Fort IX "Brunner"

Created on the basis of source materials by - Author: Tomasz Trojnar

Fort IX "Brunner" was built in 1896. Initially located in the village of Ujkowice, it is currently located within the administrative boundaries of the city of Przemyśl. This is a main armored, central twin-shaft fort, and in many ways it is similar to the fort of "San Rideau" in Bolestraszyce. The fort was named in honor of General Moritz von Brunner, one of the directors of the Fortress's construction and an engineer who created many works of fortification around the world.

It was a work of defense with a powerful armament, which was particular to the the fortifications of General Brunner. It had four towers, each armored with 150 mm mortars seated on the roof of the barracks, three 150mm howitzers, moreover a quick-caliber 80 mm gun was operated from traditor and it also had a 240 mm mortar. The thickness of the ceiling of the fort was in the range of 2-3m. In addition to the positions of armored cannons, the fort held the position for fire control and observation of foreground, which allowed it to direct artillery fire, even at a time when it was under attack. The facility was equipped with electrical installations for lighting the interior of the fort. Inside the fort was an elevator shaft for feeding ammunition to battle stations and a ventilation system for the removal of powder gases and to provide clean air for the crew. There was also additional equipment for phones, as well as searchlights to illuminate the foreground. The casemates and ceiling of the fort were covered with a generous layer of soil 50-60 cm thick which abrogated the effect of fragmentation projectiles.

During the third siege of the fort, as at the nearby fort X "Orzechowce", it was shelled by the German heavy mortars, and as a result suffered considerable damage. Currently at Fort IX "Bruner" are preserved the moat, embankments, emergency shelter and a fragment of the gallery arms. In 1993. a four tonne armored cupola from the observation tower was found, which is currently on display in front of the “National Museum of the Przemyśl lands”, in Przemyśl.

Creator of the text: Jacek Dzik

Bibliography and references:

Forester Franz - Twierdza Przemyśl, Warszawa 2000 r.
Idzikowski Tomasz - Forty Twierdzy Przemyśl, Przemyśl 2001 r.
Idzikowski Tomasz - Twierdza Przemyśl
Mini przewodnik, Przemyśl 2005 r.
Różański Jan - Forty Twierdzy Przemyśl, Przemyśl 1980 r.