Château d’Hannoncelles – Hannoncelles Castle
Between the villages of Ville-en-Woevre and Fresnes-en-Woevre, the Germans constructed a switch line in the course of 1916. This was given the name Auler-Stellung and was named after the former instructor of the pioneers in the Turkish army and commander of the 5. Landwehr-Infanterie-Division (5th Landwehr Infantry Division), Generalleutnant (major general) Carl Auler-Pasha. Part of the switch line were several strong points, including the farm and the Château d’Aulnois north of Fresnes-en-Woevre, as well as the farm and the Château d’Hannoncelles, which were located a bit further north along the D 908. In terms of command structure, the area belonged until 1917 to the V. Preußisches Armee-Korps (V Prussian Corps) and thus part of the St. Mihiel salient-based Armee-Abteilung Strantz (Army Detachment Strantz).
The Château d’Hannoncelles was built at the beginning of the 15th century on the remains of an early medieval castle complex. Like the Château d’Aulnois located a bit further south and the associated farm, the lands around Hannoncelles Castle became the property of the “des Armoises” family as early as the late 15th century. Beginning in 1508, Thierry des Armoises I constructed an initial larger castle complex, which was continuously expanded and remodeled until the end of the 17th century. In the 18th century, a chapel was erected in the southeastern corner of Hannoncelles Castle. Its position is still recognizable today by means of a larger bay window. During the First World War, massive destruction occurred. Since 1992, parts of the facades as well as the noteworthy chapel have been listed as historic monuments.
The building complex was originally constructed in a quadrilateral Renaissance style. After the end of the fighting, only parts of Hannoncelles Castle, which was heavily destroyed overall and devastated inside, were preserved and rebuilt in the 1920s. Since 1992, individual areas of the facades as well as the chapel have been listed as historic monuments.
Only a few photographs of the castle from the wartime period are known. Virtually nothing is recorded regarding the strategic and logistical significance of the facility during the German occupation and the fighting between 1914 and 1918. Contemporary photographs from 1916 onwards show fire trenches, wire entanglements, and massive destruction near the castle, which can be attributed to the immediate proximity to the German positions. This probably also explains why, at least from 1916 onwards—when the „Auler-Stellung“ was constructed—no higher German command posts or staffs were accommodated in the facility anymore, as was actually the rule for such estates in wartime.
Today, the Château d’Hannoncelles is privately owned. It houses conference and event rooms. Visits are possible with individual permission, otherwise only on certain dates during the year, such as at the Journées européennes du patrimoine, which take place every year in September.
The facility and its surroundings are well worth a visit even apart from military-historical excursions.
were AI-edited (notice pursuant to Art. 50 Regulation (EU) 2024/1689).