Editing Siegfried Line (section)

== Westwall construction programmes ==
[[File:Westwall03.jpg|thumb|Aachen-Saar programme Type 39 "[[Dragon's teeth (fortification)|Dragon's teeth]]" tank barrier with 5 "teeth"]]
[[File:Westwall04.jpg|thumb|right|Water-filled trench near [[Geilenkirchen]]]]

=== Border Watch ===
Small bunkers with {{convert|50|cm|in|abbr=on}} thick walls were set up with three [[embrasure]]s towards the front. Sleeping accommodations were hammocks. In exposed positions, similar small bunkers were erected with small round armoured "lookout" sections on the roofs. The programme was carried out by the Border Watch (''Grenzwacht''), a small military troop activated in the [[Rhineland]] immediately after the region was re-militarised by Germany from 1936 onwards, after having been de-militarised following the [[First World War]].

=== Limes ===
[[File:Westwall colorized.jpg|thumb|Type 10 Limes programme bunker seen from the rear]]

The [[Limes (Roman Empire)|Limes]] programme began in 1938 following an order by Hitler to strengthen fortifications on the western German border. ''Limes'' refers to the former borders of the [[Roman Empire]]; the cover story for the programme was that it was an archaeological study.

Its Type 10 bunkers were more strongly constructed than the earlier border fortifications. These had {{convert|1.5|m|ftin|abbr=on}} thick ceilings and walls. A total of 3,471 were built along the entire length of the Siegfried Line. They featured a central room or shelter for 10–12 men with a [[stepped embrasure]] facing backwards and a combat section {{convert|50|cm|in|abbr=on}} higher. This elevated section had embrasures at the front and sides for machine guns. More embrasures were provided for [[rifleman|riflemen]], and the entire structure was constructed so as to be safe against [[poison gas]].

Heating was from a safety oven, the chimney of which was covered with a thick grating. Space was tight, with about {{convert|1|m2|sqft|abbr=on}} per soldier, who was given a sleeping-place and a [[stool (seat)|stool]]; the commanding officer had a chair. Surviving examples still retain signs warning "Walls have ears" and "Lights out when embrasures are open!"

=== Aachen-Saar ===
The Aachen-Saar programme bunkers were similar to those of the Limes programme: Type 107 double MG <!--Machine gun??? --> [[casemate]]s with concrete walls up to {{convert|3.5|m|ft|abbr=on}} thick. One difference was that there were no embrasures at the front, only at the sides of the bunkers. Embrasures were only built at the front in special cases and were then protected with heavy metal doors. This construction phase included the towns of [[Aachen]] and [[Saarbrücken]], which were initially west of the Limes Programme defence line.

=== Western Air Defence Zone ===
The Western Air Defence Zone (''Luftverteidigungszone West'' or ''LVZ West'') continued parallel to the two other lines toward the east and consisted mainly of concrete [[Anti-aircraft warfare|''flak'']] foundations. Scattered [[MG 42]] and [[MG 34]] emplacements added additional defence against both air and land targets. Flak turrets were designed to force enemy planes to fly higher, thus decreasing the accuracy of their bombing. These towers{{clarify|date=February 2015}} were protected at close range by bunkers from the Limes and Aachen-Saar programmes.

=== Geldern Emplacement ===
[[File:Westwall07.jpg|thumb|right|Geldern Emplacement bunker near [[Kleve]]]]

The Geldern Emplacement lengthened the Siegfried Line northwards as far as [[Kleve]] on the Rhine and was built after the start of the Second World War. The Siegfried Line originally ended in the north near Brüggen in the [[Viersen]] district. The primary constructions were unarmed dugouts, but their extremely strong concrete design afforded excellent protection to the occupants. For [[camouflage]] they were often built near farms.