Bunker remains Herderpad - Monument

The area around the Engelsmanduun, along the Herderpad on the western side of Ameland, is a place for those who would like to take in some of the island’s wartime history during a walk through the Hollumerduinen.

What can you expect at the bunker remains near the Engelsmanduun?

Between the sand, marram grass and dunes, you can still find remains of German defensive structures from the Second World War.

• Wartime history in the Hollum dunes: During the Second World War, the Germans built several bunkers and military structures on Ameland as part of the Atlantic Wall. An important defensive area was located especially in the dunes north of Hollum.
• Radar station Rita: Near the Engelsmanduun, there was a radar station during the war with the codename Rita. Among other things, a radar of the Freya type stood here. According to local historical documentation, there was also a second radar near the Engelsmanduun, a Würzburg-Riese. These installations were used to detect aircraft and ship movements.
• Remains in the dune landscape: A total of 105 bunkers and other military objects were built on Ameland, including searchlights, generator stations and Tobruks. Many of these were demolished after the war, pushed under the sand or gradually absorbed into the dune landscape.
• Tobruk bunker: Near the Engelsmanduun, there is still a visible Tobruk bunker. A Tobruk was a small concrete fighting or observation post, usually partly dug in, where one or a few soldiers could stand. Since 2018, a Tobruk on the Engelsmanduun has been excavated and made visible to the public.
• Not a developed war site: The site is not a large museum area with extensive information boards or walking routes past dozens of bunkers. Here, you mainly see bunker remains, concrete edges and traces of war that have gradually merged into the landscape.
• A beautiful combination with dune nature: From and around the Engelsmanduun, you have a lovely view over the Hollumerduinen, with sand, marram grass and the coast in the distance. It is a place where nature and history come together in a quiet way.

Practical information

• Location: The bunker remains are located near the Engelsmanduun on the Herderpad, on the western side of Ameland, in the Hollumerduinen north of Hollum.
• Bunkermuseum Ameland: Those who would like more background information can easily combine a visit to the Engelsmanduun with the nearby Bunkermuseum Ameland. This museum is housed in a former kitchen bunker and tells you more about Ameland during the war, the Atlantic Wall and the German presence on the island.
• Not accessible inside: The bunkers near the Engelsmanduun are not accessible inside, but they are still interesting to view from the outside. Please respect the surroundings and be careful, as old bunker remains can be fragile or unsafe.

The bunker remains near the Engelsmanduun form a hidden piece of wartime history on Ameland, in the middle of the rugged landscape of the Hollumerduinen.

Furthermore Bunker remains Herderpad is near the following sights: Monument Shipwreck De Valk (±100 m), Engelsmanduun (±125 m), Jan Roepes Heath (±175 m), Wellness & Beauty Boomhiemke (±600 m) & Lange Duinen (±700 m).

For information

Herderpad, Hollum, Ameland