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Border Line (Switzerland)

December 03, 2023

The Border Line defenses of Switzerland were constructed in the late 1930s in response to increasing tensions between Switzerland and its neighbours, chiefly the Axis powers of Germany and Italy. The Border Line was planned to slow or hold an invading force at the border. It consisted of a series of bunkers spaced at short intervals along the French, German and Austrian borders. The bunkers were reinforced by larger multi-blockhouse forts at key points. Most of the positions were within two or three kilometres (1.2 or 1.9 mi) of the frontier.

Fort Reuenthal at Swiss-German border

Description edit

The Border Line bunkers were spaced between 500 metres (1,600 ft) and 750 metres (2,460 ft) along the northern border of Switzerland.[1] A number were integrated into bridge crossings of the Rhine and other rivers.[2]

The large forts were armed with 75mm artillery and anti-tank weapons and were usually built into the forward slope of a hill. The blockhouses were connected and supported by an underground gallery system giving access and shelter to underground barracks, ammunition magazines, command posts and utility services.[3]

Compared with the Maginot Line, whose function was similar, the positions were less well-protected and lacked the ability to fire laterally along the line of attack from a sheltered location.[4][5] The Border Line forts did not deploy a defense in depth.[6]

History edit

Work on the Border Line began in 1937 and was generally complete by 1940. However, with the German invasion of France in 1940, it became clear to the Swiss Armed Forces that the Border Line could not deter or withstand a direct German attack. Swiss priorities shifted to a policy of quick withdrawal to the National Redoubt in the Alps, there to maintain a government-in-being and to control the strategic crossings of the Alps for an extended time. While the German Operation Tannenbaum set forth a plan to invade Switzerland, the operation was never carried out.[1][3][7] The Swiss war plan, devised by General Henri Guisan, envisioned the use of the Border Line as a delaying position, backed by a further hold line, the so-called Army Line, to give the bulk of Swiss forces time to retreat to the Redoubt destroying access points once Swiss forces were safely inside.[8]

Following World War II, the main border positions remained manned. However, by the 1980s it became apparent that the positions were obsolete, and were gradually decommissioned, even before the Army 95 stand-down of many Swiss fortifications. A number of the positions have become museums and may be toured.[9][10][11][12]

Major positions edit

Major forts on the Border Line included, from west to east:

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b Kauffmann, pp. 155-156
  2. ^ (in German). Bunkeranlagen der Schweiz. Archived from the original on 4 February 2011. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  3. ^ a b "Geschichte der Festung Heldsberg" (in German). Festungsmuseum Heldsberg. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  4. ^ a b Kauffmann, pp. 157-158
  5. ^ Holford, Paul. "Fort du Pré-Giroud". Casemate. Fortress Study Group (82). Retrieved 11 January 2011.
  6. ^ "Die Sperre am Stoss" (in German). Festungsmuseum Heldsberg. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  7. ^ Kauffmann, p. 152-153
  8. ^ Kauffmann, p.159
  9. ^ . Pré-Giroud Fort 39-45 (in French). Fondation du Fort de Vallorbe (Pré-Giroud). Archived from the original on 9 December 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2011.
  10. ^ (in German). Schweizerisches Militämuseum Full. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  11. ^ . STIWOT. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  12. ^ "Festungen nach dem zweiten Weltkrieg" (in German). Festungsmuseum Heldsberg. Retrieved 13 January 2011.

References edit

  • Kauffmann, J.E., Jurga, R., Fortress Europe: European Fortifications of World War II, Da Capo Press, USA, 2002, ISBN 0-306-81174-X.

External links edit

  • official site (in French and German)
  • (in German)
  • (in German)
  • Festung Heldsberg (in German)

