Located on the right wing of the fortified area of Haguenau, the 'ouvrage' Schoenenbourg commanded all approaches from the north-east. In fact, in can be regarded as a pattern implementation of the mental image of a rather up-to-date achievement in those days.

Indeed, it gathers all the main features arising from the experience acquired during the battles at Verdun (1916 to 1918), namely :

• the distant location of the rear 'Entrances' from the front 'Combat Blocks', which allowed for the men not to be disturbed in their sleep, even when the fort underwent heavy shellings or bombardments ;
• improved resistance possibilities, thanks to the Schoenenbourg's self-sufficient energy power generators, to the reserves of water, food and ammunition and to ventilation as well as liaison with the outside ;
• stress laid on weapons within rotating, retractable turrets, such as heavy guns, mortars and twin machine-guns ;
• the armement diversity of the various combat blocks, which ensured high efficiency ;
• the ability of the Schoenenbourg to provide fire coverage to neighbouring 'ouvrages' and the possibility of receiving coverage fire by them, on request ;
• safe connections to all blocks, through a subterranean gallery network.

These principles were implemented as follows :

• at the front : 6 combat blocks (turret and casemate blocks) ;
• at the rear, over 1 km away from the front : 2 entrances (for the men and the munitions) ;
• the setting up of the bunker's facilities in the rear, viz. the barracks, kitchens, nursery, power shop, water tanks, etc ;
• a network of galleries stretching over 3 km all in all, ensuring connection to the various sectors at a depth of 18 to 30 m below ground level.

Schoenenbourg, block 3 :

Schoenenbourg, block 4 :

Until 1941 no known weapon could destroy such armoured bunkers, which by the end of the battle in France, i.e. in mid June 1940, turned out to have been impregnable so far.

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