Maginot Line Gros Ouvrage Hackenberg (A19)

 museum, fortification, Maginot line

Ouvrage Hackenberg, one of the largest (a gros ouvrage) of the Maginot Line fortifications, was part of the Fortified Sector of Boulay. It is situated twenty kilometers wast of Thionville, in the Moselle département, near the village of Veckring, on the Hackenberg (343 meters). It is located between gros ouvrage Billig and petit ouvrage Coucou, facing Germany.

The Ouvrage has a total of 17 combat blocks and 2 entry blocks. At full strength the ouvrage contained 940 men and 41 officers. The large ouvrage is one of the few to have a defended anti-tank ditch protecting one side.

Today the ouvrage now stands preserved as a museum. Block 8 was heavily damaged by American forces in 1944.

The disposition of blocks is as follows.

Block 1: Infantry block with one machine gun turret and one fake light machine gun cupola.
Block 2: Artillery block with one 75mm gun turret and two light machine gun cupolas.
Block 3: Artillery block with one 81mm mortar turret and one light machine gun cupola.
Block 4: Infantry and Anti-Tank block with one machine gun turret, one 37mm anti-tank embrasure, one twin machine gun embrasure and two light machine gun cupolas.
Block 5: Artillery block with three 75mm gun embrasures, a grenade launcher cupola and two light machine gun cupolas.
Block 6: Artillery block with one 135mm howitzer turret and one light machine gun cupola.
Block 7: Infantry and Anti-Tank block with one one machine gun turret, one 37mm anti-tank embrasure, one twin machine gun embrasure and two light machine gun cupolas.
Block 8: Artillery block with three 75mm gun embrasures and two light machine gun cupolas.
Block 9: Artillery block with one 135mm howitzer turret, one 135mm howitzerembrasure and two light machine gun cupolas.
Block 10: Artillery block with one 81mm mortar turret and two light machine gun cupolas.
Block 11: Fire control block with one observation cupola and one light machine gun cupola.
Block 12: Fire control block with one observation cupola and two light machine gun cupolas.

Block 21: Anti-Tank block with one 37mm anti-tank embrasure, one twin machine gun embrasure and one light machine gun cupola.
Block 22: Anti-Tank block with one 37mm anti-tank embrasure, one twin machine gun embrasure and one light machine gun cupola.
Block 23: Infantry block with one grenade launcher cupola and one light machine gun cupola.
Block 24: Anti-Tank block with one 37mm anti-tank embrasure, one twin machine gun embrasure, one grenade launcher embrasure and two light machine gun cupolas.
Block 25: Anti-Tank block with one 75mm gun embrasure, one twin machine gun embrasure, one grenade launcher embrasure and two light machine gun cupolas.

Personnel Entry: Entrance block with one 37mm anti-tank embrasure, one grenade launcher embrasure and two light machine gun cupolas.
Ammunition Entry: Entrance block with one 37mm anti-tank embrasure and two light machine gun cupolas.

The tunnel outlined here has the basic layout of the underground facility, barracks, generator, maintenance, water and fuel storage, kitchen, dining room, latrines, command center, infirmary, filter room, telephone central and munitions . Also has .6 m rail system.

website: www.maginot-hackenberg.com/accueilanglais.htm
www.darkplaces.org/Frankreich/WW2/Ligne_Maginot/SF_de_B...
www.mablehome.com/molvange/sfbou/go/hackenberg/hackenbe...