Ouvrage Four-à-Chaux
French military museum / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ouvrage Four-à-Chaux is a gros ouvrage of the Maginot Line, located in the community of Lembach, France, in the Bas-Rhin département. Four à Chaux was adjoined by petit ouvrage Lembach and gros ouvrage Hochwald, and faced the German frontier as part of the Fortified Sector of the Vosges. A "four à chaux" is a lime kiln in French, and the ouvrage was located in the area of a limestone quarry and kiln, which operated until 1939. Four-à-Chaux was bombarded by the invading Germans in late June 1940 during the Battle of France with both aerial attacks and artillery bombardments. Four-à-Chaux survived to surrender at the end of the month. Block 1 was destroyed by the Germans before retreating in the face of American advances in 1945. During the 1950s Four-à-Chaux was renovated and reoccupied against a perceived threat from the Soviet Union. It fell out of use in the 1970s, and is now operated as a museum.
Ouvrage Four-à-Chaux | |
---|---|
Part of Maginot Line | |
Northeast France | |
Coordinates | 48.99694°N 7.797°E / 48.99694; 7.797 |
Site information | |
Controlled by | France |
Open to the public | Yes |
Condition | Preserved |
Site history | |
Materials | Concrete, steel, deep excavation |
Battles/wars | Battle of France, Lorraine Campaign |
Ouvrage Four-à-Chaux | |
---|---|
Type of work: | Large artillery work (Gros ouvrage) |
sector └─sub-sector | Fortified Sector of the Vosges └─Langensoultzbach |
Work number: | O 600, Ouvrage E |
Constructed: | 1930–1938 |
Regiment: | 165th Fortress Infantry Regiment (RIF) |
Number of blocks: | 8 |
Strength: | 19 officers, 491 enlisted |