The more or less 80 meters high hills south of Frederikshavn in Denmark give a suburban view of the harbor and sea. They have been crucial for centuries as an observation post for naval activities dating back to the Viking age and earlier. After the fall of Poland Hitler and his henchmen turned to the western countries and decided to take these lands in their quest for territory. The Germans overran the Danish army in approximately 6 hours during Operation Weserübung, Unternehmen Weserübung in German. After the invasion of Denmark on April 9 1940 the Germans quickly recognized the importance of this hill south of Frederikshavn and began establishing a coastal defense there to protect the harbour.
Stützpunktgruppe Frederikshavn Süd
Stützpunktgruppe Frederikshavn Süd was established just south of the town near a location called Pikkerbaken and it consisted of a coastal battery combined with a Flak battery. The Germans constructed 34 thick-walled (regelbau) buildings and 17 thin-walled, brick VF type buildings. In addition to observation and protection, it also served as a base for Kreigsmarine activities in the Kattegat and Skagerrak.
After the fall of Denmark (April 1940) this was the first location the Germans chose for a defensive strongoint and it was maintained until the surrender of Germany in 1945. First the Luftwaffe installed mobile 88 mm (Flak 36) guns at this location. In May 1940, only a month later they were replaced by stationary 88 mm guns under command of the Kriegsmarine. Subsequently these guns were replaced with 10,5 cm FlaK guns towards the end of the occupation.
Work on the coastal battery started in May 1940. The Kriegsmarine equipped the battery with 15 cm German naval guns. These were replaced twice, once with 12 cm Danish guns and second with 15 cm naval guns from the Danish warship Niels Juel. Both the Flak and Coastal battery formed the Strongpoint group Frederikshavn south, or Stützpunktgruppe Frederikshavn Süd in German. The bunkers on the site are of different types and have their own purpose. There is a command bunker M152 with a large opening for spotters to watch enemy movement, a fire control bunker M162a controlling the fire of the four 15 cm gun emplacements in M270 regelbau bunkers. One of these bunkers wasn’t finished at the end of the war and the gun emplacement was left as an open gun bed. To the south are four 10,5 cm anti-aircraft guns in four FL243 bunkers. Other buildings are troop shelters, ammunition bunkers etc. On the north side of the coastal battery is a L409 regelbau bunker for a single 37 mm anti aircraft gun. Next to it are three smaller circulair constructions for twin bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft guns, these were built post-war by the Danish military.
Bangsbo Fort
After the war the Danish army took over the battery and used it until the 1960s, after the war they changed its name into Bangsbo Fort. The post war name Bangsbo Fort is more popular today than the original Stützpunktgruppe Frederikshavn Süd. Sectors of the original strongpoint are still under Danish army control. But the coastal battery Stützpunktgruppe Frederikshavn Süd opened as a museum in June 2005.
Post-war modifications
After the Second World War, Stützpunktgruppe Frederikshavn Süd was reclaimed by the Danes, renamed Bangbo Fort, and put into use by the Danish army. After the army abandoned the bunkers, a museum was established there.
They allowed the coastal battery to evolve over time and implemented updates. For example, we now see a Regelbau bunker L409A which houses a 3.7 cm anti-aircraft gun. Originally the L409A was designed for a 2 cm anti-aircraft gun.
The unfinished M270 gun emplacement raises questions. It would become an M270 gun bunker like the other three on the site, work started in 1945. But the open gun emplacement looks very finished. There are no sections of rebar protruding from which a further high-rise structure could be attached. Furthermore, no ammunition storage area was created behind the gun emplacement itself, like the M270 has. In fact, a level was created beneath the gun location for ammunition storage (see the video below at the end of the article). This level had two gun shell elevators or shrouds with openings that do not match the M270. It’s possible that the Germans built it, but it could also have been a post-war modification.
Visit
Check out the website for opening times, Stützpunktgruppe Frederikshavn Süd is not wheelchair accessible. Visitors are walking on slopes and stairs. Parts of the museum are outdoors and freely accessible. Access to some bunkers is only permitted when the museum is open. Guided tours can also be booked. Please contact the museum in advance for terms and conditions. These guided tours give access to special bunkers like the Feurleitung, the fire control command centre. You can book a tour if you like to see all bunkers, else you can freely roam the former batteries premises and see the bunkers except those opened during the museum opening times and guided tours. The activer radar site of the Danish army prohibits drone flying.
Do mind your step though, there are sheep frolicing freely on the meadows, they aren’t potty trained !
Walkaround through the unfinished M270 Regelbau bunker.
