Evolving visions towards WWII bunkers by Alice Choupeaux

Evolving visions towards WWII bunkers

Alice Choupeaux Research booklet 2/4 Spring 2017

Evolving visions

CITAstudio - Centre for IT and Architecture The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts

Evolving visions

I relate in many ways to Paul Virilio’s first lines of Bunkerarcheology. Being born in Brittany but raised in the Parisian suburb, each trip back to the ocean has the taste of his words about his trip back to the shores after the Second World War. Each new glaze to the water carries a singular feeling of deliverance, the one of a place of peace. In contrast to the feeling of absence he describes, nowadays the beaches have returned to their status of a place of enjoyment. The strong pull of the shores—broadly experienced spacial phenomena described by Virilio—brought me again and again to these large spaces where water embraces emerging land with the sound of a million sweeping grains of sand. Walks along the coast are each year different, layers of sand changed color, dunes changed form and oyats changed place but the big stones are still there, following the curves, merging in the dunes or cracking in the sea. As landmarks, abandoned shipwrecked, monuments of mystery, the bunkers of the Atlantic Wall are as appealing to me as they foster fear. The convergence of these named feelings brought me to a place where I started questioning people’s perception of these left-behind war artifacts. Hail from a dark part of our history, are they nowadays commonly accepted? Was-it always the case? Do they remain abandoned, are they being destructed or renovated? By reading war stories, researching war pictures, collecting testimonies from different generations and observing what they became I reconstituted a global history of the perception of these left over piece of war architecture, mainly for the area of Erdeven/Plouharnel.

Soldiers

Population of the littoral

Population of the inland

PROTECTION DEFENSE

FRIENDSHIP & FEAR

PROPAGANDA & PROHIBITION

During the war

After the war

1st generation (adults during the war)

2nd generation (children during the war)

FEAR & HATE

AMBIVALENCE

3rd & 4th generation (children and grand children of 2nd generation) CURIOSITY

Evolving visions

Testimonies & anecdotes from the population Reading through the anecdotes, stories and testimonies collected I tried to pull out quotes representing the perception of a particular actor at a particular time to try and built a time line of perceptions. During the war - Soldiers: Protection “Les allemands ont détruit ce dernier le 24 août 1944 car un tir américain l’avait endommagé.” Built to support tones of military artillery, the other function of the bunkers is protection. Behind meters of concrete, the soldiers could theoretically fight back firing and bombing and have a safe place to find shelter in case of an attack. The bunker are designed on that purpose, even including advanced ventilation systems in case of a gaz attack. To the soldiers, the bunkers are the safest place their could find in the battlefield. - Population of the littoral: Friendship and fear “Pour l’anecdote en juin 1940, les allemands ont installé sur la terrasse un poste d’observation où la population était autorisée à monter le dimanche pour admirer la panorama”

Des membres des Jeunesses hitlériennes en vacances à Étel près de la coupole blindée du R634, au pied de l’ancien château d’eau (source B.A.). Les allemands ont détruit ce dernier le 24 août 1944 car un tir américain l’avait endommagé. Pour l’anecdote en juin 1940, les allemands ont installé sur laDesterrasse membres desun Jeunesses hitlériennes en vacances à poste d’observation où lacoupole Étel près de la du R634, à au pied de population était blindée autorisée l’ancien château d’eau (source pour B.A.). Les allemands monter le dimanche ont détruit ce dernier le 24 admirer la panorama août 1944(d’après car un tir américain l’avait A. Ezanno). Leur visite Pour nous endommagé. l’anecdote en juin 1940, les le allemands les montre également sur ont installé sur la terrasse un poste d’observation où la poste d’observation population était autorisée à d’artillerie R120monter aujourd’hui le dimanche pour admirer la panorama (d’après complètement ensablé. Là A. Ezanno). Leur visite nous les montre également sur le encore la coupole a disparue, poste d’observation d’artillerie R120 aujourd’hui ferraillée après guerre. complètement ensablé. Là encore la coupole a disparue, ferraillée après guerre.

