News
New Member of the International Fortress Council
Associação Portuguesa dos Amigos dos Castelos- APAC
The APAC, a non-profit association, founded in 1983, is a national association for the defense of heritage, and its objectives are the safeguarding and dissemination of natural and built heritage, with a special focus on fortified and military heritage, raising awareness and involving people and communities in their preservation. To fulfill its mission, the association promotes or collaborates in the organization of numerous cultural and scientific activities aimed at different audiences.
In 2003, the APAC was approved as ONG (Non-Governmental Organization of Environmental Interest) by decision of the Institute of the Environment, which increased its capacity to intervene in the safeguarding of the natural and built heritage, and in 2008 it was granted the status of Public Utility. This Association is linked to different Entities as the Forum Heritage, an institution that brings together several civil society associations in the defense of cultural heritage built for greater effectiveness of action on the ground. Since February 2024 our Association was accepted as membership of IFC.
The APAC activity is distributed in three different areas:
Heritage
Our castles and fortresses, together with their cultural and landscape surroundings, give a unique sense of identity to each place. In some cases, this meaning is more comprehensive, assuming a national, or even international, importance.
Through the Heritage area we seek to develop activities that deepen knowledge about these fortified sites, but also about other areas of our history and culture. In this sense, we developed scientific activity as courses, conferences, congresses and research projects, as well as various activities with other partners for the preservation and enhancement of heritage.
Divulgation
The APAC organize weekly study visits to different monuments, museums, cultural institutions, towns and cities in Portugal and abroad.
These visits, always accompanied by specialized technicians or researchers, aim to make known and interpret history and cultural heritage, in its different aspects and typologies.
Education
One of the main concerns is the implementation of heritage education programs, aimed at the school public and families. We intend to contribute so that our historical-cultural heritage can be considered by educational agents as a true pedagogical resource. Our proposal includes didactive projects, routes, workshops, and others activities. The Education Department is also responsible for the cultural promotion of the São Bruno Fort, in Caxias, through several initiatives.
The Association's headquarters are located in the fort of São Bruno, in Caxias (Oeiras); the secretariat is located in Lisbon - Rua Barros Queirós, 20 ,1º Esq. -1100-077 Lisboa
Site - https://amigosdoscastelos.pt/
In Memoriam Carlos Scheltema
Secretary-general of IFC 1989 - 2009
It is with great sadness that we learned that the Dutch architect Carlos Scheltema died in mid-December 2023 at the age of 94. He was a long-time member of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Festungsforschung (DGF) and took part in numerous DGF conferences together with his wife Elisabeth, also an architect (who died in 2018). A passionate fortress researcher, he focused particularly on researching and renovating the fortress town of Naarden, but also on other defense fortifications in the Netherlands such as the “Stelling van Amsterdam”, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. He published numerous specialist publications on these topics.
Carlos was one of the pillars of ICOMOS in the Netherlands and, as a rapporteur, one of the experts responsible for the inclusion of the network of Vauban sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2007. In 2013 he was made an honorary citizen of the Vauban cities of Villefranche de Conflent and Mont-Louis in France and received many other high honors, including being a Knight of the Dutch Order of Merit of Orange-Nassau. In 2014 he was appointed an honorary member of ICOMOS International by the General Assembly. This title is awarded to people “who have made outstanding contributions to the cause of preserving, restoring and enhancing monuments, sites and historical ensembles.” As a member of many organizations and associations such as the Stichting Menno van Coehoorn, the Fortress Study Group and the Association Vauban, he always had an international vision of fortress research in mind.
It is not surprising that he was one of the founding fathers and spiritus rector of the International Fortress Council (IFC), founded in The Hague in 1989, and served as its long-standing Secretary General. The ambitious “Multilingual Fortification Dictionary” (MFD) project was also created on his initiative.
C. Scheltema in Naarden, 2013 (Photo Andreas Kupka)
In addition to his immense knowledge and great competence, he impressed everyone who knew him with his warm-hearted nature, his joy of life, his wit and humor. With Carlos Scheltema, the world of fortress research has lost a great expert and real gentleman.
