Editing Siegfried Line (section)

== Working conditions ==
The early fortifications were mostly built by private firms, but the private sector was unable to provide the number of workers needed for the programmes that followed; this gap was filled by the [[Organisation Todt|Todt Organisation]]. With this organisation's help, huge numbers of forced labourers – up to 500,000 at a time – worked on the Siegfried Line. Transport of materials and workers from all across Germany was managed by the ''[[Deutsche Reichsbahn]]'' railway company, which took advantage of the well-developed strategic railway lines built on Germany's western border in [[World War I]].

Working conditions were highly dangerous. For example, the most primitive means had to be used to handle and assemble extremely heavy armour plating, weighing up to {{convert|60|t|ST|lk=on}}.

Life on the building site and after work was monotonous, and many people gave up and left. Most workers received the [[West Wall Medal]] for their service.<ref>Kaufmann JE, Kaufmann HW: ''Fortress third Reich'', page 134. DA Capo Press, 2003.</ref>