FORT STACHELBERG, THE CZECH MAGINOT LINE FORT
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- čas přidán 9. 02. 2021
- Leading up to WW2 many countries built great forts and fortified lines, Czechoslovakia was one of them. They built an enormous line of bunkers and forts, inspired by the French Maginot line, and built with French advisors. One of these amazing structures is Fort Stachelberg near the Czech / Polish border today. It have an amazing gallery of underground tunnels and galleries. and is surrounded by bunkers.
This is followed up by another fort from the line, where I cover more of the regions history - Zábava
Nice to see that the Czechs respect their history and have preserved some of it for future generations to experience .
Every country have some very dedicated historians however still too much is falling to decay and ignorance, we really need to preserve that history especially since in our generation nor more veterans of that war will be alive
@@tinostruckmann Tino at 12:14 in the trench thats in front of the gun placement that metal flap to the right of the rebar ladder what was that used for it too high to be drainage? First thing came to mind was old mid-evil kill holes were they dumped hot tar ,oil anything thats hot lol so attacking forces wont'climb well try to atleast back up.. thanks if u can let me know first time i've notice thgat and im going though ever video i got to see if it's in any of those and cannot find a similier flap to a moat trap..???stay safe and may all your blues be labbatt's .. K.chow
@@kharonc9889 I can answer that - it is a hole they used to dump spent cannon shells to the moat. But there was also another hole which was called "grenade slide" this one enabled the crew to throw hand grenades into the moat.
I love bunkers and fortifications,and these are some of the best maintained I have seen
They really did a great job out there, you have to see my episode from fort Casso
Tino, Like the French Anti tank guns of the Maginot line, the AT guns were not pointed directly up the path of expected advance. Doing so would exposé them to direct fire from the enemy. Instead, the AT guns were aligned in such a way that the Tanks would have to advance slightly past the the defense line exposing their flanks to the AT guns. The AT Gun emplacements at Hockwald and Climbach are good examples.
I am trying to get a drawing of how the area should have looked at completion, with fields of fire of everything that were supposed to be installed. But clearly I need to go back and up the top of the opposing hil....
Yeah, I thougt in the same way!
Every firing port is a potentional weekpoint.
Also the same situation with the big infantry- fort...the more heavily built walls are facing to the german side.
Heavy steel domes on the other hand would not cripple the defense potential of the fort.
Yes Exactly. This is the main idea of the Czech WWII fortifications. Actually most of the bunkers were able to see their neighbors and and cover each other with direct fire (while also covering the space between). Most of the heavy weapons (100 mm howitzers) were also designed not to fire directly at the enemy but slantwise along the fort line...
Just found your video as catching up on all of your episodes, so having a cigar and a good coffee and now enjoying my evening, thank you, tino
Outstanding that is all I ever want to try anybody watching to do :-) enjoy
Even though betrayed, in all honesty, the Czechs were truly trying to protect themselves.
Glad to see they are protecting their history and telling the stories.
me too - i got a few more forts from there coming up
Thank you for yet again for a great history lesson. Something I wasn't aware of.
there's a lot more to be said and done from that location but it's a little harder to research since most of what has been written about it is not in any of the languages I speak
Like the way you present this good work and you make it interesting., showing the fields of fire from the bunkers and pill box's is a simple but great touch Thank you , From England.
Thank you England:-) Ill keep trying
I let the ads play... love your work....
Thank you so much I appreciate it I have started looking into just exactly how many commercials play in each one it does not appear that I have any say over either they're on or off so I took them off the middle part of some of the shorter videos for you guys
Nice vid. Greeting from Czech Republic
Another enjoyable one. Thank you again.
Glad you enjoyed it
I am so glad you’re documenting this it makes it fun for those of us who can’t travel like you are
Thank you that is what I was hoping for and will keep going for you all:-)
0:14 I was not expecting a mosque in that shot
I was waiting for this video😍 beautiful explanation
I am so not done with that location or Czech forts! But it is very apparent that there is great inspiration from the Maginot line
Hi Tino! Great work you have done!
