Casemate d'Esch
Encyclopedia
The Casemate d'Esch is a pre-World War II
fortified position near the German frontier in extreme northeastern France. Built in 1931, the casemate was part of an extension of the Maginot Line
fortifications along France's border with Germany. As a unit of the Fortified Sector of Haguenau
, the casemate was part of French defenses during the Battle of France
, but saw no combat in 1940. The area was the scene of intense fighting between German and American forces in 1945. The casemate with the marks of the 1945 combat has been preserved and is part of a museum associated with the nearby Ouvrage Schoenenbourg
. The museum is located at the southeastern edge of the town of Hatten
.
The casemate line formed a barrier across the Alsace Plain between the Vosges Mountains
, whose last outlier was at Schoenenbourg, and the Rhine River.
The Esch casemate is a double casemate on one level, designed to fire laterally in either direction along the front, supporting its neighbors to the east and west. The position was armed with two twin heavy machine guns, type JM and, two 47mm anti-tank gun
/JM combinations, one of each firing laterally. These embrasures were covered by automatic rifle ports firing across their fronts. A projecting caponier
defended the entrance with automatic rifle fire, with an additional firing port to the north. On top of the fort, two GFM
cupolas or cloches armed with automatic rifles were situated to fire in all directions. The casemate measures approximately 28 metres (91.9 ft) by 18 metres (59.1 ft), and is 7.5 metres (24.6 ft) high. Concrete thickness varied from 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) at the front to 1 metres (3.3 ft) at the rear. The casemate occupies a small hill, presenting an earth embankment studded with anti-tank rails to the north. Its name is derived from the name of the locale in the Alsatian dialect, signifying a farmer's harrow.
offensive. German forces included the 25th Panzergrenadier Division and the 21st Panzer Division. American forces, principally the US 14th Armored Division, retreated south to the casemate line and dug in among the casemates. Fighting around Hatten began on 8 January and continued until 21 January, when the Americans pulled back to Haguenau. Casualties among the 14th Armored included 104 dead, 112 missing and 899 wounded. and 83 casualties among the inhabitants of Hatten. The Esch casemate was heavily damaged in the fighting. The area was recaptured by the Tabors Marocains of the French First Army on 18 March 1945.
tank was placed on top of the casemate as a memorial to the 1945 actions.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
fortified position near the German frontier in extreme northeastern France. Built in 1931, the casemate was part of an extension of the Maginot Line
Maginot Line
The Maginot Line , named after the French Minister of War André Maginot, was a line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, artillery casemates, machine gun posts, and other defences, which France constructed along its borders with Germany and Italy, in light of its experience in World War I,...
fortifications along France's border with Germany. As a unit of the Fortified Sector of Haguenau
Fortified Sector of Haguenau
The Fortified Sector of Haguenau was the French military organization that in 1940 controlled the most easterly section of the Maginot Line, to the north of Strasbourg...
, the casemate was part of French defenses during the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
, but saw no combat in 1940. The area was the scene of intense fighting between German and American forces in 1945. The casemate with the marks of the 1945 combat has been preserved and is part of a museum associated with the nearby Ouvrage Schoenenbourg
Ouvrage Schoenenbourg
Ouvrage Schoenenbourg is a Maginot Line fortification. It is located on the territory of the communes of Hunspach, Schœnenbourg and Ingolsheim, in the French département of Bas-Rhin, forming part of the Fortified Sector of Haguenau, facing Germany. At the east end of the Alsace portion of the...
. The museum is located at the southeastern edge of the town of Hatten
Hatten, Bas-Rhin
Hatten is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France, some fifteen kilometres to the south of Wissembourg.-Geography:...
.
Concept and design
Esch was built in 1931 by the Commission d'Organisation des Régions Fortifiées (CORF), which was responsible for the major fortifications of the Maginot Line. Esch was one of the first of a series of casemates extending east from the last major position in the Maginot Line, Ouvrage Schoenenbourg. Cost was about 1.06 million francs of the time.The casemate line formed a barrier across the Alsace Plain between the Vosges Mountains
Vosges mountains
For the department of France of the same name, see Vosges.The Vosges are a range of low mountains in eastern France, near its border with Germany. They extend along the west side of the Rhine valley in a northnortheast direction, mainly from Belfort to Saverne...
