2023- Number 004

Published by the IFC for their members and partners 4 editions per year

EDITORIAL

The IFC is pleased to send you the fourth issue of its Newsletter, a publication to keep you informed of its activity and that of its members who work for the protection, conservation and enhancement of our heritage. fortified, witnesses of our history. Our Newsletter (4 issues per year) is published in March, June, September and December. Ravelin gives you information on the actions of the IFC as well as member associations.

PRESIDENT’S WORD

Dear readers,

Today you are receiving the newest issue of the IFC Newsletter with a wealth of interesting information from the field of international fortification research. Above all, you will find news from the fields of work of the IFC's 12 members to date on conferences, excursions, publications and other projects. With Portugal, another country is currently on the verge of becoming a member of the IFC. We are endeavouring to win further associations that are concerned with the research, preservation and valorisation of the cultural heritage "fortification" in their country and see in the IFC an opportunity to exchange experiences, know-how and contacts on an international platform. If you would like to contribute information from your association to the newsletter, the editors (marc.gayda@yahoo.fr ) would be very pleased. We are currently working on a renewal of the IFC website and we hope to go online this year.

Andreas Kupka M.A.

WORLD 2023

This calendar is drawn up by the CDSG based on information provided by our members on their planned activities. It is regularly updated and will be included in the first section of our Newsletter

 Sep 23 Oct 01 ; ECCOFORT, Roma Study Tour (informations : hrv.neumann@t-online.de )

Oct 2-5, EFFORTS, Maastricht, Annual Congress

Oct 20-23 : IFC, Chatham UK, Annual Meeting (informations : secretariat@internationalfortresscouncil.org)

Oct 20-23 ; FSG, Chatham UK, Annual Conference (informations :         chairman@fsgfort.com )

Nov 25-26, AV (Vauban Association), Vincennes, Chateau de Vincennes Book Fair on Military Engineer and Fortifications, informations : alain.monferrand@orange.fr

WORLD 2024

March 24-Apr 4, ECCOFORT, Israel-Cyprus Study Tour (informations : Hans Rudolf Neumann : hrv.neumann@t-online.de)

March (date to be announced), AV (Vauban Association), Paris Invalides, Vauban Memorial Day (contact@association-vauban.org )

Apr 17-21, INTERFEST, Torun Poland, annual Meeting (informations : Oliver Zauzig, praesident@interfest.de)

May –9, CDSG, Key-West (Florida), Annual Conference CDSG (informations ; cruby1@att.net)

May 10-11, CDSG, Tampa (Florida), Special Tour CDSG (informations : cruby1@att.net )

IFC NEWS

KOREA

We should receive for our Chatham General Assembly a Korean delegation from the Gyeonggi Cultural Foundation with whom we signed a partnership agreement in July 2022. On this occasion the Korean delegation come withn the IFC Board to visit Villefranche de Conflens (France) will also meet our friends from the FSG

Oct 2 – 5, Participation with a delegation of the Board at the Annual Congress of EFFORTS in Maastricht. Conference by Jereon van der Werf about Vauban and his fortifications in Europa.

Oct 19 to 22 th, General Assembly of IFC at Chatham, England (U.K.). International Fortress Council Annual Meeting, organization : John Harris, chairman@fsgfort.org  (thanks to the staff of the FSG for the good work about the preparation of the Congress organization) and information about IFC with Jeroen van der Werf, secretariat@internetionalfortresscouncil.org.

See below the programme :

Invitation to the General Assembly of 2023. On behalf of the Fortress Study Group, the associations members will receive an invitation to the General Assembly of the IFC in Gravesend, England.

Thursday 19 October 2023: ca. 19:00 informal welcome meeting at the hotel in Gravesend. –

Friday 20 October 2023: In the morning visit of Tilbury Fort by ferry across the Thames and a visit of Gravesend Blockhouse and New Tavern Fort in the afternoon. In the evening General Assembly after dinner. –

Saturday 21 October 2023: travel to Rochester by train. Visit the Chatham defence line and Fort Amhurst in the morning. After lunch visit the Engineers Museum –

Sunday 22 October 2023: travel to Rochester by train. Visit the Chatham dockyards and forts of the outer defence ring of Chatham in the morning. Visit Rochester castle in the afternoon. Sunday evening: end of the official programme

Next Ravelin Newsletter on the end of march 2024

2023 projects in progress :

1 - Redesign of the website, study on the use of 3D for the multilingual dictionary in conjunction with the Menno von Coehoorn foundation, We will have a preview of our work during our general assembly.