Let me try to explain few things regarding forts and fields of fire you find strange. The political situation of 1935-1938 was as you well know trying to defend Czechoslovakia from Germans. A small Czech nation against big strong army. So this fortification line was built DEFENSIVE! I think thats why the fields of fire didn't point towards Germany. If it was built with artilery and machineguns pointing directly towards Germany, I think Czechs were afraid it could be taken (or said by Ge) as offensive measure against Germany, thus providing an excuse to attack Cz, for which Germans were anxiously looking for. I think therefore it was built in the maner not to intercept incoming, but to be able to fire at enemy AFTER he has crossed the border and was well inland.
2nd thing you should consider is regarding originality of all of this - you say yourself, many of these bunkers were used during cold war - by Russians, who were virtually ocuppying Czechoslovakia since 1945. It means the western border of Cs was patrolled and controlled by Russian forces and they were free to do as they wish, so I think (I don't think - it is sure) very little was left untouched, most of army stuff was adopted and modified by Russians after WW2.
And response from Tom Olson to be taken into it as well.
I agree with you, next I hope to look for forts that were involved in the fighting in 1944 / 45
In that time it was Nation of Czechs Slovak Carpatian ruteinians and also Germens, Hungerians and Poloish 🙂
And again a very nice holiday video for me :-) It would be of my holidays in 1996 and 1998. In 1996 I visited Pvenost Stachelberg and at that moment it was not possible to visit the underground. In 1998 I could visit the underground. I was so impressed to experience underground work to build a fortress. There were no running trenches in those years. The machinegun position in the small bunker had a much better map over the machine gun. I thought it was the original landscape painting. What has happenend to it. Thank you so very much,
I appreciate you sharing all these historical locations as I am a big world war two buff, and always watching documentaries and CZcams about the World war two years!! I would love to visit locations in Europe when I retire yes I already have it planned to come over there love to visit some of these historical sites!! And yes I’ve seen some of your world war two movies!! All right up my alley!!!! Thank you for sharing
Thank you so much for saying so you let me know when it's time for you to go to Europe and we will put a tour together it's always more fun when we are more
Sounds wonderful! I will let you Know,This is only like my second or third video I watched of yours but I plan on watching all of them shortly you have a wealth of knowledge to these issues of the past I did not know you did tours, that’s great That’s kind of what I’m looking for when I come over there,thank you tino,
@@robg7656 you got it and any questions you have about anything don't forget to send them in so I can get them all into Q&A :-)
Your videos are just amazing.
Glad you like them! Ill keep going then:-) I appreciate you saying so:-)
Could your confusion about the fields of fire be because the bunkers were of the flanking design? I know sometime after the 1920s the Finns started building their bunkers for flanking as opposed to a direct frontal defensive design.
Well I know the fields of fire were set up in order to cover the valleys in between them. However on some of them the entry doors were pointing out towards the valley where the Germans would be expected to appear... at least from what I can tell being there. Now I know there was a plan, but without anybody speaking English and a map it is a little hard to tell. However given that this was inspired to be an upgraded Maginot line - I know there is a plan somewhere in there.. Ill find it in a few month when I get back!
Thank you again for this nice video sir. God bless everyone.
And to you as well
Lost Battlefields w Tino Struckmann sure sir i just done watch ur video sir. once again thank u for uploading
Thank you some very beautiful country.
It really is! Cant wait to go back
Morning Tino Hope your recovered from your Travels!! Lucky you!! Well i have an answer to you on the direction of the Bunkers in some places and that is although many of them are facing towards Germany some are pointing obviously backwards so as to appear solely defensive you have got to remember that the Czechs didnt want to be appearing agressive to the Germans ' lets not give them an excuse sort of thing' whilst still remaining defensive ..or at least thats what i can come up with as for their Armements i can personally vouch for the old Bren Gun in both 308 win or 303 it was a beautiful weapon to fire / operate and maintain although as a teenager running around with one on Excercises was a bit much!! Haha but it had an excellent cyclic rate of fire and using 3 to 5 round bursts well you can comfortably take out and cover your ground out to say 600 yds comfortably with one and know your putting rounds where you want them to be!! Their Civilian Firearms are good also especially their Hunting Rifles i think nowadays they are amongst some of the best sporting Rifles in the world
Anyway I'm digressing nice one for showing us this and taking the time to talk about it you always learn something new! Keep Soldiering on Pal DG
I am working on a map with intended fields or fire and lanes of enemy approach
Hello from Sweden 🇸🇪
Hello Sweden, how are you all?
