Knapsack, Germany

History

Knapsack, its first documentary mention in 1566, started to emerge into a notable village after 1900 due to establishment and development of industry (1906 the Knapsack-Griesheim AG, later part of the Hoechst AG; 1913 construction of the brown coal power plant Goldenberg-Werk).

During World War II the RAF bombed the Knapsack power-station several times. The first raid was a low-level daylight raid on 12 August 1941 by 54 Bristol Blenheims under the command of Wing Commander Nichol of No. 114 Squadron RAF. The Blenheims hit their targets (the Goldenberg Power Station in Knapsack and the Fortuna Power Station in Quadrath) but twelve of the Blenheims were lost during the raid, 22 percent of those that took part which was far above the sustainable loss rate of less than five. A further raid took place on the night of 2/3 October 1943 with 12 OBOE Mosquitos, and a second attack that year was another night attack on 21/22 December 1943 by 4 Mosquitos.

Due to environmental constraints, 4000 citizens had to be resettled between the years 1969 and 1979.

References

References

1. [https://nona.net/features/map/placedetail.480349/Knapsack/ Knapsack (Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany)]
2. Staff. [http://www.statkraft.com/pub/gaspower/plants/knapsack/index.asp Knapsack CCPP], [[Statkraft]] website, 17 October 2007
3. Staff. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1515268/Wing-Commander-Tom-Baker.html Obituary of Wing Commander Tom Baker], [[Daily Telegraph]], 10 Apr 2006
4. [https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/theartofwar/prop/the_fighting_forces/INF3_0850.htm "Bristol Blenheims" by James Gardner, 1941. Pencil and watercolour on board.], [[national Archives]], Accessed 22 July 2008
5. [http://www.blenheimsociety.org.uk/BB%20Journal%20-%20contents%20table%20-%2054-55&56.doc “Bristol” BLENHEIM], Accessed 22 July 2008. Bibliography of the raid
6. [http://worldwar2database.com/gallery2/v/wwii0031.jpg.html picture of an RAF Blenheim V6391 After Bombing Goldenburg Power Station, Cologne] {{webarchive. link. (2008-11-20 , [https://www.mfaproductions.com/ Welcome to MFA Productions LLC], Accessed 25 July 2008. "A Bristol Blenheim Mark IV (extreme left), serial V6391, marked RT-V of 114 Squadron, 2 Group, Royal Air Force, banks away after releasing two 500-pound (227-kilogram) bombs over the Goldenberg-Werk [[lignite]] (brown coal) power station in Knapsack.")
7. [http://worldwar2database.com/gallery/wwii0030 picture of RAF Blenheims Attack Fortuna Power Station near Cologne], [https://www.mfaproductions.com/ Welcome to MFA Productions LLC], Accessed 08 February 2016. "A Bristol Blenheim Mark IV of the Royal Air Force's Number 2 group pulls away after a successful attack on the Fortuna Power Station in Quadrath."
8. [http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/ RAF History - Bomber Command 60th Anniversary] {{Webarchive. link. (2008-08-28 , [http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/oct43.html Campaign Diary: October 1943] {{webarchive). link. (2009-03-03 . Accessed 18 July 2008)
9. [http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/ RAF History - Bomber Command 60th Anniversary] {{Webarchive. link. (2008-08-28 , [http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/dec43.html Campaign Diary: October 1943] {{webarchive). link. (2009-03-03 .)
10. [http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?image=10464570&wwwflag=3&imagepos=3 Knapsack Power Station, Germany, 7 April 1942], [https://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/aboutus.asp The Science & Society Picture Library], Accessed 22 July 2008. A Photo reconnaissance picture of the power station.