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ReichsschutzstellungReichsschutzstellung (also called Südostwall), line of defence, planned to reach from Preßburg (Bratislava) to lower Styria, via Weiden on the northern shore of Lake Neusiedl, Ödenburg and Geschriebenstein from autumn 1944. A second line of defence was planned to extend from Bruck an der Leitha to Neusiedl, Mannersdorf, Siegendorf, Schattendorf and Neckenmarkt. The National Labour Service, the "Organisation Todt" special purpose force, foreign civilians, prisoners of war, forced labour convicts, Hungarian Jews and Volkssturm combat troops were employed for its construction (a total of 83,000 people in January 1945). The Reichsschutzstellung proved ineffective against the approaching Soviet troops in March and April 1945. Literature: L. Banny, Schild im Osten, 1985.
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