Visit to a silent witness in Kapellen: Fort Ertbrand

Registration mandatory before July 1, 2026, see further. Located on the border of Kapellen and Putte, the fort was built between 1908 and 1912 as part of the outer defensive belt around Antwerp: the Main Resistance Position. The fort had to protect the vital railway line to the Netherlands and the access road via the Kapellensteenweg against an enemy advance. The fort was not completely finished at the outbreak of the Eerste Wereldoorlog in 1914; the emergency solution of water-drenched cement bags as reinforcement of the front armor and the gun turrets are proof of that. The fire crest of the main front was also reinforced in that way, because the soil (sand) coming from the moat was not stable enough, despite the planting with heather. The fort building is a trapezoidal construction, protected by a moat (later connected to the Anti-Tank Moat). The concrete stronghold is a beautiful example of the transition to modern fortification on the eve of the Eerste Wereldoorlog. Unlike older brick forts, Fort Ertbrand was built of unreinforced concrete and equipped with armored turrets (type Cockerill model 1909), heavy artillery, a throat front barracks, and the main front barracks. Although it did not come under direct fire during the Eerste Wereldoorlog, it played a role in delaying the German advance and was later adapted by the German occupier itself. The fort domain is, just like with the other armored forts, well integrated into the landscape and from a distance only looks like a vague hill. Thanks to the wet moat, the fort island was easy to close off to intruders. In de Tweede Wereldoorlog the fort was given a darker character. It was used by the German occupier for military exercises and as a storage place. After the liberation in 1944, the fort served for a short time as an internment center for collaborators, which left a scar in the local collective memory. Today, the fort has a peaceful destination. Since 1997, it has been the property of the Vlaamse Overheid and is managed by the Agency for Nature and Forest and Natuurpunt. Because the dark, damp corridors have a constant climate, it has grown into one of the most important hibernation places for bats in Flanders. Due to road works in the Klinkaardstraat in Putte, the Oude Galgenstraat is closed at the Mastenbos. It is therefore best to come by bicycle. The parking lot at Fort Ertbrand is accessible coming from the Canadezenlaan in Heide, the parking lot at the Mastenbos is accessible coming from the Kapelsestraat/Ertbrandstraat. Put on sturdy footwear or boots and don't forget your flashlight! The route takes about two hours and is not suitable for strollers. Dogs are not allowed on the premises. Registration before July 1 is MANDATORY via e-mail: info@heemkring-hoghescote.be with mention of your name, address, possibly membership number, and the number of participants. For more explanation, you can call 03 605 79 89. Attention, the number of participants is limited. The order of payment determines your participation. After our confirmation, we expect your payment within 5 days to account number BE18 4137 2050 7165 of Kon. Heemkring Hoghescote vzw, with mention of ‘Bezoek Fort Ertbrand, your name, your membership number or address, and the number of people’.