This weekend, Bangsbo Fort became what it was over 80 years ago: a fortress full of life.
Between bunkers, military vehicles, uniforms, and historical camps, visitors could immerse themselves for a few hours in the time of the German occupation of Denmark from 1940 to 1945. What made it special: the history wasn't presented on a recreated site, but at a place where it actually happened.
This time, I got to experience the event not just as a visitor, but also helped out myself. During the weekend, I worked at the ticket booth, with the "little spies," and in the shop. This also gave me the chance to finally get to know some of my lovely and friendly colleagues from the Coastal Museum better, and to spend some cozy time together after work. This led to many conversations with them and also with the visitors, and I got to experience the event from a completely different perspective.
There was plenty to discover all across the grounds. Historic military vehicles stood between the bunkers, soldiers from various nations presented their equipment, and members of the Danish resistance told stories about their role during the occupation. Many of the actors took time to answer questions and made history tangible for the visitors.
Highlights included various demonstrations and recreated scenes from wartime. Particularly impressive was this year's "Operation FLAK," which even included historic aircraft in the presentation. The sabotage actions of the Danish resistance were also impressively reenacted.
The open bunkers offered a fascinating glimpse into the daily life of soldiers. Walking through the narrow rooms gave you at least a small sense of what life here might have been like during the war.
What I found especially lovely were the many families with children. The "little spies" were out and about all day long, solving tasks, gathering clues, and playfully immersing themselves in the history. It was wonderful to see their enthusiasm.
But what was impressive wasn't just what the visitors saw. Behind the scenes, countless volunteers and actors were at work. You could feel everywhere how much passion, preparation, and dedication went into this event.
When the last visitors left the grounds in the evening, one thought stayed with me above all:
History is not just something you read in books.
History comes alive when people tell it, show it, and make it experiential.
That's exactly what Bangsbo Fort managed to do again this year.
