Mosede Fort

Mosede Fort
Mosede Batteri
Part of Fortifications of Copenhagen
Karlslunde
Type	Coastal artillery
Site information
Owner	Greve Municipality
Controlled by	Royal Danish Army (1916–1932) Wehrmacht (1940–1945) Royal Danish Army (1945–1970)
Open to the public	Yes
Condition	Well preserved
Site history
Built	1913-1916
In use	1916-1970
Materials	Earthworks, Concrete

Mosede Fort, located in Mosede, Denmark is a coastal fort build, part of Tunestillingen, in the years before and during the First World War, to protect the Bay of Køge from possible German naval invasions. It is now a protected area with a museum, grassy fields for recreation and a restaurant.

History

Construction

Construction began in 1913, but was battle-ready in June 1916. The battery was originally dubbed "Mosede Battery" but was popularly called Mosede Fort. It was abandoned in 1932.

World War 2

The Fort was re-manned in 1939, but it was captured by the Germans in 1940. The Germans used it as an observations post and prison camp. When Denmark was liberated, the government used it for the same purpose as the Germans had done. It was then handed over to Hjemmeværnet, who used it for shooting practice and drills until 1970, when it got overrun and "liberated" by the local population. It has since then been a park open for public.^[1]

Mosede Fort Today

Mosede Fort is now being preserved by Greve Kommune, it is very popular as a recreational area for ballgames, picnics and other past time activities. It also has a restaurant. In 2010 Greve Kommune along with Greve Museum, began to restore and insulate the old fort so it will be dehumidified sufficiently, in order to store historical objects safely. It is planned to open Denmark's first "Denmark during World War 1" museum with the inauguration on 1 August 2014 - 100 anniversary of Germany's declaration of war on Russia.^[2] On 30 September 2012, during the celebration of Copenhagen's fortification, a 120mm Howitzer was presented by Greve Museum as the trademark for Mosede Fort.^[3]

A 120mm canon used for coastal defense, now the trademark for the fort.

Equipment

The fort was equipped with the most modern artillery, a generator, a water-supply, central-heating, telephone, kitchen and bomb-shelters capable of keeping 150 men. The Fort was armed with:

• 6 120mm L/15, rapid firing Howitzer (M.1914). Aimed towards the sea
• 4 75mm L/30 (M.1914). For coastal, land and air defense
• 4 37mm Gatling canon. For land defense
• 31 recoil rifles. For land defense
• A number of searchlights, including 2 90mm

Buildings

• The Fort has 3 smaller bunkers, situated on the beach, together with a medium bunker placed south
• 4 bomb shelters, one of which are buried
• 7 major gun positions
• 4 minor gun positions
• Look-out station
• A larger bunker complex with officers room, barracks, telephone central, ammunition rooms and ammo elevators leading to the large gun-emplacements

References

External links

• Mosede fort
• Klavs Becker-Larsen, Tunestillingen, Roskilde Museums Forlag, 1986

Coordinates: 55°33′50″N 12°16′29″E / 55.56389°N 12.27472°E / 55.56389; 12.27472