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Origin and history

The Hatten Shelter Museum is housed in a German bunker of the Siegfried Line (Westwall), built between 1938 and 1940 under the Nazi regime to defend the western border of Germany. This defensive network, 630 km long, was composed of thousands of concrete structures, including shelters such as Hatten's, designed to withstand shelling and shelter troops. The typical architecture of these blockhouses, with its thick walls and firework, reflects the military strategies of the time, focused on static warfare and deterrence.

The Alsatian region, de facto annexed by Nazi Germany in 1940, was a theatre of major operations during the Second World War. The village of Hatten, located near the front line in 1944-1945, suffered violent fighting during the Battle of the Ardennes and the Allied counter-offensive. Shelters such as this served as support points for German troops, while local civilians, including the "Despite Us" (Alsatians forced into the Wehrmacht), experienced a period of terror and division.

Hatten's shelter, originally abandoned after the war, was renovated in the 1980s by local history enthusiasts and veterans. The work was designed to preserve the original structure while adapting to a museum vocation, with the addition of exhibition spaces. Today, the site preserves authentic traces of its military use, such as bullet strikes or soldiers' graffiti, silent testimonies of the fighting.

The museum now houses an exceptional collection of military objects (arms, uniforms, vehicles) dating from 1939 to 1945, as well as models and archives on the "Despite Us". A room is entirely dedicated to American and German material, illustrating the technological confrontation of the war. The site also plays an educational role, welcoming schools and commemorative ceremonies, in particular to honour the memory of the civilian and military victims of the region.

Recognized as a major place of memory of the Great East, the Abri Hatten is ranked among the historical sites of the Second World War in France. He actively participates in Heritage Days and works with veterans' associations to perpetuate the duty of memory. Its authenticity and museography make it an essential step in understanding the military and human history of Alsace during the conflict.

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