Westwallwalk in the Schnee-Eifel
Prüm Theme: Westwallwalk in the Schnee-Eifel
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In the area of SCHNEIFEL were from 1938 to 1940 approximately 170 bunkers installed. The plants were dynamited after the war. Over time, the numerous bunkers ruin being important habitats for rare animals and plants developed (eg, wild cats, bats, mosses). On the way are also historical landmarks and crosses paths. The total length of the circular route is approximately 6 km. An abbreviation half way is possible. Information for visitors with disabilities in the blockhouse "The Black Man" there is a restaurant with accessible toilets.
Address / MORE INFORMATION
Natural northern Eifel
Zoo road 70
54595 Prüm
Phone: 06551-985755
Fax: 06551-985519
E-mail: np.nordeifel.pruem @ t-online.deDit e-mail address is beschermd tegen spambots. U heeft Javascript nodig om het te zien KUNN.
Homepage: www.naturpark-eifel.de
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Information from www.buchet.de:
Description
Witness the recent history, the West Wall bunkers, although destroyed, still clearly visible. Here in the area of forest SCHNEIFEL was the strongest bunker density. These relics of our recent history should be at least partially in its current condition and remain under the Western Wall route at about 10 km length for visitors to be made available.
[Homepage of the municipality Buchet http://www.buchet.de/]
The Western Wall (with the allies also called Siegfried Line known) was about 630 km distributed defense system, which consists of over 18,000 bunkers, tunnels and numerous trenches and tank traps existed. He went from Kleve (on the Dutch border) to the south, along the western border of the former German Empire, according to Weil am Rhein (on the Swiss border). Adolf Hitler had the facilities, rather than propaganda of strategic value was planning From 1936 and 1938 to 1940 building. Earlier, the German Reich under the Nazis in 1936, contrary to the requirements of the Peace Treaty of Versailles by the consequences of the First World War by Germany demilitarisierten areas on both sides of the Rhine occupied again.
Origin of the word "Western Wall"
Presumably, the term Western Wall from the end of 1938 more and more into use without first Nazi propaganda, the term used in particular. He is believed to come from among the construction workers involved. In the second half of 1938 even terms such as "protective wall", "Todt Line" or "limes program uses military circles wanted names such as" Guide Line "or" Hitler Line "popularize. The name Western Wall appeared likely for the first time on 19 November 1938 in an article in the "NSZ-Rhine front" to the "men from the West Wall" was dedicated. Hitler used the name first time publicly during his visit to travel to the western fortifications, 14 to 19 May 1939. From mid-1939 the name was widely known, because Hitler adopted on 20 May 1939 one day command at the soldiers and workers of the Western Wall. The official language focused more on the previously described programs, with the Limes program assumed was elected to be paid to the former Roman Border Wall in Germania should remember.
The role of the Western Wall at the beginning of the war
Despite the beginning of the Second World War were French declaration of war on Germany led to the beginning of the Western campaign to no major battles at the Western Wall. Instead, both opponents remained in the seat of war, with neither side wanted to attack the other and instead secure in their positions remained. After the conclusion of the campaign in France were all moving arms from the bunkers of the West Walls removed and used in other places. The concrete parts were found in the landscape, making the plant within a very short time completely useless for the defense was. Instead, we used the bunkers as storage rooms, for example, agricultural equipment. Other equipment, such as no longer needed beds, were removed from the bunkers and into the newly established civilian air raid shelter built. The beds were often due to their origin as "Western Wall beds" means.
Reactivation of the Western Wall 1944
A new situation arose with the Allied landing in Normandy on 6 June 1944, when the war in the West again losbrach. On 24 August 1944 Adolf Hitler issued instructions to guide a renewed expansion of the Western Wall. 20,000 forced laborers and members of the Reich Labor Service (briefly RAD) tried with improvised means the defense will recover, but because of the allied air superiority not succeeded. Even during this work, it turned out that the bunker the more developed groundbreaking tank weapons no longer had grown. Even the local population was used for work, mostly for the construction of trenches for the antitank. Parallel to the reactivation of the actual West Walls were along the borders with the occupied abroad small ring of concrete stands built so-called Tobruk. These stalls were essentially small holes for protecting an individual soldier.
