Fortified Area of Silesia
The Fortified Area of Silesia (
History
As a result of the
In the 1920s the Poles did not consider their western neighbor as the main threat, concentrating its defence abilities
Construction
Major works on the fortifications did not begin until 1933, when headquarters of the Polish Army decided to take advantage of a proposal provided by General Jozef Zajac,[3] who then was commandant of the 23rd Infantry Division. Zajac suggested that a large number of smaller bunkers should be built, connected with each other by trenches.[4] However, it was decided that nine so-called points of defence would be constructed, each of them made of a few bunkers. These points were:
- Nowa Wieś
- Tapkowice
- Bobrowniki
- Dąbrówka Wielka
- Łagiewniki
- Godula
- Hill 319 - west of Nowy Bytom
- Szyb Artura
- Hill 304 - south of Radoszów.
All fortifications were divided into three parts:
- A - Bobrowniki
- B - Chorzów
- C - Kochłowice[3]
First stage
Between 1933 and 1935, the Poles constructed three isolated points of defence - Dąbrowka Wielka (1933), Szyb Artura (1934) and Bobrowniki (1935). Altogether, they consisted of around 25 bunkers. Strategically placed on hills, these fortifications provided good view of the area.
Second stage
The second stage began in 1936, when the Poles completed the point of defence in Bobrowniki, together with barracks. In that year, construction crews activities were concentrated on the so-called Bytom wedge - German territory around the city of Beuthen, which was surrounded from east, south and north by Poland. In 1936 the strongest point of defence was located in the settlement of Lagiewniki. It was connected with additional, smaller points - Kamień, Brzeziny and Maciejowice, which created a continuous line of defence.
In 1937 the Poles began construction of fortifications in the city of
Simultaneously to concrete constructions, Polish Army was carrying out hydrotechnological works. Between 1935 and 1937, on the northern wing of the area, along the Brynica, a set of dams, ponds, swamps and canals was created, whose purpose was to stop the advance of German armored units. This line stretched from Piekary Śląskie to Świerklaniec near Tarnowskie Góry.
1939
In the early spring of 1939, when German troops occupied
Aftermath
Currently, the preserved fortifications are under care of the Society to Preserve Fortified Monuments Pro Fortalicium (Stowarzyszenie na Rzecz Zabytków Fortyfikacji Pro Fortalicium) from Piekary Śląskie.
See also
References
- ^ a b (in Polish) [1] Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ (in Polish) [2] Archived 2007-10-22 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b (in Polish) [3] Archived 2007-10-24 at archive.today
- ^ (in Polish) [4] Archived 2008-05-01 at the Wayback Machine
External links