Border Brigade 12
Map with all coordinates: 
The Border Brigade 12 was one of eleven border brigades of the Swiss army . It was subordinate to the 3rd Army Corps (since 1961 Mountain Army Corps 3 , Geb. AK 3) and existed from 1938 to 1994 ( Army 95 ).
history
The border troops were reorganized in accordance with the Hague Agreement with the 1938 Troop Order (TO 38) and 11 border brigades (Gz Br) were created. In addition to the border fusilier battalions, they had a company of cyclists, motorized mitrailleurs and infantry gunners .
In order for the border defense (border occupation) to remain credible despite the rapid development of war technology, the Federal Council decided to strengthen the line of defense with permanent, deeply staggered border fortifications . In 1935, the federal authorities had the office for fortifications (BBB) revived and from 1937 the border fortifications (fortress Sargans etc.) were rebuilt.
The Grenzbrigade 12 was assigned to the 3rd Army Corps for training and preparation. The subordination during the mission was determined by the respective operation plan. In all units of the border troops, militiamen residing in the operational area were assigned because the border troops were the first to be mobilized in the event of mobilization and had to be ready for immediate action so that the mobilization of the majority of the army could not be disrupted.
During the Second World War, Grenzbrigade 12 owned five artillery works, around 50 infantry barriers and over 150 fortified individual objects as well as around 150 explosive objects (bridges, rock galleries and tunnels prepared for demolition) in the Grisons region. Bunkers and fortifications were built at tactically important locations and narrow spaces in order to take advantage of the strong terrain and to delay an enemy attack. During the Second World War, the headquarters were in the Kurhaus Alvaneu Bad .
During Army 61 , the KP Alvaneu A 7808 command post was built between 1961 and 1963 in Tobel La Val in Alvaneu ⊙ as a tunnel and cavern system. When the operational area was moved, there was a second guide system in the underground car park of a large hotel in St. Moritz. ⊙
All works were kept in operational condition until 1995: explosive objects were loaded, the ammunition in the fortifications was changed and resealed every six years.
The territory of Border Brigade 12 adjoined that of Mountain Division 12 to the southeast and extended from there to the national border. These included the Lower and Upper Engadine, the Münstertal, the Puschlav and the Bergell.
The brigade had to fight the wear and tear from the border, to ensure the neutrality protection service (NSD) and to block the axes leading through their area.
Units (as of 1994)
The brigade was formed with Graubünden militiamen:
- Works companies 32, 33, 34, 35 took care of the infantry works
- Fortress Department 112: Companies I / 112 Artillery Works Crestawald (belonged to Mountain Division 12), II 12 cm fortress mine throwers , Companies III, IV, V with mobile (towed) howitzers.
Artillery works and blocking points
The works and blocking points of Border Brigade 12 are in the canton of Graubünden. Artillery works for fire support belong to individual blocking points:
- Blocking points (blocking points of national importance with *): Bondo, Berninahäuser *, Bernina Pass, Chamuera, Crastatscha , Dös, Gesero / Grono, Lai da Vons , Lavin *, Livigno, Maloja , Medel, Ova Spin / Ofenpass *, Pardenn, Punt dal Gall, Ramosch, Reichenau, Rofla , Roveredo, Safierberg , San Bernardino, Schlappin, Schyn, S-chanf, Septimer , Splügen , Susch , Valserberg , Versam, Zernez , Zügen
Alvaneu Military Museum
The Military History Foundation of Graubünden wants to create a museum on the subject of the Cold War from the former command post of Border Brigade 12 in Alvaneu . The underground tour system is being renovated over a period of several years so that the content, which is unique in Switzerland, can be shown. The opening is planned for spring 2020.
literature
- Fritz Meisser (Ed.): Farewell to the south-eastern listening post of Switzerland. Memories of the Border Brigade 12 1952–1994 . Buchdruckerei AG, Davos.
- Thomas Peng: The fortifications on the Valserberg. Matura thesis at the Swiss Alpine Middle School Davos, SAMD 2007.
- Silvio Keller, Maurice Lovisa, Thomas Bitterli: Military monuments in the canton of Graubünden , VBS 2003 [1]
- Peter Baumgartner, Hans Stäbler: Fortified Graubünden. Wolves in sheep's clothing. Military History Foundation Graubünden, Chur 2006. New edition Verlag Desertina, Chur 2016, ISBN 978-3-85637-485-3 .
Web links
- Crestawald Fortress Museum: Lock points in the Canton of Graubünden
- Fortress Museum Trin: Lock points in the canton of Graubünden
- Little Porcupine: Border Brigade 12
- Military fortifications as the backbone during the 2nd World War in Graubünden
- Southeastern Switzerland from March 18, 2017: The Military History Foundation of Graubünden is planning a fourth museum with the command post KP Alvaneu A 7808
Individual evidence
- ↑ Agreement on the Rights and Duties of Neutral Powers and Persons in the Event of Land War, concluded in The Hague on October 18, 1907.
- ↑ Silvio Keller, Maurice Lovisa, Thomas Bitterli: Military-historical monuments in the canton of Graubünden, VBS 2003
- ↑ Fortress Oberland: Border Brigade 12
- ↑ Fortified Graubünden 1941