A time warp opened up by the storm
In the spring of 2008, a German barracks bunker was uncovered in the sand dunes near Søndervig. It had been buried there since 1945, when the Germans abandoned it. Inside, the furnishings were still in place, just as they had been when it was inhabited.

At Fiskeriets Hus Hvide Sande, as part of the exhibition “A Glimmer in the Dark – Bunkers and the Occupation at Holmsland Klit,” you can step inside a reconstruction of the bunker itself and experience the atmosphere of its dark interior. Sit down at the wooden table and listen to German radio, turn the ventilation system, and try out the uncomfortable bunk beds.

A German soldier recounts…
During World War II, Gerhard Saalfeld was stationed in the very same bunker that was cleared out in 2008. Several of the items found in the bunker belonged to him, and they are now part of the exhibition at Fiskeriets Hus. In a film shown in the exhibition, Gerhard Saalfeld talks about growing up in Nazi Germany, about war toys, and about the collective enrollment in the Hitler Youth. He also, of course, talks about daily life in the bunker during the war—the daily sweep with the broom to clear the bunker of sand, shopping trips to the grocery store, and more.

You can read more about the exhibition here.