SteveMarsdin Posted 22 October , 2012 Share Posted 22 October , 2012 Anyone thinking of wandering around Hartmannswillerkopf or indeed any of the mountains needs to exercise care. Gwyn Thanks Gwyn, I am aware that certain areas of the Verdun battlefield are strictly off-limits and I wanted to check that the same didn't apply to the Vosges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 22 October , 2012 Share Posted 22 October , 2012 As I said, I wasn't making any assumptions about you or directing my remarks at you. This is, however, a fully visible thread which anyone perusing the Internet might come across and some people have misconceptions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMarsdin Posted 22 October , 2012 Share Posted 22 October , 2012 I interpreted your post as you intended Gwyn and fully understand why. Plus, as you intimated in another post, you never know when you might bump into a retired member of the German armed forces, faithfully carrying an equally retired old messenger dog in a makeshift ruck-sack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 22 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 22 October , 2012 Well guys, no risk no fun. So let's risk another series of images. A couple of meters later, I reach the fascinating place of "Felsenkaserne" . Yes, bomb proof barracks, only some 100m or less below the summit. But - again, not visible for the enemy artillery spotters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 22 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 22 October , 2012 Please note for all my pictures posted here since Unterer Rehfelsen: here once stood proud and high fur trees, the mountain including the top was once thick, I mean thick forest with really tall trees. This picture is post war, early 20s, and the vegetations in form of bushes wants its territory back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 22 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 22 October , 2012 Infrastructure in remarkable excellent condition Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 22 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 22 October , 2012 War time picture of same place. Either Felsenkaserne in fog or smoke from previous bombardments. Do you see the remnants of the fur tree forest? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 22 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 22 October , 2012 This picture is interesting. It shows the relative proximity from Felsenkaserne to summit (look out for the cross on top). Also half way between kaserne and summit cross you see the upper station of Gaede funicular. Same view, different photographer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 22 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 22 October , 2012 Inside the barracks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 22 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 22 October , 2012 Another few meters climb, on Schneiderpfad (Schneider trail) one out of many more compressor caverns. Pressure piping visible on top of entrance. Compressed air i.e. was needed for boring the galleries and shelters or for firing of compressed air driven heavy trench mortars Gwyn, this is something for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 22 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 22 October , 2012 Parts of the machinery is still up there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 22 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 22 October , 2012 Wow, I just recognize first time by checking the Felsenkaserne pictures Then and Now #229,230,232, a compressed air pipe coming from this compressor cavern above and passing (lower left side) to lower something.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johntanner Posted 22 October , 2012 Share Posted 22 October , 2012 Egbert Just want to say that I've been following this for the last few days and it is an absolutely fantastic thread. I'm just sorry that I only managed a couple of hours on the summit this summer during a rapid drive down the route des cretes. Must see whether I can persuade a reluctant family to revisit! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Ring Posted 22 October , 2012 Share Posted 22 October , 2012 egbert Its now 9am Tuesday NZ time. Every morning I look forward to the "goodies" you have posted over night. First class thread. Keep them coming !!!!! Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 22 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 22 October , 2012 Well guys thanks a lot. If you really like the thread you contact Alan, he does not accept to shift it to Classic section soon , because the thread is too young and members have not requested to do so. I for my part cannot do anything, but in fact I do use the thread already for reference purposes. I do not want the whole effort later see drain down into the nirwana of a deep sub-forum cellar. If the thread is of no relevance-than be it so. Strangely, all my other Vosges battleground threads to include Gwyn's have been shifted consequently. Still some 150 pictures to go for this part I of II, and already pretty good visits. I assure you that you guys motivate more than GWF officials..... Tomorrow is funicular day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Ring Posted 23 October , 2012 Share Posted 23 October , 2012 egbert For my moneys worth this must be a classic thread. Very educational and a source for reference purposes. Hope the powers that be take note. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 23 October , 2012 Share Posted 23 October , 2012 I interpreted your post as you intended Gwyn and fully understand why. Plus, as you intimated in another post, you never know when you might bump into a retired member of the German armed forces, faithfully carrying an equally retired old messenger dog in a makeshift ruck-sack That's ok then! I don't wish to fall out! Egbert, amazing images from now and from then. Maybe leave the thread where it is for now so people following it will be able to go straight to it. I'll look for my compressor photos. I also have some old cards of the structure in your posts before that. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 24 October , 2012 Share Posted 24 October , 2012 A French postcard. Some battlefield tourists are just visible to the right of the three doors. I wonder what was their reason for visiting. The postcard text refers to the cross erected in honour of the dead. You can see this cross on the crest (upper left). It's still there: Battlefield visitors: This is the view from close to the cross. I'm looking across the Rhine plain to the Black Forest. There are numerous pictures of the villages which are below Hartmannswillerkopf in ruins and in flames. The postcards belong to me. Photos taken late afternoon, June 2011. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 24 October , 2012 Share Posted 24 October , 2012 Entering the compressor station. Close up of the air pipe. I have to admit that what I found especially beautiful was the range of colours with which nature is absorbing these relics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 24 October , 2012 Share Posted 24 October , 2012 (edited) Inside the cavern, I tried flash. But flash failed to capture the colours of the natural light, so I hand-held from then on. I was amazed at the richness of the environment. Aerial cableway upper station: I know purists won't approve, because this is a military history forum, but I photograph what I see and what I saw in the light I had available was colours. "Out of the strong came forth sweetness." By the way, the compressor station, the nearby cableway buildings and the cross (posted above) are very accessible from a good path round the mountain. You don't need to go mountaineering. Gwyn Edited 25 October , 2012 by Dragon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Filsell Posted 24 October , 2012 Share Posted 24 October , 2012 Pretty impressive shelters - and our guys didn't even get cardboard boxes in France and Flanders! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithjk Posted 25 October , 2012 Share Posted 25 October , 2012 Well guys thanks a lot. If you really like the thread you contact Alan, he does not accept to shift it to Classic section soon , because the thread is too young and members have not requested to do so. I for my part cannot do anything, but in fact I do use the thread already for reference purposes. I do not want the whole effort later see drain down into the nirwana of a deep sub-forum cellar. If the thread is of no relevance-than be it so. Strangely, all my other Vosges battleground threads to include Gwyn's have been shifted consequently. Still some 150 pictures to go for this part I of II, and already pretty good visits. I assure you that you guys motivate more than GWF officials..... Tomorrow is funicular day. Egbert, I think the Forum policy is not to include a thread in the 'Classic' section whilst it is ongoing, as this could make it difficult for followers to find it. I am sure it will eventually be considered a 'Classic' thread, and rightly so. I for one am finding it utterly fascinating, and I'm already planning a trip of at least a week to the Vosges next year. Once again, thank you for sharing it with us. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 25 October , 2012 Share Posted 25 October , 2012 Egbert knows I think this, but my personal view leads me to wonder what is the point of Classic Threads anyway? It's a hotch-potch of all sorts of valuable topics mixed up. I have wondered about the potential for Eastern France - Verdun, Vosges, Alsace, Swiss border - to have a forum of its own. That, to my mind, reflects and respects the fact that the Western Front was fought over by French and German men on a far wider length than the section the British occupied. That way people who are interested in the area will have a resource devoted to it. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 25 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 25 October , 2012 Well Keith, I asked a mod - there are no defined set of rules! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 25 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 25 October , 2012 For the time being -let me go on. I said funicular railway/aerial cableway. Gwyn already showed you two wonderful photos depicting the upper station of the HWK's largest and longest aerial cableway. (Her last two pictures are NOT compressor gallery , but upper station of an aerial cableway that starts far down in the plain at station "Gaede".) For your orientation I use Gwyn's beautiful post war picture: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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