It is ok 👍
Big thanks for sharing your adventures! Enjoying the videos up here in Icy Canada snuggled in with coffee and chocolate on a -25 night!
I grew up in Scandinavia I I know what you mean I will suggest Irish coffee instead
It's not much better here in Czech Republic now, yesterday it was -12°C at night. :-D
@@Pidalin Oh wow, that's very frosty! I can't wait to travel there and drink some of your finest beers!!! Hopefully 2022 :)
@@masaharumorimoto4761 I live in central bohemia, such winter like this was last time in 2010/2011, we have mostly mud and rain in winter. :-)
@@Pidalin I am sure the weather will be better in a few months when I come back :-)
Around 21:46 you can see what appears to be what I would call a grenade drop. It's directly above the small hatch. For those not familiar, the idea is to drop armed grenades down an inclined pipe or chute in the area close to the point where the enemy would be trying to enter. Low tech, very effective.
The French gave them good ideas
yep...they are efective as a barier against sneaking around it too-I fell in one of those few weeks ago and had problem to climb back up (I´m doing a resreach studying the microclimate in ten of these bunkers near Ostrava)... even after all these years still efective :D
The feeling when being in those underground tunnels today, is at best romanticized
Turn off the lights and it becomes horrifying
Nice work, fyi👍👍👍
well anywhere dark chilly and damp with out lights just feels like Danish winters with your eyes closed lol - but with lights and the mist it is a great experience at least its peaceful and your phone wont ring lol
@@tinostruckmann I don't know the defenition of a Danish winter and can't find it, that being said
I don't fear the dark, but the dark we know is only a shade of grey, where the darkness underground is all consuming and I would likely feel something warm running down my leg
This is the only video I've seen, but when you called it romantic (for lack of a better word), you broke my brain
Still, nice work👍👍👍
Keep it up, it seems that today, to few know what happened even with the barriers they build and don't see where we're heading these days
Cheers
Sudetenland is the Home of my Family (1863) we live in Oberfranken Bawaria.
I Drive with the Motorcyles in the Sudetenland, Very Nice Clip 👍😁🇩🇪❤️🇵🇭
I did see a few bikes there, I am going back in about a month, is there anything you would recommend I go see?
@Else Tretwinter Come on. You know that's not true. The Sudetenland was never German, and the Germans who lived there peacefully for centuries began to make trouble with Hitler coming to power. Despite the fact that the Germans were invited to us by Charles IV. The borders of the country as we know them today have been unchanged for centuries and have always belonged to the Czech state. So please don't lie here.
S krajem který by se mohl nazývta Sudeteland sousedí pouze Sasko Krušné hory do Sudet jako pohoří nepatří děkuji :-)
Beautiful weapons either well looked after or nicely restored it seems a shame just to have them in a crate I would give my eye teeth to have them in my collection. I apologise for all the questions Tino but I promise this will be the last one for this video but I was wondering if you ever do any metal detecting on the old Battlefields???
They use them for different displays and exhibitions and to show the public and I have also seen reenactment at the fort I'm sure we can find similar :-)
Ya know if you ever get bored there is a lot of interest from Guys like me who would like to have someone like you who is enthusiastic and full of knowledge of sites like this who would probably pay you pretty good for you to show them and explain them
I am counting on beginning to arrange guided tours to some of the bigger sites, as well as the more unknown ones. So that can absolutely be arranged, I am preparing for the next trip over in a month or two.
