine gun as armament. Most cupolas were placed in Standard Cupola Casemates Type G. During the Second World War, the vast majority of cupolas in the interior were demolished by the occupier from the casemates - in part by blowing them up - to be recast for other steel requirements. On the coast, they were partly incorporated into the defence, but were mostly demolished after the war anyway. As a result, complete cupola casemates are rare, but they still occur at Fort Vechten (2), at Fort Everdingen (1) and north of Fort Uitermeer (1).

Description

Located on the east side of Fort Uitermeer, CONCRETE BLOCK of CAST-STEEL CUPOLA CASEMATE TYPE G, consisting of a relatively low, rectangular reinforced concrete structure (approximately 7.00 x 6.50 x 2.20 m; w x d x h), with a bevelled section on the front and on the back a recess in the concrete to gain access to the no longer present cupola. The concrete block of the Cast-Steel Cupola Casemate type G lies on the east side of the Kreugerlaan (the old bypass road), in the remnant of the fort rampart.

Valuation

The CONCRETE BLOCK of CAST-STEEL CUPOLA CASEMATE TYPE G at Fort Uitermeer is of general importance because of:

* Cultural-historical values as part of the New Hollandic Waterline as designed by C.R.T. Kraijenhoff and initially realised from 1815 by him, Jan Blanken and major-engineer Willem Offerhaus and subsequently strengthened and improved by others for approximately 125 years.

* Architectural-historical values in particular as an expression of military-strategic architecture, which is based on: a. the system of inundation and access defence (19th and 20th centuries), b. the arms race with increasingly powerful offensive means (20th century) c. the system of 'living' field fortification in depth (20th century).

The component is an example of a remnant of a casemate built on a fort from 1939-1940.

* Ensemble value and situational values as components of the New Hollandic Waterline. Also because of the functional and physical coherence with the other components of the complex.

* The component has rarity value because the vast majority of Cast-Steel Cupola Casemates have completely disappeared.

* The component is, despite deliberate dismantling during the Second World War, reasonably well-preserved and is easily recognised in its original function.