South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-11-30
HELIGOLAND IS
: DISMANTLED Of
MIGHTY ARMOR
Secrets of "GibraItar of the
North Sea" Revealed When
Fortress is Stripped.

BERLIN. Nov. 29.-With the dis
mantling Of the German fortress on
The Island OF Heligoland. the Glib
raitar OF the North Sea-" the mys-
teries Of that rocky islet have been
revealed to the world. Hitherto they
were known only 20 the chiefs OF the
army and navy and TO the troops OF
the garrison upon the island.
Viewed from the little boat that
makes the trip from the mainland to
Heligoland twice a week. II weather
permits. the island Is apparently an
insignificant pile OF red rock rising
out OF the sea. From casual ap-
pearance IT did not seem 10 be the
powerful fortress Il really was.
HeIigoland was a pet OF the form
er kaiser and the soundness OF his
judgment IN turning it into a great
defensive work was shown by the
fact that for four years IL kept the
allied navies away from the German
coast.
Spent Half Billion.
Half a billion marks were spent
by the Germans 10 transform the
1O0-fOot cliffs OF Heligoland into a
mighty fortress. But now all IS
changed. The tunnels connecting
The various gun pits have been up
rooted. the observation towers have
been torn down and the great can
non are being melted up for junk
The searchlights that were formerly
used for war purposes are now en-
Gagged TO direct peaceful maritime
traffic
Ariel Varges, an American moving
picture operator for the Information
al slim Service. who has just ar
lived from Heligoland, gave a
graphic description Of the place to-
lay
The mass OF rocks was studded
gith hidden turrets and fire obser-
vation stations" he said. "Protec-
ion was afforded by silver steel
lrmor plate a foot thick. For years
Saiser's workmen burrowed their
way through the solid rock Of the
sland until they had hewed a SER
les OF honeycombs connecting up
.ari0us large underground cham
bers. This giant anthu housed
5arrison Of 5000 men during the
var. The underground city was
hree stories in depth and one could
.ravel from one end OF the island 10
he other without appearing in the
open. Sixty feet of solid overhead
.ock protected the immense power
plant which furnished the barracks
and the underground passages with
Electricity.
Like Municipal Plant.
LAS one enters the electric plant
be is reminded OF a modern NUM-
,ipsl station and he is apt TO forget
at he Is out I'm the midst OF the
ocean on p desolate rock.
1.-The officers rooms were spot
essly clean. with neat. tiled floors
md hot and cold running water.
There are hundreds OF telephones
catered everywhere over the
sland and one can get in direct
communication with Berlin in a few
minutes. There was a direct cable
between Heligoland and Wilhelm
strasse during the war 10 keep the
laval movement off the German
cast.
Included in the equipment OF the
fortress were q seaplanes for
,couting use. A sea magazine open
o the waters edge, was used to
1ouse the machines
Eight Big HOwitzers.
In the middle Of the island were
ght latest model howitzers They
were sunk into the rock at the base
n a gigantic funnel. 12-inch guns
double turrets were employed to
over the TANKS Of the fertilization
IN some respects the island remind
"a one OF a Herculean super-dread-
nought anchored IN the sea"
About soc fisher people were ban
shed from the island during the
war. but are now permitted TO re-
urn. They grew TO hate the big
fortress with its roaring guns and
stern discipline Not only had Il
driven them from their homes. but
threatened their lives.
The thick steel turrets are being
-ut into movable pieces with oxo-
hydrogen Jets OF flame. The old
shells are being taken on lighters TO
Wilhelmshaven. where they are sold
IS junk. An iron foundry in Ham
rurg has contracted 10 buy the gun
metal and armOr plate.
The secret passages are all to be
sealed with mud and cement and
she Gibraltar OF the North Sea"
viii soon be as harmless as though
war had never been though or