Ouvrage Einseling
Encyclopedia
Ouvrage Einseling is a lesser work (petit ouvrage) of the Maginot Line
. Located in the Fortified Sector of Faulquemont
, the ouvrage consists of one infantry block, and is located between petits ouvrages Bambesch
and Laudrefang
, facing Germany
. Einseling faced a determined German attack on 21 June, 1940, during the Battle of France
. Unlike its less fortunate neighbors to the west, Einseling was able to resist the attack with help from Laudrefang, its neighbor to the east. The ouvrage survives in a heavily battered state, with its lower levels flooded.
, two machine gun cloches (JM)
, one retractable machine gun turret, and one machine gun/anti-tank gun embrasure (JM/AC47
).
Work for the unbuilt second phase included a separate entry blocks and an 81mm mortar turret block. The gallery system wwas to include underground barracks, ammunition storage and a utility area at a depth of about 30 metres (98.4 ft).
s and infantry shelters surround Bambesch, including
The two casemates flank the main block a few hundred meters to either side. A project to link the casemates to the central block was never started.
Following the 15 June 1940 breakthrough by German forces through the Saar gap, the Germans advanced along the rear of the Maginot Line. The German 167th Infantry Division approached Kerfent, Bambesch, Einseling and Téting on 19 June. On the 20th the Germans successfully assaulted Bambesch, which was not within the reach of heavy French artillery. The following day the Wehrmacht
attacked Einseling, which was more fortunate, as it was within range of Laudrefang's
81mm mortars. Laudrefang's fire, along with accurate fire from Einseling's lighter weapons, broke up a German artillery attack. The ouvrage survived until the Second Armistice at Compiègne took effect on 25 June, when it surrendered.
After World War II, Einseling was in poor condition and was not chosen for renovation.
The surface of the ouvrage has been cleaned up by local residents and may be visited. The lower levels are flooded with water.
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,...
. Located in the Fortified Sector of Faulquemont
Fortified Sector of Faulquemont
The Fortified Sector of Faulquemont was the French military organization that in 1940 controlled the section of the Maginot Line in the area of Faulquemont to the east of Metz. With five petit ouvrages the sector was poorly equipped with fortress artillery, limiting the ouvrages ability to provide...
, the ouvrage consists of one infantry block, and is located between petits ouvrages Bambesch
Ouvrage Bambesch
Ouvrage Bambesch is a lesser work of the Maginot Line. Located in the Fortified Sector of Faulquemont, the ouvrage consists of three infantry blocks, and is located between petits ouvrages Kerfent and Einseling, facing Germany. Completed in 1932, it is located in the Bois de Bambesch...
and Laudrefang
Ouvrage Laudrefang
Ouvrage Laudrefeng is a lesser work of the Maginot Line. Located in the Fortified Sector of Faulquemont, the ouvrage consists of one infantry block, and is located between petits ouvrages Einseling and Teting, facing Germany. Laudrefang was originally planned as a gros ouvrage...
, facing Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Einseling faced a determined German attack on 21 June, 1940, 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...
. Unlike its less fortunate neighbors to the west, Einseling was able to resist the attack with help from Laudrefang, its neighbor to the east. The ouvrage survives in a heavily battered state, with its lower levels flooded.
Design and construction
The site was surveyed by CORF (Commission d'Organisation des Régions Fortifiées), the Maginot Line's design and construction agency, and was approved for construction in April 1932. It was completed at a cost of 7 million francs by the contractor Borie of Paris. The petit ouvrage was planned for construction in two phases. The second phase was to add an 81mm mortar turret block and a separate entrance block.Description
Einseling is built as a single infantry block. The casemate-like ouvrage is armed with two automatic rifle cloches (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...
, two machine gun cloches (JM)
JM cloche
The JM cloche is an element of the Maginot Line. It is a non-retractable non-rotating cupola of steel alloy like GFM cloches, but are armed with twin heavy machine guns, as opposed to the lighter automatic rifles associated with the GFM. There are 179 JM cloches on the Maginot Line.JM is an acronym...
, one retractable machine gun turret, and one machine gun/anti-tank gun embrasure (JM/AC47
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....
).
Work for the unbuilt second phase included a separate entry blocks and an 81mm mortar turret block. The gallery system wwas to include underground barracks, ammunition storage and a utility area at a depth of about 30 metres (98.4 ft).
Casemates and shelters
In addition to the connected combat blocks, a series of detached casemateCasemate
A casemate, sometimes rendered casement, is a fortified gun emplacement or armored structure from which guns are fired. originally a vaulted chamber in a fortress.-Origin of the term:...
s and infantry shelters surround Bambesch, including
- Casemate d'Einseling Nord: Armored block with one 81mm mortar, one GFM-A and one GFM-A/B cloche.
- Casemate d'Einseling Sud: Armored block with one 81mm mortar and two GFM cloches.
The two casemates flank the main block a few hundred meters to either side. A project to link the casemates to the central block was never started.
- Casemate de Stocken: Artillery casemate with two 75mm guns and one GFM cloche, located well to the rear.
Manning
The 1940 manning of the ouvrage under the command of Lieutenant Vaillant comprised 68 men and 1 officer of the 156th Fortress Infantry Regiment. The units were under the umbrella of both the 3rd and 4th Armies, Army Group 2. The Casernement de Zimming provided peacetime above-ground barracks and support services to Kerfent and other positions in the area.History
- See Fortified Sector of FaulquemontFortified Sector of FaulquemontThe Fortified Sector of Faulquemont was the French military organization that in 1940 controlled the section of the Maginot Line in the area of Faulquemont to the east of Metz. With five petit ouvrages the sector was poorly equipped with fortress artillery, limiting the ouvrages ability to provide...
for a broader discussion of the Faulquemont sector of the Maginot Line.
Following the 15 June 1940 breakthrough by German forces through the Saar gap, the Germans advanced along the rear of the Maginot Line. The German 167th Infantry Division approached Kerfent, Bambesch, Einseling and Téting on 19 June. On the 20th the Germans successfully assaulted Bambesch, which was not within the reach of heavy French artillery. The following day the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
attacked Einseling, which was more fortunate, as it was within range of Laudrefang's
Ouvrage Laudrefang
Ouvrage Laudrefeng is a lesser work of the Maginot Line. Located in the Fortified Sector of Faulquemont, the ouvrage consists of one infantry block, and is located between petits ouvrages Einseling and Teting, facing Germany. Laudrefang was originally planned as a gros ouvrage...
81mm mortars. Laudrefang's fire, along with accurate fire from Einseling's lighter weapons, broke up a German artillery attack. The ouvrage survived until the Second Armistice at Compiègne took effect on 25 June, when it surrendered.
After World War II, Einseling was in poor condition and was not chosen for renovation.
The surface of the ouvrage has been cleaned up by local residents and may be visited. The lower levels are flooded with water.
See also
- List of all works on Maginot Line
- Siegfried LineSiegfried LineThe original Siegfried line was a line of defensive forts and tank defences built by Germany as a section of the Hindenburg Line 1916–1917 in northern France during World War I...
- Atlantic WallAtlantic WallThe Atlantic Wall was an extensive system of coastal fortifications built by Nazi Germany between 1942 and 1944 along the western coast of Europe as a defense against an anticipated Allied invasion of the mainland continent from Great Britain.-History:On March 23, 1942 Führer Directive Number 40...
- Czechoslovak border fortificationsCzechoslovak border fortificationsThe Czechoslovak government built a system of border fortifications from 1935 to 1938 as a defensive countermeasure against the rising threat of Nazi Germany that later materialized in the German offensive plan called Fall Grün...