Detecting the WWII Siegfried Line or West Wall line of defense...

[Bavaria Mike]

I did some research and found that the Dragon’s Teeth close to my apartment is actually an inner part of the Siegfried Line or the West Wall line of defense during WWII in Germany. It was formed during WWI then improved during WWII. I could not find this section of the wall relating to the town before I set out for the hunt, it is not mentioned anywhere but there is a mark and a wall behind the West wall. I arrived at the site and started detecting, very slow, not many targets and very little trash, the first hour I had only found a few 50. Caliber casings and a couple pieces of trash. My batteries were about to die so I started detecting back to the car when I noticed a person walking his dog in the distance coming towards me. Unlike most people, I thought this was great as I could ask what the heck this wall of cement teeth sticking out of the ground was, I knew what it was but why couldn’t I reference it? As luck would have it, I met a very friendly gentleman, 75 years old and he explained the whole history as he knew it. This inner part of the West Wall was built in 1939 with two bunkers, and he pointed out the houses where the bunkers are. Those houses must have some awesome basements/cellars, LOL! He explained he was 12 years old at the end of WWII when the Americans came through here. There was not much fighting here and the bunkers were not really used at all, it was just a line of defense that the Americans easily went through. He told me a great surprise to the Germans was the Americans had incorporated hydraulic plows on their tanks and just continued to plow dirt up onto these obstacles until they could cross over it, a small speed bump in a WWII environment in 1944-45. Had a nice 15 minute conversation with the old guy and we did not even exchange names, he gave me a pat on my shoulder and we said goodbye. I did thank him for his conversation. Here is the plowed field I detected, looks a little rough but was easy, you can see the wall, just over 2’ high, the Dragon’s Teeth are very hard to make out in the tree line.

This is a picture in the tree line, the big Teeth are over 3’ high. The gentleman I talked to thinks the obstacle line is over 3000 meters, seems right.

Found a beat up military button, probably a Prussian button as this was part of Prussia after the French lost it or it could be even later, around the 1870s or so.

I’m not sure what this is, shows a woman’s bust facing left with a bouquet of flowers. Almost looks like a bear lower left with its head down digging. The lines near the bear almost look like a screw cap type thing but my overall impression makes me think it was a large locket of sort. It is the size of a Silver American Dollar. Appears to have some part broken off.

Reverse of the locket thing.

Obverse of a very nice 50 Reichspfennig coin from 1928, is not aluminum, maybe nickel.

Reverse of the 1928.

And my favorite find of the day, a Nazi ship badge. Says “SEEFAHRT IST NOT” or Seafaring is important. There is more wording around the lower legend of the badge but I can not make it out, I will try to clean it when I get time.

Reverse of the badge, the pin made of steel is long rusted away. Was another beautiful day and great hunt in Germany. HH, Mike

 

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[CRUSADER]

That 1928 looks like its from your pocket 8)

 

[dgaughan]

thanks mike for the story and pics being a slight history buff france's maginot line should not be very distant from were you where. another obstacle that was easily by passed. continued good luck and hh

 

[nhbenz]

Nice finds! I think that's a political (proganda) type pin, rather than military. Here's a similar one: http://www.dasreich.co.uk/tin032_navig_02_3134t_gk.htm

 

[Bavaria Mike]

Thanks Nick, I fixed the button description. HH, Mike

 

[Bavaria Mike]

NHBenz, thank you very much, that is it! Mine seems to have a different maker, looks like Zimmermann on the back of mine. Much appreciated and HH, Mike

 

[Ant]

Yeah Mike, I always like your finds and photos are just as great. Keep the coming, HH and Gold Luck.

 

[Cannonman17]

As usual great pics to go with the story! I might just give up MD'ing and wait for your posts! LOL!

 

[goldencoin]

Very neat relics 8)

HH
-GC

 

[scoutjim99]

great story and great finds thank you for sharing

 

[birdman]

Very cool post Mike ! I remember two occasions that German men in their late 70s or maybe even eighties came up to me and tried to start conversations when I was there. The language barrier came into effect and we could not understand each other.Both times they were trying to tell me places to hunt but I could not make out what they were saying.I offered them some of my finds but they declined on both occasions. I have one of those sea ship badges that I bought at a flea market while there and was told it was a German Marchant marine type badge. Very cool hunt ! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Ken from Atlanta]

Love the navigation badge!!!!! I really want to come to Europe and hunt one day.

 

[Nana40]

Another GREAT post, Mike! 8) Those are some awesome finds AND pictures! Thanks for taking us along!

Nana

 

[wyattrr]

Way cool Mike...I always enjoy reading your posts...its like reading a magazine. Oh yeah, Congrats on the finds

 

[Sand]

Nice story_ Mike, and it happened again - we found same things at the nearly the same time. This coin I found day before yesterday and it is my first such in 3 years of MDing:

You are right, it is nickel.

HH

Sand

 

[Viking]

This is getting really weird now.
Mike, Sand, and I find the same type of coin within a few days ot each other.
I hope you and sand find some gold soon so can have some to lololololol.
Keep up the good work Mike

 

[Mirage]

Mike,
Awesome Ship Pin. Those are the kind of finds that really speak of the history of the area.

Nice also to get a history lesson from a person in the area.

Bob