Fortification Murten

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Reduit Mont Vully 1914-15
La Lamberta infantry factory

The Murten fortification (also Murtenstellung ) was next to the Hauenstein fortification and the Bellinzona fortification, the most important line of defense of the Swiss army in the First World War . It served the 1st Army Corps to secure the Swiss plateau from enemy attacks from the west.

location

The key area of ​​Murten, between the Jura and the Saane near Laupen , forms a narrow passage (“Passage obligé”) on the main axis from Lake Geneva to Lake Constance. The area is dominated by the two hills Jolimont and Mont Vully . Here, between 200 and 50 BC, the Helvetii built fortified squares ( Oppidum von Bas-Vully ). The Romans built the capital of the Roman Civitas Helvetiorum in Aventicum, and the Zähringers to control this key area of Murten . The approximately 30 km wide passage between Lake Neuchâtel and Saane was an important transport link and a strategic military location for numerous national and international wars: Laupenkrieg , battle against the Guglers , battle of Murten , the French invasion and the Stecklikkrieg at Faoug .

During the First World War, the three deeply staggered sections of the Murten fortification were built one behind the other in the Zihlkanal , Mont Vully , Murten - Laupen / Saane area .

The Jolimont fortification section between Lake Biel and Lake Neuchâtel consisted of three developed, staggered defense lines and had to prevent an opposing crossing over the Zihl Canal. The front line consisted of three infantry bases and numerous machine gun bunkers to protect the Zihl crossings. The second line ran through the Niederholz north of Gals and along the foot of the Jolimont . The «forest position» at Jolimont was built from 1916 as a third and main line of defense. Artillery batteries were built on the southern slopes of the Jolimont in 1914.

In the fortification sections of Mont Vully and Murten – Saane , the defensive lines consisted of mutually covering infantry bases, which were supported by artillery positioned further back. They had to block the Mont Vully area between Lake Neuchâtel and Lake Murten and to absorb a shock between Lake Murten and Saanelauf near Bösingen .

history

After being elected Chief of Staff of the Swiss Army in 1906 , Theophil Sprecher von Bernegg assessed the threat to Switzerland because of the increasing tensions in Europe, and came to the following conclusions: Germany would not violate any Swiss territory on its own, while France would violate one An encircling attack through Switzerland could advance in the direction of the unfortified German southern border. The three-country border was then in the Jura near Bonfol , because Alsace was part of Germany.

On the basis of this analysis, engineering officers worked out detailed plans for the key areas west (closed position Murten ) and north (bridgehead Olten with fortification Hauenstein), which were ready by the start of the war in 1914. After the war it turned out that the French army had developed a "Plan H" (H = Helvétie) in December 1915 with a thrust through Switzerland towards southern Germany.

assignment

The Schaffhausen Council of States and militia officer Colonel Bolli was appointed commandant, and the general staff captain and later divisional officer Eugen Bircher was appointed chief of staff at Fortification Murten.

The "Order for the Murten Fortification Command" was drawn up by the Chief of Staff on August 8, 1914: The task of the Murten Fortification was to protect the city of Bern as access to the Swiss Central Plateau from enemy attacks via the Zihl and from the canton of Vaud and to create freedom of operation for the army, so that they can find a safe flank cover in the event of a transition to the attack east of the Saane or north of Lake Biel.

The shortest rail and road connection from France to Bern led through the Val de Travers with the railway line opened in 1901 via Pontarlier . The Lötschberg - Simplon tunnel , which was opened in 1913 , could be closed well on the Zihl as a military-geographically important traffic axis (second Alpine transversal next to the Gotthard tunnel ).

Preparation of the positions

In September 1914, around 16,000 militiamen built crescent-shaped trench systems surrounded by obstacles, artillery batteries , concrete bunkers for machine guns or for artillery, underground crew quarters and ammunition stores, as well as infantry fighting stands carved into the rock with tunnels for the Murten fortification .

A relaxation at the borders allowed the establishment of a relief service in order to make the necessary labor available again for agriculture and the economy. From October 1914 to 1917 the fortification was manned by an average of 2,000 men who were housed in the school buildings and restaurants in the surrounding villages. The construction of the Murten fortification cost between 22 and 26 million francs according to today's (2000) value.

