Dolomites Relicts 1915-1917

[Dietrich Maerz]

The baracks were typically constructed right behind the ridge which was typically the front line. The valleys or rvines between were the no mans land.

This is how it looked inside in 1985 - 68 years after abandonment

[Dietrich Maerz]

This shows the ruins of a cable car station. Those were used all over the place to supply the high up front lines. In winter it was impossible to bring supplies up the mountain so cable car had to be used for everything: water, wood, amunition...If you look closely, you can see one standing post of this rather crude device.

[Dietrich Maerz]

A view thru a shooting hole out of a cavern towards the front line. The trenches can be clearly seen and some of them are still 1.5 - 2 mtr deep. Here one finds all kind of stuff. Again, very remote.

[Dietrich Maerz]

And finally, this is how I found the bigger things. As one can see, you have all kind of explosives but also other metal objects such as cans. There a literally thousands of empty food cans, some from the USA (Sardines). The stuff rolls down hill in ravines till it collects around obstacles, in this case a small tree.

[paddywhack]

very impressive! id love to go and have a look at that battlesite myself! its very remote! its hard to belive that there were thousands of troops station in such a remote place fighting trench warfare! also that pic of the abandended(??) barrecks is fairly spooky to!
great pics!

[JensF.]

Looks like a destroyed cannon barrel in the last pic.

[Brian S]

If I'm not mistaken Dietrich had to pack this stuff out. Backpack and in a remote area. I would imagine there is quite a bit of just plain hard work in carrrying some of the heavy stuff down again.

[JensF.]

Especially the dud grenade wasn't very light...

[Dietrich Maerz]

The grenades weren't that bad ...

The worst (or best) I ever carried down was this "Infantrieschutzschild" which I found at about a height of 2100 mtr (6300 ft) and had to carry it down to 1100 mtr (3300 ft). As mountain people might know, down is harder than up. And it was hot..

[Dietrich Maerz]

Fortunately, the shield was broken into two pieces. The size is about 2' wide and 1.5 feet high. It weights approx. 45-50 lbs. But I just couldn't resist and it nearly killed me. The bigger part did still fit in my backpack, whci always had a weight of 25-30 lbs. already. The smaller part I had to carry in my arms, covered up with my shirt in case I meet somebody. It was a bi..., but definetely worth the effort. It is now in my lawn in Michigan as a fairly strange artefact.

[JensF.]

A very nice "Grabenschild"! Good find! Are there any marks or stamps visible on it?

[paddywhack]

what is it for? i suspect a shield against snipers!!!

[JensF.]

Right. A shield for and against snipers. A standart bullet was not capable to penetrate these shields. Note the small hole with cover used for the rifle.

[Dietrich Maerz]

Actually it is called a "Infanterie-Schutzschild, Modell 1916"

This picture shows one in the open air museum Monte Piano. Mine has unfortunately no markings what so ever and the lever to hold it up is also missing.

[paddywhack]

nice find anyway! i wonder what else is up there in the montains!!!!