Les résistants et l’Organisation Todt « Contacté par Jean Sciou [dit « Faucon », clerc de notaire à Erdeven], en décembre 1942, il [Jean Guilloto dit « Sarcey », marin de commerce originaire d’Erdeven] travaille à l’O.T. à partir de mars 1943, d’abord à Kerouriec, en face de l’îlot de Rouellan, puis à Étel. Il relève l’épaisseur du béton qui protège les blockhaus et les abris, signale que, dans cette zone [celle d’Étel], les pièces d’artillerie ne sont pas orientées vers le large mais destinées à protéger le rivage contre un ennemi venu de l’intérieur. Il indique une réserve d’obus de 75 dans un local bétonné près du château d’eau d’Étel, ... Toutes ces informations sont remises à Michel Le Bris [dit « Cassis », instituteur à Erdeven]. Leroux Roger (1986), Le Morbihan en guerre 19391945, 671 p

Told’s organisation - Bego Les résistants et l’Organisation Todt

« Contacté par Jean Sciou [dit « Faucon », clerc de notaire à Erdeven], en décembre 1942, il [Jean Guilloto dit « Sarcey », marin de commerce originaire d’Erdeven] travaille à l’O.T. à partir de mars 1943, d’abord à Kerouriec, en face de l’îlot de Rouellan, puis à Étel. Il relève l’épaisseur du béton qui protège les blockhaus et les abris, signale que, dans cette zone [celle d’Étel], les pièces d’artillerie ne sont pas orientées vers le large mais destinées à protéger le rivage contre un ennemi venu de l’intérieur. Il indique une réserve d’obus de 75 dans un local bétonné près du château d’eau d’Étel, ... Toutes ces informations

Evolving visions

“Une rafale en provenance des bunkers frôla Joséphine de très près.” “Un vaste secteur de la dune était piégé. Il ne restait qu’un passage destiné aux paysans pour aller chercher du goémon.” “Au début de la guerre, quand les ouvriers de l’organisation Todt bâtissaient les premières fortifications, les enfants étaient encore autorisés à garder les vaches dans la dune. Leur jeu favoris était de se hisser sur le train des dunes et de s’offrir un petit voyage.” “A cette époque les enfants allaient à pied à l’école. Le chauffeur du bus qui amenait les ouvriers de l’OT s’arrêtait toujours pour avancer les enfants en chemin.” People in the surrounding littoral villages and cities were in direct connection with the construction and later the use of the bunkers. Direct relationship with the soldiers, technicians and workers were often friendly. For instance german soldiers installed a terrace on top of a bunker and the population was allowed to access it to enjoy the panorama on Sundays. Also, at the time of the construction of the bunkers, the children were going to school by foot and the bus bringing the OT workers always stooped to pick up children and bring them closer to school. But as the years passed, the dunes and the beaches were transformed in real battlefield and even if the soldiers still let access to

Hitler youth on holiday - Etel

Evolving visions

some peasant to peak up seaweed from the beaches, they had to cross mined field and the fear became to pervade everyone’s mind. When the Allies’ landing happened and firing occurred, the bunkers were then the places where it all came from, destroying houses and farms, sometimes killing innocent citizen. They became then, physically, places associated and accused of destruction and death. -Population of the inland: Propagande and prohibition “Des membres des Jeunesses hitlériennes en vacances à Étel près de la coupole blindée du R634, au pied de l’ancien château d’eau” “During my youth, work on the European littoral forbade access to it; they were building a wall and I would not discover the ocean, in the Loire estuary, before the summer of ’45.” The Atlantic wall was used by Nazi propaganda to promote the power of defence of the Reich against a possible landing of the Allies. In this propaganda, it size and strength were exaggerated. The Hitler youth used to go on the coast on holidays, where they would meet the soldiers and play around the bunkers. Except from them and the surrounding population, the access to the coast was forbidden. Between 1942 and 1944, the life around the beaches had disappeared. The dunes area had lost its pleasure and beauty status and became a battlefield.