@@tinostruckmann
That's awesome I wish you luck with that.One day I will haul my ass over there as soon as this Covid thing is over I guess that I am lucky living on an Island and in the bush.Basically the only WWII thing on the Island here that I can think of is Fort Rodd Hill I believe its a gun emplacement next to Canadian Forces base Esquimalt basically on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Anyways I'm really enjoying watching your videos. Cheers
I don't know if you'll be reading this, but few you said, that there were no defenses on one side or on wrong side. That's because Stachelberg was supposed to have an artillery rotating tower. The tower was supposed to have twin 10cm artillery vz. 38. In the tower would be only loaders and on top would be one periscope to watch sourrounding area. Only one prototype of total 12 for all the heavy fotrificationd was sadly finished in time. But at the time few were finished (i read, that 2 were finished in 1940 and sent to Reich), they were the best and most modern, that existed. Everything was supposed to operated with electric engines (except the twin artillery) or in emergency situations by hand. The rotating was supposed to be 360° also by electric engines. They had 400 Km range and were capable of shelling german cities. And one fun fact: full strength czechoslovak divisions had 1037 light machine guns, german had 378. Czechoslovak division had 263 heavy machine guns, german had 138. And last, all czechoslovak divisions had 3 light tanks for support and 6 tankettes for recon, german divison had 6 armored cars for support. And at that time, czechoslovak tanks were considered the best in the world.Germans had mostly for combat panzer 2, that could be destroyed with machine gun fire. They also had few prototypes of panzer 3 and panzer 4, but they probably wouldn't rish losing them in combat. Another thing is, that all bunkers were build in some places with 5 lines of defence. All bunkers were built or planned to be built to protect each other with fire. Another thing is airforce. Czechoslovaks had mostly Avias B. 534, a biplane, but don't be fooled - they were almost as good as german. Yes, they were about 50 km slower, but german had less armor. The czechoslovak avias had better maneuverability and higher climbing factor
There was one more bunker at the entrance side of the tunnel but there was none on the mountain top above which I find strange there must have been at least infantry positions around that perimeter since it would be too easy for it would be assassin to climb the mountain top and look down on the train tunnel
Hi Tino! The paint scheme on the bunker at start looks pretty much same as the French had on some early WW2 tanks and Renault B1-bis and also some Somua S35 tanks. By the way, you should some day come to Finland and visit the Marnnerheimin Linja (The Mannerheim Line) at Karelian isthmus -> en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mannerheim_Line . Thanks again for a great video!
Oh I would love to, Not sure I can make it there this summer but possibly later. Are you still digging up StuGs? As for the paint scene, they would be the same as the French were advising to entirely possibly. Besides the foliage in CZ and France is roughly the same.
What is the best way to get there from Prague? I see there is a train to Trutnov but Fort Stachelberg is a little far away.
I think that the infantry bunker's blind wall facing Germany would have been protected up to the level of its upper slab by an enormous rocky embankment, then covered with earth and grass. Thus this concrete military structure would have merged better into the natural topography of the place. This was not achieved, the site having been abandoned for historical reasons that we know: the annexation of the Sudetenland by Hitler. Well done and thank you Tino for your wonderful reports on modern fortification!
Thank you, well they never did finish and I am still waiting for a copy of the original construction plans and defense plans of the area. Ill share when or if I get them.
Exactly. It all was designed for flank fire. There was a thick concerete wall facing enemy and even overeaching sides of the bunker to cover it from direct fire. The wall was shielded by stone drywall and earth bank. Only part visible to enemy was steel "bell" with 20-30cm thick walls. Stachlberg was artillery fort, so some of its object was intended to accomodate howitzers. Of course they have to face the direction of expected enemy advancement. More about Stachlberg and other Czechoslovak fortifications here (Google translate can help) www.bunkry.cz/clanek/1209
Wow
You might like the one from Fort Casso also that was amazing
"A question to the panel... what would you do if you were Hitler?"
"I'd annex the Sudetenland."
- Monty Python
I love the Hitler in Sommersfels bit:-)
The "sudetenland" regions have always belonged to the Kingdom of Bohemia but have been populated gradually by German settlers since 14. century. The 19. century nationalist wave caused the national awarness of the soncalled sudetenland population and subsequent problems.
DeGaulle wrote a book how to defeat the French Maginot Line. He hoped those in charge would take note and make the required changes. Instead, DeGaulle was ignored. Unfortunately, Hitler read the book. You know the results.
well DeGaulle went about it in a way that rubbed the French government the wrong way, making them fearful of a Military coup. That book did loads of damage to the French military.
Under belly defence that Churchill was coming at germany from the south on the last bunkers
30:21 Answer to your question sit right on that wall. That hole in wall is use to toss granate if some one aprouch entrens
The pieces of wood you saw in the concrete walls are not to attach stuff.
