Battle Positions by Hausser / Elastolin for 7cm Soldiers

In 1931, for the first time Hausser offered emplacements and trenches for its soldier product line. In the following years, these simple combat trenches were steadily expanded with dugouts, running trenches as well as mine launcher and artillery emplacements. While the first emplacements were still based on experiences from the First World War, the emplacements produced from 1939 onwards were based on the Westwall, which was propagated by Nazi propaganda at the time as being insurmountable.

This article describes and compares the different systems of the Hausser company. Accessories such as buildings and similar items are not part of this article.

First Trench System

For the first time in the Hausser dealer catalogue of 1931/32 five simple trenches with wire entanglement are offered on page 69 under catalogue numbers 13470/1-5. These are two curved and one straight trench, as well as two end pieces, each with a dugout on the left and right. Since these pieces could be combined in any way, a continuous trench could be built up as a position. Already in the novelty supplement of 1932 this trench series was extended by a trench with a dugout in the middle (13470/6).

The trenches are designed so that a kneeling gunner can find cover in the trench, whereas a standing gunner had to stand behind the rear trench wall to find cover. The V-shaped recesses on the rear trench wall are also designed for this purpose. This is somewhat unrealistic, but has the advantage that in this way, both kneeling and standing figures could use the trench as cover in the game.


With the 1934 sales catalogue, this system was extended to include a trench with a dwelling bunker. Obviously this trench system seems to have been best accepted by the market, as Hausser extended it by another six sections in 1935. In particular, it was now possible to build up a deeply staggered trench system with fighting trenches one behind the other, which were connected by running trenches. Additionally, a mine launcher post was integrated. A command post rounds off the entire position system.



An overview of the construction possibilities of this trench system is first shown in the 1935 sales catalogue.

Second Trench System

The Hausser novelty supplement of 1933 presents another trench system 13468/x with trenches open to the rear. Here the back wall of the trench is missing, giving the impression that the soldiers are fighting behind a wall of earth as cover. Four different pieces were offered: two curved trenches, a machine gun position and a trench piece with a shelter. These trenches were clearly more elaborately worked than the previous series. In particular, the earth wall in front of the emplacement was elaborately modelled. This system was not extended in the following years, but it was offered at least in the price lists until 1937. Since these emplacements are very rare to find, it can be assumed that this system was not particularly successful.

Third Trench System

Building on the trench system 13648/x, Hausser designed another equally elaborate trench system in 1933, but with the difference that here the back wall of the trench was modelled just as elaborately with an earth wall. This system was given the series prefix 13472/x. Already at the beginning of the series, seven different parts were offered, which could be seamlessly combined with each other. Besides the obligatory simple trench pieces, there were three trenches with dugouts as well as an artillery position.

Remarkable are the "connecting pieces" 13471/1 and 13471/2 with which the trenches of the earlier series 13470 could be connected on the left or right side. So at least both systems could be used together.



Already three years after its introduction, not all parts are listed as available in the 1936 price list. Presumably only remaining stocks of this trench system were sold from this time until 1937. Undoubtedly, this system was of very high quality and probably also caused correspondingly high production costs. Possibly this is also a reason why Hausser gave preference to the trench system 13470/x.

Fourth Trench System

Why Hausser offered a fourth very simple trench system under the prefix 13466/x from 1935 onwards can only be explained by the fact that this system was supposed to be a much cheaper alternative to the systems already on the market. This is also supported by the fact that there are only two straight fighting trenches and that this system was not extended in the following years. These trenches correspond to the trench system 13470/x, but here the rise to the front trench wall is only modelled very simply. A combination of both systems is possible without any problems.

Apart from the two straight ditch sections, this system does not seem to have undergone any additional extensions. However, since the sequence numbers /3 and /4 were assigned, it seems reasonable to assume that here, too, at least the possibility of an extension was provided for.

Connection Trenches

In 1933 two trenches - straight and curved - are offered for the first time in the novelty supplement. As these are given their own series prefix 13747/x, they are presumably intended to be used for all the trench systems offered and are not assigned to any particular one. Although there is only one number for the curved / S-shaped trench, it seems to have been produced in two different versions. In addition, Hausser added a corner trench to these trenches in 1935.

Westwall Fortifications

As the last extension, new emplacements are offered in the 1939/40 sales catalogue under the number 13484/x, which were obviously modelled after the Westwall buildings. Remarkable is the fact that these emplacements reproduce fortifications from the time shortly before World War II in a much more realistic way. The design of the bunker is modelled on the rules of the Westwall. In front of the emplacements, in addition to the obligatory wire entanglement against attacking gunners, the typical hump obstacles (dragon's teeth) are now also depicted as tank barriers. In addition, there is a passage through this tank barrier, which can be opened for traffic and closed against enemy forces, as in reality. Presumably these 5 terrain parts represent only the beginning of a new series of emplacement systems, which should still be extended. In contrast to all other emplacements by Hausser, these emplacements are relatively rare and especially the Westwall bunker is very sought after among collectors.

Other Battlefield Installations

In addition to the described emplacement systems Hausser also produced other parts which could be well integrated into the existing emplacements. These include medical shelters, field hospitals and wire shelters as well as shot-up buildings. These could easily be combined with all position systems to create a realistic battlefield for the Elastolin soldiers.

Source list

• Hausser Kataloge und Preislisten 1933 bis 1939
• Preibsch, Fritz, Spielzeugsoldaten, Bunker & Zubehöre, 2007

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