The Casemate de Marckolsheim Sud is a pre-World War II fortified position near the Rhine river in eastern France. 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 Colmar, the casemate was part of French defenses during the German assault of 15–18 June 1940, Operation Kleiner Bär. It has been preserved and is part of a museum focusing on the Rhine section of the Maginot Line. The museum is located at the eastern edge of the town of Marckolsheim.
Marckolsheim Sud's numerical designator was 35/3, referring to its place in the third, or "village" line of fortifications, about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) back from the river bank. It was built in the mid-1930s by the Commission d'Organisation des Régions Fortifiées (CORF), which was responsible for the major fortifications of the Maginot Line.[1]
Unlike other portions of the Maginot Line, the Rhine defenses were not interconnected, consisting of individual casemates or blockhouses a few hundred meters apart, arranged to fire along the length of the defended frontier. The Marckolsheim Sud casemate is a double casemate, designed to fire laterally in either direction along the front, supporting its neighbors to the north and south. 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. The faces of these firing positions were defended by two automatic rifle embrasures. A further automatic rifle position defended the casemate's entrance. On top of the fort, two cupolas or cloches were situated to fire in all directions, with a JM cloche mounted centrally and a GFM automatic rifle cloche to one side. The Marckolsheim Sud casemate, and its companion, Marckolsheim Nord, were not typical of the sector, being somewhat larger than most, with two cloches rather than the usual single GFM cloche. The design category was "SBFM special."[2]
Marckolsheim Sud was commanded in 1940 by Lieutenant Marois of the French 42nd Fortress Infantry Regiment. On 15–17 June, the sector was attacked by German forces of the German 360th Infantry Regiment, 221st Infantry Division. Marckolsheim Sud and Nord put up particularly fierce resistance to German attack. The Germans brought up 8.8 cm guns, disabling one cloche, and called in Stuka attacks, which buried the other in debris from bomb blasts. Without the means to defend itself in all directions, and with German assault teams throwing explosives into the casemate openings, the garrison was forced to surrender on the 17th.[3]
Museumedit
Automatic rifle embrasure
Marckolsheim Sud was restored in 1972[4] and houses a museum, the Musée Mémorial de la Ligne Maginot du Rhin.[5]
^ (in French). Musées d'Alsace. Archived from the original on 2011-07-27.
Bibliographyedit
Allcorn, William. The Maginot Line 1928-45. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2003. ISBN1-84176-646-1
Degon, André; Zylberyng, Didier, "La Ligne Maginot: Guide des Forts à Visiter," Editions Ouest-France, 2014. ISBN978-2-7373-6080-0(in French)
Kaufmann, J.E. and Kaufmann, H.W. Fortress France: The Maginot Line and French Defenses in World War II, Stackpole Books, 2006. ISBN0-275-98345-5
Kaufmann, J.E., Kaufmann, H.W., Jancovič-Potočnik, A. and Lang, P. The Maginot Line: History and Guide, Pen and Sword, 2011. ISBN978-1-84884-068-3
Mary, Jean-Yves; Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques. Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 1. Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2001. ISBN2-908182-88-2(in French)
Mary, Jean-Yves; Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques. Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 2. Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2003. ISBN2-908182-97-1(in French)
Mary, Jean-Yves; Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques. Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 3. Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2003. ISBN2-913903-88-6(in French)
Mary, Jean-Yves; Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques. Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 5. Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2009. ISBN978-2-35250-127-5(in French)
External linksedit
at Musées d'Alsace (in French)
Casemate 35-3 de Marckolsheim Sud at darkplaces.org (in French)
Casemate de Marckolsheim Sud at fortiff.be (in French)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Casemate 35-3 - Marckolsheim.