Au sud de la position e istent deu bunkers R625 qui étaient encore accessibles dans les années 19 0 (photo Philippe Florent). Celui implanté dans le camping défend l’embouchure de la ria. Son mur de flanquement et l’épaisseur du toit ont été renforcé. L’autre est prévu pour riposter à une attaque terrestre. A la libération des FFI posent dans ce dernier pour la photo de groupe. Dans les années 19 0, avant d’ tre enfoui, ce bunker abritait un club de voile. Ces plans d’après des photos aériennes de 1977 nous montre la disposition des deu R625 au sud de l’actuel camping. La comparaison des deu plans révèlent une disposition inversée, en miroir. A ce dispositif, il faut ajouter un abri en ville, près de la gare et une ruine aménagée pour une mitrailleuse près de la pointe du Pradic.

ers 198

lorent

hoto Libération d’ tel de R Soldiers after Etel’s liberation

uille i

Evolving visions

After the war - 1st generation ( adult during the war ) Fear, hate and desire to vanish any traces of the nazi occupation (the Atlantic Wall being one of physical traces of it) “La plupart des bunkers détruits de cette position ont, à priori, servi au pétardage des munitions restées sur place.” “The waterfront villas were empty, everything within the casemates’ firing range had been blown up, the beaches were mined, and the artificers were busy here and there rendering access to the sea.” “The clearest feeling was still one of absence: the immense beach of La Baule was deserted, there were less than a dozen of us on the loop of blond sand, not a vehicle was to be seen on the streets; this had been a frontier that an army had just abandoned, and the meaning of this oceanic immensity was intertwined with this aspect of the deserted battlefield.” “We identified these constructions with their German occupants, as if they had in their retreat forgotten helmets, badges, here and their along our shores…Several bunkers still sported hostile graffiti, their concrete flanks covered with insult against “Krauts” and swastikas, and the interest I was showing in measuring and talking picture of them

ac vo P al a la en (ou la veille) à Erdeven. A moitié rassuré, le père Guézel a accepté de le guider. L’ prisonnier allemand qui invitait ses compatriotes à se rendre, il a vérifié la ferme p supposait toute la position était déserte. Personne ne répondait. Les soldats devaien une belle pièce de boeuf, du pain encore frais, des conserves et une chose qui n a p Tous les villageois ont félicité leur libérateur pour son impeccable prestation. Dans fameu Oignons d Erdeven . Si les soldats du Reich ont fuit si facilement c est qu ils formaient une unité peu mo n étaient pas tous allemands. Comme leurs armements (des fusils fran ais Lebel po certains), au moins l un d entre eu était un vétéran de 14 1 , il se faisait appeler e fran ais « Filliar » (vieillard). Depuis ce jour, on peut encore voir 3 constructions allemandes en béton. Il y avait aussi un abri que je n ai pas retrouvé,un peu hors du village, au lieu dit de « Garovagne » , sur l’ancienne route de Lisveur. Mais il était probablement constru rondin, avec peut tre seulement les fondations en béton. D ailleurs, Louis Germai du village, dit qu il a vu les allemands apporter des rondins, sur une charrette tirée chevau , qui passait difficilement dans les étroits chemins creu . Cet abri n a, à pr été utilisé par les allemands. Seuls quelques familles sont venues s y réfugier une o fois, jamais par plaisir (à l intérieur la paille pour dormir était infestée de puces ).

Pour la petite histoire, la photo repré Stephan et son neveu Marcel sur la t pierre. Elle a été prise vers 1945. La plaisait beaucoup à un gradé alleman vexé de voir ses avances refusées, la jour alors qu'elle s'occupait des vach arraché son seau des mains et l’a jet Malheureusement pour lui, elle avait savait se défendre. Il a bien failli se r tour au fond du puits. Ensuite elle es son père. Et ensemble ils ont été se commandant du village. Immédiatem le soldat a été sérieusement réprima commandant lui aurait fait comprend s’ennuyait ici il pouvait être muté sur L’affaire était close.

