Schwedenschanze


There are numerous prehistorical and early historical ringworks and fortification ramparts in Central Europe that have erroneously, usually colloquially, been given the name Schwedenschanze, which means "Swedish redoubt", a schanze being a hastily erected, military fieldwork.

History

This name arose in connexion with the fighting during the Thirty Years' War, when the population of the Holy Roman Empire often used old field fortifications as refuge castles or hidden livestock pens. Particularly in Catholic areas this action was taken to protect people from the Protestant forces of the Swedish king, Gustavus II Adolphus. Whether the individual fortifications were actually used as fighting positions, however, is usually speculative. Many of the often well preserved earthworks in the forests of Europe were probably later associated wrongly with this religious war.
The history of these heritage sites often goes back several thousand years. They were frequently extended during the Early Middle Ages, for example, to defend East Francia and other regions in the 10th century from the Hungarian invasions.
It is true that in the 17th century, during the Thirty Years' War, numerous earthworks and schanzen were thrown up during the conflict. But these are clearly distinguishable from the older sites by their regular, geometric shapes. Occasionally there were also fortifications that were actually built by the Imperial Army or the Catholic League that were later called Schwedenschanzen; such as the Schwedenschanze in the Rhön.

''Schwedenschanzen''

Austria

From west to east:

Czech Republic

  • Švédské šance (Horní Moštěnice)
  • Švédské šance (Kovářská)

Germany

  • Schwedenschanze (Altastenberg) near Altastenberg, North Rhine-Westphalia
  • Schwedenschanze near Belm, Lower Saxony
  • Schwedenwälle or Schwedenschanzen between Brandenburg an der Havel and Brielow
  • Schwedenschanze in Buckow (Rietz-Neuendorf), near Beeskow, Brandenburg
  • Turmhügel Schwedenschanze (Burghaig), county of Kulmbach, Bavaria
  • Turmhügel Schwedenschanze (Kulmbach), county of Kulmbach, Bavaria
  • Schwedenschanze near Marsberg-Canstein im Roten Land, North Rhine-Westphalia
  • Schwedenschanze near Neuhaus am Rennweg in the Thuringian Forest
  • Schwedenschanze am Neuhäuser See, Saxony
  • Schwedenschanze near Bielefeld-Dornberg, North Rhine-Westphalia
  • Schwedenschanze (Dörscheid) near Dörscheid, Rhineland-Palatinate
  • Ringwall Schwedenschanze (Elfershausen) near Elfershausen in Lower Franconia, Bavaria
  • Schwedenschanze im Liether Wald in Elmshorn, Schleswig-Holstein
  • Schwedenschanze (Frickingen) near Frickingen, Baden-Württemberg
  • Schwedenschanze (Gersfeld) near Rodenbach in the Rhön near the Reesberg, Hesse
  • Schwedenschanze (Gotha) near Gotha in Thuringia
  • Schwedenschanze in the Dölauer Heide in Halle, Saxony-Anhalt
  • Schwedenschanze (Haßberge) on the Kamm der Haßberge, Bavaria
  • Ringwall Schwedenschanze (Heiligenstadt in Oberfranken) northwest of Heiligenstadt in Oberfranken, Bavaria
  • Schwedenschanze in Höchstadt an der Aisch, Bavaria
  • Schwedenschanze (Höhbeck) in the Elbtalaue Wendland Nature Park, Lower Saxony
  • Schwedenschanze Isingerode near Isingerode, Lower Saxony
  • Schwedenschanze (Kelsterbach) in Kelsterbach, Hesse
  • Schwedenschanze (Klein Hutbergen) near Verden, Lower Saxony
  • Schwedenschanze near Frankfurt (Oder), Brandenburg
  • Schwedenschanze in Neppermin on Usedom, see Burgwall Neppermin, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
  • Schwedenschanze (Nisselsbach) near Aichach, Bavaria
  • Abschnittsbefestigung Schwedenschanze (Oberlangheim), Bavaria
  • Schwedenschanze in Peenemünde on Usedom, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
  • Schwedenschanze near Pohnsdorf, Schleswig-Holstein
  • Ringwall Schwedenschanze (Kützberg) near Poppenhausen, Bavaria
  • Schwedenschanze near Preußisch Oldendorf-Börninghausen on the Egge, North Rhine-Westphalia
  • Schwedenschanze on the Rohrhardsberg, Baden-Württemberg
  • Ringwall Schwedenschanze (Rottenstein Forest), Hofheim in Lower Franconia in the county of Haßberge in Bavaria
  • Schwedenschanze (Schlangen) near Schlangen-Oesterholz, North Rhine-Westphalia
  • Schwedenschanze (Spessart) near Alzenau northwest of Mömbris, Bavaria
  • Schwedenschanze (Stade) in the Stade village of Groß Thun, Lower Saxony
  • Schwedenschanze (Stralsund) near Stralsund, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
  • Schwedenschanze (Teublitz) in Teublitz, Bavaria
  • Schwedenschanze (Vlotho) in Vlotho, North Rhine-Westphalia
  • Schwedenschanze in Weitenhagen, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
  • Schwedenschanze (Zuflucht) in the Northern Black Forest

Poland

Switzerland