Fort Ebersberg

Fort Ebersberg, also known as Fort Rüdlingen, was built between 1938 and 1940 in the Swiss Canton of Zurich to guard the Rhine against a German invasion at the opening of World War II. It is the only such position in the Zurich canton, located near the town of Berg am Irchel. The fort was part of the Swiss Border Line defenses, Swiss military designation A5438.

Fort Ebersberg
Part of Swiss Border Line
Northern Switzerland
Camouflaged gun position at Fort Ebersberg
Fort Ebersberg
Coordinates47.57194°N 8.57931°E / 47.57194; 8.57931
Site information
OwnerPrivate
Controlled bySwitzerland
Open to
the public		Yes
ConditionPreserved
Site history
Built1940
MaterialsConcrete, deep excavation

Description

The fort was built between 1938 and 1940, buried in sandstone on a north-facing slope. In 1978, the weapons were removed. The fort was decommissioned April 2003.[1] Ebersberg's primary weapons were two semi-automatic 75mm guns in separate blockhouses,[2] intended to hamper a German crossing of the Rhine.

Present situation

The surface installations at Ebersberg are accessible and have interpretive displays. The subterranean parts of the fort are not accessible to the public.[3] The site is maintained in preservation under a long-term lease by the Military Historical Foundation of the Canton of Zurich. Although the guns were removed, the remainder of the equipment remains. Public tours are available.[1]

Notes
  1. "Die Festung Ebersberg" (in German). Bunkeranlagen der Schweiz. Archived from the original on 4 February 2011. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  2. Kauffmann, pp. 157-158
  3. "Artillery Fortress Ebersberg (A5438)". STIWOT. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 13 January 2011.

References
  • Kauffmann, J.E., Jurga, R., Fortress Europe: European Fortifications of World War II, Da Capo Press, USA, 2002, ISBN 0-306-81174-X.
  • This article incorporates text translated from the corresponding German Wikipedia article as of January 12, 2011.
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