80 years after the war: discoveries in the shadow of the west wall

80 years after the war: discoveries in the shadow of the west wall

The Second World War ended 80 years ago, but the effects in Rhineland-Palatinate are still visible today. As n-tv Discover People while hiking or commuting. of the region. The need for bomb defusations impressively indicates the presence of world war ammunition in the area, which often leads to evacuations.

One of the most striking legacies is the west wall, which extended about 600 kilometers, of which around 200 kilometers are in Rhineland-Palatinate. This bunker and defense construction was built from 1936 on the command of Adolf Hitler to protect the Third Reich from attacks from the West. Westpfalz wiki emphasizes that the west wall represents the largest structural legacy of the Nazi dictatorship in the region, consisting of thousands of bunkers, tank socks and digging. The organization was responsible for the construction, under the supervision of the Wehrmacht.

the west wall as part of the story

The structure could be realized with up to 500,000 workers, including forced laborers and concentration camp prisoners. Ultimately, around 9,000 plants were blown up, only 20 bunkers have been preserved. Some of these historical sites are important witnesses in history these days and are listed. An impressive example is the "bunker hiking trail" near Dasburg, which with its 2.8 kilometers and 13 display boards indicates the history of the west wall.

in Irrel, a place in the Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm, a West Vall Museum was set up, which with a armored tower installation and a tunnel system keeps the time of the Second World War alive. These museums contribute to preserving the memories of the war for future generations.

memorials and stumbling blocks

Another important memorial is the SS special camp/concentration camp. Here the memories of around 10,000 detained people are kept awake, at least 321 of whom were murdered. This facility, which served as a "police officer" and "labor education camp", symbolically stands for the atrocities and the inhumanity of that time.

In addition, the stumbling blocks laid in many cities testify to the victims of National Socialism. These brass commemorate plates are reminiscent of Nazi victims and lie in front of the houses in which they recently lived. The project, initiated by artist Gunter Demnig, has now produced over 107,000 stones in almost 1,900 municipalities and thus gives the victims to the victims.

The examination of the past remains a central challenge for the population in Rhineland-Palatinate and beyond, and the large number of memories show that the history of the Second World War is still present in many aspects of life. It is crucial to pull the lessons from this time and to keep the memories of the victims awake.