Combat Bunker Ringstand 58c

About 55 metres from another position on the same hill stands a separate German combat bunker of type Ringstand 58c from 1944, an element of the Pilicy defensive line (Piliza-Stellung) in Inowłódz. It is a distinct object from the neighbouring attraction, devoted to the same type of construction, so they are easily confused when planning a visit.

Construction of Ringstand 58c

Ringstand 58c, colloquially known as Tobruk, is a firing position without living quarters, intended solely for conducting circular fire with an MG34 or MG42 machine gun mounted on a metal rail. The structure had two storeys: a lower one serving as an ammunition magazine, and an upper combat chamber accessible by stairs, with a firing port in the ceiling and a side entrance in the lower section.

Wall thickness and crew

The standard wall thickness of Ringstand 58c was 40 centimetres, and in reinforced versions from 60 to 80 centimetres, using approximately 11 cubic metres of concrete per structure. The position was typically manned by one or two soldiers.

Two positions close together

This bunker lies at a distance of approximately 55 metres from Combat Bunker Ringstand 58c, another structure in the same area of the hill. Both structures belong to the same construction type and stand within the largest concentration of Pilicy line fortifications in Inowłódz, numbering four positions in the vicinity of Church of St Idzi. Coordinates for each Ringstand are not given separately, so it is impossible to unambiguously identify which of the specimens described there corresponds precisely to this structure.

Terrain changes in 2017

In spring 2017 the terrain of the hill around the church was reclaimed, making the bunkers more visible from the surface. The work destroyed trenches and dugouts from both world wars, a former fire-prevention reservoir, and anti-tank gun positions that had previously been located in the same place.

Pilicy line

Fortifications were built from July 1944 to 15 January 1945 on the orders of the Wehrmacht and Organisation Todt, under the personal supervision of Heinrich Himmler, as an attempt to halt the offensive of the Red Army after crossing the Vistula. The local Polish population aged 14 to 65 and prisoners of war were forcibly directed to the work. A similar, though passive type of bunker with an attached firing position stands in nearby Zakościele, described as Bunker Regelbau 668 with attached Ringstand 58c.

Practical information

• Address: 97-215 Inowłódz, hill at Church of St Idzi.
• Access on foot from the church, open terrain, no marked tourist path.
• Precise matching of this structure to a specific numbered position is uncertain. Several similar Ringstands stand close together in the terrain, including a neighbouring structure just 55 metres away, so they are easily confused.
• Expect a small concrete position, partially sunken into the ground, with a firing port in the ceiling.