December 03, 2023
border, line, switzerland, border, line, defenses, switzerland, were, constructed, late, 1930s, response, increasing, tensions, between, switzerland, neighbours, chiefly, axis, powers, germany, italy, border, line, planned, slow, hold, invading, force, border,. The Border Line defenses of Switzerland were constructed in the late 1930s in response to increasing tensions between Switzerland and its neighbours chiefly the Axis powers of Germany and Italy The Border Line was planned to slow or hold an invading force at the border It consisted of a series of bunkers spaced at short intervals along the French German and Austrian borders The bunkers were reinforced by larger multi blockhouse forts at key points Most of the positions were within two or three kilometres 1 2 or 1 9 mi of the frontier Fort Reuenthal at Swiss German border Contents 1 Description 2 History 3 Major positions 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksDescription editThe Border Line bunkers were spaced between 500 metres 1 600 ft and 750 metres 2 460 ft along the northern border of Switzerland 1 A number were integrated into bridge crossings of the Rhine and other rivers 2 The large forts were armed with 75mm artillery and anti tank weapons and were usually built into the forward slope of a hill The blockhouses were connected and supported by an underground gallery system giving access and shelter to underground barracks ammunition magazines command posts and utility services 3 Compared with the Maginot Line whose function was similar the positions were less well protected and lacked the ability to fire laterally along the line of attack from a sheltered location 4 5 The Border Line forts did not deploy a defense in depth 6 History editWork on the Border Line began in 1937 and was generally complete by 1940 However with the German invasion of France in 1940 it became clear to the Swiss Armed Forces that the Border Line could not deter or withstand a direct German attack Swiss priorities shifted to a policy of quick withdrawal to the National Redoubt in the Alps there to maintain a government in being and to control the strategic crossings of the Alps for an extended time While the German Operation Tannenbaum set forth a plan to invade Switzerland the operation was never carried out 1 3 7 The Swiss war plan devised by General Henri Guisan envisioned the use of the Border Line as a delaying position backed by a further hold line the so called Army Line to give the bulk of Swiss forces time to retreat to the Redoubt destroying access points once Swiss forces were safely inside 8 Following World War II the main border positions remained manned However by the 1980s it became apparent that the positions were obsolete and were gradually decommissioned even before the Army 95 stand down of many Swiss fortifications A number of the positions have become museums and may be toured 9 10 11 12 Major positions editMajor forts on the Border Line included from west to east Fort de Pre Giroud 46 42 33 N 6 24 37 E 46 70903 N 6 41033 E 46 70903 6 41033 near Vallorbe on the French border Fort de Plainbois 47 23 38 N 7 13 50 E 47 39394 N 7 23059 E 47 39394 7 23059 about 30 kilometres 19 mi west of Basel Fort Reuenthal 47 36 17 N 8 12 08 E 47 60476 N 8 20223 E 47 60476 8 20223 about 40 kilometres 25 mi northwest of Zurich Fort Ebersberg 47 34 19 N 8 34 46 E 47 57194 N 8 57931 E 47 57194 8 57931 halfway between Schaffhausen and Zurich where German and Swiss territory interlock with each other Fort Heldsberg 47 26 34 N 9 38 38 E 47 44278 N 9 64389 E 47 44278 9 64389 at St Margrethen on the Austrian border 4 See also editToblerone line a related line between Lausanne and Geneva facing France About thirty bunkers defend a 10 kilometre 6 2 mi continuous line of anti tank obstacles between Bassins and Prangins Notes edit a b Kauffmann pp 155 156 Die Festung Ebersberg in German Bunkeranlagen der Schweiz Archived from the original on 4 February 2011 Retrieved 13 January 2011 a b Geschichte der Festung Heldsberg in German Festungsmuseum Heldsberg Retrieved 13 January 2011 a b Kauffmann pp 157 158 Holford Paul Fort du Pre Giroud Casemate Fortress Study Group 82 Retrieved 11 January 2011 Die Sperre am Stoss in German Festungsmuseum Heldsberg Retrieved 13 January 2011 Kauffmann p 152 153 Kauffmann p 159 Bienvenue Pre Giroud Fort 39 45 in French Fondation du Fort de Vallorbe Pre Giroud Archived from the original on 9 December 2010 Retrieved 11 January 2011 Lageplan in German Schweizerisches Militamuseum Full Archived from the original on 7 July 2011 Retrieved 12 January 2011 Artillery Fortress Ebersberg A5438 STIWOT Archived from the original on 18 July 2011 Retrieved 13 January 2011 Festungen nach dem zweiten Weltkrieg in German Festungsmuseum Heldsberg Retrieved 13 January 2011 References editKauffmann J E Jurga R Fortress Europe European Fortifications of World War II Da Capo Press USA 2002 ISBN 0 306 81174 X External links editFort Pre Giroud 39 45 official site in French and German Festungsmuseum Reuenthal in German Festung Ebersberg in German Festung Heldsberg in German Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Border Line Switzerland amp oldid 1187392330, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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