A Cold War bunker on your doorstep: it is rare in Rotterdam. The Schiebroekselaan has a well-hidden example, located on the side of the Bergweg, near the flower stall. In the XNUMXs, local residents saw the value of this place and ensured that it was preserved. The bunker has been restored for a while by volunteers from a special Rotterdam foundation. What will surprise many: it is not a bunker at all…
In 1997 the municipality of Rotterdam wanted the bunker gone: it did not improve the street scene, and the tensions between East and West also loosened up. At that time, neighbor Hans already lived right opposite the bunker and at the time made an effort with the residents' organization Liskwartier (BOL) to preserve the bunker.
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He remembers it well: “During the meeting with the municipality, we sat opposite a wrecker with such a golden chain. He already thought he had received the order to clean up there.” However, the BOL convinced the municipality with a good plan, as a result of which the demolition did not go ahead.
The demolition subsidy, supplemented with some sponsorship, could be used to rebuild the surrounding walls and to have the plants on the bunker maintained by a professional gardener.
Restoration
A recent visit to the flower stall by some heritage enthusiasts proved that this was a good idea. The aim of the Cold War Cultural Heritage Foundation (CEKO) is to restore Rotterdam's Cold War heritage and make it more known among Rotterdam residents.
Pim van den Bos, a member of the foundation, explains: “So much has been researched about the Second World War, but the Cold War has still been relatively underexposed.”
No bunker
But first, Pim wants to set something straight: “It's not a bunker at all, it's an air raid shelter. Bunkers are generally related to World War II. Like this air-raid shelter in Schiebroekselaan, there were 17 in Rotterdam at the time. The idea was that in the event of an air raid siren, 50 people who were on the street at the time could take shelter in such a basement.
Members of the Protection Population (BB) had the key and could open the cellar in the event of an emergency.” During the opening of rooms that CEKO has restored, the volunteers of the foundation also wear the uniform of the BB. Pim: “That really adds something to their visit for the visitors, in combination with the fact that we have restored the space to its original state as much as possible.”
Did you know…
There is a flower stall next to the bunker. You can also tell the people who work here everything about the bunker. Unfortunately, it is closed for visitors most of the year. The cellar can only be visited on open monument day.
Diagonally opposite the flower stall you will find a very quirky catering business. Try it and you'll see what we mean :)
