Flankenturm

Flankenturm is a term used in German military history to describe a type of fortified tower or observation post. These structures were typically sited near the perimeter of a military position, such as a fort or a trench system, and were designed to provide overlapping fields of fire to protect against flanking attacks.

The Flankenturm was a notable feature of several German fortifications, including the Siegfried Line of World War I and the Atlantikwall of World War II. In these systems, multiple Flankentürme were built along the edge of fortified positions, often spaced at intervals of around 100 to 200 meters. Each tower was typically equipped with a main gun, such as a machine gun or a light cannon, and might also have secondary armaments, such as smaller machine guns or rifles.

The Flankenturm was designed to provide a safe and secure position for the gun crew, while also allowing for a clear field of fire out over the surrounding terrain. The towers were often built with a low profile, making them harder to spot from a distance, and were typically camouflaged to blend in with the surrounding environment. This design allowed the German military to create a network of fortified positions that were well suited to defensive warfare, but could also be effective as a siege- breaking force.

The effectiveness of the Flankenturm varied depending on the specific terrain and the tactics employed by the defending forces. While they provided effective crossfire protection in some situations, they could be bypassed or overrun in others. Despite this, the Flankenturm remained an important component of German defensive strategy in World War I and World War II.