Bunker mentality: few things in 20th century Swiss history do more to fire the imagination than the 'Reduit'--thousands of fortifications built to defend the 'impenetrable' heart of the Swiss Alps in the Second World War. Today, many of the bunkers are open to the public, and some are even on the market.

On a cold winter day, a group of visitors gathers at the entrance of Heldsberg, a former fortification on the Swiss-Austrian border, near St Margarethen.

The group includes men and women, young and old, Swiss, Austrians and Germans. Some boys immediately start to climb on the artillery displayed outside the bunker. Two cannons are mounted on a ridge, surrounded by a chain of concrete mini-pyramids, the so-called 'Toblerone barricades'.

The museum's collection includes more arms than the ones originally used in the subterranean vaults during the Second World War. In the barn opposite the entrance, we get a view Of some of the heavier stuff: a bomber, a Swedish Beaufort, a French Schneider and other artillery.

Some of these cannons have a reach of 70 kilometres; others can tire 50 shots a minute. When the fortress was operational, our guide explains, landmines and barbed wire covered the whole area. The exact size of the operation was kept top-secret.

Mounting defences

When Heldsberg was being built, the Swiss military saw to it that the explosions to create the subterranean caverns were launched simultaneously at several locations and always at 6:00 and at 18:00. In doing so, they could conceal the location and importance of the fortification from the locals.

Even if Switzerland had a neutral status in 1939, it was by no means clear that it would stay that way. The fewer people outside the military that knew about Heldsberg's size, the better. After all, belligerent Germany and Austria both were within a few kilometres.

When the heavy metal door finally swings open, we enter the underground halls that housed 600 Swiss military in wartime. W0rking in shifts, a steady occupancy of 200 men was present within the bastion; others were serving the artillery outside.

Cavernous depths

It is damp in here; small water currents are dripping through a wall. Long corridors lead to the four points where the heavy cannons were located. Our steps make a hollow sound on the wooden floor plates that cover the whole conduct system underfoot.

We pass a washing area with long metal basins alongside the walls, where dozens of toothbrushes wait in their metal cups. A bit further on, the passageway is flanked by guns, left and right, all of them numbered.

It is as if the soldiers could rush from the dining hall at any time and resume positions. The underground post office, with a counter and a letterbox, is quiet now, but the echo of a ringing telephone soon shatters the silence.

In the heavy artillery area, silent puppet soldiers are wearing oxygen masks, a procedure to protect them from toxic gas when they operated the cannons.

Visitors can actually manipulate one of the cannons and look through the original viewer toward the Rhine.

Remaining neutral

Heldsberg and other Swiss fortifications played a part in maintaining Swiss neutrality during the Second World War. The Germans were not keen on attacking the rocky fortification, according to reports prepared in advance of what was dubbed 'Operation Tannenbaum'.

Germany's take-over plan of Switzerland indeed discouraged "an attack over the Rhine from the eastside only, in view of ... the strong fortifications at Rheineck--Heldsberg and Sargans".

The Swiss now understand that their banks and heavy industry were as critical as their defences in serving to keep Switzerland out of the war. But even so, the massive military bunkers are impressive.

Worldwide, Switzerland still possesses the most substantial collection of military fortifications from that time.

Proud

The former military men who devote their energy to this private museum are proud of the role of Heldsberg played in the so-called "intellectual defence of the homeland".

It was this concept of geistige Landesverteidigung (spiritual defence) that caused the Swiss, directed by General Henri Guisan, to build the so-called 'Reduit', the defence platform in the Alps during World War II.

Although not integrated in the Reduit, per se, Heldsberg was part of this system, blocking the North East passage through Switzerland and the access to the Alpine Reduit. Switzerland built as many as 20,000 fortifications in the Alps and along its four borders.

New mythology

In the supreme secrecy around the Reduit, many myths were born. One of them was that Swiss bombers could actually take off from subterranean airfields; a door in the mountain would open and off they would be launched to their target.

Mr. Silvio Keller of the Swiss army, who has been responsible for the inventory of military buildings in the past fifteen years, confirms that there is some truth in this legend. The airplanes were kept underground--but they were brought outside right before take off.

And there is the rumour of subterranean routes under the Swiss Alps, allowing a passage from north to south through all the caverns that had been built.

The 'Reduit' myths and legends were further nurtured during the Cold War and remained part of the Swiss mystique Until the Berlin Wall crumbled.

However, since 1992 the Swiss army has begun lifting the veil from many of its obsolete military buildings. An inventory now classifies military objects, including bunkers, according to local, regional or national value. Some 13,500 have been listed--and many are seeking new identities or venues.

Role reversal 

Bunkers like Heldsberg have been turned into museums, led by private corporations.

Others serve as stables or warehouses. In Mels, not far from Heldsberg in Canton St. Gallen, a bunker is used as a storage room for cheese.

In Vitznau on the Vierwaldstaettersee a former bunker is now a hotel where groups come to celebrate the military past in so-called 'Swiss Army Nights'.

A very special destination was chosen for a bunker in the middle of the Gotthard, which has been turned into a trendy wellness hotel with an art collection, library and Japanese spa. An exquisite cuisine and 17 very comfortable rooms add to the four-star ambitions of this hotel: La Claustra.

Thanks to these private initiatives, the military monuments of Switzerland are slowly but steadily taking on new roles.

And the Swiss army is happy to sell them to any interested party. Bunker anyone?

More information

www.fort.ch

www.armasuisse.ch