---
title: "Historical background"
description: "Historical background"
date: "2026-03-10"
created: "2026-03-10"
---

[Hjem](https://langelandsfortet.dk/)

                    [English](https://langelandsfortet.dk/english)

                [Historical background](https://www.langelandsfortet.dk/english/historical-background)

# Historical background

## A fort created by its time

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                                    From World War II to the Cold War

The Cold War Museum at Langelandsfortet tells the story of the conflict that shaped the world from 1945 to 1991 – the Cold War. After the Second World War, Europe was divided into East and West. The Soviet Union established a number of communist satellite states in Eastern Europe, while the United States, with the Truman Doctrine, Marshall Aid and the creation of NATO, united Western Europe in a common defence alliance.

Denmark abandoned its long-standing neutrality and became a member of NATO in 1949. The Danish straits became of crucial strategic importance because the Soviet Baltic Fleet had to pass through them to reach the Atlantic Ocean. This made Denmark – and Langeland in particular – a key point in the defence of Western Europe.

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                                    The construction of Langeland Fort

In 1951, it was decided to build two permanent coastal forts: Stevns Fort and Langeland Fort. Construction on Langeland began in 1952, and the fort was fully operational in 1954.

The fort's main task was to control and, if necessary, close the Great Belt to enemy naval forces. With four 150 mm coastal artillery guns, anti-aircraft batteries, radar installations and an extensive system of underground bunkers, the fort was a central part of NATO's defence plans.

Underground were the operations room, artillery centre, radio centre, encryption facility, engine room and crew facilities. The facility was designed to function under extreme conditions, including in the event of a nuclear, biological or chemical attack. After the end of the Cold War, it became known that Langelandsfortet had actually been designated as a target for a Soviet nuclear attack.

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                                    Part of everyday life during the Cold War

For decades, the fort was manned around the clock. Training exercises were held almost weekly, and the sound of cannon fire could be heard across large parts of southern Langeland. At the same time, the fort worked closely with the Navy, the Air Force and other NATO forces.

Although the Cold War never developed into open warfare between East and West, tensions were constant. The Berlin Blockade, the construction of the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the military build-up of the Warsaw Pact were all events that put the fort's existence into perspective.

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                                    From fortress to museum

After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the fort lost its military significance. In 1993, Langelandsfortet was closed as an active military facility.

Instead, the idea arose to preserve the area as a museum. In 1997, the Cold War Museum Langelandsfortet opened – the first museum in the Nordic region with the Cold War as its main theme. Today, the fort is preserved as an authentic facility where visitors can walk through the original bunkers and artillery positions.

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                                    What you can see at the museum today

The museum houses an extensive collection of equipment from both East and West. Among other things, you can see:

- The original 150 mm coastal artillery guns
- The operations bunker with plotting table and artillery control centre
- Anti-aircraft guns and radar installations
- The submarine Springeren
- The minesweeper MHV 81 Askø
- Fighter jets such as the F-35 Draken and MiG-23
- Tanks and other armoured equipment
- An original piece of the Berlin Wall

In addition, several bunkers contain thematic exhibitions about life behind the Iron Curtain, escape attempts from Eastern Europe, the Danish Defence Intelligence Service and international hotspots during the Cold War.

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                                    A piece of Danish history

Langelandsfortet is not just a collection of military equipment – it is physical evidence of a time when Denmark was on the front line of a global conflict. Here, you can sense the gravity of a period when the world lived with the threat of nuclear war and when the Danish straits played a role in the international balance of power.

Today, the fort stands as a living museum and a reminder of how close the world was to confrontation – and how important it is to understand history.