Infantry blockhouse K-S 5 - Cerveny Potok, Czech Republic - Military Installations on Waymarking.com

The extended system of fortifications was built to defend the former Czechoslovakia during the second half of the 30s. The heavy fortified installations with infantry blocks were built in the border sections with high defence priority. They were solid, mostly two-storey constructions which were armed with machine guns as well as with anti-tank guns, if necessary with mortars, too. The typical characteristics of these blocks were the armoured cloches (bells) and cupolas which served for the observation of the battlefield. Other tasks were the fire control and the command of the machine guns. In case of war each infantry block was able to operate independently. Besides other facilities each infantry block had its own well, filter room and engine room, in which the electric power was generated. The infantry blocks were individually shaped to the corresponding terrain and constructed in accordance with their combat tasks. They differed in their dimensions, outlines, wall and ceiling dimensions, armament and garrison. Nevertheless they consisted of standardized construction and design elements. For a usual infantry block about 1300 to 1500 m3 of concrete and up to 120 tons of steel reinforcement were needed. They could stand artillery shelling up to calibre 305 mm. Until September 1938 228 heavy independent blocks were structurally finished.

The plan of upper floor of the infantry blockhouse K-S 5

The infantry block K-S 5 (code name "U potoka") represents a part of the Czechoslovakian Territorial Fortifications, which was built from 1935 till 1938. In northern direction there is the state frontier, which before World War II separated the former Czechoslovakia from Hitler's Third Reich. In particular in the surroundings of the town Králíky (Grulich) one of the strongest defense lines in former Europe was constructed, which at present is partially open to the public as Fortification Area Králíky. Inside the infantry block there are some installations and display items about the history and defense of Czechoslovakia.
The construction of infantry block K-S 5 began in autumn 1936, and the installation was operationally ready in 1938. It represents a mighty and very powerfully equipped block of the I heavy installations, which was given an important role in the defense system in the east of the I town. Its structure consists of 1.756 m3 of concrete and about 125 tons of steel reinforcement, altogether about 4.200 tons of building material. Its combat tasks were: Blocking of the road running from the border and the March (Morava) valley; fire support for infantry block K - S 6 in the west and infantry blocks K - S 4 and K - S 3 in the east. So the infantry block was equipped with the remarkable armament of two anti-tank guns, seven heavy and six light machine guns in embrasures in the walls and three armored cupolas. The crew consisted of 37 elite soldiers of Border Regiment 6. But as a consequence of the Munich Agreement and the following cession of the border areas to Germany the installations were cleared and abandoned at the beginning of October 1938.[ During the first half of the 1950s a scrap company caused serious damage in the structure by blowing out the two huge armored cupolas.
Since 1993 the reconstruction of the block has been carrying out, which is done by volunteers of the association KVH Kralka. Thanks to their efforts the infantry block K-S 5 has become the best = reconstructed installation of the Králíky fortification area. It is one of the few fortifications in the Czech Republic which is mainly equipped with its originial weapons, equipment and interior I furnishings.

Era: WW II Related web site: [Web Link] General Comments: Not listed

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