Maginot Line - Then and Now

[MRomanych]

Fortifications make nice then and now subjects because they are relatively easy to indentify. Here’s one I did a few years ago. The period photo shows soldiers of the German 167th Infantry Division after the capture of the Maginot Line’s Casemate Bambiderstroff-Nord in June 1940 (photograph from Roger Brugge’s Juin 1940, Les Mois Maudit; Librairie Artheme Fayard, 1980). Casemate Bambiderstroff-Nord is located near St Avold. The recent photo shows how much of the Maginot Line looks today – recognizable, but overgrown.

[MRomanych]

Casemate Grand Lot is a typical Maginot Line double interval casemate; meaning it has two firing chambers equipped with 47mm antitank guns and twin 7.5mm machine guns. It was designed to defend the ground between two large ouvrages (forts). Its weapons were sited to provide interlocking fires with neighboring fortifications. During the war, it had a crew of about 25 soldiers.

The casemate was never involved in direct combat action and after the war was abandoned by the French Army. It is now owned by two "Maginotphiles" who have carefully restored it over the past few years and brought this piece of history back to life. Remarkable is the amount of material they have assembled over the years.

To see more photos: http://www.casemate-du-grand-lot.eu/39994.html

Recent photos are courtesy of www.casemate-du-grand-lot.eu

[Bob Hartman]

Wow! I wish I spoke French. The pictures were really interesting. I had heard some time ago that private individuals were able to buy part of the Maginot Line. Is that what happened with the fortification in the pictures? Does any of the machinery still work?

Bob

[MRomanych]

Hi Bob:

In the case of Casemate Grand-Lot, a private person and his son (Albert and Daniel) bought two interval casemates and the surrounding land from the French Army. It took quite a while to complete the sale - several years, I believe. They have extensively renovated the interior of casemate, which had many of its original fittings and equipment, but was still in need of restoration. They also had to scour France for the various optics, munitions boxes, the 47mm cannon, and so on. Today, most everything operates as it did in 1940. It is quite a feat and a labor of love. If you ever go to the Thionville area, you can visit the casemate on certain weekends.

[Bob Hartman]

MR...thanks for the additional information on the Maginot Line. I would love to visit the site if/when I get to Europe.

Bob

[History-buff1944]

Thanks for the then and now Maginot Line pics. I have 2-3 original pics of Maginot Line bunkers after the Germans captured them. I can't post these photos because my computer does not have the abiity to do so but I will try to get them posted here in the near future.

Pic 1) Shows a bunch of German Soldiers standing around one large bunker.
2) Also shows a few Germans looking as a damaged bunker. I don't know where these pics were taken or exact dates and such-but have had these in my collection for about 10 years now.

[MRomanych]

History-buff1944 - If you can post them here, I will be glad to see if I can identify them. Cheers, Marc

[History-buff1944]

Hi Marc-I would like to post them but my computer doesn't have the ability to let me do so. However, I will see that when they do get poted over @ the wartradersguild site-that if I can get one of thier members to post them here for me. I just don't know when that will be but-I will try to get it done as quickly as possible. I am definately interested in reading what you have to say about these.

Cheers Mate.

[MRomanych]

I look forward to it. I like the challenge of identifying Maginot Line bunkers.