A. Kupka January 15, 2023
« RAVELIN », THE NEWSLETTER FOR THE PATRIMONIAL FORTIFICATIONS
Published by the IFC for their members and partners
(4 editions per year)
2023 - 003
EDITORIAL
The IFC is pleased to send you the third 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.
PRESIDENT’S WORD
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
[see under the Tab CALENDAR]
IFC NEWS
PORTUGAL
New member Associacao Portuguesa dos Amigos dos Castelos (founded in 1983). We are very glad to welcome this Society which work for the preservation of the patrimonial fortifications in Portugal. They are welcome for our next General Assembly in Chatham !
More information about APC on their website: https://amigosdoscastelos.pt
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 will also meet our friends from the FSG
Oct 19 to 22 th, 2023 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
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 - Development of partnerships (Korea, Efforts, …)
3 - Continued welcoming of new members.
http://www.internationalfortresscouncil.org/
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 GESSELLSCHAFT FÜR FESTUNGSFORSCHUNG
In the last December, the Society created on December 13, 2007 celebrated its fifteenth anniversary
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
http://www.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
June 6 to 10th Association Vauban’s congress at Cherbourg (Normandy) and General Assembly on the 7th of June
Attribution of the Vauban Association Prize. Visit the Cherbourg Fortifications, the fortifications of English Normandy Islands (Guernsey) with their fortifications completed during the Last WWII by the German Occupation Army, Vauban fortifications at St Vaast la Hougue, Tatihou and St Marcouf. On this occasion, we were able to discover the fortifications protecting the largest artificial harbor in the world built to protect the port of Cherbourg. During the General Assembly, distribution to our members of number 45 of the “Lettre des Oisivetés” (as “Letter of Idleness” with reference to the writings of Vauban), bi-annual journal of our association. The digital edition of our newsletter is also available.
Sept : 2023 Study tour : Liege (Belgium) and Maastricht, information on contact@association-vauban.org
Tuesday, September 19 : Fort of Eben-Emael. Located in the commune of Bassenge, no away from the border with the Netherlands. The day will continue with a visit to the Fort de Tancrémont (or Fort de Pepinster).
Wednesday 20, Visit of the forts prior to 1914: fort de Loncin and another Lentin, Boncelle...(Liege’s Forts Belt)
Thursday 21, Visit to Maastricht: urban wall and Fort Saint Pierre and the exhibition of the 350th anniversary of the death of Mr. D'Artagnan,
Friday 22, Visit of Namur with its citadel (Vauban and Coehoorn and whose fortified belt is composed of 9 forts) and Dinant.
Saturday 23, (optional day), visit of Waterloo site and museum.
In preparation, 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 impression.
www.association-vauban.org , mel adress contact@association-vauban.org
GERMANY : DEUTSCHE GESSELLSCHAFT FÜR FESTUNGFORSCHUNG
Sept 7-10th: 42th Annual Meeting at Kufstein (Austria), Conference Theme: The Power of the Elements - Fire and Water in Fortresses. Contact and information: Andres Kupka, president, akupka@juelich.de
ITALY : RETE DELLE FORTIFICAZIONI www.fortedibard.it
The Museum Fort of Bramafam opening in 2023 (website https://www.fortebramafam.it/) :
June: every Saturday and Sunday
July: every Saturday and Sunday
August: all month
September: every Sunday
October: every Sunday
Opening hours: from 10.00 to 18.30. Last entry at 17.00 (Average visit time approx. 2-3 hours).
The fort of Fenestrelle (visits, see the website https://www.fortedifenestrelle.it/le-visite/) is also in the spotlight at the Musée des Plans Reliefs in Paris as part of the exhibition "The Alps, a border?" with the presentation after its restoration of the plan-relief of Fenstrelle (Hotel National des Invalides, Paris until January 8, 2024)
La Rocca d’Anfo ( https://www.roccadanfo.eu/la-rocca/ ):
The “Rocca al chiaro di Luna” experience returnsIn the fantastic location of the Rocca d’Anfo,
you can enjoy the view of Lake Idro during a walk at sunset.
Wednesday July 13 at 7:00 p.m.
