Fortress Metz - Fort "Illange"

The construction of this fort began in 1908. After the First World War, the region Lorraine was returned to France and the fort came under French controle. It was modernised during the '30s as part of the Secteur Fortifiée de Thionville of the Maginot Line and armed with new 105mm guns. It saw little action in 1940, as it was bypassed and encircled by German forces.

Fort Illange was kept under bombardment by heavy artillery of the U.S. 90th Infantry Division on 11 November 1944, while combat engineers attacked the fort's openings with explosives. The German garrison surrendered the next morning.

The fort is currently in use as open-air museum.

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Source

• Text: Kaj Metz
• Photos: Wikimedia Commons