War in the Neighborhood
Video by Open Monumentendag Leiden. Archeologist Ruurd Kok shows the inside of the bunker.
We are now standing in front of the new entrance to the bunker. Unfortunately, the bunker is not accessible to the public, but archeologist Ruurd Kok can show us what it looks like from the inside in the video above. Upon entering the bunker, we will stand face to face with the past and the war memories connected to this place. Shall we check it out?
Because of the thick walls, the bunker looks a lot smaller from the inside than from the outside, but it is still quite spacious. While the walls have been completely stripped by now, back then there was some insulation and a small stove. The bunker is divided into multiple rooms: behind the original entrance was an airlock to keep the bunker filtered from gas. In this room there was a firing aperture to keep unwanted visitors out. Furthermore there was a large area (Bereitschaftsraum) for the troops to work and rest.
Let’s move on to the memories that locals have shared about this bunker. Do you want to know more about the war in Transvaal first? Then click on the longread below!