lbertine et Mar el téphan sur la tourelle A mother and her son - 1945 oll

ué el

a onnée

Evolving visions

sometimes had me bearing the hostile bruntâ&#x20AC;Ś Many of them had been destroyed by this iconoclastic vengeance when the territory had been liberated; their basements had been filled with munitions gathered up along the way and the explosion of the solid concrete mass had overjoyed the countrysideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inhabitants, as in a summary execution. Many riverains told me that these concrete landmarks frightened them and called back too many bad memories, many fantasies too, because the reality of the German occupation was elsewhere, most often in banal administrative lodgings for the Gestapo; but the blockhouses were symbols of soldiery.â&#x20AC;? Right after the war, the french population had an urge to try and vanish any trace left of the Nazi occupation. While most of the artillery and material that could be sourced (mostly metal) were plundered or destroyed by the german themselves before leaving, the concrete of the bunker remained. For the local population they were symbol of the german occupation, they frightened them and reminded them of many bad memories. Some bunkers were blown away with munitions that the artificiers had found in the surroundings; the others were covered by graffiti reflecting hate toward the former invader as a sort of revenge.

Au niveau de la casemate R105b, cell auraient construit un petit poste de sur disparu. Actuellement, recouverte par la casemate. Deu tobrouks défendaie s’est ensablé dans la dune tandis que l 196 . Il a été détruit dans les années 2 pétardage se pratique encore. n obus mondiale a été découvert sur la plage pas amorcé, les démineurs l’ont transp limiterait les projections d’éclats. Tou dégagée par les marées et les temp tes mm sont placés dans un trou avec une épaisseur d’ 1,50 mètre de sable. En 2 sauter en mer un obus fran ais de 120 plut t que de le placer dans un bunker En 2016, les trois tobrouks visibles su mer achève de les ronger.

La ase ate R1 5b et son tobrou de ant la Ro he s he arée haute ( 1 )

Le tobrou du R1 5b orienté ers la plage de Children playing - 1968 erourie en uillet 1968 oll h ouanni

u pre ier plan, le tobrou 58 d plage de erourie u so et d dans la dune le se ond tobrou 58

Evolving visions

- 2nd generation ( children during the war, adult right after the war ) ( my grand parents ) Ambivalence “Malheureusement en fin d’après-midi, vers 16 heure « à l’heure de la traite du soir » une formidable déflagration a retenti. Les jeunes avaient joué avec le canon alors que des piles d’obus étaient entassées dans le bunker.” “Les bunkers des dunes ont beaucoup fasciné les enfants de l’après-guerre. Tout en gardant les troupeaux ils s’amusaient avec ces vestiges de la guerre.” “It all stated—it was a discovery in the archeological sens of the term—along the beach south of Saint Guénolé during the summer of 1958. I was leaning against a solid mass of concrete, which I had previously used as a cabana; all the usual seaside games had become a total bore.” “Some clothes and bicycles had been hidden here” “We identified these constructions with their German occupants, as if they had in their retreat forgotten helmets, badges, here and their along our shores… Several bunkers still sported hostile graffiti, their concrete flanks covered with insult against “Krauts” and

swastikas, and the interest I was showing in measuring and talking picture of them sometimes had me bearing the hostile brunt… Many of them had been destroyed by this iconoclastic vengeance when the territory had been liberated; their basements had been filled with munitions gathered up along the way and the explosion of the solid concrete mass had overjoyed the countryside’s inhabitants, as in a summary execution. Many riverains told me that these concrete landmarks frightened them and called back too many bad memories, many fantasies too, because the reality of the German occupation was elsewhere, most often in banal administrative lodgings for the Gestapo; but the blockhouses were symbols of soldiery.” “I remember a comeback I had devised to answer the curiosity of those wishing to know the reasons for my studying of the Atlantic Wall. I would ask if people still had the opportunity to study other cultures, including the culture of adversaries—if there were any jewish Egyptologists. The answer was invariably, “Yes, but it is a question of time…time must pass before we are able to consider a new these military monuments.” In the meantime, the bunkers were filled with litter or

Evolving visions

were shelter for less ideologically inclined vagabonds; the concrete walls were covered with adds and posters, you could see Zavatta the clown on the iron doors and Yvette Horner smiling in the embrasure.” “Everyday life at the seaside had disappeared.” “the conflit I perceived between the summer of seaside bathing and the summer of combat would never again cease. For me the organisation of space would now go hand in hand with manifestation of time.” “The problems of structural economy had become secondary, and now I would investigate the Fortress Europe, which was vacant from now on, with an eye to the essence of architectural reality. Observing the various casemates on the Atlantic beaches, the English Channel, and the North Sea, I detected a hub joining several directions. The concrete mass was a summary of its surroundings, The blockhouse was also the premonition of my own movements: on arriving from behind a dune I fell upon a cannon—it was a rendezvous— and when I started to circle the fortifications to get inside and the embrasure of rear defences became visible in the arbor-plated door opening, it was as if I were a long waited guest…This game created an implicit empathy