Fighting at the Western Wall
In the autumn of 1944, there was then the first acts of war against the Western Wall. Then the most disputed area of the Western Wall was the area of the Hürtgenwald in the northern Eifel, about 20 miles southeast of Aachen located. In the chaotic and densely wooded area died and about 12,000 Germans as many U.S. soldiers (details below battle in Hürtgenwald). The executed as a monument to the parish church in the hamlet Hürtgenwald Vossenack crucifixion and a group of a modern artist in the adjacent cemetery to report impressive of these events.
Operation Market Garden of the Allies in the autumn of 1944 is also associated with the Western Wall to see. Within this operation did the Allied high command, the German blocking position north through the Netherlands to circumvent and the company failed, however, the dogged German resistance.
Following the battle in the south of Hürtgenwald began in the area between Monschau and the Echternach, Luxembourg, the German Ardennes offensive from the cover of the Western Wall out. This offensive was a last effort by German side, the war still apply. It cost many lives, but had no influence on the war issue.
Even in other places at the Western Wall was hard fought. The crews of many bunkers refused for fear of the German state courts to peacefully surrender. Many German soldiers have that decision paid with their lives, especially because the group shelters no protection against weapons of the attackers were.
In the spring of 1945 was the last Western Wall bunkers along the Saar and in front Hunsrück.
Postwar period
In the postwar period, many of the Western Wall installations by blasting estates. For this work, and in the eradication of landmines many people lost their lives again.
In North Rhine-Westphalia are still about 30 bunkers undamaged available; the rest were either blown up or soil is neglected. From the tank traps are still large parts on the spot to see in the Eifel, for example, at many kilometers in length. Under the slogan: "The monument value of the unpleasant" will be tried today, the remaining vestiges of the Western Wall under monument protection, since the only way to subsequent generations vivid history can be presented. However, still public money to eliminate the vestiges of the West Walls provided. Since the bunker from past wars but now belong to the archaeological wealth, for example, in North Rhine-Westphalia archaeological Notgrabungen carried out once more a piece of the Western Wall, for example, for a road widening be removed. This Notgrabungen can not complete the destruction of the corresponding section prevent but always bring new scientific findings and previously unknown details about the structure of days. In this context by some people, whether witness or subsequent generation, the question of the justification of the monument protection of such military structures of Nazism asked. Should you want and these witnesses from concrete for the post-World received similar such as the Roman Limes Wall mounting?
Conservation at the Western Wall
In the dispute over the remains of the West Walls have also conservationists to speak. Large remnants of the Western Wall today are valuable biotope chains, into which had become rare animal and plant species have withdrawn. You are here undisturbed since the concrete ruins of non-agricultural or forestry can be economically exploited.
In August 2006, the Bund for his project Green Wall in the West first by the federal asset a west wall bunker at Hellenthal over. The initiative sees this as an initial spark for communities and associations, in a similar way to become active, to other parts of this Greens Corridor to save the nature and procedure. The Federal Ministry of Finance presented the Bund for securing the facility for the 7000 invention, which are 70% of the otherwise necessary demolition costs.
Article Western Wall. In: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Processing Stand: 29 February 2008, 09:50 UTC. URL: http://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Westwall&oldid=43123427 (Accessed: March 12, 2008, 12:02 UTC)
Safety precautions
Caution: Enter never a bunker without sufficient light! In the bunker floors are regularly fußtiefe holes to collect moisture from penetrating. These holes can be dangerous traps represent stumbling.
You enter under any circumstances, a dynamited ruins bunker! By the detonation exposed steel parts are razor sharp and can be lethal to severe injuries!
Note also the existing barriers. Regularly damaged fences have frequently provided the justification, the final structure to be removed.
Article list of preserved buildings of the Western Wall. In: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Processing Stand: 21 December 2007, 14:09 UTC. URL: http://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Liste_der_erhaltenen_Bauten_des_Westwalles&oldid=40304663 (Accessed: March 12, 2008, 12:14 UTC)
Location of Culture object (Gauss Krueger coordinates)
R_gk: 2525320
H_gk: 5569171
Coordinates refer to the exact location of the object
Map with details
Detailed map
Source
Homepage of the municipality Buchet http://www.buchet.de/
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