FORTIFIED CITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 66, 19 March 1938, Page 15

FORTIFIED CITY.

THE MIGHT OF KOENIGSBERG.

UNDERGROUND AERODROMES.

ORTELSBERG, East Prussia.

Koenigsberg, capital of East Prussia, is to-day the most strongly fortified city in Northern Europe. To the north-east of the city, concealed on the spacious estate of the Junker families, there has been secretly constructed a series of fortifications comparable in many respects to the famed Maginot line of defences along the Franco-German frontier. Besides batteries of heavy guns masked in dense growth of carefully cultivated forest of fir trees forming an impenetrable screen, both wintor and summer, there are a number of underground aerodromes capable of . sheltering many squadrons of Germany's new coml>at 'planes. Tanks and armoured care so necessary in. modern warfare, can be quickly hidden beneath mats of fir branches, which merge, perfectly with the surrounding forest. The only indication of Koenigsberg's new line of defences is the large castiron sign plates which have appeared during the last year on the less frequented roads of this district. They warn wayfarers not to photograph in the vicinity. They also announce that any person wishing to visit any family located off the road must have a special permit from local authorities. Besides sheltering Koenigsberg, the new forts protect Pillau, a small harbour which is being used as a base for the small submarines which Germany has constructed for use in the Baltic Sea. Since the Nazi regime achieved power in Germany the East Prussians feel secure from attack. Allenstein, an important town 30 miles south-west of Ortelsberg, is an important garrison centre and is also heavily fortified against a possible attack from Poland. The Koenigsberg forts are planned to meet any onslaught from Russia. To attack Germany the Red army must cross Poland through the Vilna corridor and then pass through Lithuania to reach the East Prussian frontier. Another important fortified area is on the sea coast between Koenigsberg and Danzig, near to the border of the Free City. A large stretch of thick pine forest has been fcfaced in. What special types of defences are being constructed there is a secret carefully guarded. East Prussia is not free from the spy sc.'-.re. , which Is intensifying throughout northeastern Europe. East Prussia's military population is 1 also larger than any other section of the Reich. Spacious airfields have been con- ! structed and even if an enemy did suc--1 ceed in filling them full of bomb holes i there are still camouflaged stretches of pasture available for landing fields.