Work Lime kiln

The work strengthened of the Lime kiln is a rough work of the Ligne Maginot which is located on the commune of Lembach, in the Département of the Low-Rhine.

Description

The work comprises 8 blocks, including 6 blocks of engagements and 2 blocks of entries. The important uneven one between the stations of combat and the entry of the ammunition required an underground tilted plan, directly located after the entry of the ammunition, the material and food. There exists a difference in altitude of 24 meters between this entry of the material and the entry of the troops, located more in height. The slope which separates these 2 entries finds inside the work, in the inclined plan, which is the characteristic since the relief implies the existence of such an installation to the Lime kiln, one of the 142 works of the Maginot Line.

It is about a work known as of average importance, because he covers a surface of 26 hectares, with an occupation of 580 men (477 troops, 78 warrant officers, 24 officers, the commander) with a bearing every two weeks, 4,5 km of underground galleries, and 6 blocks of combat.

History

August 1st Block 1 is destroyed today. At the time of the rendering of German in 1945, those Ci took the step on the allies and dynamited the block.

Equipment of the blocks

Entered of the men: 1 crenel JM, 1 Bell GFM
Entered of the ammunition: 1 crenel JM/AC47, 2 bells GFM
Block 1:1 turret of 135 mm, 2 bells GFM
Block 2:1 turret of 75 mm, 1 bell GFM, 1 Bell JM
Block 3:1 turret of 81 mm, 1 bell GFM, 1 Bell LG
Block 4:1 Bell VDP, 1 bell GFM, 2 bells JM
Block 5:1 turret of machine-gun, 1 bell GFM
Block 6:1 crenel JM, 1 crenel JM/AC47, 1 bell GFM, 1 bell JM, 1 bell VDP

The museum of the work

Today, the Lime kiln is opened with the public, under the aegis of association SILE. The guided visit includes/understands the visit of block 2, but also quarterings (kitchen, dormitories, showers…), the principal gallery, the inclined plan, the electric factory, as well as a museum.

It is to be specified that the name of Lime kiln comes owing to the fact that at 500 meters of the work until 1939 an extraction plant of calcareous rock was located, which was burned by a lime kiln. This name was valid only in times of peace, it acted of a civil name. In time of war, the structure supported the name coded A4.

At the beginning of the visit of the Lime kiln, with far, one sees the antennas radar of the Air base 901 Drachenbronn, on the Hochwald mount which gave its name to the Ouvrage of Hochwald. It is with knowing that the fortress of Hochwald, which made it also part of the Maginot Line, is always used by the army nowadays.

The work perhaps visited all the year. Possibility of visit for groups handicapped on request. Details on Internet site of the tourist bureau.

External bonds

www.lignemaginot.fr
Tourist bureau of Lembach

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