Festung Schollberg
A solitary bunker stands between the road and the railway line in Sankt Gallen, Switzerland. This bunker was part of the defensive line Schollberg-Sarganserau-Tschingel and belonged to Festung Schollberg. This border guard was set up from 1938 to 1946 to defend against Germany and Austria.
This part of the defense line, this bunker was part of heavier armament against tanks and was equipped with a 4.7 cm anti-tank weapon or a 7.5 cm gun. And a machine gun provided defense against independent infantry. The Swiss bunkers were used long after the Second World War and through the entire Cold war. The bunkers of the Festung Schollberg were built on strategic points in the valleys, on the mountain sides and were even cut out of the mountain side. were used by the Swiss army, adapted and the defensive positions expanded.
Schollberg Artillery and Infantry Works – Sargans, Switzerland
In November 1938, construction began on the fortification with the Schollberg checkpoint, Swiss army designation A 6100 The artillery work (Eng. Fortress) named Schollberg 1, the infantry work Schollberg 2 and, in 1946, Schollberg 3 as an artillery annex for four mobile Krupp 7,5 cm 1903/22 L 30 cannons. At the same time, the Ansstein artillery work (A 6256) opposite the canton of Graubünden was built in the Ansstein checkpoint. In 1960 – 1961 during the Cold War, Schollberg 3 was converted into an infantry annex and the four cannons were replaced by a 9 cm anti-tank gun. In the early 1980s, Schollberg 1 became an infantry work for anti-tank defense.
The Schollberg fortresses were occupied by troops from the Fortress Artillery Division 12, the Fortress Artillery Company Art Kp 38 (German. Artillerie-kompanie) were stationed at Schollberg 2 and Festung Artillerie Kompagnie Fest Art Kp 40 at Schollberg 1. With the reorganization of the army in 1952, Fest Art Kp 40 became responsible for all three Scholl mines. With the Army 61, it was renamed Fest Art Kp I/13. It had a strength of 370 men, of which 80 men belonged to the fortress infantry. With the conversion of the Scholl mines into infantry works, the garrison became Works Company 50.
In 1990, the 9 cm anti-tank guns and the other weapons were removed from Schollberg defensive positions and served as infantry accommodation until 1999. In 2003, the works were emptied except for the machine rooms. In 2012, the Schollberg works were sold to the municipality of Wartau. Schollberg 3 was restored for tours by the AFOM association.
Schollberg Artillery Works 1, Army designation A 6100.01
Schollberg Infantry Plant 2 , Army designation A 6100.02
Schollberg Infantry Plant 3, Army designation A 6100.03
Armament at the Schollberg fortress
The artillery bunkers were originally equipped with two Krupp 7.5 cm 1903/22 L 30 field artillery cannons and a Krupp 7.5 cm GebirgsKanone 06 (Eng. 7.5 cm mountain cannon 06), and the two infantry works (fortified strong points) with machine guns and anti-tank guns. The weapons were aimed at the Schollberg barrier.
Weapons on the Schollberg fortresses
Artillery fortification Schollberg 1: three 7.5 cm fortification cannons, 4.7 cm anti-tank gun, two machine guns and a searchlight system. The two 4.7 cm anti-tank guns were changed to 9 cm guns in more recent years.
Infantry fort Schollberg 2, as the strongest infantry fort of the Sargans fortresses, had one 24 mm anti-tank gun and three 4.7 cm anti-tank guns, eight machine guns, and a searchlight system. The three 4.7 cm anti-tank gun were changed to 9 cm guns in more recent years.
Infantry fort Schollberg 3 had one 9 cm anti-tank gun, three machine guns and a searchlight system
Infanteriebunker Rheinau 1 type A 6135 Festung Schollberg
The bunker in the photos was part of the Schollberg Artillery and Infantry Works. It was designated bunker Rheinau 1 type A6135. It was on the defensive line of the Schollberg Fortress stationed in the valley near Sargans and was under command of brigade 13 during the second world war. At first it was an artillery bunker but after the war it changed to infantry.
Visit
The bunker is free to visit but closed during our visit.
