The Schwedenschanze (Zuflucht) 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 ...

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 Schwedenschanze is the

Röschenschanze The Röschenschanze 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 which is ...

Etymology

The name ''Schwedenschanze'' (literally 'Swedish redoubt') dates back to Swedish troops as erectors. Many redoubts from this time carry this name. ''Zuflucht'' is a village which belongs to the municipality

History

The Schwedenschanze was built during the

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (80 ...

in 1632/1633 and is the oldest

on the top of the pass at the Zuflucht. It consisted of a square with bulwarks at the corners and was designed for a crew of 400 to 500 men. It was supposed to secure the Oppenauer Steige from above, but it was unfavorably laid out because the opponent could approach the hill unseen due to the surrounding forests and hilly terrain. The Württemberg field camp in front of the Refuge Hotel, which would later be known as the Schwedenschanze, has its origins in 1593 at the time of the

Strasbourg Bishops' War The Strasbourg Bishops' War (German: ''Bischöflicher Krieg'' or ''Straßburger Kapitelstreit'';Gerhard Taddey: ''Straßburger Kapitelstreit''. In: Gerhard Taddey (ed.): ''Lexikon der deutschen Geschichte. Personen, Ereignisse, Institutionen. Von ...

. The

Duke of Württemberg Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranke ...

had the western border of his country guarded by a permanent

garrison A garrison (from the French ''garnison'', itself from the verb ''garnir'', "to equip") is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a mil ...

stationed in the field camp. Many references in old maps and sources suggest that this encampment was in the same place as the Schwedenschanze.

References

{{reflist

External links

Relief map of the Schwedenschanze
Black Forest Hill forts in Germany

Etymology

History

See also

References

External links