Jolimont position

12 cm field howitzer Ord. 1862
  • 12 cm battery I Jolimont ⊙
  • 12 cm battery II Wartwald right ⊙
  • 12 cm battery III Wartwald left ⊙
  • 12 cm battery IV Fofernwald ⊙
  • Infantry factory 1 St. Johannsen Canal ⊙
  • Infantry Plant 2 Unterfeld ⊙
  • Infantry plant 3 Niederholz ⊙
  • Infantry factory 4 Vanelgut ⊙
  • Infantry factory 5 panel right ⊙
  • Infantry work 6 panel left ⊙
  • Infantry plant 7, railroad right ⊙
  • Infantry factory 8 railway left ⊙
  • Infantry work 9 Maison rouge ⊙ river caponnière
  • Concrete bunker WWI Chlosterwald 2 Mg 11 ⊙
  • Concrete bunker WWI Jolimont Pt 603 2 Mg 11 ⊙
  • Covered shooting gallery and observers WWI Gampelen ⊙
  • Concrete bunker WWI Gampelen 8.4 cm cannon ⊙
  • Concrete bunker WWI Gampelen 8.4 cm cannon ⊙

  • Jolimont artillery position

  • Artillery position on the edge of the Wartwald

  • Vanel Infantry Plant

  • Gampelen concrete bunker 8.4 cm cannon

  • Riedräbe Gampelen shooting gallery

Mont Vully position

  • Command post section II and artillery observation post 118 Plan Châtel: Direction west, Mont Vully (1939–1945 air observation) ⊙
  • Artillery observation post Plan Châtel: Direction Murten-Saane, Mont Vully ⊙
  • six casemates in Plan Châtel, Mont Vully ⊙
  • Helvetic protective wall, 100 BC Chr, Mont Vully ⊙
  • Artillery position V Mont Vuilly ⊙
  • 12 cm foot artillery VI Sur les Planches, "Champ Ribaud", Mont Vully ⊙
  • Infantry base 10 Vuilly le Haut ⊙
  • La Fin des Fourches 11 ⊙ infantry base
  • Infantry base 12 Réduit du Vully ⊙
  • Infantry base Sur le Mont 13 ⊙
  • Infantry base «La Lamberta» 13, Mont Vully ⊙

  • Helvetic protective wall (oppidum)

  • Observation stand 118 Plan Châtel

  • 12 cm artillery position Champ Ribaud

  • Position gun artillery position Mont Vully

  • Sandstone caves on Mont Vully: Fort de la Lombertaz , built in the First World War with combat and observer posts, ammunition depots and accommodation caves

Murten – Saane section

In the same area there are bunkers from the Second World War *

  • Aderahubel trenches (repealed) ⊙
  • Finstergässli trenches (repealed) ⊙
  • Eremelsburg trenches (8.4 cm position available) ⊙
  • Birchewald trenches (8.4 cm position available) ⊙
  • Wilerholz base (throat covered, observation bunker available) ⊙
  • Beinacker trenches (repealed) ⊙
  • Eichelried trenches (capping and Mg 11 bunker available) * ⊙
  • Ausserfeld base (canceled) * ⊙
  • Base Biberenächer Gurmels BE * ⊙
  • Réduit Grossholz ⊙
  • Kleingurmels trenches * ⊙
  • Mg 11 bunker Bruggera ⊙
  • 12 cm Altavilla artillery battery (repealed) ⊙
  • 8.4 cm gun emplacement Kapitelwald ⊙
  • 8.4 cm gun emplacement Risau ⊙
  • 8.4 cm gun emplacement Eiholz ⊙

  • Trenches Adera near Murten

  • Battery position Galmgut

  • Ausserfeld shelter

  • Kehltambour Biberenäcker

  • Réduit large wood shelter

World War II and Cold War

During the Second World War , the key area of Murten was upgraded as a forward position of the Reduit with additional reinforcements and operated by the Border Brigade 2 and the Light Brigade 1 . The Murten position formed a cornerstone of the advanced positions of the Reduit. New fortifications effective against armored vehicles were built on Mont Vully . The bunker line was laid out a little further west than the lines of the Murten fortification . As part of the second Jura water correction , the damming of the lakes was planned and partially implemented in the event of war. If triggered in good time, this would have resulted in a massive increase in the terrain of the Zihl and Broyelines due to flooding and swamping.