2 - Continued welcoming of new members.

http://www.internationalfortresscouncil.org/

INFORMATIONS FROM OUR MEMBERS

INFORMATIONS FROM OUR MEMBERS

These informations was collected from the elements transmitted by the associations or mentioned on their websites. When we have no new information on recent or future news, only the references of the website are mentioned.

AUSTRIA : ÖSTERREICHISCHE GESELLSCHAFT FÜR FESTUNGSFORSCHUNG

Trebinge, demolition of the former military hospital OeGF was informs that the destruction of the former defence camp in Trebinje (Bosnia and Herzegovina) is unfortunately progressing. Specifically, the former troop hospital of the fortress and the adjoining barracks perimeter walls, including the remains of the east gates No. 1 and 2, were affected this spring. The hospital building had been built in 1883 by the Viennese construction company Max Gerstle & Co. as part of the defensive camp. The responsible and first Geniedirektor of Trebinje was Major Carl Ritter von Feith. Completion took place under his successor, Major August Ritter von Noé. The maximum bed capacity (1905) was sufficient for two officers and 56 non-commissioned officers or enlisted men. In addition, there were 16 beds for convalescents.. It has already been five years since large parts of the defense camp, which was almost completely preserved at the time, were irretrievably lost. We reported on this demolition work in February 2018. According to the state of affairs at the time, the troop hospital was to be preserved in addition to the former chancellery building. Now the latter had to give way to a planned new building.  

Projects and Cooperations:

Project „Written in the Landscape“ (Wil) (Universität Bozen) https://www.culturalheritage.unibz.it/written-in-the-landscape/

Architectural project for the flat roof waterproofing and protection of window and door openings in fort no. 41a "Mydlniki", Kraków

Neuigkeiten / News | Österreichische Gesellschaft für Festungsforschung Austrian Society for Fortification Research (kuk-fortification.net)

BELGIUM : SIMON STEVIN VLAAMS VESTINGBOUWKUNDIG CENTRUM www.simonstevin.org

CROATIA : NACIONALNA UDRAGA ZA FORTIFIKACIJE (NUF) www.nuf.hr

CZECH REPUBLIK : CZECH ASSOCIATION FOR MILITARY HISTORY (CAMH) KVH Praha (kvh-praha.cz)

FRANCE : ASSOCIATION VAUBAN

Publication :Last issue of our bi annual letter (La Lettre des Oisivetés) the nr 45 was published at the end of May for our annuel Congress et Cherbourg (Normandy). The LdO of this number was disseminated via the Internet to

 members in June.

Sept : 2023 Study tour : Liege (Belgium) and Maastricht in connection with our Luxemburger partners FFGL, the organization was engaged by Philippe Bragard and Jereon van der Werf (thanks for all !).

November 25-26th BOOK FAIR ON MILITARY ENGINEERS AND FORTIFICATIONS

The Vauban association and the French Historical Service of the Defence (SHD) are organizing on November 25 and 26 at the Chateau de Vincennes (Queen's Pavilion) a book fair on military engineers and fortifications. A forum on this theme with project presentations by associations, local authorities, authors and publishers (conference room at the King's Pavilion). About twenty publishers are already registered. If your association would participate to this Book Fair, please contact quickly our AV President, Alain Monferrand (alain.monferrand@orange.fr).

RELATIONS WITH THE “PLAN RELIEF MUSEUM” (MPR)

As part of the A.V.'s actions in favour of the MPR, we participated in the financing of the catalogue of the exhibition "The Alps, a border". Elsewhere, the Museum's general curator, Emmanuel Starcky, is retiring at the end of the month. His successor will soon be appointed. His deputy, Mrs. Isabelle Warmoes was approached. The problem of the completion of the museum arises crucially because the Musée de l'Armée, which already uses most of the Museographic premises of the Invalides, wishes to expand and is interested in the areas reserved for the MPR. The MPR has submitted to the Ministry of Culture its scientific and cultural project (PSC) and the planning of the works to complete the presentation of its unique collections in the world with a space dedicated to exhibitions. It is essential to support it in its approach and to enable it to obtain funding for this project, which requires political will on the part of the Ministry.

