Draft:Murten fortifications

The fortifications of Murten are, alongside the Fortifications of Hauenstein and the fortifications of Bellinzona, the most important line of defense of the Swiss Army during the First World War. Their objective was to protect the Swiss Middle Country from an attack coming from the North.

Situation
Three sectors of fortifications are spread out one behind the other in the region between the Thielle canal, Mont Vully and Morat-Laupen/Sarine.

The Jolimont fortification sector is located between Lake Neuchâtel and Lake Biel. It consists of three staggered lines of defense which prevent an enemy incursion beyond the Thielle canal. The first line protects the bank of La Thielle with three infantry positions and a whole series of forts equipped with machine guns. The second line winds north of Gals between the Niederholz woods and the foot of Jolimont. As a third and main line of defense, a forestry position (Waldstellung) was built at Jolimont from 1916. As for its southern slope, it hosted artillery batteries from 1914.

The Mont Vully and Murten-Saane (Morat-Sarine) fortification sectors are made up of infantry forts which covered each other, supported by retreating artillery positions. They must block access to the Mont Vully area between Lake Neuchâtel and Lake Murten. They also made it possible to break up an enemy offensive launched between Lake Murten and the meanders of the Sarine near Bösingen.

History
Tensions were growing in Europe and, after his election in 1906 as chief of the general staff, Theophil Sprecher von Bernegg undertook to assess the threats weighing on Switzerland. He drew the following conclusions. Germany would be careful not to threaten a region of Switzerland of its own volition. France could consider a flanking maneuver through Swiss territory aimed at Germany's unfortified southern border. At that time, the borders of the three nations converged at a point near Bonfol since Alsace was then German territory.

On the basis of this analysis, engineers drew up detailed plans of the strategic spaces in the West (blocking position of Morat) and in the North (Olten bridgehead and Fortifications of Hauenstein) which were implemented before the start of hostilities in 1914. After the war, it turned out, that in December 1915, the French army had indeed designed a plan along these lines under the name Plan H (for “Helvétie”)..

Mission
The militia colonel and advisor to the Schaffhausen States Heinrich Bolli was appointed commander of the fortifications of Morat. Captain and future divisional officer, Eugen Bircher, for his part, was appointed chief of staff.

Orders for the fortifications of Murten were issued on August 8, 1914. The task of the Murten fortifications was the protection of the city of Bern as an access to the Swiss Plateau against an enemy offensive coming from the north bank of the Thielle Canal or from the canton of Vaud. Likewise, it was necessary to guarantee the army's freedom of movement so that the Swiss troops would have flank cover in the event of a junction for an offensive east of the Sarine or north of Lake Biel.

The most direct routes of communication leading from France to Berne passed through the Val de Travers with the commissioning in 1901 of the railway line linking Pontarlier. The Lötschberg-Simplon line, which constituted an important geostrategic axis since its construction in 1913, could be effectively locked onto the banks of La Thielle.

Preparation for work
In September 1914, around 16,000 militia soldiers lined a network of half-moon trenches surrounding the fortifications of Morat with obstacles: artillery positions, concrete casemates for machine guns, underground casemates, ammunition depots and forts connected by galleries dug out of the molasses.

Relaxation in tension at the borders made it possible to return some of the necessary labor force, including agriculture and economy. Between October 1914 and 1917, there was an average of 2,000 men serving in the fortifications. They stayed in schoolhouses and restaurants in neighboring villages. The construction of the fortifications of Murten would have cost between 22 and 26 million Swiss francs based on the value of the Swiss franc for the year 2000.

Second World War and Cold War
During the Second World War, the Morat area was equipped to serve as an advanced post for the Réduit national. Border Brigade 2 and Light Brigade 1 are assigned there. The position of Morat constitutes a cornerstone of the Réduit. New anti-tank forts are added to Vully. These fortified positions are located a little further west than those of the fortifications of Morat.

During the Cold War, it was the 2 motorized infantry regiment of the 1 mechanized division which was provided for the service of the work. With Arnee 95 the works are declassified.