The Hlučín-Darkovičky Czechoslovak Fortification Complex 1 The Hlučín-Darkovičky CS Fortification Complex Guide 2 The Hlučín-Darkovičky Czechoslovak Fortification Complex The Hlučín-Darkovičky Czechoslovak Fortification Complex 3 The Hlučín-Darkovičky Czechoslovak Fortification Complex The Hlučín-Darkovičky Czechoslovak Fortification Complex is a uni- que artefact of its type, and of immense value in a European context. The Fortification Complex is an exhibition of military technology that gives visitors the opportunity to find out about a major aspect of the history of the first half of the 20th century. The Czechoslovak Fortification Complex in Hlučín-Darkovičky has been part of the Silesian Museum since 1992. It forms one of the museum’s six exhibition premises, with a close thematic link to the national Second World War Memorial in nearby Hrabyně. In the context of the Silesian Museum, the Fortification Com- plex is specific in that, while it is located in the countryside, its the- matic focus is relatively unconventional within its category. It includes a group of structures that were created as part of the Czechoslovak border defence system, and which are amongst the most interesting in the Czech Republic and the best-preserved in Europe. The Com- plex consists of five structures, both one-sided and two-sided, of vari- ous types and durability grades. Experts are therefore able to present the battlefield and individual structures, both in the condition and with the fittings as they were in 1938, as well as the condition they were in at the end of the war. The complex is also symbolic of key events in Czechoslovak history, being, as it is, closely linked to the Munich Agreement and loss of the Sudetenland, and therefore one of the most dramatic mo- ments in the history of Silesia. Installation of left-hand bell-chamber in MO-S 19 Alej (20 May 1986) 4 The Hlučín-Darkovičky Czechoslovak Fortification Complex The Hlučín-Darkovičky Czechoslovak Fortification Complex 5 Construction of the border fortifications The second half of the 1930s was a time of rising international tension and increasing instability, caused by the militaristic policies of Hitler’s Germany after 1933. In order to protect its democratic system, territorial integrity and national sovereignty Czechoslovakia, which was particularly threatened, began the construction of a massive system of permanent border fortifications. The reinforced-concrete fortresses with their military crews, together with other units of the Czechoslovakian army, were intended to ensure the effective protection of the state, which was threate- ned by the military aggression of Nazi Germany. The greatest threat along the then Czechoslovak-German borders, and the strategic priority, was along the northern zone stretching from Bohumín to Děčín. It was in this region, in the area between the towns of Bohumín and Háj ve Slezsku, that the construction of heavy fortifications was begun in 1935. Map of MO (Moravská Ostrava) sector of fortification system The construction of fortifications was under the fence Ministry, was responsible for construction works. control of Engineering Command II (Ženijní skupinové The first commander of ŽSV II was Maj. Antonín Sameš, velitelství (ŽSV)), based in Bohumín and Hlučín-Dlouhá who on 20th August 1937 was given command of the Ves. This body was directly subordinate to the Directo- newly-created ŽSV VI in Trutnov; he was replaced by Lt.- rate of Fortifications, which, as part of the National De- Col. Josef Libnar. Map of Czechoslovak fortifications The next three years, culminating in September The distinguishing factor of the ‘MO’ (Moravská 1938, saw the construction, fitting and, chiefly, arming Ostrava) sector was that during its construction the au- of forty heavy-duty forts, including one artillery fort thorities sought to refine the design for future stages of and several embedded type-37 A casemates with en- the fortification system as a whole. While its form was, hanced fortifications (known colloquially as ‘řopíky’ after initially, heavily influenced by the French ‘Maginot Line’, ŘOP, the Czechoslovakian Directorate of Fortifications). this was increasingly simplified and improved over time An integrated system of obstacles and a cable telephone so that the maximum level of defence could be achieved network were also built, as well as barracks for Border at reasonable cost. Regiment 4 in Hlučín. MO-S 18 Obora as it is today 6 The Hlučín-Darkovičky Czechoslovak Fortification Complex The Hlučín-Darkovičky Czechoslovak Fortification Complex 7 Consequences of the Munich Agreement and the Fortification Old tree-stumps were also removed from the vi- A car park was constructed and a digger used to cinity of the blockhouse and a bridge was constructed clear the anti-tank ditches on both sides of the fortress, Complex during the war over the ditch that had been created following the re- which had been choked up for years with soil and waste. moval of rocks in the rear part of the blockhouse, pro- The open space around Alej was filled with obstacles, Following the Munich Agreement of 30th September consisted of nearly 10 thousand light structures, intend- viding temporary access to the interior of the structure. chiefly concrete cones and steel ‘hedgehogs’. 