egbert Posted 11 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 11 December , 2012 It is a 2.5-story fortress with openenigs towards observer posts and into trenches. Stairs lead down to another entrance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 11 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 11 December , 2012 Unfortunately the vegetation hides the size of the fortress, but maybe you can recognize the rock formation into which the underground part has been blasted. Absolute bomb proof! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 11 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 11 December , 2012 The "Doppelkopf" combat sap, right hand, stops short at the very steep ridge. Let your imagination play and think about the view without vegetation, over to the French and commandeering the valley below.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 12 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 12 December , 2012 A couple of meters further downhill is the next fortress, built into a unique rock formation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 12 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 12 December , 2012 Close-up of entrance with original wood frame at entrance control. The flowers live up to the fortress' name, Engl.: Viola Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 12 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 12 December , 2012 Despite today's vegetation, this photo shows nicely the prominent rock formation that named the fortress. Note the steep gradient that continues behind the rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 12 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 12 December , 2012 The fortress has 3 stories underground and as all other German fortresses had running water, electricity, compressed air features and sewer canals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 12 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 12 December , 2012 Above ground access to observer post with view towards the French and down the steep slope Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 12 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 12 December , 2012 Forward observation post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 12 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 12 December , 2012 This is the view from the observer post today, direction Belchem- and Sudelkopf mountain.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 12 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 12 December , 2012 ....while this was the view THEN from the same location Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 12 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 12 December , 2012 Here, I am not sure whether I missed picking up an archaeological find or the remnant of a superior culture Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Ellis Posted 12 December , 2012 Share Posted 12 December , 2012 Just curious Egbert, is there much in the way of relics on this battlefield like that found around the Somme or Flanders EG: cartridge cases, fuse caps etc ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 13 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 13 December , 2012 I am sure they are there, but in 95 years leaves and compost, new trees and their roots have covered everything. There are occasionally finds, but 4 years of artillery bombardments surely have crushed everything. I have never found anything but shell fragments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Ellis Posted 13 December , 2012 Share Posted 13 December , 2012 Yes, the terrain is certainly very different to that of northern France....not so much mud and lot more stone ! Cheers Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDS Posted 13 December , 2012 Share Posted 13 December , 2012 Egbert, I'm not good at walking long distances, are there any parts of the area I might be able to access within say 1km of a road? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 13 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 13 December , 2012 Yes you can. Park your car at French national cemetery. Up to the summit plateau from there is a mere 1km walk. You must cross the cemetery and walk up easily to the summit. Of course you cannot visit the slope-relevant features outside the summit perimeters I have presented here, but yes all summit structures are accessible for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDS Posted 13 December , 2012 Share Posted 13 December , 2012 Many thanks, like so many others my visits to the western Front so far have been to the Somme & Flanders but this thread is so fascinating I think a trip there may be on the agenda for next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 14 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 14 December , 2012 To avoid any confusion on the many fortresses downhill, please study this map . The yellow line was the morning climb and the orange line is what I covered so far after lunch. The dotted orange line is what still lies ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 14 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 14 December , 2012 40m below the last fortress "Veilchenstein" (Viola rock) lies fortress "Adlerhorst" (Eagle Nest). Both fortresses were connected by an underground passage. As with most other downhill fortresses, this one was also built into a prominent stand-alone rock formation at Western slope of HWK. Today's vegetation does not allow a panorama overview , especially not in summer. In order to show you how such a/this rock formation looked like in the 20s, here is "Adlerhorst" THEN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 14 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 14 December , 2012 This is all what the summer reveals of this fortress and rock formation today Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 14 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 14 December , 2012 Close up to the medium level entrance of multi-story fortress Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 14 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 14 December , 2012 Contemporary drawing of "Adlerhorst" system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 14 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 14 December , 2012 Medium level entrance with additional opening for light signal station (Blinkstation) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 14 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 14 December , 2012 I do not want to bother with next fortress "Beskide". So this is just one last picture of the string of fortresses on West slope of HWK. I explored all these fortresses down to the valley floor on this flank of the mountain some months later in more detail . If you wish, I can post the results when this thread is finished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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