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Dodendraad (Wire of Death) Memorial, De Klinge

Dodendraad (Wire of Death) Memorial, De Klinge

Highlight • Historical Site

Dodendraad (Wire of Death) Memorial, De Klinge

Recommended by 177 hikers out of 182

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Location: Sint-Gillis-Waas, Sint-Niklaas, East Flanders, Flanders, Belgium

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Best Hikes to Dodendraad (Wire of Death) Memorial, De Klinge

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1. Dodendraad (Wire of Death) Memorial, De Klinge – Clinge Play Forest loop from De Klinge

9.05km

02:17

10m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

4.7

(54)

292

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2. Dutch-Belgian Border Trail – Clinge Play Forest loop from Stekene

17.1km

04:18

20m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

4.7

(43)

270

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3. Clinge Play Forest – Dodendraad Memorial De Klinge loop from Clinge

8.62km

02:10

10m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

Tips

Katrien

September 18, 2021

After the fall of Antwerp on October 10, 1914, the Waasland quickly came under German occupation. The border with the neutral Netherlands is cordoned off with German sentries. These soldiers cannot prevent the border from being often crossed by smugglers. Food prices in the Netherlands are much lower and bold smugglers can sell the products on the black market for a big profit. In addition to economic goods, volunteers for the Belgian army, soldiers' letters and spies are also smuggled across the border. In the spring of 1915, the Germans tried to stop the smuggling by laying the death wire. A high-voltage electrical wire is supposed to deter smugglers. The high voltage on the Death Wire ensures that people are electrocuted at the slightest contact with the wire. During this period the inhabitants are not yet aware of the dangers of electricity. To the left and right of the electric barrier, a protective wire is placed in barbed wire or in chicken wire. Inventive smugglers soon found numerous ways to overcome the wire: barrels without messengers, a wooden window system, protective rubber clothing… Hundreds of daredevils all over the Belgian-Dutch border, however, paid for their crossing with their lives, including at least three victims in De Klinge and Meerdonk.

Source: klingspoor.be/grens/dodendraad

Translated by Google •

Dominiek Van Dooren

September 5, 2023

Did you know that the original Death Wire had 2000 volts? In this reconstruction, this deadly voltage has been replaced by a harmless bell. Can you climb the Death Wire without ringing the bell? Nice assignment for the children.

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🇧🇪 Herwig Aertbeliën

October 28, 2023

The Death Wire, also known as Death Fence, was a 332 kilometer long wire barrier that was constructed by the German occupiers of Belgium during the First World War along the border between occupied Belgium and the neutral Netherlands. In German documents the barrier was officially referred to as Grenzhochspannunghindernis. The barrier was under deadly electrical voltage and was intended to prevent war volunteers and German deserters from fleeing Belgium. The fencing was also intended to prevent espionage messages from occupied territory from reaching Allied espionage services via the Netherlands and to prevent smuggling. The Death Wire is estimated to have killed many hundreds of people, but could not prevent thousands of people from crossing the border in many different ways. After the war, the entire death thread was quickly dismantled.
Nowadays, like here in De Klinge, you will come across many reconstructions along the Belgian-Dutch border.

Translated by Google •

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Monday 29 December

7°C

-1°C

0 %

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Max wind speed: 8.0 km/h

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Location: Sint-Gillis-Waas, Sint-Niklaas, East Flanders, Flanders, Belgium

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Dodendraad (Wire of Death) Memorial, De Klinge

1. Dodendraad (Wire of Death) Memorial, De Klinge – Clinge Play Forest loop from De Klinge

2. Dutch-Belgian Border Trail – Clinge Play Forest loop from Stekene

3. Clinge Play Forest – Dodendraad Memorial De Klinge loop from Clinge

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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