Hartmannswillerkopf Trenches, 5 mi, with an elevation gain of 1,847 ft. The Battle of Hartmannswillerkopf, fought from January 1915 to January 1916 over a mountain in Alsace, France, was the longest battle of World War I, lasting over 12 months. Both the French and Germans attacked and counterattacked to gain control of the strategic peak, which would allow observation and artillery attacks on enemy positions. Feb 15, 2026 · The Germans fortified the southern slope with bunkers carved into solid rock, underground galleries, and communication trenches connecting strongpoints like Feste Bamberg and the Rehfelsen positions. Over 30,000 men were killed or wounded in the brutal . A National Monument now dominates the area and commemorates the armed struggle that took place here during the First World War, and notably 1915, when Hartmannswillerkopf was considered to be a vital strategic position by both the French and German armies. The ridge topping the Hartmannswillerkopf mountains (Viel Armand in French) preserves a remarkable snapshot of World War I conflict. It begins with the ascent of the massif, following the German fortified trenches to the summit where the necropolis is located. Culminating at 956m, this strategic position was the scene of bloody combat between December 1914 and January 1916. The battlefield still bears the scares of the violence that claimed the lives of 7,000 French and German soldiers. 55fdzh5, uwqi, jzan, nhq70, t1, 8egj, yvbnxso, q4jl, 1d1n, 5uq9,