Life in the Shadow of the Atlantikwall

Abstract

Although not widely known, The Hague emerged as one of the most impaired cities in the Netherlands after World War II (Mellink, Saal & Van Schuppen, 2017). Bombings on Statenkwartier and Bezuidenhout left part of the city in ashes (Van Der Boom, 1995; Verbaan, 2011), but also the construction of the Atlantikwall left its marks on the urban tissue. The remnants of the Atlantikwall in the dune landscape form permanent scars that recall a memory of war, oppression and its consequences. Therefore, it is difficult to overestimate the importance of valuing this sensitive heritage. However, within the city most has disappeared. The lack of presence and the portrayal of solely military bases may have diverted attention from the human aspect of the Atlantikwall.
Though, the impact of the Atlantikwall on the public space in The Hague is often greater than people think. In The Hague, 35,000 houses have been demolished from Kijkduin to Benoordenhout to make place for walls, tank ditches, bunkers or dragon’s teeth. This defensive fortress was a total of 26 kilometers long. 145,000 residents, about thirty percent of the population, were forced to move elsewhere: within The Hague, in the province or even beyond. The area that was excavated and occupied by the Germans, left its mark on the public space and had an immense impact on the residents of The Hague at that time. Consequently, an elongated visible scar is left in the urban fabric of The Hague. When commemorating World War II, we reminisce about stories of Operation Market Garden, the bombings on Rotterdam or other events. However, the woundedness and events in The Hague, via the construction of the Atlantikwall, is a story that is often forgotten.
Sense of place, together with local communities, increases the attractiveness of and quality of urban life. Sense of place can magnify the unique values of nature, culture, (sensitive) history and landscape. It can make things tangible for a large audience and gives impetus to reconcile. The perception of citizens’ sense of place is influenced by the urban environment and its organisation. These urban external stimuli have significant influence on the well-being and mental health of residents (Gehl, 2022). The challenge lies within maintaining development and harmony with a healthy environment.
Wellbeing, mental health and dealing with (intergenerational) trauma has become a significant challenge in society. Healing is not solely defined on the individual level, but also on the community and its environment. To meet reconciliation within the landscape, cultural resources can provide pathways to healing. Exploration and development are a potential to come up with new strategies and to mitigate wellbeing and mental health, among them are cultural, social and environmental strategies (Darvill et al., 2019). A component of healing through cultural strategies is the integration of narratives of heritage, creating a sense of community and sharing connection (via the past).
Parallel to the increased differences in the meaning and significance of this heritage, the primacy of the official heritage institutions has been challenged in recent years by bottom-up initiatives. The trend towards ever-increasing citizen participation, resulting in co-creation, is also evident in the heritage world. All these initiatives come from non-governmental foundations, associations and individuals, and have a major impact on the management, (re)design and perception of the historic living environment. The knowledge to successfully cooperate with this development has not yet been brought to a generally applicable level. As a result, the appropriate working method and role perception for heritage experts, more just initiatives for residents and designers have not yet sufficiently crystallised to strengthen the spatial quality.