Fortified Sector of Mulhouse
Encyclopedia
The Fortified Sector of Mulhouse (Secteur Fortifié de Mulhouse) was the French military organization that in 1940 controlled the section of the French frontier with Germany in the vicinity of Mulhouse
. The sector's principal defense was the Rhine itself, which could be crossed only by boat or by seizing a bridge crossing. The sector's fortifications chiefly took the form of casemates and blockhouses. The sector did not see significant action during the Battle of France
, since the German crossings of the Rhine took place father north, near Colmar
. The fortifications in the sector were built as part of the overall plan for the Maginot Line
, but did not include the major fortified positions that characterized the Maginot Line of northeastern France. The sector did not see major fighting in World War II. It was bordered to the north by the Fortified Sector of Colmar
and on the south by the Fortified Sector of Altkirch
.
, owing to the provisions of the 1815 Congress of Vienna
treaty, which forbade permanent fortifications within 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) of Basel
. Two positions were placed between the front and rear lines, and were considered a second line. The fortifications cosisted entirely of casemates and blockhouses, constructed by the Commission d'Organisation des Régions Fortifiées (CORF), CORF was responsible for the major fortifications of the Maginot Line, but in this area no major positions or ouvrages were built. The Hardt forest was regarded as a significant obstacle between the third line and Mulhouse.
The riverbank fortifications were of a basic nature, with protection only up to 155mm caliber, machine gun armament and no electrical system. The second and third lines were more robust in construction and equipment, with electric generators and anti-tank weapons. The heaviest concentration of fortifications were in the area of Neuf-Brisach
, itself a preserved fortress from the Vauban
era. Neuf-Brisach guarded a strategic bridge across the Rhine.
, which was in turn under the French 3rd Army Group. The SF Mulhouse was commanded by General Didio, with a command post at Rixheim. The fortifications were manned by the 10th Fortress Infantry Regiment. 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 under the command of the 13th Corps (13e Corps d'Armee), General Misserey, commander. Artillery support for the sector was provided by the 159th Position Artillery Regiment (Régiment d'Artillerie de Position (RAP)).
From 16 March 1940 the SF Mulhouse was designated the 105th Fortress Infantry Division, or "Mulhouse Division." At the mid-point of the Battle of France on 1 June 1940, the fortress troops of the 105th DIF amounted to one fortress infantry regiment (10th RIF) in three battalions, comprising 135 officers and 4,500 men.
Mulhouse
Mulhouse |mill]] hamlet) is a city and commune in eastern France, close to the Swiss and German borders. With a population of 110,514 and 278,206 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2006, it is the largest city in the Haut-Rhin département, and the second largest in the Alsace region after...
. The sector's principal defense was the Rhine itself, which could be crossed only by boat or by seizing a bridge crossing. The sector's fortifications chiefly took the form of casemates and blockhouses. The sector did not see significant action during the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
, since the German crossings of the Rhine took place father north, near Colmar
Colmar
Colmar is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.It is the capital of the department. Colmar is also the seat of the highest jurisdiction in Alsace, the appellate court....
. The fortifications in the sector were built as part of the overall plan for the Maginot Line
Maginot Line
The Maginot Line , named after the French Minister of War André Maginot, was a line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, artillery casemates, machine gun posts, and other defences, which France constructed along its borders with Germany and Italy, in light of its experience in World War I,...
, but did not include the major fortified positions that characterized the Maginot Line of northeastern France. The sector did not see major fighting in World War II. It was bordered to the north by the Fortified Sector of Colmar
Fortified Sector of Colmar
The Fortified Sector of Colmar was the French military organization that in 1940 controlled the section of the French frontier with Germany in the vicinity of Colmar. The fortifications were built as part of France's Maginot Line defensive strategy, but the sector lacks the large interconnected...
and on the south by the Fortified Sector of Altkirch
Fortified Sector of Altkirch
The Fortified Sector of Altkirch was the French military organization that in 1940 controlled the section of the French frontier with Germany and Switzerland in the vicinity of Basel. The sector's principal defense against an advance from Germany was the Rhine itself, which could be crossed only...
.
Concept and organization
The fortifications of the Mulhouse sector were laid out in two major lines, one right on the Rhine, and another to the rear on the eastern edge of the Hardt forest. No fortifications were established south of HombourgHombourg
Hombourg is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-References:*...