, whose last outlier was at Schoenenbourg, and the Rhine River.
The Esch casemate is a double casemate on one level, designed to fire laterally in either direction along the front, supporting its neighbors to the east and west. The position was armed with two twin heavy machine guns, type JM and, two 47mm anti-tank gun
AC 47 anti-tank gun
The AC 47 was a French anti-tank gun of 47mm caliber. It was principally used in the ouvrages and casemates of the Maginot Line in the late 1930s; another version was created for naval use....
/JM combinations, one of each firing laterally. These embrasures were covered by automatic rifle ports firing across their fronts. A projecting caponier
Caponier
A caponier is a type of fortification structure. The word originates from the French word "caponnière" - which strictly means capon-cote i.e. chickenhouse.The fire coming from the feature A caponier is a type of fortification structure. The word originates from the French word "caponnière" -...
defended the entrance with automatic rifle fire, with an additional firing port to the north. On top of the fort, two GFM
GFM cloche
The GFM cloche was one of the most common defensive armaments on the Maginot Line. A cloche was a fixed and non-retractable firing position made of a thick iron casting which shielded its occupant...
cupolas or cloches armed with automatic rifles were situated to fire in all directions. The casemate measures approximately 28 metres (91.9 ft) by 18 metres (59.1 ft), and is 7.5 metres (24.6 ft) high. Concrete thickness varied from 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) at the front to 1 metres (3.3 ft) at the rear. The casemate occupies a small hill, presenting an earth embankment studded with anti-tank rails to the north. Its name is derived from the name of the locale in the Alsatian dialect, signifying a farmer's harrow.
Manning
Esch was garrisoned by 21 troops, commanded by an officer and two non-commissioned officers. The garrison was part of the 5th company of the 23rd Fortress Infantry Regiment. The commanding officer in 1940 was Sub-lieutenant Barthet.History
- See Fortified Sector of HaguenauFortified Sector of HaguenauThe Fortified Sector of Haguenau was the French military organization that in 1940 controlled the most easterly section of the Maginot Line, to the north of Strasbourg...
for a broader discussion of the Haguenau sector of the Maginot Line.
1940
On 19/20 June, German forces of the 246th Infantry Division made a concentrated attack on the casemate line around Hoffen, which failed to penetrate the fortifications. A second attempt focused on Hatten, at the limit of firing range for the large artillery positions to the west. The casemates around Hatten, were first attacked on 24 June from the south, by the 215th Infantry Division which had circled back after passing to the rear of the Maginot Line. The 25 June armistice stopped all fighting before Esch could see combat. The garrison finally surrendered with the others in its sector on 1 July 1940, six days after the armistice.1945
The casemate came under fire in January 1945, when the Hatten area was the scene of fighting between American and German forces during the German Operation NordwindOperation Nordwind
Operation North Wind was the last major German offensive of World War II on the Western Front. It began on 1 January 1945 in Alsace and Lorraine in northeastern France, and it ended on 25 January.-Objectives:...
offensive. German forces included the 25th Panzergrenadier Division and the 21st Panzer Division. American forces, principally the US 14th Armored Division, retreated south to the casemate line and dug in among the casemates. Fighting around Hatten began on 8 January and continued until 21 January, when the Americans pulled back to Haguenau. Casualties among the 14th Armored included 104 dead, 112 missing and 899 wounded. and 83 casualties among the inhabitants of Hatten. The Esch casemate was heavily damaged in the fighting. The area was recaptured by the Tabors Marocains of the French First Army on 18 March 1945.
Museum
The damaged casemate remained abandoned until 1982, when it was restored by the Association des Amis de la Ligne Maginot d'Alsace (Alsace Association of Friends of the Maginot Line), who would go on in 1987 to begin work on the nearby Ouvrage Schoenenbourg. Esch has been open for tours since 1986. An American M4 ShermanM4 Sherman
The M4 Sherman, formally Medium Tank, M4, was the primary tank used by the United States during World War II. Thousands were also distributed to the Allies, including the British Commonwealth and Soviet armies, via lend-lease...
tank was placed on top of the casemate as a memorial to the 1945 actions.
External links
- Casemate Esch at Ouvrage Schoenenbourg
- Casemate d'Esch at fortiff.be