Fortified Sector of the Vosges

The Vosges sector was part of the larger Fortified Region of the Lauter, a strongly defended area between the Sarre to the west and the Rhine valley to the east.

The Fortified Region of the Lauter was dissolved as a military organization on 5 March 1940, becoming the 43rd Fortress Army Corps.

Colonel Lambert UEC = Unité d'Équipage de Casemates), or "casemate unit" Two avant-postes were located at Erlenmüss and Neuweiher 165th Fortress Infantry Regiment (165e Régiment d'Infanterie de Forteresse (RIF)), Commandant Renard, command post at Hill 1360.

[7] Peacetime barracks and support: In early June in the face of the German assault, all fortress units attached to the Fifth Army were ordered to prepare for withdrawal to the south and west.

While fortress units under the 2nd, 3rd and 8th Armies received categorical instructions to prepare to sabotage their positions and conduct an orderly retreat from 14 to 17 June, Fifth Army commander General Bourret's instructions to the SFs Rohrbach, Vosges, Haguenau and Lower Rhine were not as definitive.

The personnel of the 43rd CAF (formerly SF Vosges) were to be consolidated into a Division de Marche entitled the DM Senselme, consisting of the 154e and 165e RIFs, along with the 143 CIF (company), the V/400e RP (régiment de position) and the 59e RARF (régiment d'artillerie le la région fortifié).

However, by the end of the day the Germans had captured twenty-two casemates and blockhouses, granting the 215th ID freedom to move behind the Maginot Line and to bypass the heavier fortifications.

On 14 June the regiment detached machine gun battalions to the DM Senselme to defend the Marne–Rhine Canal in the area of Arzviller, but fell back to Dabo and were finally captured near Mont Donon on 25 June.The fortress troops who remained in their positions surrendered on 1 July.

[15] Otterbiel and Grand-Hohékirkel were to be the next positions to be attacked by the U.S. 100th Infantry Division, but the planned operation was disrupted by the Battle of the Bulge.

[17] Following World War II, the French military reclaimed the Maginot Line with the aim of renovating and improving it against a possible attack by Warsaw Pact forces.

They were designated the môle de Bitche ("breakwater") in 1951 and were placed back into service after a period of rehabilitation.

A follow-up exercise (Hoche) did, however, confirm that casemate positions remained secure against 90mm-equivalent gunfire, using AMX-13 and M47 Patton tanks to fire on embrasures.

[18] After the establishment of the French nuclear strike force, the importance of the Line declined, and maintenance ceased in the 1970s, with most of the casemates were sold.

[19] Four-à-Chaux is open to the public under the guidance of the SILE (Syndicat d'Initiative de Lembach et Environs) association.