Alksnynė Defence Complex Infrastructure
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The anti-aircraft artillery battery was installed in Smiltynė, the Klaipėda part of the Curonian Spit.
The air defence artillery battery is a part of the coastal and air defence system of the German Navy. Its construction was started in 1939 after the annexation of the Klaipėda region to Germany and the beginning of the military reinforcement works of the city. The main function of the battery was the air defence of Klaipėda. From 1939–1944, the air defence battery was armed with four 128 mm Flak-40 guns, and the battery structures included gun emplacements, underground rooms, a command post, an ammunition depot, and a power generator building.
In 1945, German troops retreated and destroyed all the equipment of the battery. Nowadays, the complex is located within the Curonian Spit National Park.
Used sources and references:
T. Tamkvaitis, doctoral dissertation "Coastal defense systems on the coasts of Lithuania and Latvia in 1939-1945 and problems of their preservation", Klaipėda University, 2024.
R. Rolf. "German coastal defense fortifications in the Klaipėda region (1939–1944)". In: 20th century fortification in Lithuania. Kaunas, 2008, pp. 111– 124.
