Lock point Maloja

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Malojapassstrasse

The blocking point Maloja (army designation no. 1232) was a defensive position of the Swiss army . The first barrier line is directly on the Malojapassstrasse , the second just before the village of Maloja .

The lock was built in 1939 by civil companies and is considered a military historical monument of regional importance. It belonged to Border Brigade 12 and was repealed with Army 95 .

Lock point Maloja

The first mule path over the Maloja was laid out by the Romans . The Maloja remained a replacement route for the Septimer for a long time . In 1776 a narrow road was built and from 1827 to 1839 a modern artificial road constructed by Richard La Nicca was built. This axis of incidence from the Bergell was occupied by infantry and artillery units during the First World War .

During the Second World War and Army 61, the strong Maloja barrier was given the task of barring access from Bergell to the Upper Engadine plateau . It consists of three fighting systems and a shelter.

The main plant in Maloja Kulm (A 7678) consists of two floors. Its name was borrowed from the nearby Hotel Maloja Kulm. Each floor has crew quarters, which are connected to one another by an extensive labyrinth of tunnels.

The lower floor of the main plant acted with a 9 cm anti-tank cannon (Pak) and three machine guns (Mg) directly on the top bends of the south ramp of the Malojapass (towards Bergell). The counterwork (A 7679) armed with two MGs to this area is located directly next to the cantonal road.

The upper floor acted with two MG as a pass crossing barrier directly over the pass depression to the west to the counterwork armed with two MGs (A 7679) on the other side of the valley.

Systems of the blocking point

The main plant (A 7678) was camouflaged as the entrance of a house, Maloja Strasse (A 7679) as a retaining wall:

  • Rock working Maloja cavern A 7677: Year 1939 2 51 Mg, 12 man ⊙
  • Rock working Maloja-Kulm A 7678: Year 1939 4.7-cm-Ik (later 9-cm-Pak), 5 mg 51, 30 man ⊙
  • Entrance and Mg booth A 7678 ⊙
  • Mg stand A 7678 ⊙
  • Pak stand, 4 mg A 7678 ⊙
  • Infantry bunker Maloja-Strasse A 7679: 2 Mg ⊙
  • Shelter
  • Accommodation barracks
  • Explosive object ⊙
  • 12 cm twin fortress mine thrower Pila A 7698 ⊙

Locking point septimer

Historic pass path with rocks Septimer Sporen A 7681 (back center)

The Septimerpass has been one of the most important alpine crossings since Roman times thanks to the direct north-south connection. Above the pass path at 2340  m was a Roman field camp ⊙ from the Augustan imperial era , which offered space for three tents for units of around 200 men each. It probably secured the important supply route for the Roman army .

With the opening of the Viamala in 1473, the competing Untere Strasse over the Splügenpass gained in importance compared to the Obere Strasse over the Septimer. Regional traffic also increasingly shifted to the much safer parallel route via Julier and Malojapas.

During the Second World War, the Septimer locking point (Army designation No. 1227, Gz Br 12) was tasked with preventing the Maloja and Julierpass locking points from being bypassed with four infantry units. There is a Mg cavern on both valley flanks. The Sporren plant (A 7681) is located in the rock head in the middle of the valley with three 3 Lmg positions (firing direction to the left, right and front) and a separate observer stand to monitor the pass path. On the right side of the valley below the Sporren plant, an Lmg position could cover a confusing section below the barrier.

  • Felsenwerk Septimer left A 7680: Mg ⊙
  • Felsenwerk Septimer Sporen A 7681: 3 Lmg ⊙
  • Infantry bunker septimer in front right A 7682: Lmg ⊙
  • Felswerk Septimer right, 1 Mg A 7683: Mg ⊙
  • Mountain accommodation ⊙

Lock point Julier

Roman columns, GPH T 4056 and IW Julier on the right A 7687

The Julier is an old Roman transport link. During the First World War, artillery and infantry positions were set up at the top of the pass.

