Ouvrage Four-à-Chaux
| Ouvrage Four-à-Chaux | |
|---|---|
| Part of Maginot Line | |
| Northeast France | |
Block 6 and the array of anti-tank rails | |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | France |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Condition | Preserved |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 48°59′49″N 7°47′49″E / 48.99694°N 7.797°E |
| Site history | |
| Materials | Concrete, steel, deep excavation |
| Battles/wars | Battle of France, Lorraine Campaign |
| Ouvrage Four-à-Chaux | |
|---|---|
| Type of work: | Large artillery work (Gros ouvrage) |
| sector └─sub-sector | Fortified Sector of the Vosges └─Langensoultzbach |
| Work number: | O 600, Ouvrage E |
| Constructed: | 1930–1938 |
| Regiment: | 165th Fortress Infantry Regiment (RIF) |
| Number of blocks: | 8 |
| Strength: | 19 officers, 491 enlisted |
Ouvrage Four-à-Chaux is a gros ouvrage of the Maginot Line, located in the community of Lembach, France, in the Bas-Rhin département. Four à Chaux was adjoined by petit ouvrage Lembach and gros ouvrage Hochwald, and faced the German frontier as part of the Fortified Sector of the Vosges. A "four à chaux" is a lime kiln in French, and the ouvrage was located in the area of a limestone quarry and kiln, which operated until 1939. Four-à-Chaux was bombarded by the invading Germans in late June 1940 during the Battle of France with both aerial attacks and artillery bombardments. Four-à-Chaux survived to surrender at the end of the month. Block 1 was destroyed by the Germans before retreating in the face of American advances in 1945. During the 1950s Four-à-Chaux was renovated and reoccupied against a perceived threat from the Soviet Union. It fell out of use in the 1970s, and is now operated as a museum.