The B-Werk near Besseringen is the only completely preserved fortification built to construction standard "B" in the Siegfried Line. It is part of the so-called Saar position and lies within the borough of the German town of Merzig. Siegfried Line The defensive system of the Siegfried Line was built between 1936 and 1940 on the western border of the German Empire and had a length of around 630 kilometres. It consisted of a huge number of bunkers and tank obstacles of many different types. A total of 22,000 bunkers and structures was planned, and around 14,800 were actually built, including 32 armoured works of construction standard (or thickness) "B", whence the German term B-Werk. B-Werke The B-Werke were the largest and best-equipped bunker systems in the Siegfried Line. Their name is derived from the construction thickness standards, whereby "B" referred to wall and ceiling thicknesses of 1.5 metres. Officially the term Panzerwerk ("armoured structure") or a codename (such as the name of an animal, field or military figure) was used in order not to give away the construction thickness to the enemy. The Besseringen B-Werk The B-Werk in Besseringen dates to the years 1938 and 1939. Its construction cost then about 1,300,000 Reichsmarks. It was made from about 2,800 cubic metres of concrete and 200 tonnes of steel. The structure is three storeys high and has over 44 rooms with a floor area of 24.60 metres by 17.80 metres. It was intended for a crew of 85 to 90 soldiers who, if necessary, could live and fight autonomously in the B-Werk for up to 30 days. The bunker had its own water and electricity supply, air filter systems, engine rooms and accommodation, and was equipped with two turrets, each with six weapon ports, an observation cupola and flanking embrasures (Schartenplatten). Its weaponry consisted of machine guns for the two six-port turrets and the flanking ports, as well as an M 19 grenade launcher and a fixed FN flamethrower. In addition, there were the normal rifles carried by the infantry, the Mauser Model 98. The B-Werk was designated as Bunker No. 38401 and, later, as WH No. 118. Weaponry and armour plating The main weapons were the two MG 34 machine guns in each six-port turret. These machine guns were fixed to gun mounts in the turrets and could be moved from port to port on rails. They could also be