1938, Czechoslovakia was compelled to cede its bor- ed as a temporary defensive shield for infantry, and 263 In the next phase of reconstruction, armour plating was The first structure to accept visitors was a řopík, the der territories – the Sudetenland – to Germany. This heavy structures, intended to be permanently manned taken, with the permission of the Regional Housing and interior of which was fitted with technical equipment, resulted in the annexation of areas in which over 50% and equipped for long-term resistance. Construction Office in Olomouc, from the fortresses in including weapons. The interior was ‘christened’ on 28th of the population was German to the Third Reich. Nazi The border region was subsequently occupied by Milostovice as a replacement for plating that had been May 1985. The exhibition premises then commenced full Germany argued that the Sudeten German regions German forces. All armoured components were removed removed by the occupying forces in 1940. operations on 28th September 1988. should be reunited with the Reich; however, these areas and later utilised by the German army and industry. In the had belonged to the Czech crown since the 10th century. years 1944–1945 the German army started to repair and This agreement, made between Germany, Great Britain, improvise the arming of the fortifications in an effort to France and Italy, led to the loss by Czechoslovakia of build the so-called Moravian Defensive Gate and Jeseníky a total 41,098 km2 of territory and 4,879,000 inhabitants. Barrier Zone in response to the approach of the Red Army. At the same time, however, it lost its border forti- The sophistication of the pre-war Czechoslovak fortifica- fication system. All facilities had to be surrendered with- tions system was demonstrated by the heavy fighting out a fight. Although the network was not complete (a that took place for control of the system during the sub- total of 15,463 heavy and 1,276 light structures were sequent battle for the Ostrava region, which was the most planned, with the final stage of construction scheduled intense military operation on the territory of Czechoslo- for 1946), it was, nevertheless, relatively extensive, and vakia and one that cost many lives. Renewal and opening of the fortifications At a relatively early stage after the end of the war, a num- goal it was to refurbish several, selected fortification ber of people started to show an interest in the rows structures. On 28th June 1984 the group took charge of reinforced-concrete defensive structures from the of four different types of structure, the future Hlučín- 1930s. However, due to more urgent tasks associated Darkovičky Fortifications Complex, and the three-mem- with regenerating the country, the structures gradually ber working group commenced reconstruction work fell into disrepair or had their fittings stolen. together with other volunteers. In the 1970s, however, the situation started to The relevant plans of structures and their fittings MO–S 19 Alej in 1984 change and there was growing interest in the refurbish- were provided by the Military Archive in Prague. The ment of the structures. It was at this time that the first, Alej structure, for example, necessitated the removal of often informal, groups of enthusiasts came into being; most of the trees and bushes that had grown up around these groups showed remarkable dedication in refur- it, forming a relatively thick growth blocking the view of bishing individual fortresses, for example in the Náchod, the fortress. Kralice, Ostrava and Opava regions. Military history and fortress enthusiasts devoted the greatest amount of attention to the group of for- tresses located north of Hlučín, between the villages of Markvartovice, Šilheřovice, Darkovice and Darkovičky. These fortresses lay in ruins and it was clear that the pro- cess of reconstruction would not be an easy one. How- ever, these fortresses included various types of struc- ture, varying degrees of durability, one- and two-sided structures with varying types of armament, and were relatively easily accessible. The refurbishment of the Fortifications Complex began in 1980, when the then newly-created Museum of the Revolutionary Struggle and Liberation in Ostrava created a working group, headed by Jan Polášek, whose Jan Polášek next to generator in MO-S Alej, 1985 Jan Polášek and Jindřich Czeniek next to a řopík in 1985. 8 The Hlučín-Darkovičky Czechoslovak Fortification Complex The Hlučín-Darkovičky Czechoslovak Fortification Complex 9 Exhibition Infantry blockhouse MO-S 19 Alej The Hlučín-Darkovičky Fortification Complex consists of five structures. The main structure in the Complex is MO-S 19 Alej, which is a two-sided, two-winged, two-floored, independent infantry blockhouse, with two bells and a gun turret, supplemented by the MO-17 Štípky, MO-S 18 Obora and MO-S 20 Orel heavy structures and the embedded, enhanced type-37A 140 Z casemate, known as a řopík.