The Röschenschanze is a former
schanze
A ''schanze'' () is, according to the specialist terminology of German fortification construction, an independent fieldwork, that is frequently used in the construction of temporary (not permanent) field fortifications.Rüstow: ''Militärisches Han ...
in
Bad Peterstal-Griesbach
Bad Peterstal-Griesbach ( gsw, label= Low Alemannic, Bad Petersdal-Griesbach) is a municipality in the district of Ortenau in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.
Matthias Erzberger was murdered here on August 26, 1921, for signing the 1918 Armistice ...
in the
Black Forest
The Black Forest (german: Schwarzwald ) is a large forested mountain range in the state of Baden-Württemberg in southwest Germany, bounded by the Rhine Valley to the west and south and close to the borders with France and Switzerland. It is t ...
in Southern
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
.
It is located on the L 402, the "Oppenauer Steige", which branches off from the B 500 (
Black Forest High Road
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have ...
). Another redoubt which is geographically close to the Röschenschanze is the
Schwedenschanze (Zuflucht)
The Schwedenschanze (Zuflucht) is a former schanze in Bad Peterstal-Griesbach in the Black Forest in Southern Germany.
It is located on the L 402, the "Oppenauer Steige", which branches off from the B 500 (Black Forest High Road). Another redoubt ...
.
Etymology
The schanze is named after the
Württemberg
Württemberg ( ; ) is a historical German territory roughly corresponding to the cultural and linguistic region of Swabia. The main town of the region is Stuttgart.
Together with Baden and Hohenzollern, two other historical territories, Würt ...
Major
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
(1743–1841). Rösch became known in particular for his teaching activities at the military plant school and for the construction of the Röschenschanze.
The Röschenschanze is also known as ''Schwabenschanze'' (literally '
Swabia
Swabia ; german: Schwaben , colloquially ''Schwabenland'' or ''Ländle''; archaic English also Suabia or Svebia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.
The name is ultimately derived from the medieval Duchy of ...
n redoubt').
History
The Röschenschanze was created as part of the coalition wars of the German princes against France. It was supposed to stop the French troops coming from the
Rench
The Rench is a right-hand tributary of the Rhine in the Ortenau (Baden (Land), Central Baden, Germany). It rises on the southern edge of the Northern Black Forest at Kniebis near Bad Griesbach im Schwarzwald. The source farthest from the mouth is ...
tal under
General Moreau
Jean Victor Marie Moreau (, 14 February 1763 – 2 September 1813) was a French general who helped Napoleon Bonaparte to power, but later became a rival and was banished to the United States.
Biography
Rise to fame
Moreau was born at Morla ...
.
In 1794, Rösch was entrusted with the construction of a
hexagon
In geometry, a hexagon (from Ancient Greek, Greek , , meaning "six", and , , meaning "corner, angle") is a six-sided polygon. The total of the internal angles of any simple polygon, simple (non-self-intersecting) hexagon is 720°.
Regular hexa ...
al star-shaped
schanze
A ''schanze'' () is, according to the specialist terminology of German fortification construction, an independent fieldwork, that is frequently used in the construction of temporary (not permanent) field fortifications.Rüstow: ''Militärisches Han ...
with six bulwarks to defend the Württemberg state border. The Röschenschanze consisted of star-shaped piled earth walls behind which the defenders camped.
At the time when it was not completely finished, a local farmer's boy led the French troops over the Oppenauer Steige to the Röschenschanze, so that it was stormed by
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
's troops in 1796 and taken almost without a fight.
See also
*
Redoubt
A redoubt (historically redout) is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on earthworks, although some are constructed of stone or brick. It is meant to protect soldi ...
*
Schanze
A ''schanze'' () is, according to the specialist terminology of German fortification construction, an independent fieldwork, that is frequently used in the construction of temporary (not permanent) field fortifications.Rüstow: ''Militärisches Han ...
*
Schwedenschanze (Zuflucht)
The Schwedenschanze (Zuflucht) is a former schanze in Bad Peterstal-Griesbach in the Black Forest in Southern Germany.
It is located on the L 402, the "Oppenauer Steige", which branches off from the B 500 (Black Forest High Road). Another redoubt ...
References
{{Reflist
External links
Relief map of the Schwedenschanze
Black Forest
Hill forts in Germany