Kongsvinger Fortress (Norway)

Kongsvinger Fortress is located in Kongsvinger in Hedmark County in Norway. It is located on a hill west of the Glomma River in Glommakneet near Tråstad (the fort is later also called Tråstad Fort). It is further developed from the Vingersundet fort from 1658. Several maps also indicate that there was a fort where Vinger's church was later built, which became redundant when the fortress was moved higher. The fortress is now owned by the National Fortifications.

In 1673, work began on a new fortification on top of Tråstadbjerget, from where the entire area around Glommakneet could be controlled. Some sources claim that a fortification on top of the mountain already existed in 1658, but later evaluations suggest that these sources are based on several prejudices. Lieutenant Anthony Coucheron was in charge of the workers. The plant consisted of a keep surrounded by a square wall with batteries in three corners. Other buildings were gradually built in or around the fort. As the structure was built by Governor Ulrik Frederik Gyldenløve, it was often referred to as Gyldenborg. Captain Ole Ellingsen was commander of the first garrison who was stationed there in 1674.

To better withstand the strongest siege artillery, plans were made in 1681 to rebuild the Fortress of the Wings into a fortress. Johan Caspar de Cicignon came out first, but his draft was too expensive and extensive. Anthony Coucheron was then commissioned to draft a new plan, which was approved by King Christian 5. October 8, 1681. The fortress was built with an irregular star shape. In January 1683, Gustav Wilhelm von Wedel decided that the fortress should be named Kongens Vinger, which was later merged with Kongsvinger. The fortress was considered finished mainly in 1684, although construction work continued for a few years. Christian V visited the fortress in 1685 on a trip to Norway.

It was in this context that the camp was built on the slope south of the fortress. In the camp lived the soldiers with their families, as well as the keepers and merchants who supplied the fortress with goods and services. The city of Kongsvinger had begun to grow.

The fortress has never been besieged and as such it has never been in direct combat. Perhaps it was because of the fortress's ability to cover an enemy from the east with cannon fire while the enemy was on the east side of the Glomma. The Glomma served as a solid moat and was important for defense. Twice the Swedes came across the Glomma, but dared not cross the river. Both times the Swedes were shot from the fortress. However, there were battles in 1808 and 1814 at the fort of Lier, 6 km east of the fortress. With the dissolution of the union in 1905, all border fortifications were demolished and a 30km demilitarized zone was created on each side of the border between Sweden and Norway. The fortress was considered old-fashioned and useless, and therefore was not interested. The area ceased in the 1990s.

In 1939, the German crew of the "Deutschland" who had boarded the SS "City of Flint" were interned at the fortress. Eight German pilots were also arrested. Thus, the population of Kongsvinger, before many others, saw uniformed German officers frequenting Norwegian pubs in the autumn of 1939. After all, they were interned and not prisoners of war.

In April 1940, the fortress commander surrendered without a fight, unlike the recent fort Vardåsen one kilometer to the west, under Captain Gösta Benckert. These battles around Vardefort with its 1905 guns are considered to be among the most important in Norway in 1940. In the company of Benckert, among others, Max Manus served.

During the war, there were both the SS school and the Gestapo school in the Kongsvinger fortress.