{"id":3670,"date":"2025-11-23T16:10:17","date_gmt":"2025-11-23T16:10:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.joerivanveen.com\/blog\/?p=3670"},"modified":"2025-12-31T12:30:32","modified_gmt":"2025-12-31T12:30:32","slug":"bunkers-in-ijmuiden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.joerivanveen.com\/blog\/bunkers-in-ijmuiden\/","title":{"rendered":"Bunkers in IJmuiden"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Some time ago fellow photographer Bas<\/a> and I were musing about a new photography project to pursue together. In an attempt to improve focus and maybe, over time, quality of our photographs. Speaking for myself, I find both the quality and the quantity of my photography lacking lately. Having the focus of the subject, finding out stuff about it, returning multiple times to the same spot to get to know it, may prove benificial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inspiring work to look at for instance: \u2018Diamond matters<\/a>\u2019 and \u2018For the love of chocolate\u2019 by Kadir van Lohuizen, \u2018American Power<\/a>\u2019 by Mitch Epstein, \u2018Luxury\u2019 by Martin Parr. Relatively old titles I confess because I have not been to photography exhibitions any more the past years. Obviously, these are great photographers dedicating more time and effort to their reportages than I am able (or willing), but inspiring nonetheless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We settled on the Atlantikwall, specifically \/ mostly the Dutch part of it. Last month we visited the well-equipped \u2018Bunker museum<\/a>\u2019 in IJmuiden and learned a thing or two (or at least I did) about this megalomaniac building project by the Germans. We shot a few photographs then, see Bas\u2019 post with photos<\/a>. This weekend we returned to the same spot to photograph some more. After which we drank coffee and ate cake, because we were freezing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Most bunkers are decorated with graffiti.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Overgrown, love how the concrete is slowly disappearing in the nature.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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More graffiti.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The ribbed concrete was applied by hand. It makes the bunkers less visible from a distance \/ the air by not reflecting the light into one direction.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Thorny bushes, typical growth you find at the north sea coast.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Inside this hole is a ladder \/ stairs that leads to the main bunker. The purpose of this hole is to accommodate a soldier with a machine gun blasting against enemies running up from the beach. When this \u2018strategy\u2019 is deployed (ie the big guns in the bunkers are no longer of any use) you can safely assume all is lost, and the here deployed soldier will not live much longer.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Throughout the grounds there are many of these manholes. Back then they were empty and used to jump in when you were moving outside and a grenade was approaching, to avoid getting shrapnel in your face.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Gear used<\/h2>\n\n\n\n