In Smiltynė, near Kopgalis, coastal defensive fortifications from the World War II – the Jachmann Battery (or Memel Süd), named after Eduard von Jachmann, German Vice Admiral, still stand. The place was a strategic defence point that protected the sea approaches and the entrance to the port.
The construction began in the spring of 1939. It was planned to equip the battery with four 150 mm SKL-45 naval guns, however, they remained mounted on temporary concrete platforms, as the armament was never fully installed. The two-storey bunker built next to it served as a fire control station.
For a long time, it was believed that the battery did not survive, however, its traces are still visible like silent witnesses of the war merged with the coastal conformation.
The concrete fortifications hidden among pine trees and dunes attract history enthusiasts, researchers of military architecture and random passers-by. There are no information stands or paths installed – only wind, sand and silence, allowing you to feel the authentic atmosphere of the era.