Forest of the Bambesch
57690 BAMBIDERSTROFF
Access through Zimming and follow the signs.
From April to October.
2024 calendar :
April : 14 & 28
May : 12 & 26
June : 9 & 22/23 (Commemoration days)
July : 7 & 21
August : 4 & 18
September : 8 & 21/22 (Heritage days)
November : 1 & 2 (Halloween)
Guided tours start on 2:00, 3:00 and 4:00 pm.
Visits for groups all year long on reservation.
VISITS IN FRENCH OR GERMAN
Prices : 6 € adult and 2 € child under 16.
Free for children under 8.
Presale at the tourist office : 5 € adult and 2 € child.
The Bambesch is a little fort of the Maginot Line. It was built between 1932 and 1936. It is part of the Fortified Sector of Faulquemont, which is itself part of the Fortified Region of Metz. It has been renovated and is maintained by the Association des Guides du Bambesch.
Characteristics of the structure
The ouvrage is made of three blocks linked with tunnels 28 meters underground. It has the conventional equipment of the Maginot Line forts:
- to the north, the Block 3, is the main entrance to the structure. To carry out its mission of covering the National Road 3, it was equipped with two Reibel twin, machine guns and a 47mm anti-tank gun, two “GFM cloches” (Lookout-Rifle-Machine-gunner), each equipped with ‘a 50mm mortar, a model 24/29 submachine gun and various observation equipment such as periscopes.
- to the south, we find Block 2, responsible for ensuring the continuity of the flanking fires in the direction of the Bambiderstroff casemates. Its armament was identical to that of Block 3. It was also fitted with a grenade launcher which never received its equipment
- to the east is Block 1, facing the German border. Its particularity is that all its weapons and the eclipse gun turret, are protected by shielding (30 cm thick).
The underground equipment
The concept of the Maginot Line is to leave on the surface only the equipment used for shooting and observation. To protect the crew of the structure and increase its ability to withstand bombardment, all non-combat elements were therefore more than 20 meters deep.
After walking down a staircase with 130 steps, we arrive in the underground galleries of the fort. We can see the kitchen, the refectory, the electric power plant, the barracks rooms, the command post or the well providing access to drinking water.
The crew
This fort had a crew of 102 soldiers supervised by 4 officers, mainly from the 156th Fortress Infantry Regiment (formerly 146th RIF) and the 4th Engineer Regiment.
These men were commanded by Lieutenant André Pastre, who was assisted by Lieutenant Joseph Trunkenwald.
Crédit photos : page Facebook et site internet de l’ouvrage du Bambesch.