The German offensive operations in the North Sea and the English Channel were primarily carried out by fast attack torpedo boats, known as Schnellboote. These boats were a formidable weapon, frequently causing heavy losses to shipping along the English coast. Naturally, the Allies sought to neutralize them, and the Schnellboote often became targets of Allied bombing raids.

This aerial threat prompted the Kriegsmarine to build specialized bunkers to safely house the Schnellboote. In IJmuiden, two such bunkers were constructed: Schnellbootbunker I and Schnellbootbunker II. Additionally, a colossal bunker was built for storing munitions for the Schnellboote, including torpedoes and mines.

Most elements of the first bunker, Schnellbootbunker I, have recently been demolished, though a few artifacts remain on the grounds of the Bunker Museum IJmuiden. Schnellbootbunker II still stands and can be viewed from the outside. Today, a business operates within the bunkers.

To eliminate the Schnellboote even in their “safe” shelter, the bunkers in IJmuiden were frequent targets of Allied bombers, often carrying the latest ordnance. When conventional bombs failed to penetrate the meters-thick roofs, specialized weapons like the Tallboy and Disney bombs eventually disabled the bunkers. The damage remains visible on the exterior of the surviving bunker.

Schnellbootbunker II is notable for its highly innovative construction techniques for the time, including sloped side walls, a rounded double roof, and prestressed concrete supports. IJmuiden’s Schnellbootbunker II became a model for all subsequent ship bunkers.

These architectural innovations were the German engineers’ response to increasingly powerful Allied bombs designed to penetrate the meters-thick bunker roofs. This development proved essential for bunker survivability.

Although the Netherlands was liberated in May 1945 and regained self-governance, British influence remained strong. The reuse of former German defensive works, including the Schnellbootbunkers, was strictly regulated. One result of this was that the docks of Schnellbootbunker II were filled in after the war, rendering the bunker no longer usable for ships.