These are reinforcement pieces of the wooden formwork where the concrete was poured in..
Now that depends on where you are looking, it was normal to insulate bunkers with wood, the smaller dowels for attaching things. the forms were out of most of these as construction was completed.
@@tinostruckmann That's true , I meant the pieces of wood in the stairway , In the rooms they would put them there by purpose , but the stairways were never decorated with wooden panels for isolation .
@@mo9620 the purpose been to prevent concrete shrapnel flying through the room in case if the outside hit. btw us Czechs understood how to build with concrete well look in Hiroshima, Japan the only building standing in the epicentre - Atomic dome is czech design by Czech architect. ;)
I wonder if possible the Germans re-organized the bunkers/forts to support different fields of fire as well as alternative entrances/exits. Since the installation was largely incomplete when Germany was given the Sudetenland, and given their experience with bunker construction they remade this as a defensive line for an attack on the heartland of Germany.
Well they pretty much were laid out the way they were facing the other direction. However as the Russians approached they did use and fight from some of them. But I will go back next month and visit other forts and get a better overview
I would like to here any thoughts you might have about Adolf Hitler possibly escaping to Argentina sorry I know its an off question do you have any videos on that topic thank you !
In a few of my Q/A I have talked about, the possibility of Martin Bormann escape, where I also touched upon the possibility and or likelihood of Hitler's Escape. it is a very popular question I tell you what I will dive little deeper in my next Q&A and we'll cover that question for you :-)
Ya these firing positions and bunker entrances are kinda confusing. I wonder if there was earth works that have been removed post war.
I think the problem is that a whole bunch of Trees grew up and gets in the way, but I am going back there next month and will hopefully meet up with one of the local historians and figure it out:-)
@@tinostruckmann No, you just got the directons wrong. The side where the enemy would come from is the side which is covered by soil. The side with the doors is facing Czechoslovakia. And the machine guns point to the sides because these bunkers were always placed on sight from their neigbhouring bunkers so they could cover each other. And also there were always at least two lines of them. But apart from this misunderstanding great video about our forts! :)
Btw there is a great website where you can see all forts light and heavy, built or not, on a map with their lines of fire. It is also in english.
mapyDOTopevneniDOTcz
If it's not for spent ammunition, what's it for? No wash basin.
Hey bud I am watching the movie Call Me King 2017 and I was wondering if you are in it because there is a guy who looks like you so I was just wondering. Cheers
well despite never having been paid for it, or seen it yes apparently yes I am in it...
@@tinostruckmann
Awesome except for the fact that you never got paid. It's amazing that you seem to fit right in to the gangsta part lol Way to go and I hope to see you in some more movies oh and by the way Nice suit you were wearing in that part. One day I would like to hear how you ever got into this Cheers bud
@@jbrobertson6052 It was a long time ago, pretty sure its my suit. Sometimes we actors do acting deals with smaller producers, with deferred pay supposed to be paid when the movies comes out.... and sometimes that does not happen. Its OK just because a movie is released does not mean they made money. Life goes on..
He is indeed listed in the credits on imdb.
@@azb2010
Well at least he got something out of it. As they used to say back in the day. "He's got his name in Lights"
Do you think maybe they built them funy nowing that they would loose that land ..maybe they new information ahead of time
Similar location as shown in Call of duty World at war
They resemble the Maginot Line forts very much so Su will see you in the next couple of video
A couple of yrs after Communism fell a Czech friend who's family fled in the 1960s had his cousin visit. He was not long out of Czech national service. I asked him about these forts. I had read they would have been a big problem for Hitler if Chamberlain hadn't ceded the Sudetenland. He said the forts were formidable and a 2nd ring of defences had been added during the cold war. So what you showed may only be a fraction of what may have been there. Maybe the rest was made using wood so it hasn't lasted.
Oh yes, their fort ring almost circles the whole country, this was just a small part. And yes absolutely the German military had grave reservations of fighting their way through these forts and rings of defense. I am on the way back and Ill visit a few more of them with a historian and talk more about the defensive theory behind them,
@@dirtyharrydefeatsislamblmt6900 that's what I just told them while I was there but he still did no surprise Hitler thought Poland would be trouble-free as well
Have you thought that maybe the Germans made additions to those positions firing in the direction of the advancing Russians?
