Fort de la Pompelle: A Key Defensive Point in Reims

Constructed between 1880 and 1883 as a fortification near Reims in response to the Franco-Prussian War, Fort de la Pompelle was part of the Séré de Rivières system of forts. During World War I, it was disarmed in 1913 but saw combat, withstanding multiple attacks and bombardments. On September 4, 1914, it was temporarily captured by German forces, only to be re-captured by French forces on September 24, 1914. The fort played a crucial role in the defense of Reims during the war, with a total of 180 different regiments defending it in turn.

It was bombarded numerous times by the Germans, but never changed hands again after the re-capturing. After the war, it was abandoned for nearly forty years before being purchased by the Fédération Nationale André Maginot and sold to the city of Reims for one symbolic franc. Today, Fort de la Pompelle is an historic monument and a museum, showcasing an unusual collection of German army headgear.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons