Lock point Villigen
Map with all coordinates: 
The Villigen blocking point was a defensive position for the Swiss Army . It extends from the Bürerhorn to the Bürersteig and over the Geissberg and Schmittenbach near Villigen to the Aare . The blocking system was built at the beginning of World War II from 1939 to 1940 under the leadership of the 5th Division . It is considered a military historical monument of national importance.
Lock point Villigen
The elongated blocking point comprises a total of 33 systems. The focus is on the covered and uncovered artillery installations on the back of the Geissberg, the fourth locking bolt in the lower Aare valley between Geissberg / Schlossberg (Villigen) and Aareufer and the battalion base "Bürerhorn" with over a dozen crew shelters, which was only built in the post-war period.
The central blocking point of the Limmat position in the lower Aare valley was an important part of the structure of the northern defense line of the axis of incidence in the Aare valley towards the Mittelland. It has a variety of troop constructions and a high density of artillery works (artillery works Besserstein, Geissberg and Rein). The AW Rein was tactically subordinate and administratively separate.
As with all border brigades, the order of the blocking point belonging to Border Brigade 5 was:
- "Hold until the last cartridge"
At that time, the border brigade had to use all means to block the further axes after an enemy had crossed the Rhine, to prevent the attacker from being pushed into the moated castle and to prevent a breakthrough through their area.
The closure at Villigen consisted of these systems:
- Infantry bunker "Villigen-Schlossberg" with an A 3848 machine gun ⊙
- Infantry gun shield "Aare Fiord" A 3850 ⊙
- "Niderhard" shelters A 3851 ⊙ and A 3852 ⊙
- Infantry bunker "Comet Bach" with an anti-tank cannon (Pak) A 3853 659,407 / two hundred and sixty-four thousand two hundred fifty-three
- Infantry bunker "Bessersteinstrasse" with a Pak A 3854 ⊙ .
"Schlossberg" infantry bunker A 3848
Shelter «Niderhard» A 3852
Infantry bunker
Pak infantry bunker "Bessersteinstrasse" A 3854
Lock points at Bürerloch, Bürersteig and Hottwilerhöhe
These systems are located west of the Geissberg between Hottwil , Gansingen and Remigen :
- Infantry bunker "Hottwilerhöhe-Ost" A 3900: Mg, 2 Lmg ⊙
- Infantry bunker "Hottwilerhöhe-West" A 3901: Pak, Mg, Lmg ⊙
- Infantry bunker «Bürersteig» A 3902: Pak, Lmg ⊙
- Shelter / KP «Bürersteig Tschuepis» A 3903 ⊙
Hottwilerhöhe-Ost A 9300
Hottwilerhöhe-West A 3901
Hottwilerhöhe-West
Bürersteig A 3902, top of the pass
- Infantry bunker “Bürerloch-Nord” A 3904: Lmg ⊙
- Infantry bunker “Bürerloch-Süd” A 3905: Pak, Mg, Lmg ⊙
- “Bürerloch Hornhalde” shelter A 3906 ⊙
- Battalion command post (Bat KP) «Bürerhorn» with artillery observer A 3907 ⊙
- Accommodation (connected to a tunnel) A 3907 ⊙
- Medical aid station Ampferenhöhe AG A 3908 ⊙
- “Bürerhalde” niche - shelter ⊙
- “Bürerhorn Wald” shelter - unfinished, as access to the trenches ⊙
- Barricade Street «Bürersteig» T 2085 ⊙
- GPH Hottwilerhöhe T 2086 ⊙
- Barricade Strasse «Bürerloch» T 2087 ⊙
- Explosive object «Bürersteig» M XXXX ⊙
- Artillery observer Cheisacher-Ost ⊙
- Artillery observer Cheisacher-West ⊙
Bürerloch-Nord A 3904
Bürerloch-Süd A 3905
Artillery observer Bürerhorn A 3907
Bürerhorn external defense A 3907 Bürerhalde
Besserstein artillery plant
The Besserstein artillery plant (army designation A 3856) is located at the eastern end of the Geissberg ridge above Villigen, near the Besserstein ruins , and was built in 1939–40 ⊙ . In the two-storey plant, the artillery observation system was on the upper floor and the artillery plant (combat structure) in the basement. It was armed with two 7.5 cm bunker cannons (BK), a machine gun and a light machine gun ( Lmg 25 ).
Three systems were part of the external defense:
- Infantry bunker Besserstein-Mitte with 2 Lmg A 3857
- Infantry bunker Besserstein-West with 2 Lmg A 3858
- Besserstein Nord A 3859 shelter
- Infantry cannon shield
Auxiliary structures:
- Cholrüti water supply for the two plants in Geissberg and Besserstein ⊙
Geissberg
AW Besserstein access
AW Besserstein
AW Besserstein observer slit
Geissberg artillery plant
The Geissberg artillery plant (army designation A 3863) is located at the western end of the Geissberg plateau at its highest point, at around 700 m above sea level. M. ⊙ . Due to its location in the 200-meter-high Chamerfels , it was also called the «Chameren» artillery plant. The notches facing the Bürersteig were partly camouflaged as rock imitations.
It was armed with two 7.5 cm bunker cannons on a stand and lever mount, a machine gun on a field tripod and had:
- Mine thrower observer and shelter Geissberg A 3860 ⊙
- Shelter "Buchenhalde" A 3862 ("Zürcherstube") and a nuclear protection shelter (ASU)
- Observation stand with light machine gun A 3864
- "Lochgraben" medical aid station Remigen A 3865 ⊙
Auxiliary structures:
- Cholrüti water supply for the two plants in Geissberg and Besserstein ⊙
AW Geissberg
AW Geissberg entrance
Chamerenscharte
First aid station «Lochgraben» A 3865
Artillery bunker Villiger-Buck
At Villiger Buck there is an artillery ⊙ and an infantry bunker ⊙ (army designation Villiger-Buck A 3846), which are connected underground to form a plant, as well as the artillery observation bunker "Schwobeblick" A 3847 ⊙ . The bunkers were created in 1939 by the Zurich Sappeurkompanie II / 5 and the Mitrailleurkompanie IV / 104 (ZH coat of arms on the Mg bunker), the observation bunker in 1940.
The armament consisted of a 7.5 cm cannon 03/22 L30 on a lever mount and two machine guns on pivot support and was primarily used for direct-shot anti-tank defense.
The artillery bunker protected the Rein-Roost blocking point , which consisted of a continuous tank obstacle and led from Villiger-Buck through Villigerfeld to the Aare at the Rein artillery plant.
Villiger-Buck A 3846 infantry plant
Zurich Sappeur Company II / 5 and Mitrailleur Company IV / 104
Artillery factory Villiger-Buck A 3846
Observer station Villiger-Buck "Schwobeblick" A 3847
Current state
Through the initiatives of the Reuenthal Fortress Museum Association and the Villigen municipality, the fortifications no longer required by the Swiss Army were acquired in order to preserve them and make them accessible to the public.
literature
Web links
- Swiss television from April 2, 2015: Military and Fortress Museum Full-Reuenthal is growing: 30 new objects
- Little Porcupine: Border Brigade 5th
- Searching for traces of active service 1940: Sappers Company II / 5
Individual evidence
- ↑ Oberland Fortress: Villigen Lock Point
- ^ Reuenthal Fortress Museum: Military-historical installations
Coordinates: 47 ° 31 '27.4 " N , 8 ° 12' 42" E ; CH1903: six hundred and fifty-eight thousand two hundred and twenty / 264014