Feste Kaiser Wilhelm II in Mutzig / Elsass
The “Namenstein” Time capsule
The monument called “Namenstein” was inaugurated on October 30, 1896. It’s the only visible element of the top secret Feste, it was located in the pass through on the way from Mutzig to Soultz-les Bains passed.
It was gradually stripped of its elements, in 1945 only the stone blocks remained. We decided to rebuild and relocate it so it can again welcome visitors arriving at the site.
When dismantling the stone blocks a time capsule was updated. It had been there for 128 years!
This is what we found in the time capsule.
A meticulous operation
The Rhenish Archaeological Center and the Departmental Archives have accepted to help us open this testimony of the builders of the first works of the Feste.
The opening of the cylinder was carried out by PAIR technicians in their premises in Sélestat. The unfolding of the paper documents was then entrusted to the specialists of the departmental archives.
Exciting content
The contents of the time capsule:
- A manuscript scroll
- Two postcards
- A Feste Kaiser Wilhelm II engraved glass
- An extract from the newspaper of October 30, 1896
- 4 small change coins
Transcription of the handwritten document
This monument
called
name stone
was built in honor of the entire fortification of the Kaiser Wilhelm II
in the year of salvation Anno 1896 in September.
The following people were involved in the construction of this memorable stone
1). The foreman Heinrich Klein from Sindelfingen Kgr. Württemberg of the construction company Schöttle u. Schuster.
2). The architect G. Fesia from Thuringia, city of Erfurt of the kaiserl. Fortification Strassburg, who had worked out and designed several drafts for this object under the direction of the chief post officer Captain Bailer from Ulm a/d. Danube for this object.
