World War 1 had ended and Belgium realised the need for better protection in case another war would break out. On the other hand, technology was advancing fast, Belgium decided to build a series of new forts to defend against new kinds of waepons and upon completion, the fort of Eben-Emael could be considered the strongest fort in the world, able to resist even chemical attacks due to a double air filtration system.
In 1940 however, technology had advanced even more and a combination of factors led to the fort being taken by the Germans due to their use of glider airplanes with troops landing at night during a surprise attack. The fort was taken in about 36 hours. The world realized that fortification and defensive fixed positions were useless against the fast moving armies of the 20th century.
The Germans used the DFS230 glider to silently approach the fort with highly trained troops that carried out an incredibly well planned attack. An example can be seen inside the fort in the form of a replica of this type of airplane.
In May 2024 I visited this fort for the first time, however, I am planning more visits in the future.
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