Before World War II it was considered a showpiece of French fortification technology, and was visited by British King George VI.

In 1940 Hackenberg was never directly attacked, providing covering fire to neighboring positions and harassing nearby German forces.

Following World War II it became part of a strongpoint meant to delay a potential advance by Soviet forces into northeastern France.

The site was approved in stages by CORF (Commission d'Organisation des Régions Fortifiées), the Maginot Line's design and construction agency, between 1929 and 1932.

[4] The gros ouvrage[nb 1] (large work) is composed of 17 combat blocks and 18 artillery pieces, with a total of 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) of galleries.

[30] The Casernement de Veckring provided peacetime above-ground barracks and support services to Hackenberg and other positions in the area.

After France's entry into World War II, the ouvrage was considered emblematic of the entire Line and was visited by King George VI on 9 December 1939.

Hackenberg provided covering fire to other ouvrages in the area through June as the Germans advanced eastwards behind French lines.

[35] In the following years under German occupation, Hackenberg was used as a bombproof factory[36] by the Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz company of Cologne for the production of transmissions and gears.

[38] After an attack using tank destroyers failed, the Americans used a 155 mm self-propelled gun against the rear of Block 8 in the morning of 16 November.

[39] Following World War II, interest revived in the use of the Maginot Line to defend against a possible Soviet advance through southern Germany.

[7][42] In 1975,[43] residents from nearby villages started to organize sightseeing tours, which led to the founding of the volunteer-driven AMIFORT association for the preservation of Hackenberg.

The volunteers have restored one block in the west wing to functionality, with a working elevator, a turret turntable and lift table.