Field fastening

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The field fortification is a facility of the site for combat purposes, which is usually carried out in a short time with the means available on the spot and which is preferably used for a single day of combat in the field, but also for a longer time in the fortress war, or for the entire duration of the War to cover the lines of communication of the army at train stations, stage locations, etc.

Pre-modern times

There is evidence that the Roman legionaries already used this form of fortification, which they had to create every evening on their numerous marches. The case applied only for one night or a few nights marching camp are still visible, either as an on aerial photographs outlasting recognizable feature, landmark or as a millennia ground monument . Similar cases can be found around the world.

Modern times

Field fortifications in the early modern period

Since the early modern era, with the increased emergence of field artillery and - in the 20th century - through the armored artillery , field fortifications have become increasingly important in conventional symmetrical combat operations. They can be roughly divided into four groups:

All these types of construction had the common feature that they were erected with temporary means from earth and often with wooden paneling, sandbags or the like. were reinforced. Particularly extensive field fortifications were created during early modern sieges . In order to be protected from the sideline of the besieged and from the attack of a relief army , the erection of two rings of field fortifications was common. These fastening rings could reach a length of several tens of kilometers. Even when approaching the besieged fortress, temporary bastions and ramparts were often built , as was the case with the Spanish siege of Ostend held by the Dutch (1601–1604). Eyewitnesses to this siege reported that after some time it was hardly possible to distinguish between the fortifications of defenders and attackers. More complex fortifications such as hornworks were also provisionally erected.

Further field fortifications can be found in the course of the Fossa Eugeniana . Despite the predominant use of earth as a building material, these facilities represent a transition to permanent fortresses, because even today many elements of fortress construction such as bastions and the like can still be recognized in them.

Friedrich Schiller's field fortifications became known literarily as Wallenstein's camp. This is the camp of the same name from the Thirty Years' War near the town of Zirndorf near Fürth , which was able to survive despite centuries of destruction through peaceful human efforts.

Wagon castles

A special feature of the field fortification was the wagon castle . Depending on requirements, a number of vehicles could be put together to form a circle, which could be used tactically like a fortress on wheels. Even the Goths used wagon castles, for example in the Battle of Adrianople in 378. At the turn of the early modern period wagon castles equipped with guns were used. Knowledge of this mobile field fortification also penetrated the Ottoman Empire via Hungary . Ironically, the Hungarians were defeated by the Ottomans at the Battle of Mohács in 1526 using wagon castles. Wagon castles were also used during the Peasants' War , but they were quickly shot down with cannons . The Anabaptists of Munster finally sought refuge in a wagon castle on the town's market square, which was destroyed by princely troops in 1535. The concept of the wagon castle was pursued until the settlement of the so-called " Wild West " in the 19th century. The idea was provided by European emigrants from the larger cities, because, especially since the 15th century, each city there had its own wagon castle.

20th century

The First World War was primarily a war of field fortifications, because after initial movements of this war froze in trench warfare that always in free terrain under improvised happening conditions. The French Maginot Line and the German Siegfried Line were built around these field fortifications, which were improvised in the early days and closed the gaps between the fortifications, as fortifications, albeit not continuous, to which field fortifications were added. Experiences from the First World War were incorporated into the construction of these new fortresses .

literature

  • Eduard von Peucker: The German war system of primeval times. Part 2, Berlin 1860.
  • Joseph von Hammer-Purgstall: History of the Ottoman Empire. Part 2, Pesth 1834.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon Entry field fortification
  2. ^ Meyer's Large Conversation Encyclopedia Entry Wagenburg
  3. ↑ Eduard von Peucker, p. 200.
  4. ^ Joseph von Hammer-Purgstall, p. 55.