Panzerwerk 720
Panzerwerk 720 together with Panzerwerk 719 formed Werkgruppe Gneisenau. Werkgruppe Gneisenau lies north of Werkgruppe Scharnhorst and south of Werkgruppe York. Panzerwerk 720 was built in 1938/1939, it was a two storey bunker. The bunker was built partly underground and the top level was covered with soil, only the so-called Panzerturms, the armored turrets, protruded above ground level.
was placed in two Sechsschartenturms 20P7 (both were removed after the war), one Panzer fur FN 420P9, one Panzerturm 424P01 and one Panzerturm 438P01. There are one or two smaller metal cupolas on top, these were the bunker’s air vents.
These Panzerturms had their own specific purposes;
– Sechsschartenturm 20P7, a metal machine gun post with six openings, used with specialized optics.
– Panzer für Flammenwerfer FN 420P9, a steel armored construction for a flamethrower with a traverse of 360 degrees and a reach of 48 meters. Only a metal ring could be seen outside
– Panzerturm 424P01, a steel cupola for a M19 Automatic Mortar.
– Panzerturm für Infanterie beobachtung 438P01, a steel cupola for infantry observation.
– Stahlschartenplatte für Maschinengewehr 7P7 – a thick metal plate to protect a machine gun and its gunner.
Sechsschartenturm – 20P7, a German Armored six-loop machine gun turret
The Sechsschartenturm coded 20P7 is a non-rotation turret with a steel thickness of 30,5 cm (Armor strength B). The six loopholes can be opened and sealed off by a thick steel door, asbestos sealed. The Sechsschartenturm housed two machineguns type MG34 which fitted a special hinged mount. This construction made it possible to withdraw the MG34 and place it at another opening in mere seconds. These machine guns were outfitted with telescopic sights, they fired over 1000 – 7,92mm per minute to a range of approximately 1400 meters. A well trained crew could swap barrels in seconds.
The inside of the turret was brightly painted with 6 different colors and six numbers. One MG34’s fire was directed with use of the color scheme the other with use of the numbers.
The turrets itself had a periscope and a searchlight. The ceiling and wall optics were made by Zeiss or Busch.
The Sechsschartenturm was one of the most widely installed models of turret in WW2. It weighed 51 tons in total with its base ring (designated 20,2P7). The turret without its base ring was cone-shaped and around 2,65 meter high, partly covered in earth and about 2,25 meter in diameter.
Werkgruppe York
Werke Gneisenau consisted of a multiple Panzerwerke. These Panzerwerke (Eng. Armored structures) were bunkers covered in a thick layer of soil. Only a few metal turrets could be seen when approaching them. The guns in the bunkers covered the bunker next to them or covered a mutual stretch of land with an adjacent bunker.
A Werke (Eng. Works) is a set of bunkers connected with an underground tunnel system called Holzgansysteme. These tunnels connected to the main tunnel complete with train stations running for some 33 kilometers long from the north to the west along the Oder-Warte-Bogen. The tunnels have multiple entrances and a railway system for quick transport of troops and ammunition.
Werke or Werkgruppe Scharnhorst consisted of Panzerwerk 719 and Panzerwerk 720. A Höckerline combined with an anti tank ditch were nearby The armored bunkers were connected with a holgangsystem. These tunnels led to the “Bahnhof Friedriech”, the “Bahnhof Ludwig”and the main entrance A64, all connecting to the main tunnel.
Visit
The bunkers and tunnels are not open to roam freely. There is a serious hazard when you want to visit them without guides because the tunnels are 30 meter below the bunkers, a fall would cause serious injuries and worse. The bunkers and tunnels are a bat heaven, about 36.000 bats of different types live here.
