Westwallmuseum Pirmasens

About the museum

In 1938, above the Gersbach Valley between Niedersimten, Obersimten, Trulben and Vinningen, construction of the Gerstfeldhöhe fortification began in strict secrecy; it was the largest of the eleven so-called A-Werke (A-type works) of the Westwall. Plans called for about 14 kilometers of tunnels on two levels with combat positions, ammunition stores, machine rooms, a field hospital, barracks for 800 men and a narrow-gauge railroad to the forward positions in the Trulben Valley.

When construction of the fortifications was put on hold in 1940/41 in favor of other projects such as the Atlantic Wall, three groups of works with several combat and observation posts and about five kilometers of tunnels had been completed. From 1944, residents of Niedersimten sought shelter from air raids in part of the complex. After the war, the US Army used the tunnels as a storage depot for vehicle spare parts until the early 1990s.

In 1997, the Westwall-Museums-Verein HGS Gerstfeldhöhe, in cooperation with the city of Pirmasens, set up a museum here that sees itself as a memorial for peace while also building a Westwall archive. Along a tour of about one kilometer through the tunnels, which stay at around 8 °C (46 °F) year-round, visitors can see weapons, anti-aircraft guns, military vehicles such as a VW Kübelwagen, gas masks and re-created quarters; inscriptions left by American soldiers have survived on the walls.

Highlights

• Underground Gerstfeldhöhe fortification, the largest A-type work of the Westwall
• About 1 km of tunnels open to visitors at a constant temperature of about 8 °C (46 °F)
• Military vehicles, anti-aircraft guns and weapons
• Re-created soldiers' quarters
• Wall inscriptions by American soldiers from the postwar period

Founded

1997

Operated by

Westwall-Museums-Verein HGS Gerstfeldhöhe e. V.

Admission & discounts

Prices as of April 1, 2025.

Accessibility

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Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

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