THE “VAUBAN ASSOCIATION PRICE”

Since 1989, the Vauban Association has awarded a special prize to reward an operation to restore or enhance the fortified heritage. Since 1991, it has also been created a prize on publications of works of studies and research on fortifications, engineers and fortified heritage.

For 2023, during our General Assembly in Cherbourg, the Society decided to gave the price :

• For Research Work - As for publications, the reissue of François Noel Richard's book, Iles du Frioul, l'histoire, preface by Nicolas Faucherre (the first edition was published in 2018 by Les Alpes de Lumière),

- As part of the restoration and enhancemet of a fortified work, it has been proposed to retain for the VA 2023 prize the Fort de Comboire whose progress was seen by the representatives of the Scientific Council during the Montmélian Congress in 2022

In finalization, co-edition with the Historical Service of the Army (SHD) for the acts of the Vauban conference « Les Vaubans de l’Empereur’ (Invalides sept 25th 2021) and the conference of The Emperor Fortresses at the Vincennes Castle on the May 2022, 16th (video relation on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yJcc03W-BI); All the papers are collected and we are awaiting the issue form the editor.

https://www.association-vauban.org/  , mel adress contact@association-vauban.org

GERMANY : DEUTSCHE GESELLSCHAFT FÜR FESTUNGFORSCHUNG

Festungsjournal, Last publication, the Nr 63 was published on the last June.

Summary : the life oft he Society and The Innsbruck Armoury, A detour to....... Reutte, 15th anniversary of the Austrian Society for Fortress Research, Information about the Saarlouis Fortress Forum 2023, B-Werk Besseringen. Monument-Museum-Memorial, the las IFC meeting in Bergen-op-Zoom, Euro-Korean cooperation in research on fortresses.

https://www.festungsforschung.de/startseite/

ITALY : RETE DELLE FORTIFICAZIONI

Forte di Bard :

Market at the Fort, Oct 7 – 8th : the event that promotes and enhances the agricultural production of the Aosta Valley

Xmas illuminations : Dec 8 to Jan 7th : after the success of the first edition, Christmas Lights at the Fort of Bard, the immersive 360° show made of sounds and lights on the large Piazza d'Armi of the fortress. The square will descend in a sparkling and surreal atmosphere to celebrate the magic of the Christmas holidays with the special effects of video mapping that will be projected on the facades in a new setting.

Forte di Bramafan

The Fort and the Museum are open every Sundays. The will be closed at the end of October to reopen on the next june 2024.

Forte di Vinadio

The fort will be close at the end of October to reopen fort he Spring 2024.

Turin, museo di Pietro Micca

Note the visits to the countermine galleries are by reservation at the Mseo Pietro Micca (closed on Mondays)

Forte di Marghera – Mestre

Oct 15/Nov 5 & 19 and Dec 2, openninf of he Historical Military Museum from 3 pm to 6 pm

https://www.fortedibard.it/fr/

https://retefortificazioni.com/

https://fortinrete.it/

LUXEMBURG : FRËNN VUN DER FESTUNGSGESCHICH LËTZEBUERG : www.ffgl.lu

FFGL act as a partner in 2025 in the organisation of the „LUGA“ Luxembourg Urban Garden exhibition Homepage - LUGA. At the start of the 20th century the French company Mercier was passing due to the political context through Luxembourg for bottling the champagne and selling it into Prussia. Some of the casemates belonging to Fort Du Moulin (dismantled after 1867) as well as new carved huge underground rooms inside the sand stone rocks nearby the railway station were used as storing capacities. To remember this a Special Crémant cuvée “LUGA” will be stored in the ancient “casemates” which will be shown to the public during dedicated visits.

