Fortified Sector of the Crusnes

The Fortified Sector of the Crusnes (Secteur Fortifiée de la Crusnes) was the French military organization that in 1940 controlled the section of the Maginot Line extending eastwards approximately 28 kilometres (17 mi) from Longuyon. The sector roughly follows the valley of the Crusnes river. Crucially, the trace of the Maginot Line in the Crusnes sector is about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) behind the industrial city of Longwy which sits directly against the French borders with Belgium and Luxembourg. The Crusnes sector was one of the strongest Maginot Line sectors. It was attacked in 1940 by German forces in the Battle of France. Despite the withdrawal of the mobile forces that supported the fixed fortifications, the sector successfully fended off German assaults before the Second Armistice at Compiègne. The positions and their garrisons finally surrendered on 27 June 1940. Following the war many positions were reactivated for use during the Cold War. Three locations are now preserved and open to the public, with a fourth position under restoration.

The sector was originally planned to protect Longwy, with a pronounced bow to the north comprising seven ouvrages replacing all but Bréhain. In order from west to east, these were to be the Ouvrage du Bois de Piepe, Ouvrage de Villers-la-Chévre, Ouvrage de Soxey, Ouvrage de la Rédoute, Ouvrage de Longwy, Ouvrage de Ratentout and the Ouvrage de Verbusch. This line was proposed on 24 June 1930, but was replaced by the more southerly line on 2 August 1930. The main line of fortifications would have been within one or two kilometers of the frontier, much farther forward than any other place on the Line, and in contradiction to the Maginot Line's concept of defence in depth. Construction began in most places in 1930, and was largely complete by 1935. Several locations had additional phases planned. Petit ouvrages Aumetz, Bois-du-Four and Mauvais-Bois were all planned to be expanded into gros ouvrages after completion of the initial plan. Other planned but unconstructed ouvrages included the Ouvrage de Bouillon and the Ouvrage de la Cote 143 (Hill 143), casualties of realignment. The Ouvrage de Rafour was planned to anchor the west end of the line behind Longuyon, but was canceled and replaced by a series of blockhouses as a cost-saving measure.

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