The Fortified Sector of the Vosges (Secteur Fortifiée des Vosges) was the French military organization that in 1940 controlled the section of the Maginot Line at the northern end of the Vosges Mountains in northeastern France. The sector was bordered to the west by the Fortified Sector of Rohrbach and to the east by the Fortified Sector of Haguenau. The sector featured two gros ouvrages mounting heavy artillery at either end of the sector and one petit ouvrage mounting infantry weapons, linked by a line of casemates. The sector was attacked in 1940 by German forces in the Battle of France. German forces penetrated the casemate line and moved behind French lines. Despite the withdrawal of the mobile forces that supported the fixed fortifications, the three ouvrages successfully fended off German assaults before the Second Armistice at Compiègne, but were unable to hinder German activities to their south. The positions and their garrisons finally surrendered on 1 July 1940. Following the war several positions were reactivated for use during the Cold War. One position, Ouvrage Four-à-Chaux, is open to the public and may be visited.
Concept and organization
The Vosges sector was part of the larger Fortified Region of the Lauter, a strongly defended area between the Sarre to the west and the Rhine valley to the east. The Lauter region was more important during the planning and construction phase of the Maginot Line than it was in the operational phase of the Line, when the sectors assumed prominence. The Fortified Region of the Lauter was dissolved as a military organization on 5 March 1940, becoming the 43rd Fortress Army Corps.
The sector was anchored at either end by Grand-Hohékirkel on the west and Lembach-Four-à-Chaux on the east. In between the Line was filled in with casemates and blockhouses, with the stretch from Glasbronn to Windstein located behind the Swachwartzbach stream. This central portion of the depended on topography for much of its defense. The central casemate line was supported by the guns of the ouvrages and by the late addition of the casemates of Biesenberg and Windstein, which provided lateral covering fire with 75mm guns. Three proposed petit ouvrages were never constructed.
Command
The Vosges sector was under the overall command of the French 5th Army, headquartered at Wangenbourg, under the command of General Bourret, which was in turn part of Army Group 2 under General André-Gaston Prételat. The SF Vosges was commanded by General Viellard, then Colonel André. The command post was at Baerenthal, then Ingwiller. The interval troops, the army formations that were to provide the mobile defense for the sector, to support and be supported by the fixed defenses, were from the 30th Alpine Infantry Division. Artillery support for the sector was provided by the 168th Position Artillery Regiment (Régiment d'Artillerie de Position (RAP)), which controlled both fixed and mobile artillery, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Robo. The 30th DIA was a Class A reserve formation.
On 5 March 1940 the SF Vosges was reorganized and designated the 43rd Army Fortress Corps (43e Corps d'Armée de Forteresse), inheriting some elements from the RF Lauter and giving up the 37th RIF to SF Rohrbach. At the midpoint of the Battle of France on 1 June 1940, the fortress troops of the 43rd CAF amounted to two fortress infantry regiments in six battalions, comprising 525 officers and 15,250 men. By 13 June the 43rd CAF included the hastily assembled divisions de marche Senselme and Chestenet, previously the fortress units of the SF Vosges and SF Rohrbach, as well as the 30th DIA.
Description
The sector includes, in order from west to east, the following major fortified positions, together with the most significant casemates and infantry shelters in each sub-sector:
Sub-sector of Philippsbourg
154th Fortress Infantry Regiment (154e Régiment d'Infanterie de Forteresse (RIF)), Lt. Colonel Lambert Ouvrage Grand-Hohékirkel (Ouvrage C), gros ouvrage O450 of five combat blocks Ouvrage Main-du-Prince, proposed petit ouvrage, never constructed Ouvrage Grafenweiher, proposed petit ouvrage, never constructed Ouvrage Wineckerthal, proposed petit ouvrage, never constructed
Abri de la Dépôt
Abri de Wolfschachen
2e UEC
UEC = Unité d'Équipage de Casemates), or "casemate unit"
Casemate du Main-du-Prince Ouest
Casemate du Main-du-Prince Ouest
Casemate de Biesenberg (MOM/RFL) Blockhaus de Biesenberg I Blockhaus de Biesenberg II Blockhaus de Biesenberg III Blockhaus de Biesenberg IV Casemate de Biesenberg (CORF) Blockhaus de Biesenberg V Blockhaus de Biesenberg VI Blockhaus de Biesenberg VII Casemate de Glasbronn