Info and reservations on the website Book the guided tour – Rocca d’Anfo (roccadanfo.eu)
or at n. 375 622 1121 (Info point)
(photo 2 réseau italien)
LUXEMBURG : FRËNN VUN DER FESTUNGSGESCHICH LËTZEBUERG : www.ffgl.lu
September : After close coordination with Association Vauban, FFGL Luxembourg will join the exploration excursion in Belgium (Liège, Namur, Huy, Dinant, Maastricht and Brussels)
Robert Wagner (president of FFGL) is writing a book about the history of Fort Lambert, one of the three additional French Forts being added by Vauban after the successful siege in 1684 against the Spanish garrison.
(Wagner, Robert ; Fort Lambert, Luxembourg, Collection : Ons Festung, 108 pages, in french ; on sale by FFGL : 20 € Euros + expédition : 3,5 €. Credit to account : CCPLLULL des Frënn vun der Festungsgeschicht Lëtzebuerg asbl IBAN LU19 1111 0186 0376 0000)
FFGL will also 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.
MALTA : FONDAZZJONI WIRT ARTNA (Malta Heritage Trust) : www.wirtartna.org (candidate member)
NETHERLANDS : MENNO VON COEHOORN
Sept 9th : Cold War fortifications close Den Bosch and Vught (OvB), inscription 6-8 weeks before the date
Last parution of the nr 4/2022 of the Revue Saillant published in December, a publication of MvC for its members and partners.
PORTUGAL : APAC - ASSOCIAÇÃO DOS AMIGOS DOS CASTELOS (Associação Portuguesa dos Amigos dos Castelos)
The “Associação Portuguesa dos Amigos dos Castelos” -APAC, a non-profit association, founded in 1983, is a national association for the defense of heritage, and its objectives are the safeguarding and dissemination of natural and built heritage, with a special focus on fortified and military heritage. In 2023, the APAC was approved as ONG and in 2008 it was granted the status of Public Utility. This Association is linked to different Entities as the Forum Heritage, an institution that brings together several civil society associations and aims to define a concerted strategy of civic intervention in the defense of cultural heritage built for greater effectiveness of action on the ground. The APAC have about 1000 associates across the country, and its activity are distributed in three different areas: Cultural Heritage, Dissemination and Education. The first one developed scientific activity as Congresses on Military Monuments, the last one held in September 2022, and other are distributed by Courses and Conferences. This year 2023 we have already held a Course on "Military Orders and Fortifications", and the course "Great Battles in Universal History" is taking place along May 2023 - https://amigosdoscastelos.pt/
A APAC celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2023, and in
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.
(photo 3 FORT DE SAO BRUNO)
SWITZERLAND : ASSOCIATION SAINT MAURICE D’ETUDES MILITAIRES (ASMEM) www.asmem.ch
Sep 15 to 18th Bodensee, Limmat, Rhine Tour, defences of the Easter-Northern and Norther boundary of the Switzerland. Association Saint-Maurice d' Etudes Militaries. Information with Col. EMG Schalbetter president@www.asmem.ch
Dec 4th, Route du Signal, Champex, St. Barbe day
UNITED KINGDOM : FORTRESS STUDY GROUP
https://www.fortressstudygroup.org/
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA : COAST DEFENSE STUDY GROUP
September 9 to 18th, Northern Poland : Berlin, crossing the Oder River to Poland to visit night near the Oder-Warthe-Bogen Stellung (the heart of the German 'East Wall' with bunkers, enormous underground communication tunnels of this extraordinary defensive complex), Gdansk (fort of Posen, coast defences of the Gdansk Bay area, including the naval museum), on Hela Peninsula : a Third Reich proving ground and a Soviet nuclear warhead storage complex, Swinoujscie with some Prussian forts, IIIrd Reich fortifications and Soviet batteries. Information: Terry McGovern, tcmcgovern@att.net
October 20-23 th, FSG Annual conference, responsible John Harris.
