Baroque schanzen
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The Baroque fortifications in the Black Forest (german: link=no, Barocke Verteidigungsanlagen im Schwarzwald), also called Baroque Schanzen (''Barockschanzen'') or Black Forest lines (''Schwarzwaldlinien''), are historical, military
earthworks Earthworks may refer to: Construction *Earthworks (archaeology), human-made constructions that modify the land contour * Earthworks (engineering), civil engineering works created by moving or processing quantities of soil *Earthworks (military), m ...
, known as ''
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 ...
n'', that were built in the Black Forest in what is now Germany. They were built in the 17th century to defend the Margraviate of Baden from French invasion. Together with their adjoining defensive lines, the Black Forest fortifications formed a defensive system over long that ran from north to south.


Construction

These defensive positions were built during the time of the conflicts between the House of Habsburg and the Kingdom of France in the 17th and 18th centuries, mainly during the War of the Palatine Succession and the War of the Spanish Succession. After the events of 1689 (including the destruction of
Heidelberg Castle Heidelberg Castle (german: Heidelberger Schloss) is a ruin in Germany and landmark of Heidelberg. The castle ruins are among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps. The castle has only been partially rebuilt since its demoli ...
), Margrave
Louis William of Baden-Baden Louis William, Margrave of Baden-Baden (german: links=no, Ludwig Wilhelm von Baden-Baden; 8 April 1655 – 4 January 1707) was the ruling Margrave of Baden-Baden in Germany and chief commander of the Imperial army. He was also known as ''Türkenl ...
(1655–1707), who was also known as "Turkish Louis" thanks to his distinguished service in the
Great Turkish War The Great Turkish War (german: Großer Türkenkrieg), also called the Wars of the Holy League ( tr, Kutsal İttifak Savaşları), was a series of conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and the Holy League consisting of the Holy Roman Empire, Pola ...
, was given the imperial command of the defence of Germany against the advancing French. Between 1692 and 1701, the margrave had an extensive system of fortifications built on the Upper Rhine in the form of linked ''
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 ...
n''. These fixed defensive bulwarks built into the so-called "lines" of defence could be quickly enhanced by other earthworks. Several of the ''schanzen'' had already been built at the time of the Thirty Years' War or integrated even older, sometimes late medieval fortifications into their system. The positions were built by inhabitants of the local villages and towns who were forced to work on them; in later years soldiers were also used.


Location and main sites

The extensive fortification system runs for over through the Black Forest between the High Rhine in the south and Heidelberg in the north. Between Bad Säckingen and Feldberg the system is divided into an older "Rear Line" (''Hintere Linie''), which dates to the 1680s and 1690s, and a more recent "Forward Line" (''Vordere Linie''). Its beginning is marked by the ''Rothausschanze'' west of
Murg Murg may refer to: Places * Murg (Aare), a river of Switzerland * Murg (Northern Black Forest), a river and right tributary of the Rhine in the districts of Freudenstadt and Rastatt, Baden-Württemberg, Germany ** Murg Valley Railway * Murg (Sou ...
, which was built during the Thirty Years' War. It was investigated archaeologically and geophysically in 2007 when the new A98 motorway was built. This showed that the redoubt was protected by a ditch, wide and at least deep. The defensive wall, with a thickness of about , was a dry stone wall set into the inner flanks of the ditch. Especially well preserved are the works at the so-called ''Böllener Eck'' ("Böllen Corner") near
Neuenweg Neuenweg is a village and a former municipality in the district of Lörrach in Baden-Württemberg in Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous count ...
, where there is a star ''
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 ...
'' and a square redoubt that belong to the Forward Line. The defensive system is partly coextensive with the ''Landhag'', a late medieval fortification. The five-pointed star ''schanze'' has a diameter of about 30 metres and ditches that are still about 2 to 3 metres (6 to 10 feet) deep today. The square redoubt has sides long. Between the two positions there are traces of a ''schanze'' line, that consists of a ditch and bank and which continues southwards. The epitaph of the ''schanze'' commandant, Johann Marckloffksy von Zabrak, who died in 1691, is on the eastern side of the church at Neuenweg. The Schwedenschanze (Zuflucht) is located in Zuflucht, a village of the municipality Bad Peterstal-Griesbach. It was built during the Thirty Years' War in 1632/1633. It consisted of a square with bulwarks at the corners and was designed for a crew of 400 to 500 men. Another important defensive line exists in the Wagensteig valley near Kirchzarten where, in the late 17th century, a system of redoubts, banks and ditches was built. It starts above the Höllental valley and finishes in the north near the ''Hohle Graben''. In 1690 fighting is recorded near
Breitnau Breitnau is a municipality in the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany, about 30 kilometres from the city of Freiburg im Breisgau. It is located within the High Black Forest. Geography The municipalit ...
, but by the early 18th century most positions had lost their military importance. The northern site at the ''Hohle Graben'' is the largest ''schanze'' of the whole defensive system and was built before 1638. In 1679 over 4,000 men were garrisoned here and in the years that followed there were numerous isolated battles. 1734 is the year when the last construction work on the ''schanze'' is documented; its military significance came to an end after the last battle in 1796. Another important route across the Black Forest runs through the Kinzig valley, which is why there are numerous ''schanze'' positions here. Several sites are located near the Kinzig, others protect by roads. On the watershed between the Elz and Gutach is a fortification system that was built to guard the crossing to
Hornberg Hornberg is a town in the Ortenaukreis, in western Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated in the Black Forest, 35 km southeast of Offenburg, and 25 km northwest of Villingen-Schwenningen. Sons and daughters of the town * ( ...
. The line starts west of the Rensberg and continues over the Schnallenkopf and the Ziegelkopf eastwards to Hornberg. Another line runs over the Horniskopf and the Höchst to the Scheibeneck and guarded the road from
Oberprechtal Elzach (; Low Alemannic: ''Elze'') is a town in the district of Emmendingen, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated on the river Elz, 26 km northeast of Freiburg. Geography The town of Elzach is located at the eastern border of ...
to
Gutach im Breisgau Gutach ( Low Alemannic: ''Guetich im Brisgau'') is a municipality in the district of Emmendingen in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. Gutach includes six villages: * Gutach * Bleibach * Siegelau * Stollen * Kregelbach * Oberspitzenbach Twin towns ...
, where the L107 runs today. In the north the Black Forest lines link up with the
Eppingen lines The Eppingen lines (german: Eppinger Linien) were a fortified defensive line, which stretched from Weißenstein near Pforzheim via Mühlacker, Sternenfels, Eppingen to Neckargemünd in southern Germany. It had a total length of 86 kilom ...
that stretch from Pforzheim to Neckargemünd and were built between 1695 and 1697. After the construction of the French fortress of Fort Louis on the Rhine north of
Strasbourg Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...
towards the end of the 17th century, Louis William had the
Bühl-Stollhofen Line The Lines of Stollhofen (german: Bühl-Stollhofener Linie) was a line of defensive earthworks built for the Reichsarmee at the start of the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714) running for about from Stollhofen on the Rhine to the impe ...
built which ran from the fort through the Baden Rhine Plain to the Black Forest and, following its destruction in 1707, was replaced by the
Ettlingen Line The Ettlingen Line (german: Ettlinger Linie) or Lower Line (''Untere Linie'') was a defensive line built in 1707 during the War of the Spanish Succession from brushwood (''Verhauen'') and palisades, which replaced the 1701 Bühl-Stollhofen Line ...
.


