Can you sense the weight of history pressing down on you here at Fort IX? Built between 1877 and 1881, Fort IX was part of a ring of fortifications intended to protect Cologne. These fortifications were constructed after the Prussians took control of Cologne from the French.
Fort IX stands as one of four forts on the right bank of the Rhine. Only seven years after its completion, Fort IX underwent significant upgrades. This was due to the Brisanzgranatenkrise, a period where new, more powerful explosives threatened existing fortifications. To counter this, the ceilings of the Kehl and Spitzen barracks were reinforced. A one-meter-thick sand cushion and a 1.2-meter-thick layer of rammed concrete were added.
The Kehlstreiche and Spitzgrabenwehr were removed during these modifications. In their place, a Grabenstreiche was installed in the contrescarpe. Later, the wall was transformed from an artillery position into an infantry position.
After World War I, British troops occupied Cologne. According to the Treaty of Versailles, the dismantling of Cologne’s fortifications began in 1920. Fort IX and other forts lost their military significance. During the Nazi era, Fort IX served as a “voluntary labor and military pre-education camp” for young NSDAP members. An inscription from that time remains, though the name “Hitler” has been removed. The Wehrmacht built a barracks near Fort IX, later integrating the fort into the barracks grounds, restricting civilian access.
During World War II, starting in 1943, forced laborers were housed in Fort IX. They were tasked with repairing the bombed railway facilities nearby.
After World War II, Belgian forces used Fort IX as a stable and shooting range until 1998. Subsequently, a private riding stable operated here. Today, Fort IX is in disrepair. The fort is owned by the German government.
In May and June 2005, Fort IX was leased to a film company. The casemates were transformed into movie sets resembling World War II air raid shelters and cellar rooms.
Tragically, Fort IX gained notoriety in 2004. Following an anonymous tip, police conducted a large-scale search for children’s bodies. The search lasted weeks, but the tip proved false.
Fort IX once housed four 8cm cannons for front ditch security. It also had six 9cm cannons and four 15cm cannons. The connecting batteries included four 12cm and four short 15cm cannons. As an artillery fort, Fort IX had a crew of about 900 men. This number was reduced when it became an infantry fort. The fort measures 285 by 165 meters. Wall thicknesses range from one to three meters. Standard ceiling construction included one meter of brickwork, one meter of sand, 1.2 meters of concrete, and 0.5 meters of earth. The elevator shaft reached a maximum of 9.5 meters, and the ditch was 9 meters wide and about 6.5 meters deep. Fort IX was demilitarized between March 13 and October 25, 1922.
The open wall at the Kehlgrabenwehr connection remains a notable feature. Fort IX is not generally open to the public. But on the “Day of the Open Forts,” tours are sometimes available. As a “lost place,” Fort IX holds an eerie allure. The weathered walls, overgrown with vegetation, whisper tales of past conflicts and forgotten purposes.