October 28, 2023
casemate, marckolsheim, world, fortified, position, near, rhine, river, eastern, france, casemate, part, extension, maginot, line, fortifications, along, france, border, with, germany, unit, fortified, sector, colmar, casemate, part, french, defenses, during, . The Casemate de Marckolsheim Sud is a pre World War II fortified position near the Rhine river in eastern France 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 Colmar the casemate was part of French defenses during the German assault of 15 18 June 1940 Operation Kleiner Bar It has been preserved and is part of a museum focusing on the Rhine section of the Maginot Line The museum is located at the eastern edge of the town of Marckolsheim Casemate de Marckolsheim SudPart of Maginot Line Rhine fortificationsNortheast FranceCasemate de Marckolsheim SudCoordinates48 09 28 N 7 33 21 E 48 15774 N 7 55589 E 48 15774 7 55589Site informationControlled byFranceOpen tothe publicYesConditionPreservedSite historyBuilt byCORFMaterialsConcrete steelBattles warsBattle of France Contents 1 Concept and design 2 1940 3 Museum 4 References 5 Bibliography 6 External linksConcept and design editMarckolsheim Sud s numerical designator was 35 3 referring to its place in the third or village line of fortifications about 2 kilometres 1 2 mi back from the river bank It was built in the mid 1930s by the Commission d Organisation des Regions Fortifiees CORF which was responsible for the major fortifications of the Maginot Line 1 Unlike other portions of the Maginot Line the Rhine defenses were not interconnected consisting of individual casemates or blockhouses a few hundred meters apart arranged to fire along the length of the defended frontier The Marckolsheim Sud casemate is a double casemate designed to fire laterally in either direction along the front supporting its neighbors to the north and south 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 The faces of these firing positions were defended by two automatic rifle embrasures A further automatic rifle position defended the casemate s entrance On top of the fort two cupolas or cloches were situated to fire in all directions with a JM cloche mounted centrally and a GFM automatic rifle cloche to one side The Marckolsheim Sud casemate and its companion Marckolsheim Nord were not typical of the sector being somewhat larger than most with two cloches rather than the usual single GFM cloche The design category was SBFM special 2 1940 editSee Fortified Sector of Colmar for a broader discussion of the Colmar sector of the French defenses nbsp JM machine gunMarckolsheim Sud was commanded in 1940 by Lieutenant Marois of the French 42nd Fortress Infantry Regiment On 15 17 June the sector was attacked by German forces of the German 360th Infantry Regiment 221st Infantry Division Marckolsheim Sud and Nord put up particularly fierce resistance to German attack The Germans brought up 8 8 cm guns disabling one cloche and called in Stuka attacks which buried the other in debris from bomb blasts Without the means to defend itself in all directions and with German assault teams throwing explosives into the casemate openings the garrison was forced to surrender on the 17th 3 Museum edit nbsp Automatic rifle embrasureMarckolsheim Sud was restored in 1972 4 and houses a museum the Musee Memorial de la Ligne Maginot du Rhin 5 References edit Mary Tome 3 p 146 Mary Tome 2 p 14 Romanych pp 88 90 Kaufmann 2011 p 181 Musee Memorial de la Ligne Maginot du Rhin in French Musees d Alsace Archived from the original on 2011 07 27 Bibliography editAllcorn William The Maginot Line 1928 45 Oxford Osprey Publishing 2003 ISBN 1 84176 646 1 Degon Andre Zylberyng Didier La Ligne Maginot Guide des Forts a Visiter Editions Ouest France 2014 ISBN 978 2 7373 6080 0 in French Kaufmann J E and Kaufmann H W Fortress France The Maginot Line and French Defenses in World War II Stackpole Books 2006 ISBN 0 275 98345 5 Kaufmann J E Kaufmann H W Jancovic Potocnik A and Lang P The Maginot Line History and Guide Pen and Sword 2011 ISBN 978 1 84884 068 3 Mary Jean Yves Hohnadel Alain Sicard Jacques Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot Tome 1 Paris Histoire amp Collections 2001 ISBN 2 908182 88 2 in French Mary Jean Yves Hohnadel Alain Sicard Jacques Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot Tome 2 Paris Histoire amp Collections 2003 ISBN 2 908182 97 1 in French Mary Jean Yves Hohnadel Alain Sicard Jacques Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot Tome 3 Paris Histoire amp Collections 2003 ISBN 2 913903 88 6 in French Mary Jean Yves Hohnadel Alain Sicard Jacques Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot Tome 5 Paris Histoire amp Collections 2009 ISBN 978 2 35250 127 5 in French External links editMarckolsheim Museum at Musees d Alsace in French Casemate 35 3 de Marckolsheim Sud at darkplaces org in French Casemate de Marckolsheim Sud at fortiff be in French nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Casemate 35 3 Marckolsheim Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Casemate de Marckolsheim Sud amp oldid 934108305, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
