Hartmannswillerkopf
Encyclopedia
Vosges mountains
For the department of France of the same name, see Vosges.The Vosges are a range of low mountains in eastern France, near its border with Germany. They extend along the west side of the Rhine valley in a northnortheast direction, mainly from Belfort to Saverne...
of Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
. The peak stands at 956 metres (3,136.5 ft) overlooking the Rhine valley. At Hartmannswillerkopf stands a national monument of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
for the fighting which took place in the trenches here.
The peak is located 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) from Cernay
Cernay, Haut-Rhin
Cernay is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.It is situated on the river Thur, 17 km northwest of Mulhouse.-Second World War:...
and 24 kilometres (14.9 mi) north of Mulhouse
Mulhouse
Mulhouse |mill]] hamlet) is a city and commune in eastern France, close to the Swiss and German borders. With a population of 110,514 and 278,206 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2006, it is the largest city in the Haut-Rhin département, and the second largest in the Alsace region after...
. The mountain is shared by the towns of Hartmannswiller
Hartmannswiller
Hartmannswiller is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-References:*...
, Wuenheim
Wuenheim
Wuenheim is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-References:*...
, Wattwiller
Wattwiller
Wattwiller is a communes in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-References:*...
and Uffholtz
Uffholtz
Uffholtz is a communes in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France....
and has been a strategic area bitterly fought for. The most severe fighting for the peak took place on 19-20 January, 26 March, 25-26 April and 21-22 December 1915. Through the course of the war, thirty thousand deaths were reported with a majority of these among the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. After about 18 months of fierce combat, both sides began to focus most of their attentions on the western front farther north. Only enough men to hold the lines were left at Hartmannswillerkopf, and they remained relatively stable for the remainder of the war and generally only artillery exchanges took place.
Today, the area is a French national monument. There is a museum and a cemetery at the site, and it is also possible to explore the extensive trench system. Because the lines were static for such a long period, the trenches are very well preserved, especially on the German side of the mountain. , restoration work ahead of the centenary of the war means that access to the memorial is restricted.
There is a small memorial on the D431 north of Vieil Armand, commemmorating Halifax bomber
Handley Page Halifax
The Handley Page Halifax was one of the British front-line, four-engined heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. A contemporary of the famous Avro Lancaster, the Halifax remained in service until the end of the war, performing a variety of duties in addition to bombing...
MZ807 of No. 433 Squadron RCAF
No. 433 Squadron RCAF
433 Tactical Fighter Squadron was a unit of the Canadian Forces under Royal Canadian Air Force. It operated CF-188 Hornet fighter jets from CFB Bagotville in Quebec, Canada....
, which crashed nearby in December 1944.