Old Atomic Bunker in the Museumpark
Last weekend, I visited the Westzeedijk old atomic bunker located in the Museumpark in Rotterdam. This shelter is just a few meters from the Greek Church of Saint Nicholas, and I had never noticed it before. From the outside, you can only see a large stone slab on the grass. The bunker was designed to protect against atomic, biological, or chemical weapons. It seems to be the smallest museum in Rotterdam.
A Journey Inside the Bunker
To enter the bunker, you descend a staircase and pass through two heavy metal doors. The interior has space for 50 people, who would sit on small benches for two people, with basic beds on top. There was a small compartment covered only by a curtain with a large bucket for necessities. When the bucket was full, it had to be emptied outside.
On the tables, there were cans of emergency food rations and water supplies that were replenished monthly. After 48 hours, it was considered safe to leave the shelter. There were also candles for power outages.
The shelter was designed for people who were in the area and could not make it home during an emergency. During those 48 hours, a large hand-cranked wheel had to be turned to purify the air, which was a demanding task. The outside air passed through sand filters and then exited into the room through a tube. In case of chemical or biological threats, a large gas mask would be connected to provide fresh air, creating a sort of bubble to keep out particles or contaminants.
The Network of Shelters in Rotterdam
In addition to the bunker on Westzeedijk, Rotterdam had 17 similar shelters in different parts of the city, built during the Cold War in anticipation of a possible Soviet attack. Almost all RET subway stations were also prepared as shelters. The walls contained compartments with toilets, food supplies, and kits to build beds, while the train cars served as seating places. Most of these shelters were closed, demolished, or repurposed after the fall of the Iron Curtain and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989.
There is still one intact shelter in Schiebroek, with a capacity for about 100 people. Part of it is used by a florist to store flowers, and another part has been restored to its original state.
These shelters were intended for the public, and it was expected that each person would prepare their own shelter at home. The Civil Protection Service published a manual in the 1960s on how to build a home shelter. For example, in the event of an air raid, it was recommended to seal all doors and windows with sandbags.
The larger shelters included subway stations, where up to 15,000 people could take refuge. Central Station and the Leuvehaven area had their own shelters. In some subway stations, you can still see remains of the original shelters.
After spending half an hour in this small room (approximately 2.5 by 5 meters), with no privacy and little room to move, I hope we never have to use these shelters. If you suffer from claustrophobia, the 48 hours could feel like an eternity.