Kitten

Stay tuned for late Sunday.  If all goes well Madi will have a new kitten mid Sunday.  I will post pics maybe this time tomorrow...

Hackenburg

This is the largest bunker on the Maginot Line built in 1933.  It is open and much of it is operational.  The electric train that takes you around the 16 kilometer complex still works and whisks you around 40-70 meters underground.  Several of the turrets still move and are completely operational.  

Entrance to the complex

 Exterior of block house 8.  The Germans took the complex without a shot being fired but a small group of Germans held this blockhouse against elements of the 90th US Infantry division under Patton's Third Army that was taking Metz.  When the Germans wouldn't surrender 155mm howitzers were brought up and fired at point blank range into the walls until all four of the guns in the block house were silenced.  One German was killed and the rest fled into the depths of the complex and escaped out of other block houses across the 16 kilometer complex.

Weapons museum at the Hackenburg.  They had an example of every weapons used by the Germans, French, British and Americans during the Second World War.

German Bunker

This is a bunker built by the Germans from 1899-1906.  It exchanged hands many times but never did see any combat.  The Saarland went back and forth from German to French hands due to treaties from 1871-1945.  It's now in France.  Our friend Armin Killan knows the organization that upkeeps the fortress now so we had a private tour of the almost 6 kilometer complex.

Exterior wall that would have faced away from the enemy.  Two entrances where here and it was three stories high inside with space for 3000 men to control the guns and infantry trenches

New powerhouse from 1939 that gave power to the bunker.

This is an artillery shell reloader.  Works just like one for bullets just in a real big version

Two different types of guns used at the fortress.  The first one was early until 1910 and then the back one was used since it had rifling and could shoot over 7 miles.

During the Second World War a German V1 rocket crashed in the area so they made up a life-size version to commemorate this.

Three of the 9 engines in the fortress.  They were made in Cologne in 1906.  While we were there the guys started two of them.  50 cm stroke, 30 cm bore and 44 HP.  Really cool with an external cam shaft.

Power house in the plant.  That's marble.

Generator attached to an engine

Another pick of the engine

Close up of the cam with the two push rods for the intake and exhaust.

Standing in the shower room.  In a time when no one had a shower in their house the soldiers had hot water showers

A view of one of the floors to give you an idea how long it was

Inside a gun turret.  Looking into the breach

Outside view of a gun turret.  The reason this one has a problem is when those darned Americans took the fortress in 1944 they spiked the guns just in case.

On top of part of the fortress with 4 gun turrets.  That's Doc Joe Hudson who I've known for a few years and a great piano player.  Armin Killian in the distance

Another view of the turrets

A view of an infantry block.  The infantry would remain inside during artillery and then would come out into the fighting positions.

Infantry fighting positions.  The next three are for a company of infantry, around 120 men, and three heavy machine guns.

Look at the living conditions.  20 guys per room and they sleep, lived and eat in these rooms

Entrance block below the fort

Giant oven for baking the 2000 baguettes that were made per day.

Castles in Iber Oberstein

A few pics Madi took while she was with Mia in Idar Oberstein.

Bernkastel

 Here are some pics of Bernkastel on the Mosul river.  We didn't stay long as my good friend Joe Hudson was with us and ich dinke er hat zu veil wein gestern abend getroken.  In other words he was reallllly hung over.  Madi did get her ice cream though.

Gotta love the Autobahn

I know, only 120mph but I'll do better next time.  Still getting used to the car.

Madison's new school

We went by Madison's new school today.  She got to pick her new class schedule and we scheduled her testing for Math and English placement.  Her classes for the next years are:

English
German
Mathematics
Physical Education
Business Studies
Chemistry
History
Physics
Theatre

Her first day of orientation is Friday 9 August and her first day of class is Monday 12 August.  Here are a couple pics of the outside of the building.  It's brand new, only a few years old, as they moved here from another part of town.  It's super nice.  Next week I'll post some pics of her class rooms and the inside of the facility.