Tony Ring Posted 15 October , 2012 Share Posted 15 October , 2012 egbert & Gwyn Thank you for your explaination. I was brought up to believe that WW1 was fought over the flat fields and low rolling hills around France and into Belgium. Nothing was mentioned about rugged hills / mountains. This has been an onging education and I thank you for sharing it. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 15 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 15 October , 2012 Gwyn, the lower picture is "Himmelsleiter" the first, top photo is "Feste Bamberg". We have now passed both places and are at, on and inside Mittlerer Rehfelsen. Tony, this thread is just at the beginning. I guess you few bunch, interested in the Vosges mountain battles , will see some more.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 15 October , 2012 Share Posted 15 October , 2012 Well, just tell me which post / pictures to delete! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 15 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 15 October , 2012 Gwyn, leave them where they are. The forum has no feature to insert a new/updated post between to other older posts. It is better to keep them there than to delete them. So we all understand your pictures show a) top= Feste Bamberg and b )bottom one is definitely "Himmelsleiter". For better understanding I have enclosed a then and now from the Himmelsleiter-picture. But as I said, I did not visit that place although it was only some 50 m away from my standpoint. Credit for Then and now: JIIBE from French forum 14-18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Ellis Posted 16 October , 2012 Share Posted 16 October , 2012 Another amazing thread egbert, thank you for sharing. Cheers David. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 16 October , 2012 Share Posted 16 October , 2012 It's about time I get myself up there... been living in Strasbourg for two years now and have not found the time. Meanwhile, thanks for those nice pictures and walking ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 16 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 16 October , 2012 Thanks David, and before Marilyne walks the wrong paths, lets continue with Mittlerer Rehfelsen. Please be patient with me, but I have to resize and crop hundreds of pictures , that's why they always come in increments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 16 October , 2012 Share Posted 16 October , 2012 Don't worry... I'll have my compass with me !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 16 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 16 October , 2012 My jumping-off point are images #123 and 124. This is a picture about the same view post war where all the utter destruction of the forests are visible and that is evidence of the gruesome battles who raged here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 16 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 16 October , 2012 scrap metal bears witness to something greater.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 16 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 16 October , 2012 I am standing on the rock formation "Mittlerer Rehfelsen" that also houses a fortress, named "Feste Heiligenstedt" which has deep galleries, bored corridors and the already mentioned MG embrasures, directed towards Unterer Rehfelsen for mutual protective fire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 16 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 16 October , 2012 Louis unerring, again, leads the way into the fortress Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 16 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 16 October , 2012 A look back towards the Feste entrance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 16 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 16 October , 2012 It is in fact a multi story fortress with sudden deep vertical access galleries to other levels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 16 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 16 October , 2012 You might want to scroll back to post #97 in order to understand where we are here. This is one of the depicted MG embrasures pointing towards the U.R. ridge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 16 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 16 October , 2012 Second MG embrasure with MG mount visible in foreground Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 16 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 16 October , 2012 Feste Heiligenstedt, constructor reference to Pionierkompanie 250, 1916 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 16 October , 2012 Share Posted 16 October , 2012 I don't know how you remember all these details, Egbert. Do you make notes? Exploring with a very knowledgeable companion has enabled you to share a far more intimate view of Hartmannswillerkopf than most people would ever get to see. Thanks. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 16 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 16 October , 2012 Gwyn, I bow to your compliment! Well, I am busy with HWK since 2 years and read a lot of German accounts and books from war participants - like the one from Hans Killian who introduced mortar warfare to the HWK. No I do not take notes -most is in my head and maps/images/audio files are on my laptop. If I do not know special details I consult excellent German and French websites to broaden my HWK-horizon. But there are guys out there who are real specialists and I know when to contact them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim_oz Posted 16 October , 2012 Share Posted 16 October , 2012 Egbert This has been fascinating Im getting a much better idea of the complexity of this mountain so thank you for sharing this. Tim B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Ring Posted 16 October , 2012 Share Posted 16 October , 2012 It reminds me of a large zig saw puzzle where you start off with a jumble of pieces and slowly as its put together the complete picture slowly appears. The then and now photographs bring it all together. The photographs are very good and I am really looking forward to seeing what comes next. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b3rn Posted 16 October , 2012 Share Posted 16 October , 2012 I like the tour-based approach through the topic and the thread, good stuff Mr Egbert!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 17 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 17 October , 2012 Thanks guys. I must admit that a poster can only be as good or motivated as the readers feed back. So in this sense it is also me who has to thank you for all the comments and questions. Next images will follow today Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 17 October , 2012 Share Posted 17 October , 2012 Fabulous photos and fascinating narrative, as ever, Egbert. It must have crossed your mind that there is a guided-tour business opportunity here, if you choose to develop it ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 17 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 17 October , 2012 Mick, if you join the new company, I am ready.... Ok, we are still on/in/at Mittlerer Rehfelsen (M.R.). Remember-the Swiss cheese rock formation. Feste Heiligenstedt has more than one access. Here is the main entrance with beautiful ornaments and constructor sign. Feste Heiligenstedt is named after its commander Heiligenstedt, Jäger-Feld- Btl 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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