Pillbox model 37 / Lehké opevnení ("Ropík") Vz. 37 - Beroun Závodí (Central Bohemia) - Military Installations on Waymarking.com

Depicted pillbox (lehké opevnení or nickname "ropík" in Czech) model 37 (number: 116/128/A-160), a part of pre WW-II Czechoslovak fortification system, is located on Berounka river bank in Beroun - Závodí.

This pillbox, which is nowadays slowly reconstructed by amateur history lovers from Beroun, was an object of "Section B6 Beroun" of Prague defense line (so called Prague' line). The Section B6 originally comprised 66 concrete objects of the light fortification!

The Czechoslovak government built a system of border fortifications, as well as some fortified defensive lines inland, from 1935 to 1938 as a defensive countermeasure against the rising threat of Nazi Germany that later materialized in the German offensive plan called Fall Grün. The objective of the fortifications was to prevent the taking of key areas by an enemy (not only Germany but also Hungary) by means of a sudden attack before the mobilization of the Czechoslovak army could be completed, and to enable effective defense until allies (Britain and France and possibly the Soviet Union) could help.

The fortifications consisted of "Heavy Objects", which means either isolated Infantry Blockhouses (Casemates) or Artillery Forts (connected infantry and artillery casemates, artillery and mortar turrets, etc.) similar to the French Maginot Line, and "Light Objects" (pillboxes), designated vz. 36 (model 36, the so-called French type) and a more modern vz. 37 (model 37), besides a system of obstacles (e.g. barbed wire, Czech hedgehogs, anti-tank ditches and walls, and also natural obstacles).

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 through, 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.

Pillboxes model 37 firstly appeared in 1937. They were usually constructed for flanking fires only and were built in continuous lines. Main armament consisted again of machineguns, but in this case using gun carriages. Pillboxes were also equipped with simple periskopes and handy fans.