The Julier barrier (Army designation no. 1228, Geb Div 12) was a key pass for the march from the Engadin to central Graubünden. The first tank barricade was erected in October 1936. It was protected with anti-tank guns and guns with the two main Julier works built in May 1938 on the left (A 7686) and right (A 7687). With Army 61 , the barrier was reinforced with an 8.1 cm fortress mine launcher (A 7665).

  • Infantry factory Julier left A 7686: rock cavern, 4.7 cm anti-tank gun (later 9 cm anti-tank gun), 2 MG 51, 16 men ⊙
  • Infantry factory Julier on the right A 7687: rock, 4.7-cm-Ik (later 9-cm-Pak), 2 Mg 51, 16 men ⊙
  • Shelter Julier Ost A 7692 ⊙
  • GPH Julierpass T 4056 made of stone blocks, built in 1939 ⊙
  • 8.1 cm fortress mine launcher A 7665 ⊙
  • Atomic shelter ASU F 12227 ⊙

Mulegns barrier

The Mulegns / Mühlen barrier (Army designation no. 1225, Geb Div 12) is located in the narrow narrow gap north of the village of Mulegns, which is difficult to bypass . It had to stop attackers who would have broken through on the Julier or Septimer Pass.

The nearly 400 m wide valley narrow is crossed by a three meter high tank wall. The canton road was secured with iron elements and the Julia river bed with a river barrier made of wire ropes.

The main plant (A 7691) is located in the vertical rock face on the right-hand side and the counter-plant (A 7690) on the opposite side of the valley. In order to be able to have an optimal effect on the barrier, the Pak notch (above) and the Lmg / Ob notch (below) were arranged one above the other in the same notch opening.

  • Rock working mills right A 7690: Year 1938/39 2.4 cm tank cannon bunker Pz BK, 1 Lmg (later 2 Mg), 12 men ⊙
  • Felsenwerk Mühlen left A 7691: 4.7 cm-Ik (later 9 cm Pak), 1 Mg, crew: 12 men ⊙
  • Tank lock GPH T 4057 ⊙

Tourism project «Mythos fortress Engadin»

The non-profit association Pro Castellis has renovated and maintained the Maloja barrier and other fortresses in the Engadine and made the main Maloja Kulm (A 7678) museum accessible to the public.

The tourism project “Mythos fortress Engadin” will open the armored doors of the largest pass fortress in Graubünden at the end of August 2020 and organize guided tours in the fortresses Maloja and Albula as well as day hikes. The Bernina fortress and the Susch and Flüela barriers will be added in 2021 . From 2022 guided tours, hikes and a bike trail are planned, which will lead from the Middle Ages to the present day.

The entrance to the Maloja Fortress is above the Kulm kiosk.

literature

Web links

Commons : Sperrstelle Maloja  - collection of images, videos and audio files
Commons : Sperrstelle Septimer  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files
Commons : Sperrstelle Julier  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Silvio Keller, Maurice Lovisa, Thomas Bitterli: Military monuments in the canton of Graubünden. Federal Department of Defense, Civil Protection and Sport (Ed.), Bern 2003
  2. ↑ Crestawald Fortress Museum: Maloja barrier
  3. ↑ bunker friends: Equipment Sperrstelle Maloja
  4. ↑ Terra Grischuna 6/2011: Throwing lead, pilum points and halberd axes
  5. ↑ Crestawald Fortress Museum: Septimer lock point
  6. ↑ Trin Fortress Museum: Locking point Septimer
  7. ↑ bunker friends: Sperrstelle Julier
  8. ↑ bunker friends: Sperrstelle Mulegns
  9. ↑ Little porcupine: Mulegns barrier
  10. ^ Pro Castellis: Myth of the Engadine Fortress
  11. ↑ Graubünden Press Kit Summer 2017
  12. ↑ Fortified Graubünden 1941

Coordinates: 46 ° 23 '53.8 "  N , 9 ° 41' 36.3"  E ; CH1903:  773391  /  one hundred and forty-one thousand and thirty-seven