Kilian Gallery Memorial or Kilianstollen

The Kilian gallery, also known as Kilianstollen in German, is a former German underground military shelter from World War I. Located on the Lerchenberg hill west of Altkirch, it was part of the first German front line between 1914 and 1918.

On March 18, 1918, it was partially buried during a French artillery bombardment, before being rediscovered much later during roadworks for the Aspach bypass.

In 2011, archaeological excavations conducted by the Rhine Interdepartmental Archaeology Center uncovered the remains of the gallery and the bodies of 21 German soldiers still buried in an old gallery. Among them, 18 were identified. These discoveries provided a poignant testimony to the living and fighting conditions of soldiers during the conflict.

Since 2015, the Kilianstollen 1918 association has worked to preserve the memory of this tragedy, as well as all the conflicts that marked southern Alsace in the 19th and 20th centuries. Through exhibitions, events, conferences, and visits, it pays tribute to the victims and raises public awareness of this chapter of history.