Word of the Week: BLOCKHAUS

This week, an example from France. The large WWII bunkers that dot the French coast (part of the Nazi's famous Atlantic Wall) are know as blockhaus in French. In German military terminology, a Blockhaus is a defensive strong point, a blockhouse. However, a layperson will usually call these buildings Bunker, and think of a house made of squared logs when they hear the term Blockhaus. So, when I came across the blockhaus (in French, this is also the plural) in Brittany, I was at a loss as to why the French were calling these huge bunkers blockhaus. One lives and learns. 

My thanks go to my former colleague Dora Strinkau for reminding me of this term.

The image is from www.militaria.collector.free.fr.