B-Werk Besseringen

Useful Information

Location:	Bezirkstraße/Zum Kreimertsberg, 66663 Merzig. A8 exit 5 Merzig-Schwemlingen, B51 towards Mettlach, turn right at the roundabout, next roundabout turn right, park at the VW car dealership. 200 m/5 minutes single-lane gravel road to the bunker entrance. (49.4651159, 6.6210796)
Open:	APR to SEP Sun 14-18, last entry 17:15. [2023]
Fee:	free. [2023]
Classification:	World War II Bunker Westwall
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:	no
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	B-Werk Besseringen, am Verkehrskreisel im Gewerbegebiet Siebend, 66663 Merzig. Tourist-Info der Kreisstadt Merzig, Brauerstraße 5, 66663 Merzig, Tel: +49-6861-85-330. E-mail: Verein für Heimatkunde. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Description

The B-Werk near Besseringen is the only completely preserved armoured bunker of the Westwall's "B" configuration. The B works were the largest and best-equipped bunkers on the Siegfried Line; there were 32 of them in total. The name is simply the thickness as an abbreviation, B is 1.5 m wall and ceiling thickness. For this reason, this name was usually avoided in order not to give the enemy any indication of the thickness of the fortifications. Instead, a proper name was chosen, usually an animal name or location name.

The B-Werk Besseringen has been preserved undamaged with all its armoury cupolas, which is very unusual because almost all B-Werke were cannibalised and blown up after the war. The armoury cupolas in particular were destroyed. In the meantime, most of them have even been levelled and covered. The B-Werk in Irrel, which is now also a museum, has also been preserved, although it was partially blown up.

It was built in 1938 and 1939 and cost 1.3 million Reichsmarks. 2,800 m³ of concrete, 1,120 t of cement, 5,400 t of sand and gravel,and around 200 t of steel were used. The result is 12 metres high and has 44 rooms on three levels on a floor area of 24.60 metres by 17.80 m. The size was designed for a crew of 85 to 90 people. The building had its own water and electricity supply as well as air filtration systems and was therefore self-sufficient for 30 days. It had two six-shaft turrets, an observation cupola and embrasure plates for a flanking system. The armament consisted of a total of five machine guns, an M 19 machine grenade launcher and an FN fortress flamethrower.