Some of them were used in the final battles of the war. I have seen or heard of no places where the Germans build onto the forts. They did strip a lot of them for parts used in the Atlantic wall. However they did fight from some of them.
One fortres near Ostrava are use during Ostrava oparetion but was no use sinc rusian go in difernet direction. Most of fortress was strip of its guns and it was uses alswre by german.
Beautiful country side. Nice
place to do some day dreaming. My theory is they were using reverse psychology on the Germans. Or else the builders all had a case of dyslexia when it came to reading blue prints.
They absolutely had a very specific plan, and I am sure the plan was solid, I just cant figure out what some of the fields of fire were to be since the doorways sits facing the enemy path.. Ill figure it out next time
@@tinostruckmann You are the expert at this so I think you'd better solve the mystery. Start brewing the coffee.
You might be right though Rhonda, it looks like it was designed by by a person who had a misspelt youth
@@simonbroberg969this one is a true mystery. I hope Tino solves it for us. I would hate to think it was due to pure ignorance. Maybe a treasonous act ???? Or the blind leading the blind.
@@tinostruckmann www.opevneni.cz/ , mapa.opevneni.cz/
Such a big project and at the end they gave up lol
Well they were ordered to and certainly the CZ army was ready fight all respect to them.
@@tinostruckmann Čs Arny sir Czech Arny sinc 1993
Shame couldn't get into the first bunker withy the camo design.
I will in a few month when I get back
maybe some of that bunkers was not against germany, in the 1920s poland ocupied teritory from germany and chech republick, maby at time of planing the defencesystem germany was net the agressor...
They actually built bunkers on 3/4 of their border against most of their neighbors, it was a volatile neighborhood after WW1
"I´m not a botanist". It´s actually arborist who works with trees. Not to be an arshole.
LOL Where have you been all my life:-) I would love to have had you with me at the Wolfslair and a few other places, I am constantly amazed at how little it takes for some plants and trees to go:-)
Those regions were never a part of a German state or a kingdom. Maybe tribes way back then...Was the population IN SOME areas majority german ? Yeah sure
Watch the next episode from there posted about a month ago I go into the history of that region in more detail
Maybe it wasn't build against the Germans because Germany wasn't the real Enemy?
Oh i know, history says something else ^^
But stones don't lie. 😂
It was built against Germans (who BTW lived on both sides of the line). The fact it didn't face Germany is caused by the tactics. It is designed for flank fire. Only thick concrete walls covered with stone and earth face the enemy. Good luck hiting it.
@@tomfu6210 Not really. They didn't build a bunker entrance in front of the enemy for flanking fire. And the Firefields are mostly backwards. Look the Video again.
This bunker line was built for the Germans, not against them. The government has been infiltrated and many People are preparing to wage a liberation struggle. This did not happen because the country was annexed under pressure from the allies.
(sorry for my bad English)
@@Baldur1975 :-) I live there. Tino didn't fully understand how the defenece was designed. It is a line (in this case two or three lines of bunkres) facing enemy with it's back walls and covering area with side fire. If you look at a map with positions of the bunkers, it is going thru the valley , the road is going between them and betwenn 1st and 2nd line so the enemy would be forced to infiltrate between the bunkers and would be under constant fire from bunkres on both sides plus others in 2nd and 3r line and some of others from greater distance with line of sight. So the entrance is not facing enemy, but the second line of defence and defensive postions of own army. If someone would try to approach it, he will be under covering fire from other positions.
@@tomfu6210 Ah, ok. This make sense.
tnx
So are you going to show me around next month so we can get some more details in a new video? :-)
They resemble on the outside ,but the inside is nothing like the "ouvrages" of the Maginot. See amateur expeditions in some of the abandoned ouvrages to compare the size, depth and complexity of a Maginot bunker compared to this czech joke.
Now Now be nice. I have been to the Maginot line and done episodes from there, I am constantly amazed by the Maginot line. However the CZ built a defensive line covering nearly 75 percent of their border. And they did it with the Generals and technicians who built the Maginot line, so many features are inspired or taken from the French designs. I will try to get back and visit some of the other forts soon. Also remembering they never finished them either.