Wilhelmstein Fortress

Wilhelmstein is an artificial island built of stone blocks in Lake Steinhude. Here, Count Wilhelm of Schaumburg-Lippe (1724–1777) had a fortress constructed that was intended to serve as an “impregnable refuge.” In fact, Wilhelmstein was besieged only once—and that attempt was unsuccessful.

At one time, the fortress housed a military academy where Gerhard von Scharnhorst, among others, studied. And in the 19th century, the Wilhelmstein served as the Schaumburg-Lippe state prison.

Today, the citadel of the fortress houses a museum where visitors can view personal belongings and portraits of Count Wilhelm zu Schaumburg-Lippe and Gerhard von Scharnhorst. Visitors can also see, among other things, artifacts from the military academy, as well as weapons, cannons, and mortars.

Steinhuder Pike

© Michael Zobel

Count Wilhelm von Schaumburg-Lippe’s most famous invention was the Steinhuder Hecht, the first submarine built in Germany. It was designed by J.C. Praetorius, who served the count as an engineer, geographer, and officer. When Wilhelm was appointed commander-in-chief in Portugal in 1762, Praetorius proposed a submersible to him that would ensure a fast and safe connection to Schaumburg-Lippe. When traveling on the surface, it was to be propelled by sails. Underwater, the “Steinhuder Hecht” was to be propelled by the strokes of a fish tail pulled by the crew.

A smaller prototype made of oak in the shape of a fish is said to have been submerged in the Steinhuder Meer in 1772. The boat reportedly had room for eight men and could remain submerged for about twelve minutes. However, it is not known how the diving experiment turned out, how it was evaluated, or whether it was possibly repeated. The sketches and a model replica of the “Steinhuder Hecht” are on display at the Wilhelmstein Island Fortress.

All information at www.wilhelmstein.de