Schanze

A schanze is, according to the specialist terminology of German fortification construction, an independent fieldwork, that is frequently used in the construction of temporary (not permanent) field fortifications. The word is German and has no direct English equivalent, although the word sconce is derived from Dutch schans, which is cognate to the German word.

In everyday German speech, however, it is commonplace to refer to permanent fortifications as schanzen, because in many places in times of war, fieldworks that were only temporarily thrown up were later turned into permanent fortifications.

Derivation

The word Schanze derives originally from the fact that, during sieges in the Late Middle Ages, temporary defensive positions had frequently been built out of gabions, known in German as Schanzkörben. Later such schanzen very often consisted of earthen ramparts. As a result, in the 16th century, the verb schanzen became generally associated with earthworks of all kinds. In modern German military use, schanzen is still used to mean the construction of smaller earthworks, especially of fire trenches. From this already derived usage comes the phrase sich verschanzen, "to entrench oneself" in yet another derivative sense.