Oct 15/28, Nov 12/25 and Dec 10th :  Guided tours of the KIrcherg (“to the assault of Kirchberg” tour), discoveries of the Casemates of Fort d'Olizy, the surroundings of Fort Niedergrunwal, Porte de la Hiel (Hiel Gate), Fort Obergrunwald and the city Fortress at the Fort Thungen Museum

Other News :

1. Interesting archeological discovery: The archeologists made early this year a very interesting discovery by excavatimg the ditch for a former breastwork of a French artillery batterie of 1794/95 (french revolutionary troops) in Luxembourg-Bonnevoie (please see full details on the attachment).
2. Succes story: Under the lead of our Belgian colleague Philippe Bragrad and the Association Vauban, seven members of “FFGL” Frënn vun der Festungsgeschicht Luxembourg joined an interesting week trip across Belgium taking them to old Brialmont Forts like Lantin, Loncin and Flémalle. The huge site of Fort Eben-Emael composed by 5700m long undergroun galleries was also visited as well the town of Maastricht. The citadels of Namur & Dinant were also Highlights. Finally we travelled to Waterloo and ended up in brussels at the Musée Royal Militaire which is worth to visit on another occasion.
3. FFGL news: Robert Wagner published a new interesting book about “Fort Lambert”. The book is part of a serie called “Ons Festung” and can be ordered with FFGL after payment of 23,50€ (book 20€ +3€ shipping feed) to Account CCP LU19 1111 0186 0373 0000 FFGL Luxembourg

FFGL - Livre Fort Lambert

https://www.ffgl.lu/activites/fr_index.html

MALTA : FONDAZZJONI WIRT ARTNA (Malta Heritage Trust)   : http://www.wirtartna.org/ (candidate member)

NETHERLANDS : MENNO VON COEHOORN

Nov 11th, TContact day 18-11-2023 Contact day 2023 for Menno relations. This day is organized by the Menno van Coehoorn Foundation to come together with its contacts and relations at an interesting location and to exchange ideas about heritage. The location will be announced soon (look after the website of Menno). Make a note of the date!

https://coehoorn.nl/

PORTUGAL-  APAC- ASSOCIAÇÃO DOS AMIGOS DOS CASTELOS (Associação Portuguesa dos Amigos dos Castelos)

October 8, National Day of the Castles, will have a program in the Castle and Convent of Tomar, the Headquarters of the Templar Military Order, very important for the foundation of Portugal as a Nation.

SWITZERLAND : ASSOCIATION SAINT MAURICE D’ETUDES MILITAIRES (ASMEM)

Dec 4th,  Champex Fort, Route du Signal, Champex, St. Barbe day

https://www.asmem.ch/

UNITED KINGDOM : FORTRESS STUDY GROUP

FSG Webinar, next conferences

04 Oct 23 - Attack on Concrete - Dave Thurlow

18 Oct 23 - The Historic Dockyard Chatham: 40 years of Regeneration - Nick Ball, Collections, Galleries and Interpretation Manager of the Chatham Historic Dockyard.

01 Nov 23 - The Holderness Survey, the FSG led pilot for the Defence of Britain Database - Roger Thomas

Log in details for the 1st Wednesday of every month, Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82754848667?pwd=SnFQcHE4SG9qOFl5NFJGVWlNRzhJdz09

Meeting ID: 827 5484 8667 - Passcode: 789990

https://www.fortressstudygroup.org/

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA : COAST DEFENSE STUDY GROUP

Coast Defense Journal, the last issue nr 3 volume 37 is published. Summary : Types of Installations of Harbor Defense Batteries, 1933-1937 (Dispersion to Concentration), Coast Artillery Corps Officers in the U.S. Army Command and General Staff School Class of 1926, 60th Coast Artillery (Antiaircraft) Regiment, 1917-1971, Coast Defence Gun in Canadian Service.

October 20-23 th, FSG Annual conference, responsible John Harris.

https://cdsg.org/

Ravelin, the newsletter of the International Fortress Council, Editorial Comitee : IFC Chairman (Andreas Kupka) ; Vice Chairman (Marc Gayda) ; General secretary (Jereon an der Werf) and the redactor of the IFC/CDSG calendar (Terry Mc Govern)

Mariaplaats 51, 3511LM Utrecht, The Netherlands -

secretariat@internationalfortresscouncil.org