The massive batterie Lindeman, now buried under tons Channel Tunnel soil

The Atlantic wall, meant to be an impregnable line of beach obstacles, bunkers, and minefields, was breached in Normandy in most places within a couple of hours. The Allies did not attack where the “wall” was strongest but even so, the speed with which they pushed through it came as a surprise to the Allies.

These are Propaganda pictures of the Atlantik Wall around the Pas de Calais where the Germans had expected the invasion to take place. This area was fortified with a continues line of bunkers and gun positions, as these pictures will show.

Hitler believed it could not be breached, he was wrong.

Mines on the Beach in the Pas de Calais

Czech hedgehogs on the beach in the Pas de Calais

Dragons teeth being manufactured (?) near Calais

Heavy gun in a bunker near Calais

General der Flieger Friedrich Christiansen (right) inspects the Atlantik wall shortly before the Allied invasion in Normandy

General der Flieger Friedrich Christiansen (left) inspects the Atlantik wall shortly before the Allied invasion in Normandy

German stands guard behind a “Spanish rider” barbed wire barrier

Installing beach obstacles

Field Marshal Erwin Rommel with officers on inspection of wooden barriers on the beach before the Atlantic Wall, April 1944.

15,5cm gun 418(f) in a gun bunker (Regelbau 694)

A bunker under construction

A bunker under construction

A German soldier stands guard in front of an observation bunker

Germans with a heavy machine gun in a “tobruk” look out over the channel

Anti-tank obstacles made of steel as part of the Atlantic Wall

Batterie Todt

German artillery in an unfinished open gunposition

Installing a heavy gun in a bunker

All images courtesy of Wikipedia / Bundesarchiv