Underground Hospital.
This enormous tunnel complex should be considered in two ways - as a tremendous engineering feat and as a
memorial to all those who suffered or died during the five years of German occupation.
Originally it was built as an artillery barracks, but in 1943 the Germans decided to convert it into a first aid field
bunker as an emergency standby if the Island came under attack. It was completed by Liberation, the wards were
ready to receive 500 patients, there was an operating theatre, and a kitchen. The electricity was connected to the
main grid and they had a stand-by diesel engine. There were air locks in case of a gas attack, an escape shaft, a
ventilation plant, a telephone exchange, doctors quarters a fully equipped dispensary and many long corridors - all
this had to be tunnelled out of solid rock! 
This was all accomplished by using forced and slave labour - Moroccans and Algerians from France, Spanish and
Jewish prisoners and then the Russian and Polish prisoners-of-war who had been marched across Europe and
arrived already half-starved. 14,000 tons of rock were excavated giving a floor space of 27,611 square feet and
4,000 tons of concrete was used to line the galleries. Much has been written about the unspeakable hardships of the
slaves - and as you wander around the complex it is easy to imagine the enforced misery of that arduous work on
starvation rations, take time to pause at the unfinished section of tunnel - and just imagine.Code BERTHA
Located Hafstadt near Förde, Norway. Rather small tunnel. It was build by russian prisoners of war, probably in 1943, as a coastal defense. In the case of defense, the Division-commandoplace would be moved, and located inside the tunnel. One road, called "Burma-road", about 600 meters long, is leading in the tunnel. There are also air-raid shelters, bunkers, baracks and tank-defences. The division was the 280. Infanterie Division. Because of a large Sand-Depot, many of the installations were destroyed, but there is still a lot to see, as the photos show.
If you have informations or questions about BERTHA, please contact Mr. Knut Asen.
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