Church Sainte-Bernadette-du-Banlay in Nevers by Claude Parent and Paul Virilio

Evolving visions

between the inanimate object and visitor, but it was the empathy of moral danger to the point that for many it was unbelievably fearsome. The meaning was less now that of a rendezvous, and more of combat: “If the war were still here, this would kill me, so this architectural object is repulsive.” A whole set of silent hypotheses sprang up during the visit. Either the bunker has no use other than as protection from the wind, or it recalls its warlike project and you identify with the enemy who must lead the assault—this simulacrum so close to children’s playful warring…after the real warring.” “Pour ma grand-mère, ces bunkers des dunes auraient pu être de grosses roches. Mais comme ils pouvaient être rempli de munitions elle s’en méfiait (surtout quand il y avait des enfants). Ceux qui se trouvaient dans les champs la gênaient plus puisqu’ils étaient des obstacles aux travaux agricoles. Lors de l’agrandissement des villes les aménageurs ont le même ressenti.” While the previous generation had lived the war with full consciousness of it, the children during this period grown mostly with their parents

Evolving visions

stories and the blurry memories they had of it. When some of them were deeply affected by their parents hate and reproduced the same behaviour, others developed a sort of early curiosity towards it. Paul Virilio is part of them, he was 8 when the war started and he began studying them in 1958. Telling himself that his investigations often had him bearing the hostile brunt*. And when he was calling the necessity of also studying adversary culture, people telling him that “Yes, but it is a question of time…time must pass before we are able to consider anew these military monuments.” -3rd generation & 4th generation ( children and grand children of 2nd generation ) ( my parents & me ) Curiosity “Pour ma part, n’ayant jamais vu de présence guerrière autour des bunkers, je les considère comme les vestiges d’une “civilisation” perdue. Une sorte d’Angkor ou une succession de petit temples Maya. Je ne pensais pas qu’on pourrait comprendre un jour comment la vie se passait dans les bunkers ni pourquoi ils avaient ces formes si particulières. Personne ne semblait savoir. Outre le côté historique “ruines oubliées”, j’aime aussi le côté grotte semi-naturelle qui abrite des chauvesouris, des papillons ou des araignées cavernicoles une

Children playing - 2017

Evolving visions

partie de l’année (principalement l’hiver). D’ailleurs, la prospection des bunkers m’a permis de retrouver en Bretagne Hypena obsitalis (l’Hypène des pont) un papillon lucifuge (qui n’est donc pas attiré par les pièges lumineux) et de rajouter une espèce d’araignée (Meta bourneti) à la liste bretonne. Cette grande araignée méridionale était jusque là confondue avec une parente pourtant assez différente.” “En général, les passionnés de bunker préfèrent que personne d’autre ne s’y intéresse. Ils ne supportent pas les chiroptèrologues qui installent des grilles pour préserver les sites de repos des chauve-souris. Ils ne supportent pas les tagueurs (c’est vrai qu’ils sont vraiment énervants) qui gâchent les photos avec leur peintures criardes. Ils ne supportent pas les maires ou les propriétaires qui condamnent les entrées des bunkers. Certains sont quand même ouvert d’esprit et ont une bonne compréhension historique de leur sujet.” “Oui beau challenge. On est sur un syndrome de type colonne de Buren, pour certains c’est de l’art et pour d’autres de la daube en barre. On pourrait au moins reconnaitre la valeur historique aux bunkers mais vu la période, qui quand on la remue, fait remonter tout ce

Ammunition depot renovated in temporary museum

Evolving visions

qu’il y a de plus pourri chez les français, on comprend mieux qu’ils finissent 6 pieds sous terre.” “J’ai toujours était passionné d’histoire, et particulièrement la Seconde Guerre mondiale. J’ai donc souvent entendu parler du “Mur de l’atlantique” ou “nouveau mur à l’ouest”” “Je me suis particulièrement rapproché des bunkers du “mur” lors des journées du patrimoine 2016” “Si j’ai décider de les étudier ses d’Une part pour moi personnellement (culture générale) et d’une deuxième part pour mieux connaitre ce qui s’est réellement passe à l’époque” “Moi personnellement j’espère qu’ils vont être sauvegarder voir valoriser car c’est notre patrimoine et un marqueur de ce qu’il s’est passé pour les générations futures.” Seventy years after the end of the war, bunkers have been destroyed, renovated but mostly left abandoned. Destroyed, not to blow up bombs or mines anymore—the last ones found have been blown under the sand or in the ocean—but on the name of security. For instance, two bunkers on Ondres beach have been demolished because they were becoming dangerous, producing strong curent and unwanted erosion around them or the ones in Saint-

Atlantic wall museum, Ouistrenam

Evolving visions

Chouannerie war museum, in the bunker-hospital on the Bego site

Evolving visions

Clément-les-baleines sliding onto the beach that will be destroyed to protect the dunes. Some bunkers, but still a minority, have been renovated. They became museums or private homes. In Ouistreham, one of the largest bunker of the Atlantic wall, the command post and fire-control base, became the “Museum of the Atlantic Wall”, main museum about the Second World War and the Nazi occupation in France. Sometimes the theme of the museum doesn’t have any connection with the second world war. The bunker-infirmary of the Bego battery in Plouharnel, is a good exemple of this case. It is now hosting a museum about the “Chouannerie”, a royalist uprising in 12 of the western departments of France between 1794 and 1800. An example of the reuse of a bunker into a private home is the holiday home in Gatteville-Le-Phare, casemate renovated by the family Desfautaux. Waterproofing as well as the cut of larger windows are some of the first necessity for these war shelter to become liveable. The bunkers remaining abandoned became shelter for many new species normally living in caves, becoming biotope on themselves. They also became refuge for vagabonds and “underground” parties and are still canvas for graffiti. However, compared to the years after the war, the hate around them has disappeared. Along with associations protecting the bunkers by location, since 2010 a community of individuals enthusiasts appeared and their

Bunker 599 - RAAAF

Evolving visions

Art instalation on Leffrincoucke beach - Anonyme

Bunker renovation - Summer house - SkĂ¤lsĂś Arkitekter

Evolving visions

collaboration, mostly through the internet ( forums and websites ) has brought a lot to the knowledge of these war artefacts. While some areas are very well documented, some are still left behind and rare are the maps representing the locations and plans of the bunkers. Only a quite recent handful of publications documenting the Atlantic wall is available. Most of the informations I collected concerning the area of Kerminihy came from a passionate individual that spent years collecting testimonies and crossing global knowledge with precise observations on site. I completed them myself via the same means. When I first started to try and find more precise informations about the bunkers, I spent a month before finding anything relevant. People I was asking in local libraries, tourist offices weren’t hostile to my questions—even rather interested by my investigations—but they simply didn’t know and kept reorienting me towards people in the same situation as them. Long hours on the internet and a couple of email adresses and phone numbers really helped the start of my research. Global curiosity started to emerge from this last generation but the outcomes are still to complete. Probably the “time” that Virilio was reporting from the people hostile to his early research has passed but it is definitely a research on going and a lot more should be found in the coming years. The project wants to accompany this curiosity, while understanding the security concerns that in the worse cases led to the destruction

Evolving visions

of the bunkers. One of the first ideas that one could have in mind to achieve this goal is to create a museum bringing together the current knowledge about the atlantic wall while protecting and stabilising the bunkers. However, the bunkers are on the protected land of the dunes where it is first of all very complicated to build because of the nature of the soil (moving sand) and also forbidden to destroy the extraordinary nature of such a landscape. It raises the question: how to reconcile the both and helping the information and safety of the visitors while preserving and bringing forward the qualities of the landscape ? How to develop a light and delicateâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;almost invisibleâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;holistic architecture closely intertwine with its environment and adapting to it ?