Kvarven fort
Encyclopedia
Kvarven Fort is a mountain fort strategically located by the coastal entry to Bergen, Norway.
had gradually worsened; Norwegians were discontent and wanted independence. To account for the possibility of a violent dissolution of the union, a new coastal defense would be built. In Bergen, several forts were built to defend the harbour and the naval installations at Marineholmen and Wallemsviken from Swedish seaborne attacks. Kvarven fort was one of these, along with Hellen Fort and batteries
in Sandviken
.
Construction of Kvarven Fort began in 1895. The military bought the nearby farm Bakke in 1898, and turned its stately main building into the commander's quarters. The fort construction was completed in 1899. An additional torpedo battery was in place by 1902. This and the Howitzer
L/14 cannons made Kvarven a very modern fort for its time, though it did not have to fulfil its intended use as the union dissolved peacefully in 1905.
. Kvarven Fort had a full complement of soldiers in order to maintain neutrality.
as well, but was invaded by the Germans in their Operation Weserübung
on April 9, 1940. The Bergen part of the operation was fronted by cruisers Königsberg
and Köln
, with a total of 1,900 German soldiers. Kvarven fort was manned by 33 officers and 279 corporals and privates with an average age of around forty http://www.nuav.net/Batberg.html. The fort failed to open fire at the first German ships of the invasion force, mistaking the armed trawlers
Schiff 9 and Schiff 18 for unarmed merchant ships. When the fort finally opened fire at 3:58 in the morning it only managed to get off a few shots through the fog at two torpedo boats and the cruiser Köln. The ships did not retaliate, but sent a morse code
d message in English saying “stop shooting!“. Only the third wave of German ships were taken under effective fire by Kvarven, the fort first hit Bremse
twice, then the MTB mothership Carl Peters once, forcing both ships to break off their attempt at forcing their way into the harbour. After these ships the cruiser Königsberg tried to break through, being hit by three shells, one beneath the waterline, one on deck and the third hitting the conning tower. Königsberg was barely saved due to its own counter fire and great technical difficulties up at the fort.
Kvarven surrendered at ca. 07.00 am after a short infantry battle between the German landing forces and Krag-Jørgensen
rifle armed gun crews from the fort.
German navy personnel manned the fort for the rest of the war, including it into their Festung Bergen defence. During this period, the fort was extended and modernised.
and Ørnafjellet for hikers.
Construction
In the late 1800s, relations between the two countries in the union between Sweden and NorwayUnion between Sweden and Norway
The Union between Sweden and Norway , officially the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, consisted of present-day Sweden and Norway between 1814 and 1905, when they were united under one monarch in a personal union....
had gradually worsened; Norwegians were discontent and wanted independence. To account for the possibility of a violent dissolution of the union, a new coastal defense would be built. In Bergen, several forts were built to defend the harbour and the naval installations at Marineholmen and Wallemsviken from Swedish seaborne attacks. Kvarven fort was one of these, along with Hellen Fort and batteries
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
in Sandviken
Sandviken
Sandviken may refer to:* Sandviken, a Swedish town and the seat of Sandviken municipality* Sandviken Municipality, a Swedish municipality around the town of Sandviken* Sandviken, Norway, a neighbourhood in Bergen, Norway...
.
Construction of Kvarven Fort began in 1895. The military bought the nearby farm Bakke in 1898, and turned its stately main building into the commander's quarters. The fort construction was completed in 1899. An additional torpedo battery was in place by 1902. This and the Howitzer
Howitzer
A howitzer is a type of artillery piece characterized by a relatively short barrel and the use of comparatively small propellant charges to propel projectiles at relatively high trajectories, with a steep angle of descent...
L/14 cannons made Kvarven a very modern fort for its time, though it did not have to fulfil its intended use as the union dissolved peacefully in 1905.
World War I
Norway was a neutral country in World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Kvarven Fort had a full complement of soldiers in order to maintain neutrality.
World War II
Norway attempted neutrality during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as well, but was invaded by the Germans in their Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
on April 9, 1940. The Bergen part of the operation was fronted by cruisers Königsberg
German cruiser Königsberg
Königsberg was a light cruiser of the in the German Reichsmarine and Kriegsmarine. Her sisterships were Köln and Karlsruhe.After a number of foreign visits in the 1930s, the ship operated along the Spanish coast from November 1936 to January 1937 during the Spanish Civil War...
and Köln
German cruiser Köln
Köln was a German light cruiser prior to and during World War II, one of three K-Class cruisers named after cities starting with the letter K. This ship was named after the city of Köln . The others in her class were the Königsberg and the Karlsruhe...
, with a total of 1,900 German soldiers. Kvarven fort was manned by 33 officers and 279 corporals and privates with an average age of around forty http://www.nuav.net/Batberg.html. The fort failed to open fire at the first German ships of the invasion force, mistaking the armed trawlers
Naval trawler
A naval trawler is a vessel built along the lines of a fishing trawler but fitted out for naval purposes. Naval trawlers were widely used during the First and Second world wars. Fishing trawlers were particularly suited for many naval requirements because they were robust boats designed to work...
Schiff 9 and Schiff 18 for unarmed merchant ships. When the fort finally opened fire at 3:58 in the morning it only managed to get off a few shots through the fog at two torpedo boats and the cruiser Köln. The ships did not retaliate, but sent a morse code
Morse code
Morse code is a method of transmitting textual information as a series of on-off tones, lights, or clicks that can be directly understood by a skilled listener or observer without special equipment...
d message in English saying “stop shooting!“. Only the third wave of German ships were taken under effective fire by Kvarven, the fort first hit Bremse
German training ship Bremse
The Bremse was built as an artillery training ship of the German Kriegsmarine with a secondary function as a testbed for new marine diesel engines later installed in German panzerschiffs...
twice, then the MTB mothership Carl Peters once, forcing both ships to break off their attempt at forcing their way into the harbour. After these ships the cruiser Königsberg tried to break through, being hit by three shells, one beneath the waterline, one on deck and the third hitting the conning tower. Königsberg was barely saved due to its own counter fire and great technical difficulties up at the fort.
Kvarven surrendered at ca. 07.00 am after a short infantry battle between the German landing forces and Krag-Jørgensen
Krag-Jørgensen
The Krag-Jørgensen is a repeating bolt action rifle designed by the Norwegians Ole Herman Johannes Krag and Erik Jørgensen in the late 19th century. It was adopted as a standard arm by Denmark, the United States of America and Norway...
rifle armed gun crews from the fort.
German navy personnel manned the fort for the rest of the war, including it into their Festung Bergen defence. During this period, the fort was extended and modernised.
Today
Kvarven Fort opened in the early 1990s as a preserved cultural area open to the public. It is a popular area to explore for tourists and locals alike, and the area is also an entry to LyderhornLyderhorn
Lyderhorn is a mountain in Bergen, Norway. It is one of "De syv fjell", the seven mountains surrounding the city centre, and the starting location of Bergen Turlag's annual trip of the mountains. It is located by Liavatnet approximately five kilometers west of the city center. Due to its prominent...
and Ørnafjellet for hikers.