Festung is a generic German word for a fortress. Although it is not in common usage in English, it is used in a number of historical contexts involving German speakers:
For historical fortresses in Austria, Germany or Switzerland
As part of the reasoning given by the German Army (Heer) for the slow progress of the Siege of Warsaw
For German WWII strongholds which were to be held at all costs, especially towards the end of the war:
Alpine Fortress or Alpenfestung
Atlantic wall or Festung Europa — a military propaganda term from the Second World War which referred to the areas of Continental Europe occupied by Nazi Germany.
Stalingrad (see Battle of Stalingrad)
Warsaw (Festung Warschau) see also the Warsaw Uprising
Poznań (Battle of Posen)
Kolobrzeg (Battle of Kolberg)
Piła (Festung Schneidemühl)
Wrocław (Festung Breslau)
Budapest (Battle of Budapest)
Kaliningrad (Festung Königsberg)
For entire countries such as Norway which were heavily fortified in World War II. See Festung Norwegen.
For proposed post war German enclaves (festungen, literally "strongholds") in places such as Brest and Trondheim (see Nordstern (city) § Atlantic Wall)
For planned national redoubts such as Switzerland's National Redoubt (Schweizer Alpenfestung).
Festung is a generic German word for a fortress. Although it is not in common usage in English, it is used in a number of historical contexts involving...
Die Festung ('The Fortress') is a German-language novel by Lothar-Günther Buchheim, the sequel to his 1973 Das Boot. It was published in 1995 by Hoffmann...
In the German language, Festung Warschau ("Fortress Warsaw") is the term used to refer to a fortified and well-defended Warsaw. In the 20th century, the...
Festung Norwegen (German, transl. Fortress Norway) was the heavy defence and fortification system of Norway during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany...
Ehrenbreitstein Fortress (German: Festung Ehrenbreitstein, IPA: [ˌfɛstʊŋ ˈeːʁənbʁaɪtʃtaɪn] ) is a fortress in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate...
months, with the defense lasting around 60 days. The building was labelled Festung ("Fortress") on German maps. Sgt. Pavlov was awarded the Hero of the Soviet...
Fortress Crete (German: Festung Kreta) was the term used during World War II by the German occupation forces to refer to the garrison and fortification...
The Kufstein Fortress (German: Festung Kufstein) is the main landmark of Kufstein, a town in Tyrol, Austria. It is sometimes wrongly referred to as Geroldseck...
Germany. Included are castles (German: Burg, Schloss), forts (German: Festung), palaces (German: Schloss, Palais, Palast), country or stately homes and...
Fortress Europe (German: Festung Europa) was a military propaganda term used by both sides of World War II which referred to the areas of Continental...
Hohensalzburg Fortress (German: Festung Hohensalzburg, lit. 'High Salzburg Fortress') is a large medieval fortress in the city of Salzburg, Austria. It...
In August 1944, Adolf Hitler declared the city of Breslau a fortress (Festung), and ordered that it must be defended at all costs. He named Karl Hanke...
Rothenberg Fortress (German: Festung Rothenberg) is a fortress on the eponymous hill, 588 m, near Schnaittach in the Franconian Jura. The first fortifications...
Marienberg Fortress (German: Festung Marienberg) is a prominent landmark on the left bank of the Main river in Würzburg, in the Franconia region of Bavaria...
authorize a withdrawal, Adolf Hitler had declared Budapest a fortress city (Festung Budapest), which was to be defended to the last man. Waffen SS General...
London: Charles Knight & co. New York: William Jackson. 1839. p. 309. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Festung Mainz. www.festung-mainz.de (in German)...
The Berlin Fortress (German "Festung Berlin") was the fortification of the historic city of Berlin. Construction started in 1650. The ramparts, walls...
Aarburg Castle (German: Festung Aarburg) is a castle in the municipality of Aarburg in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland. It is located high above the...
Rosenberg Fortress (German: Festung Rosenberg) is a fortress situated on a hill overlooking Kronach, a town in the Upper Franconia region of Bavaria,...
Fortress Atlantic pockets Atlantic Wall Czechoslovak border fortifications Festung Norwegen Fortress Europe Maginot line Molotov line Stalin line Valtellina...
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