During the Cold War, the Murten area retained its strategic importance. The Motor Infantry Regiment 2 of Mechanized Division 1 was intended to occupy the infantry locking bar between its two tank regiments. In 1987, a factory company was set up as a crew for the systems created in active service from 1939 to 1945. With the Army 95 the plants were retired.

Blocking point Jolimont BE

The blocking point consists of the sections Gampelen, Gals, Neuhaus, Erlach. They had to block the seven kilometers wide space between Lake Neuchâtel and Lake Biel.

  • Infantry bunker Weihermatten Nord Ouest A 1031 Gampelen ⊙
  • Infantry bunker Weihermatten center A 1032 Gampelen ⊙
  • Covered rifle gallery and observation bunker Hohlenreben Gampelen ⊙
  • Infantry bunker Vanelwald A 1034 Gampelen ⊙
  • Infantry bunker Vanelwald A 1035 Gampelen ⊙
  • Infantry bunker Vanelwald A 1036 Gampelen ⊙
  • Infantry bunker Vanelwald A 1037 Gampelen ⊙
  • Infantry bunker Vanelwald A 1038 Gampelen ⊙
  • Chräjeberg Mg A 1027 Gals infantry bunker ⊙
  • Infantry bunker Pak A 1028 Gals ⊙
  • Hexagonal infantry bunker A 1065 Wartstude, Gals ⊙
  • Hexagonal infantry bunker A 1066 Wartstude, Gals ⊙
  • Hexagonal infantry bunker A 1067 Wartstude, Gals ⊙
  • Hexagonal infantry bunker A 1068 Wartstude, Gals ⊙
  • Infantry bunker MG Ob A 1022 Neuhaus ⊙
  • Chlostermüli infantry bunker A 1023 Neuhaus main plant ⊙
  • Hexagonal infantry bunker A 1044 Neuhaus ⊙
  • Hexagonal infantry bunker A 1045 Neuhaus ⊙
  • Hexagonal infantry bunker A 1046 Tüfelsburdi, Neuhaus ⊙
  • Hexagonal infantry bunker A 1047 Tüfelsburdi, Neuhaus ⊙
  • Hexagonal infantry bunker A 1048 Tüfelsburdi, Neuhaus ⊙
  • Infantry fortress A 1041 Main plant with 4 bunkers connected with tunnels, Chlosterwald ⊙
  • Hexagonal bunker Chlosterwald 1 A 1041 ⊙
  • Mg bunker Chlosterwald 2 A 1041 ⊙
  • Mg bunker Chlosterwald 3 A 1041 ⊙
  • Hexagonal bunker Chlosterwald 4 A 1041 ⊙
  • Infantry bunker A 1020 Erlach Castle ⊙
  • Infantry bunker Pak A 1021 Erlach main plant ⊙

  • GPH Gampelen

  • Observer Jolimont center

  • Hexagonal infantry bunker A 1048 Chlosterwald

  • Infantry fortress A 1041 Chlosterwald

  • Infantry bunker A 1020 Erlach Castle

Lock point Cudrefin-Vallamand VD

This blocking point doubles the line of defense that was built between Lake Murten and Lake Neuchâtel on Mont Vully during the First World War. It connects Cudrefin and Vallamand (Lake Neuchâtel and Lake Murten) with a tank obstacle aimed at 15 bunkers, which had to defend the passages and streets.

  • Infantry bunker A 1100 Cudrefin ⊙
  • Infantry bunker 1 Vers le Gibet A 1101: Mg, infantry cannon (Ik) ⊙
  • Infantry bunker 2 Champmartin A 1102: Mg, Ik ⊙
  • Infantry bunker 3 A 1103: Mg, Ik ⊙
  • Infantry bunker 4 Planche à la Tanne A 1104 Main work: Mg, Ik ⊙
  • Infantry bunker 5 planche à la Tanne A 1105: 2 Mg, Lmg ⊙
  • Infantry bunker 6 La Troche A 1107 ⊙
  • Infantry bunker 7 La Troche A 1108 ⊙
  • Infantry bunker 8 Bois de la Côte A 1106 ⊙
  • Infantry bunker 9 Bois de l'Allou A 1111 ⊙
  • Infantry bunker 10 Bois de l'Allou A 1115 Mg ⊙
  • Infantry bunker 11 Bois de l'Allou A 1116: Mg, Ik ⊙
  • Infantry bunker 12 Vallamand-Dessous A 1119: Mg, Ik ⊙
  • Infantry Bunker 13 Vallamand Lingerie A 1120 ⊙