, owing to the provisions of the 1815 Congress of Vienna
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of European states chaired by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, and held in Vienna from September, 1814 to June, 1815. The objective of the Congress was to settle the many issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars,...
treaty, which forbade permanent fortifications within 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) of Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
. Two positions were placed between the front and rear lines, and were considered a second line. The fortifications cosisted entirely of casemates and blockhouses, constructed by the Commission d'Organisation des Régions Fortifiées (CORF), CORF was responsible for the major fortifications of the Maginot Line, but in this area no major positions or ouvrages were built. The Hardt forest was regarded as a significant obstacle between the third line and Mulhouse.
The riverbank fortifications were of a basic nature, with protection only up to 155mm caliber, machine gun armament and no electrical system. The second and third lines were more robust in construction and equipment, with electric generators and anti-tank weapons. The heaviest concentration of fortifications were in the area of Neuf-Brisach
Neuf-Brisach
Neuf-Brisach is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.The town's name means New Breisach, referring to the German town Breisach, located on the other side of the Rhine....
, itself a preserved fortress from the Vauban
Vauban
Sébastien Le Prestre, Seigneur de Vauban and later Marquis de Vauban , commonly referred to as Vauban, was a Marshal of France and the foremost military engineer of his age, famed for his skill in both designing fortifications and breaking through them...
era. Neuf-Brisach guarded a strategic bridge across the Rhine.
Command
The Mulhouse sector was under the overall command of the French 8th ArmyEighth Army (France)
The Eighth Army was a Field army of the French Army during the World War I and World War II.After the armistice it was part of the occupation of the Rhineland...
, which was in turn under the French 3rd Army Group. The SF Mulhouse was commanded by General Didio, with a command post at Rixheim. The fortifications were manned by the 10th Fortress Infantry Regiment. 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 under the command of the 13th Corps (13e Corps d'Armee), General Misserey, commander. Artillery support for the sector was provided by the 159th Position Artillery Regiment (Régiment d'Artillerie de Position (RAP)).
From 16 March 1940 the SF Mulhouse was designated the 105th Fortress Infantry Division, or "Mulhouse Division." At the mid-point of the Battle of France on 1 June 1940, the fortress troops of the 105th DIF amounted to one fortress infantry regiment (10th RIF) in three battalions, comprising 135 officers and 4,500 men.
Description
The sector includes, in order from north to south, the following significant casemates and infantry shelters (abris) in each sub-sector:Sub-sector of Schliebach
10th Fortress Infantry Regiment (10e Régiment d'Infanterie de Forteresse (RIF)), Lt. Colonel ThiervozBattle of France
The German offensive (Operation Kleiner Bär) across the Rhine was concentrated in the area near and to the north of ColmarColmar
Colmar is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.It is the capital of the department. Colmar is also the seat of the highest jurisdiction in Alsace, the appellate court....
, with little fighting in the Altkirch sector. The offensive, launched on 15 June, was rendered unimportant when the German XIX Corps under General Heinz Guderian
Heinz Guderian
Heinz Wilhelm Guderian was a German general during World War II. He was a pioneer in the development of armored warfare, and was the leading proponent of tanks and mechanization in the Wehrmacht . Germany's panzer forces were raised and organized under his direction as Chief of Mobile Forces...
reached the Swiss border on 17 June, behind the main French line.
The riverside positions were evacuated on 16 June, with a general withdrawal of the 105th DIF into the Vosges on 18 June, regrouping in the Markstein area. An attempt was made to defend Kruth
Kruth
Kruth is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-References:*...
, but were dislodged with many captured by the Germans. Remnants fell back to the Col de Stiftkopf on the 22nd, then the Rouge-Gazon farm where they were finally captured on 26 June.
Units
The 10th Fortress Infantry Regiment was the principal operational unit in the SF Mulhouse, and its operations in June mirrored those of its parent unit, the 105th DIF.Present situation
Most of the Rhine defenses were simply abandoned after World War II. Most of the first line of blockhouses on the banks of the river were destroyed when the river was widened as part of navigational improvements in the 1970s.External links
- Secteur fortifié de Mulhouse at darkplaces.org