▁how itz ers ▁or ▁mort ars ▁to ▁expl ode ▁in ▁the ▁air ▁above ▁an ▁open ▁position , ▁making ▁exposed ▁fixed - position ▁art illery ▁un ten able . ▁Fort ▁de ▁Que ule u ▁was ▁thus ▁already ▁ob sole te ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁taken ▁over ▁by ▁the ▁Germ ans . ▁ ▁The ▁fort ' s ▁construction ▁was ▁improved ▁under ▁the ▁German ▁Empire , ▁which ▁renamed ▁it ▁Fort ▁Go eben ▁after ▁a ▁Pr uss ian ▁general ▁who ▁had ▁distinguished ▁himself ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Sp ich eren ▁on ▁ 6 ▁August ▁ 1 8 7 0 . ▁Im mediate ▁German ▁construction ▁focused ▁on ▁dispers ing ▁gun ▁batter ies ▁to ▁fl ank ing ▁positions ▁and ▁rein for cing ▁protection ▁for ▁personnel ▁and ▁am mun ition ▁against ▁shell fire . ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 5 , ▁new ▁explos ives ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁massive ▁increase ▁in ▁the ▁explos ive ▁power ▁of ▁art illery ▁project iles , ▁the ▁so - called ▁cr ise ▁de ▁l ' ob us - tor p ille ▁(" tor ped o - shell ▁crisis ). ▁This ▁development ▁made ▁un protected ▁art illery ▁and ▁m ason ry ▁construction ▁entirely ▁ob sole te , ▁as ▁the ▁new ▁shell s ▁could ▁easily ▁destroy ▁m ason ry ▁structures . ▁ ▁In ▁response , ▁concrete ▁and ▁earth ▁shelter ing ▁was ▁employed ▁in ▁new ▁for ts , ▁and ▁older ▁for ts ▁were ▁rein for ced ▁under ▁the ▁new ▁principles . ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 5 ▁a ▁program ▁of ▁rein for cement ▁covered ▁some ▁critical ▁areas ▁of ▁Que ule