GERMAN FORTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19315, 4 May 1937, Page 3

GERMAN FORTS

DEFENCE OP EAST FRONTIER CONCRETE POSTS OFFENSIVE MEASURES LONDON. April 13. Germanv, according to a special correspondent, of' the. Manchester Guardian, is completing her defences on the eastern frontieis as rapidly as in the west. '•There arc three fortified lines on the Polish frontier." he says. "One is alongthe Oder, extending along the west bank of the river from Breslau as far as the Gnui berg region. . "This line chiefly comprises concrete forts armed with light and heavy artillery and machine-guns. There are five to forts for every kilometre. "The line serves for l!,e defence of the Rreslau-Liognitz-Kaga.n railway and the. German Hank in the. event of war against Czechoslovakia. The Black Forest "There is next the Oder-Warthe arch, consisting of numerous isolated concrete shelters-and machine-gun nests, extending from Kustrin to Konigsberg (in Brandonberg, not Lo be confused with the Baltic seaport;. "Then conies the Pomeranian line, extending from Dentschekronc to the Stolp region. About a year ago several villages were removed to inake way for large subterraneau fortifications. "The fortifications on the Czechoslovak frontier are less strongly defensive in character, and show that the Ge\raan general staff thinks in terms of offence on this frontier. There is only one exception, the Rariiao-Tirschemeulh-Maluing-Selbhof line which, is stable, just as the defences against Poland are, and has a concrete fort at every'lso- to 175yds. The reason for this exception is that these defences extend to those in the Black Forest, and are meant to prevent co-operation between the French and Ozehoslovakian armies. Air Bases

"South of Banian, in the direction ol lHossenberg and Passau. the Ocrman defences are' mobile The same is true of the defences along the Fiehtcl and the Era Gcbirge, as well as along the Annaherg - Marionhorg - GottlenbaIvouigstcin ■ Neustadt-- Rbersbach -Zittau line, though the .mountain passes arc si rongly fortified.

"Strategic roads and air bases are particularly numerous on the Czechoslovak frontier, which also points to offensive rather than defensive preparations. f,'ims with immense range are placed north of Bautzen. If is said that they can bombard Prague. 140 kilometres away. "Special frontier troops for work on trendies and in back areas during an advance are stationed near the Czechoslovak frontier in Saxony and Silesia. "Men over military a<_;c are called up hy the local authorities for drill and trainingi on Sundays. They arc commnnded by former officers of the police. Ihe Storm Troopers, ami the Nazi guards. They have a special centre at Konigstein, where 1000 are trained at a time in fiveday courses. Many farm labourers arc also called up for service on Sundays, and those who do not report are severely punished. "There is a chain of new barracks, aerodromes, hangars, workshops, arsenals., and garages for iruns and tanks extending from Lillian through Dresden and Wnrzcn, as far as Plauen and Leipzig'. Many of these buildings are snbler-, ranean."