The Middle Oder Line

The Oderstellung, or the Oder Line, is a system of approximately 650 single-story reinforced concrete bunkers built between 1928 and 1939 to strengthen the defense of Lower Silesia against potential attacks from the east. These massive concrete fortifications, equipped with armored elements, stretched along the left bank of the Oder River from Wrocław to Krosno Odrzańskie. In addition to the concrete bunkers, numerous wood-and-earth fortifications, machine gun and artillery emplacements, minefields, and barbed wire obstacles were constructed. The line played a crucial role in the defense strategy of the Third Reich, initially against a potential Polish offensive and later during World War II, when it was intended to halt the advance of the Red Army. Unfortunately, in January 1945, Soviet forces quickly breached the line, leading to the loss of German control over the area. After the war, most of the Oderstellung structures were destroyed or demolished, and the few remaining bunkers were systematically looted by scrap metal thieves. Today, two open-air museums are dedicated to preserving and restoring the remnants of these fortifications, organizing events such as reenactments commemorating the battles along the Oder. Every year on January 29, a historical reenactment takes place in Cigacice, attracting history and fortification enthusiasts and highlighting the significance and difficult history of these architectural structures.