The publication of the winter issue of the CDSG Newsletter is available on the association's website (https://cdsg.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/CDSGNews223.pdf). It’s a very interesting relation about the Study Tour 2022 in Sweden with various historical and cold War fortifications in this country
Coast Defense Journal Volume 37 is being published in 2023 (order available on the association’s website)
NEW SECRETARY-GENERAL: JEROEN VAN DER WERF
The General Assemlby, at its meeting in October, 2021 appointed as new Secretarys-General: Jeroen van der Werf (NL), as successor to Kees Neisingh, who held this position since 2009.
NEW MEMBER INTERNATIONAL FORTRESS COUNCIL: ITALY
At the General Assembly, held in October, 2021 the newly formed 'Rete delle Fiortificazioni' was welcomed as new member, representing Italy. For more information: see Members.
In memoriam Robert Gils (23/03/1930 - 08/01/2020)
One of the founding fathers of the International Fortress Council
In 1985 Robert Gils was appointed Vice-Chairman of the Flemish Simon Stevin VVC.
His extraordinary efforts resulted in his directing the Executive Board.
What he wanted most, was enthusiastically sharing his phenomenal knowledge of fortifications.
Every time during his numerous work- and study visits to fortifications he surprised by his encyclopaedic knowledge.
Last year, professors from abroad consulted him concerning the Wellington barrier.
On top of that he was a gifted speaker who captivated his audience. His military background facilitated Simon Stevin’s access to military archives.
Even after his retirement from daily work, he remained a strong support for Simon Stevin; he remained very active as author of publications on fortifications.
He is credited with many publications, amongst which a series on the Antwerp fortress; during 35 years he wrote about 150 articles for the magazine Vesting.
His first article on the bastioned front dates as far back as 1984.
Simon Stevin will greatly miss Robert Gils; many good memories will remain in time.
Koen Commers, hoofdredacteur Vesting.
WORKSHOP 'BETWEEN THE LINES'
For centuries, the European landscape has been scarred by war and defence lines. Today this fortification heritage is a chance for connection and local and regional development across ancient or present borders. Defence lines have per definition been constructed at European borders. In today’s Europe, European partners seek cooperation in the mutual cultural and economic development of towns, cities and regions.
This workshop is being organized on how European partners see their future fortification and defence line in a Europe perspective. The results of the workshop will be communicated to all EFFORTS members.
Olst-Wijhe (Netherlands), 16 May 2019
ITALY NEW MEMBER ?
At the 28th General Assembly of the International Fortress Council (IFC), welcomed on October 12th, 2018 in Forte di Bard (Aosta, Italy) a great number of fortress-organisations from Italy presented themselves. The IFC is open for an Italian representation and hopes that at next year’s assembly there will be a delegation from Italy.
Austria and Malta
At the 2019 General Assembly, to be held on October 10th, 2019 (Graz), the Österreichische Gesellschaft für Festungsforschung (OeGF) (Austrian Society for Fortification Research) and the Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna (Malta Heritage Trust) will be welcomed as new members.
Dott.ssa Maria Cristina Ronc, Direttore Associazione Forte di Bard and Andrea Kupka, President of the International Fortress Council during the meeting with Italian fortress-organisations
General Assembly in Forte di Bard
Greece and Poland
Greek and Polish fortification experts were present and may lead to membership of IFC for those countries.
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Visit to the Forte di Bard, Opera Ferdinando
Andreas Kupka, President of IFC
ELISABETH SCHELTEMA-VRIESENDORP
Els Scheltema-Vriesendorp passed away August 19th, 2018. She was well known as Secretary of the Stichting Menno van Coehoorn and as the spouse of Carlos Scheltema, the long-time Secretary-General of the IFC. Els was present at most of the IFC's General Assemblies over the years and played a great rol in IFC.
NEW MEMBER: AUSTRIA
The General assembly of the International Fortress Council accepted the Austrian Society for Fortification Research, the Österreichische Gesellschaft für Festungsforschung, as its newest member-organisation.
The Austrian Society for Fortification Research (OeGF) intends to create a coherent scientific documentation about the construction of fortifications in the Habsburg monarchy. Additionally conservation and utilisation projects in this area are supported on a professional level.
© International Fortress Council: for the preservation of fortifications +31 6 14479368 