Mardasson
Sergeant
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2008
- Messages
- 644
Hi All,
Here are some pictures and impressions after a visit of a Maginot Line fortification I made this week with my daughter (8) and son (7).
The Hackenberg fortress is one of the largest of the Maginot Line that was built in the 30's to protect France from a German attack.
The aim was not to stop the possible invader but to delay him long enough to mobilize the army and deploy it against the threat.
Entrance of the fortress where all the technical and logistic parts are located.
Some weapons specific to fortifications are exposed. Here a 81mm mortar that is loaded by the breech.
Other weapons, uniforms, machineguns... are exposed in a gallery. I'm not interested enough in that erea to tell you if they are really rare or interesting pieces.
From there there is a small underground train that leads to the combat stations (much fun for the kids).
You visit the underground part of the combat fortification but also go outside to see the very few parts of that huge fortress that are visible from the outside.
The observation turret and perimeter defenses
And a dual 135mm howitzers retractable turret.
I think that's the most impressive part of the visit as the turret is still in order and you see it working, both from the outside and the inside.
Last thing to see before taking the train back is one fortifaction destroyed by the US Army during the crossing of the Moselle river late in 1944.
So a very interesting visit. I've learnt a lot of details about Maginot Line and life in such fortification (I didn't imagine that, at that time, there was an overpressure in the fortress to prevent potential combat gas to enter the buildings).
I can only recommend the visit to anyone that would be in the area.
And here is the link to the website (with more pictures available) : http://www.maginot-hackenberg.com/accueilanglais.htm
Cheers,
Michel
Here are some pictures and impressions after a visit of a Maginot Line fortification I made this week with my daughter (8) and son (7).
The Hackenberg fortress is one of the largest of the Maginot Line that was built in the 30's to protect France from a German attack.
The aim was not to stop the possible invader but to delay him long enough to mobilize the army and deploy it against the threat.
Entrance of the fortress where all the technical and logistic parts are located.
Some weapons specific to fortifications are exposed. Here a 81mm mortar that is loaded by the breech.
Other weapons, uniforms, machineguns... are exposed in a gallery. I'm not interested enough in that erea to tell you if they are really rare or interesting pieces.
From there there is a small underground train that leads to the combat stations (much fun for the kids).
You visit the underground part of the combat fortification but also go outside to see the very few parts of that huge fortress that are visible from the outside.
The observation turret and perimeter defenses
And a dual 135mm howitzers retractable turret.
I think that's the most impressive part of the visit as the turret is still in order and you see it working, both from the outside and the inside.
Last thing to see before taking the train back is one fortifaction destroyed by the US Army during the crossing of the Moselle river late in 1944.
So a very interesting visit. I've learnt a lot of details about Maginot Line and life in such fortification (I didn't imagine that, at that time, there was an overpressure in the fortress to prevent potential combat gas to enter the buildings).
I can only recommend the visit to anyone that would be in the area.
And here is the link to the website (with more pictures available) : http://www.maginot-hackenberg.com/accueilanglais.htm
Cheers,
Michel
