OBSERVATION
Feste Kaiser Wilhelm II
The most powerful fortification before the First World War.
The technical means for observation have benefited from numerous improvements during the 22 years of construction of the Feste. From the 1894 model fitted with a monocular telescope to the trials of periscopes in 1908-1910, artillery observation has continued to evolve.
The Feste in Mutzig had 12 armoured artillery observatories and 2 experimental periscopes.
A showroom in the Fort de Mutzig is dedicated to these observation systems with scale models, glasses, etc.
The armoured Observatory for artillery modell 1894
The very first observation turret is named P.B.T. 94. The main spotting scope was monocular. It was only built in 4 copies, 3 for the Feste and one for the fortification of Graudenz (today in Poland).
The Armoured Observatory for artillery modell 1893
The shield batteries (B1, B3 and B4) will be fitted with a modified 96 armoured observatory.
The Armoured Observatory for artillery modell 1896
The Feste de Mutzig was not given a model 1896 armoured observatory with a binocular spotting scope.
The Armoured Observatory for artillery modell 1905
A new armoured observatory will be successfully tested at the Feste de Mutzig between 1904 and 1905, it will be named P.B.T. 05. La Feste will be equipped with 6 of these observatories.
The moncular periscope GOERZ
In 1908, two periscopic observation systems were tested at the Feste. A prototype from the Goerz company will be installed in infantry shelter n°8. Its magnification was 1.5 and 3X.
The possibility of using the same observation instrument for infantry and artillery was also to be tested with these periscopes.
We dismantled all the elements of the periscope in 1986.
ZEISS binocular periscope
The periscope from the company Zeiss is a binocular. It was a question of verifying the interest of the binocular compared to the monocular. Its magnification was 1.5 and 3X.
We currently have no precise documentation on the optics themselves, which were dismantled before 1960.
We dismantled all the elements of the periscope in 1975.
Infantery armoured observator (Old model)
The infantry had armoured observatories, two versions succeeded each other.
The two forts were equipped with the first model, 3 for the East Fort and 2 for the West Fort.
Light infantery armoured observator (Old model)
This model is the observation system associated with the light disappearing turrets for 57mm gun (Neuf-Brisach).
A copy is on display in the Fort de Mutzig car park.
Infantery armoured observator (New model)
The new shelters 11 and 12 (1908) were fitted with the new version of the observatory for the infantry. It is distinguished by a simplification of access to the observation seat and the method of evacuation of an injured observer.
Observation booths for firing trenches
A large number of snail sentry boxes were installed in the firing trenches. They consist of two galvanized sheets and a filling of sand and gravel.
Means of observation of the Fortification
In 2022, we are finalizing the installation of a room entirely devoted to the observation systems of the German fortifications : from the 1894 version to the periscopes, including the 1905 observation cuppola, a succession of innovations and improvements!
The exhibition features models, optics and original equipment. This exhibition is absolutely unique in the world, it documents all the means devoted to the observation of the German fortifications without which the Festen would have been blind!