Fort mountains
The Fort mountains was the fortress Magdeburg belonging Fort . Due to its design, it was also known as the Sternschanze or the Stern . However, in its nearly 200-year history, it has never been involved in active combat operations.
strategy
The fort was a novelty in the fortress construction and represented an architectural and strategic masterpiece. The complex was advanced far to the south and represented its own work, independent of the fortress. The possible attacker should be forced to expand the containment ring very far and thus his own Decision to weaken required field army.
history
Building history
The first plans for a fort that were pushed to the south well in front of the actual Magdeburg fortress date back to 1714 and were made by Captain von Bosse . The actual construction of the fort then took place only from 1721 under the direction and according to plans of Gerhard Cornelius Walraves .
The name Berge came from the well-known Berge monastery located a little further south .
The fort was built in the shape of a four-pointed star, which gave the complex the name Stern . This shape, which was new in relation to the previously used bastions , brought several strategic advantages. The crew on the four fronts of the star could intervene in securing the existing trenches at any time. You could also shift the combat force in any direction if necessary.
A main inner wall was created. This contained a vaulted three- story barracks that stretched all around. In front of this wall there was a ditch, in front of this there was a second, smaller wall, the so-called Enveloppe . This was followed by an outer ditch, which in turn was surrounded by a free sloping terrain, a glacis . The glacis protruded outwards at an acute angle in the middle of the front, while the ramparts there retreated at an obtuse angle, which reinforced the impression of a star.
A plan from 1723 provided for a path from the fort to the fortress covered by ramparts and two lunettes . However, this plan never came to fruition.
Access to the fort was through the star gate designed by Walrave.
Due to the advancement of weapon technology, the Magdeburg fortress was repeatedly rebuilt. Fort Berge remained unaffected by this and was included unchanged in the fortress planning during the last fortification reconstruction in the years 1869 to 1873.
After the fortress was abandoned due to the changed war technique and its northern front had already been sold to the city of Magdeburg in 1888 , the southern front including the fort was sold in 1904. In the same year the fort was used for the construction of representative residential and commercial buildings blown up.
Military clashes
Despite the various armed conflicts, the Magdeburg Fortress and Fort Berge were at no time actively involved in a military conflict. The reason for this was the enormous military effort that would have required storming the fortress. In the only critical situation, the fortress and fort were handed over without a fight. During the advance of Napoleon I in 1806 , the 23,000-strong garrison of the fortress surrendered to 7,000 French attackers who had appeared as the vanguard at the gates of the fortress. The strength of the fortress became apparent when Napoleon I withdrew . The French-occupied Magdeburg fortress only surrendered after Paris had already fallen and was able to negotiate a free withdrawal of French troops. An attack on the fortress was not even attempted because of the expected high losses.
The fort as a prison
Like the Magdeburg Citadel, which also belongs to the Magdeburg Fortress , Fort Berge was used as a prison at times .
The former architect of the fortress Walrave in particular was imprisoned here since 1748 . Walrave was imprisoned here until his death in 1773 on suspicion of treason and irregularities in the accounting of buildings . A house with two chambers had been built for Walrave in the fort's yard, measuring 10 by 12 meters. Walrave was allowed to move freely in this courtyard. The fort was only manned by a guard.
From 1755 Friedrich von der Trenck was temporarily imprisoned in the fort.
Todays situation
Only the names of a nearby street ( Sternstraße ) and a bridge ( Sternbrücke ) remind of the fort's existence . The area is now built with buildings from the beginning of the 20th century and is known as the Sterngelände . The star gate has been preserved. In September 2008 the foundation stone for the rebuilding of the gate on Magdeburg Cathedral Square was laid.
literature
- Helmut Asmus: 1200 years of Magdeburg. From the imperial palace to the state capital. A city story. Volume 2: The years 1631 to 1848. Scriptum, Halberstadt 2002, ISBN 3-933046-16-5 .
- Bernhard Mai, Christiane Mai: Magdeburg Fortress. Verlag Janos Stekovics, Dößel 2006, ISBN 3-89923-098-1 .
- Sabine Ulrich: Magdeburg barracks (= state capital Magdeburg. Vol. 81, ZDB -ID 1222115-6 ). Magdeburg - Office for Public Relations and Protocol, Magdeburg 2002.
- Erich Wolfrom: The building history of the city and fortress Magdeburg (= Magdeburg cultural and economic life. No. 10, ZDB -ID 545106-1 ). City of Magdeburg - The Lord Mayor, Magdeburg 1936.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Chronicle of the city fortifications of Magdeburg, here because of the demolition date of Fort Berge ( memento from October 23, 2014 in the Internet Archive ), May 1, 2010
Coordinates: 52 ° 6 ′ 59 ″ N , 11 ° 37 ′ 44 ″ E