  • Infantry bunker 13 Vallamand-Dessous A 1120 (above the Swiss flag)

Blocking points Murten – Saane FR

4.7 cm infantry cannon (Ik) for anti-tank defense
  • Infantry bunker Muntelier hexagonal ⊙
  • Infantry bunker Muntelier Mg, Railway West ⊙
  • Infantry bunker Muntelier Mg, South Railway ⊙
  • Löwenberg Nord Mg A 1163, counterwork railway bunker ⊙
  • Löwenberg Nord A 1664 Ik, flanked by GPH ⊙
  • Löwenberg Süd hexagonal A 1166 ⊙
  • Löwenberg Süd A 1165 Ik ⊙
  • Centi Bunker Löwenberg Süd A 1175 ⊙
  • Infantry bunker Sandacher Nord A 1170, MG flanked GPH ⊙
  • Infantry bunker Poudresse Süd A 1171 Ik ⊙
  • Infantry bunker Sandacher Nord hexagonal A 1172 ⊙
  • Infantry bunker Mühle Nord A 1221 Pak ⊙
  • Infantry bunker Jeuss klein A 1222 Mg bunker ⊙
  • Biberenächer infantry bunker A 1227 ⊙
  • Mg bunker Mühle Ost A 1228 ⊙
  • Observer mill Ouest - Dürenberg A1229 ⊙
  • Infantry bunker Hauptwerk A 1241 Kleingurmels ⊙
  • Infantry bunker Gegenwerk A 1242 Kleingurmels ⊙

  • Infantry bunker A 1165 Löwenberg Süd

  • Centi-Bunker Löwenberg Süd A 1175

  • Ground tank obstacle GPH Löwenberg Süd

  • GPH Biberenächer

  • Biberenächer infantry bunker A 1227

literature

  • Hans Rudolf Fuhrer : The Swiss Army in World War I, Threat, National Defense and National Fortification . NZZ-Verlag, Zurich 1999
  • Hans Rudolf Fuhrer: The fortifications Hauenstein and Murten in the First World War . In: Max Mittler (ed.): The history of the Swiss national fortification. Zurich 1992
  • Hans Rudolf Fuhrer, Jürg Keller: Key Room West . Bern 2005
  • Juri Jaquemet: When the enemy enters en masse through the Jura gates. The fortification to the west in the Seeland, Murtenbiet and the adjacent southern foot of the Jura 1815-1918 . Historical Institute of the University of Bern 2008
  • Günther D. Reiss: The Murten Fortification 1914-1918 - a makeshift fortified position . In: Volker Schmidtchen, Volker (Hrsg.): Research, Preserve, Maintain, Use - From dealing with defense architecture. Wesel 1991
  • Jürg Keller: “Die Murtenstellung”: Annual issue of the Association for Historical Military Plants, Freiburg / Bern 2013
  • Juri Jaquemet: Fortified Zealand: The Murten Fortification 1914–1918 . Annual booklet “100 Years of Fortification Murten” by the Association for Historical Military Plants, Freiburg / Bern 2014.

Web links

Commons : Fortification Murten  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ NZZ of May 8, 2003 Once and now a place of refuge - Mont Vully
  2. ↑ Oberland Fortress: Lock point Erlach BE
  3. ^ Fortification Hauenstein: History
  4. ↑ Juri Jaquemet: Fortified Zealand: The Fortification Murten 1914-1918 . Annual booklet “100 Years of Fortification Murten” by the Association for Historical Military Plants, Freiburg / Bern 2014
  5. ↑ II. Jura water correction. BAB E 27/17 727 Volume 1
  6. ↑ Oberland fortress: Murten-Mont Vully FR
  7. ↑ Fortress Oberland: Cudrefin-Vallamand VD lock point
  8. ↑ Jürg Keller: "Die Murtenstellung": Annual issue of the Association of Historical Military Plants, Freiburg / Bern 2013
  9. ↑ Teeone: Position de Morat: Lowenberg