Development and inventorying

Until 2002, only about six to eight ''schanzen'' positions were known and documented in the literature. Thanks to the work of the firm of ''AG Minifossi'' at the Friedrich Ebert School in Schopfheim other ''schanzen'' were discovered so that, today, over 100 sites are known. As part of its activities the project also supported the reconstruction of the ''schanze'' of Gersbach-Mettlen, where the Forward and Rear Lines divide. This reconstruction was opened on 21 May 2008 and is freely accessible. Around Gersbach the roughly 10-kilometre-long (6-mile-long) ''Schanzenweg'' footpath runs past several of the defensive works. The historical ''schanzen'' are still recognisable in places in the terrain; in other places they are only known from archaeological traces. The inventorying of the numerous works is under way.


See also

* Schwedenschanze (Zuflucht)


References


Literature

* Werner Störk: ''Die Barockschanzen des Türkenlouis im südlichen Schwarzwald''. In: ''Jahrbuch (der Stadt Schopfheim)'' 19, 2004, , pp. 68–77. * Werner Störk: ''Fortifikation im Barock: Die Schanzen des "Türkenlouis" im Südschwarzwald''. In: ''Das Markgräflerland.'', 2009 Vol. 1, pp. 13–80 * Werner Störk: ''Die Sternschanze auf dem „Hau“ bei Neuenweg – eine absolute Rarität''. In: Das Markgräflerland, Vol. 2014, pp. 76–84 * Harald Klemm: ''Werkbericht zur Umsetzung des Schanzenprojektes''. In: ''Das Markgräflerland.'', 2009, Vol. 1, pp. 81–88 * Karl Seith: ''Linien und Schanzen im südlichen Schwarzwald. Ein Beitrag zu den Schwarzwaldbefestigungen des 17. und 18. Jahrhunderts''. In: ''Das Markgräflerland'' 6, 1935, , pp. 23–24. * Wilhelm Winterer: ''Die Entstehung und Verwertung der Schanzen und Linien auf dem südlichen Schwarzwalde, unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Hohlen Grabens''. Caritas, Freiburg i. Br., 1915, (Freiburg i.B., Univ., Diss., 1915). * Andreas Haasis-Berner, Johannes Lauber, Ute Seidel: ''Barocke Schanzen im Schwarzwald. Die Verteidigungsanlagen auf den Schwarzwaldhöhen''. In: ''Denkmalpflege in Baden-Württemberg. Nachrichtenblatt der Landesdenkmalpflege'', 39th annual, 1/2010, pp. 26–30. (Online version, pdf, 5 MB) * Ernst Boesser: ''Zur Geschichte der Schwarzwaldlinien''. In: Alemannia, New series, 5th vol., Freiburg im Breisgau, 1904, pp. 223–240 and 292–29
online at Commons
* Thomas Kopp: ''Der Schwarzwaldwanderer stößt auf Schanzen''. In: Badische Heimat, Vol. 53 (1973), pp.56–7
online pdf 1.41 MB


External links





* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20150626115637/http://www.jugendheim-gersbach.de/Jugendheim-Gersbach-Schanzen.html The '' Schanzen">ttps://web.archive.org/web/20150626115637/http://www.jugendheim-gersbach.de/Jugendheim-Gersbach-Schanzen.html The ''Schanzen'' line system in the Southern Black Forest: details
Construction diary: Europe's first reconstruction of a large hexagonal Schanze in Gersbach (Southern Black Forest)

''Hohle Graben''Relief map of the Schwedenschanze (Zuflucht) and the Röschenschanze
{{Coord">47.69916, N, 7.94901, E, type:landmark_region:DE-BW, display=title, format=dms 17th-century architecture Forts in Germany Archaeological sites in Germany Baroque architecture in Baden-Württemberg Margraviate of Baden Black Forest 17th-century fortifications