In the late 1930s, what was then Czechoslovakia built a massive network of fortifications along the border with Hitler-dominated Germany. Although in September 1938, a defense system similar to the French Maginot Line was not yet fully completed, it, along with the mountain ranges in the border zone, posed a serious obstacle to the Wehrmacht.
The government in Prague mobilized 1.1 million soldiers and their army was ready to fight back. But as a result of the agreement concluded with Adolf Hitler by British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, his French counterpart Edouard Daladier and Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini in Munich on September 29 and 30, 1938, Czechoslovakia was obliged to transfer to the “Third Reich” almost the entire territory bordering with Germany. where the ethnic minority of the Sudeten Germans lived at that time.
Thus, practically all Czechoslovak border fortifications fell into the hands of the Nazis. Without them, the country was powerless militarily, which greatly facilitated the occupation of “the rest of the Czech Republic” on March 15, 1939. Later, in the early spring of 1945, the Nazis used the fortifications to defend against the Red Army. Fighting on the line of fortifications and overcoming it significantly slowed down the advance of the advancing troops and cost the lives of thousands of Soviet soldiers.
Since 2000, the army of the Czech Republic, the successor of Czechoslovakia, is gradually being freed from the historical fortifications. In this case, it is possible both to transfer them to regions or municipalities, and to sell them to private individuals. “We have 4993 small pre-war bunkers on our register,” said Piotr Sikora of the press service of the Czech Defense Ministry to DW.
Structures no longer have military significance
Since these structures today have no military significance, almost a third of them have already changed owners, Sikora continues. “Each year, issues of ownership of several dozen objects are resolved. To date, we have transferred or sold 1,767 light former long-term firing points (bunkers) and 112 heavy defensive structures,” he explains.
Wehrmacht soldiers inspect the Buda fort after the annexation of the Sudetenland
The Czech Army intends to abandon almost all historical military fortifications. “The army retains only a few structures for its own purposes, such as storage facilities,” explains Sikora. Among them, mainly, larger fortress objects. For example, the army wants to keep one of these, because a seismic station is located there to monitor nuclear explosions.
Bunker sales are on the rise
From year to year, more and more such objects for sale appear on the website of the Czech army. “Retail prices usually range from one thousand to several tens of thousands of euros,” says Sikora. The most widespread are small bunkers of the “Ropik” type (named in honor of the Directorate of Fortification Works, ROP, responsible for their construction). However, in some particularly attractive areas, such as the wine-growing region around Mikulov in South Moravia, such a bunker, including the site, costs four times as much.
The price for a bunker type “Ropik” starts from 1000 euros
Since the items are sold at public auctions, the final retail price may be even higher. Nevertheless, interest in buying former fortifications is growing. “The current proposal includes, among other things, 22 highly demanded sites from the former border fortifications,” says engineer Jiri Kaletka, a spokesman for the Czech Ministry of Defense.
Fortifications as a tourist attraction
Some of the former defensive structures have already been renovated and turned into museums of great interest both to tourists from the Czech Republic and from abroad. The most visited site is the Gurka artillery fortress on the northeastern outskirts of the town of Kraliki, in the foothills of the Sudeten Mountains, near the current border with Poland.
Martin Rabon (third from left) has been caring for Czechoslovak historic fortifications for many years
“In July and August this year alone, we had more than 20,000 visitors,” said DW Martin Rabon, chairman of the voluntary society of friends of Czechoslovak fortifications that has existed for three decades. it is the only facility open to visitors all year round. “
Unique monuments
Rabon does not object to the sale of former fortifications to private individuals, but points out that these sites often have no access roads and property rights in relation to the surrounding fortifications are not regulated. “Buying something like that is absurd,” says Rabon, who has been increasingly sought after by potential buyers lately. “First of all, we advise potential owners to settle their property rights issues around their respective properties,” he explains.
The defensive structure of Buda after reconstruction became a monument of national importance
Some of the sites, such as the Buda artillery fortress, which is also cared for by the Society of Friends of Czechoslovak Fortifications, are cultural monuments of national importance. “However, the line of defense as a whole is not under the law on the protection of monuments,” says Rabon.
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