Fifty armored reinforced-concrete blockhouses, more than three dozen kilometers of underground tunnels, 17 freight stations on an underground railway, and a system of dams, drawbridges and canals. All of this is the Mezeritsa Fortification (MRU). Not far from the Polish city of Miedzyzhech lies a network of underground tunnels, built from the 1930s to 1943 as a strategic defensive line on the Eastern Front. Hitler twice visited this underground reinforced-concrete kingdom, code-named “RL” – Regenwurmlager – “The Camp of the Earthworm.” Nowhere else in the world is there a more extensive or more branching underground fortification than the one dug in the bend of the Oder and Warta rivers more than half a century ago. Until 1945 these lands were part of Germany (after the collapse of the Third Reich they became part of Poland). The project was never finished, and in 1945 Soviet troops broke through this fortified area. At the end of World War II, Soviet troops discovered huge unfinished tunnels across Germany. The main completed section is roughly 30 kilometers long, out of the 80 planned, with more than 50 firing points, classified by the mass and thickness of their concrete as A, B, C… The largest, “A,” has walls 3.5 meters thick. Many of the firing points were never connected. The tunnels lie at a depth of 30 to 50 meters (in the northern part). According to the plan, the “LDH” fortification was meant to be completely self-sufficient, including underground barracks, dining rooms and power plants.
Let’s plunge into the dungeons of the Third Reich!
Where is the Rain Worm Camp located?
The modern border between Poland and Germany differs from the pre-war one. In the 1930s its western part ran farther east, and part of the border followed the Oder River. Rivers in themselves are a good way to deter an enemy attack – tanks cannot cross along the riverbed. Bridges have to be built and anchored on the opposite shore, and all of this under fire from the defending side. So, once they had built some of their defensive structures, the Germans could rest easy. But rivers do not flow in whatever direction you need. And that is the weakness here: the Oder flows from the south and then turns west, while the Warta flows from the east toward the Oder. The terrain between the rivers was a weak spot. In German this place is called the “OWB” (Oder – Warta – Bogen), which translates as the bend of the Oder and Warta rivers.
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Regenwurmlager Map
The Germans built a line of bunkers in this vulnerable area, linking the fortified groups together underground to protect themselves in the event of an enemy attack. The gap between the rivers was fairly wide – about 62 km – and the Germans did not have time to finish the tunnel system completely.
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A picturesque hill with an oak tree on top was crowned by two armored positions.
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The entrance was closed off with a grate.
At the entrance hang signs showing diagrams of the fortifications.
This engineering marvel was built not by captive slaves but by top-class professionals from Todt’s construction army: surveying engineers, hydraulic engineers, railway workers, concrete workers, electricians and so on. Each of them was responsible only for their own structure or a small section of the work, and none could even imagine the overall scale of the Earthworm Camp (Regenwurmlager). During construction, Todt’s people used every technical innovation of the twentieth century, combining them with the experience of medieval castle architects when it came to all kinds of traps and deadly surprises for uninvited guests.
A kilometer away we found the next firing point. Unlike the first one, where a ladder led down the shaft, this shaft was empty. We had two descent systems and 80 meters of rope – enough to descend to a depth of 50 meters.
One by one, we went down to the bottom of the shaft.
We came down to the base of one of the Earthworm bunkers. The bunker consists of several halls. At the rear of the bunker there is an exit to a shaft with a ladder leading up to the surface.
It is 45 meters up to the top (150 steps).
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Someone had painted the walls in the colors of the Polish flag.
A metal double-armored door. The firing points on the surface were fitted with the same kind of doors.
From the main tunnel of the underground fortress, secondary tunnels branch off, leading to ammunition depots, engine rooms and connections with other fortified groups. The height and width of the tunnels vary. The largest is the main tunnel, and the farther they run from it, the smaller the secondary tunnels become.
All the tunnels of the underground fortress were connected by an underground railway, along which electric locomotives hauled mini-trains.
There were even train stations (marked on the map). The train cars could be uncoupled, and the electric locomotives could be recharged at stationary charging points. There were also diesel power stations, barracks, medical stations and other infrastructure.
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We had dinner at one of the stations.
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In case enemy troops broke through, there were machine-gunner positions in the tunnels.
This is the last station. After another 300 meters, the tunnel comes out to the surface.
After making our way through the tunnels for about 10 km, we came up to the surface. A small truck could pass through this exit.
The entrance was sealed with massive gratings.
Originally posted by samnamos. Translated by Another.Kiev
On request, our team can organize a 3-day tour of Regenwurmlager for your group. Please contact us.