The New Dutch Water Defence Line was built in 1815 and functioned until the German invasion of the Netherlands in May 1940. Over this period of 125 years, the Waterline was improved and adapted to maintain the function of a credible deterrent to prevent a foreign invasion. Together with the Defence Line of Amsterdam, the New Dutch Water Defence Line has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2021, jointly known as the ‘Dutch Waterlines’.
Ronald Hamberg is a military historian at the Knowledge Centre of Dutch Waterlines, on secondment from the province of Utrecht. He is specialized in the history of the New Dutch Water Defence Line. In this exclusive talk, he will focus on the historical development of the Waterline and elaborate on the Dutch concept of flooding, the policy of neutrality and the use of the Waterline during the Second World War.
Doors open: 19:00
Talk begins: 19:30
Event ends: 21:30
