Visiting the Ligne Maginot (Part 3): The Fort Hackenberg

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Last Monday I had the chance to visit the third fort of the Maginot Ligne,
the Fort Hackenberg located close to Veckring in Lorraine/France.

The official designation of this fort is A19.

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Fort Hackenberg

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Fort Hackenberg

The Fort's construction has started in 1930 as one of the first.

It was considered as a prototype for the artillery fortresses
of the Maginot Line.

During six year construction period, approximately 1800 workers,
built 19 combat blocks and drove more than 10 kilometers of galleries.

The major works were achieved 1933 the fortress was equipped
with various equipments and delivered to the French military
command in 1936.

After the declaration of war in 1939, the fortress stayed
in full alert condition all the Phoney War long and did its
job during the german offensive in may and june 1940. It only
surrended a few days after the armistice, signed on the 25th of June.

In november 1944, it was breached by Patton's third army on the
occasion of the bloody battle for Moselle River.

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Fort Hackenberg

The Fort has two entrances, (ammunition "EM" and personnel "EH") and 19 combat posts

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Fort Hackenberg

The ammunition entrance

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Fort Hackenberg

The ammunition entrance ..

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Fort Hackenberg

Rails leading to the ammunition entrance

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Fort Hackenberg

The ammunition entrance detail

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Fort Hackenberg

The ammunition entrance detail .

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Fort Hackenberg

The ammunition entrance detail ...

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Fort Hackenberg

The ammunition entrance detail view from inside

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Fort Hackenberg

The visit leads through the galleries to towards the ammunition storage rooms

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Fort Hackenberg

The galleries are allon the same level trhan the entrance, the Fort being dug
into a hill. The "deepest" point is 93 meters

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Fort Hackenberg

Some military equipment is displayed inside the galleries


Here a 40mm Bofors AA-gun

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Fort Hackenberg

Some military equipment is displayed inside the galleries

an ammunition train