Pillbox 37/B2-80z - Smecno, Czech Republic
Posted by: 
ToRo61
N 50° 11.330 E 014° 01.990
33U E 430981 N 5560074
Pillbox beside the castle walls
Waymark Code: WMBN8Q
Location: Středočeský kraj, Czechia
Date Posted: 06/05/2011
Views: 115
The Czechoslovak government built a system of border fortifications from 1935 to 1938 as a defensive countermeasure against the rising threat of Nazi Germany (
visit link) .
The "Light Objects" (pillboxes) were simple hollow boxes with 1 or (typically) 2 machine gun positions, a retractable observation periscope, grenade tubes (small tube that leads outside), hand operated air blower, and a solid inner door at 90* to a steel bar outer door. The machine gun was mounted near the end of the barrel, so that the port hole was only large enough for the bullets and a scope to see though, unlike most other designs where a large opening is used. A heavy steel plate could be slid down to quickly close the tiny hole for added protection.
This pillbox is one of the best equipped and refurbished at present.
It was inducted into the state it was in during the September 1938 - the time of mobilization of the Czechoslovak army in 1938 , when immediately threatened conflict. You can find this pillbox close to by the castle wall in Smecno.