Fort of Michelsberg
Major artillery structure on the Maginot Line, designed to house 495 men.
The Fort of Michelsberg is a major artillery structure on the Maginot Line. Its construction began in 1930 and was completed four years later. The structure is made up of an entrance block and five combat blocks; it could thus align 6 cannons (from 47 mm to 135 mm), two 81-mm mortars and several dozen rifles and machine guns. It had a fire capacity of one metric tonne of shells a minute with a range of up to 13 km. This small subterranean town, located 30 m under ground, was operational thanks to its 515-man crew. In 1939-40, the Fort of Michelsberg was put to the test and had to push back an attack by the German 95th Infantry Division.
Weaponry Block 1: machine gun turret, Block 2: infantry casemate, Block 3: 81-mm turret, Block 5: 75-mm turret, Block 6: 135-mm turret.
Designed to house 495 men, operating with four 120-horse SGCM engines.
The structure is located between Thionville and Bouzonville just outside the village of Dalstein, heading toward Ebersviller.
Association Ouvrage du Michelsberg "22 Juin 1940"
6, rue du Docteur Schweitzer 57100 Thionville
Tél. 03 82 34 66 67
Email: o.michelsberg@wanadoo.fr
Open every Sunday from April to September, from 2 pm to 6 pm, and year round by appointment.
Fortweb website on European fortifications
Website dedicated to the Maginot Line
Quizz : Forts and citadels
EM A22 Vue aérienne. Source : Association Ouvrage du Michelsberg « 22 juin 1940 »
Galerie principale Michelsberg. Source : Association Ouvrage du Michelsberg « 22 juin 1940 »
Bloc 2 Michelsberg en 1940. Source : Association Ouvrage du Michelsberg « 22 juin 1940 »
Tourelle 75 mle 33 A22. Source : Association Ouvrage du Michelsberg « 22 juin 1940 »
Usine centrale. Source : Association Ouvrage du Michelsberg « 22 juin 1940 »
Practical information
57320
Dalstein
03 82 34 66 67
Ouvert tous les dimanches d'avril à septembre inclus, de 14 h à 18 h, et toute l'année sur rendez-vous.
