EOKHUB Booklet
Glass Mine 43 (Glasmine 43 / Schützen-Küstenmine)
The Glasmine 43, later renamed the Schützen-Küstenmine, was an innovative German antipersonnel mine developed during World War II. Its design utilized glass as the primary material, addressing wartime resource shortages while providing a mine that was undetectable by early metal detectors. The mine was versatile, suitable for both land-based and underwater deployment, and saw widespread use during the later stages of the war.
Widely used in defensive campaigns along the Atlantic Wall and the Eastern Front during the final years of the war.
Material: Glass case
Dimensions
Base Diameter: 127 mm
Top Diameter: 152 mm
Height: 105 mm
Main Charge:
Land Use: 200 grams of explosive
Underwater Use: 150 grams of powdered explosive in a cardboard box
Fuzes: Compatible with:
Lever Fuze 44
Buck Chemical Fuze
Friction Fuze SF 6
Production Statistics (1944-1945):
11 million mines produced during the period
By the end of the war, 9.7 million mines remained in stock
Place the explosive charge (200 g or 150 g) into the recessed bottom of the glass case.
Position the fuze-holder plate or attach the SF 18 fuze with its integrated plate onto the midsection ridge.
Attach the appropriate fuze:
Lever Fuze SM 4 or Buck Chemical Fuze: Screw into the fuze well.
Friction Fuze SF 6 or Chemical Fuze SF 18: Insert into a hole in the charge.
Secure the glass pressure plate to the shear plate and glue them to the mine case.
Ensure complete waterproofing for underwater use.
The Glasmine 43 represented a cost-effective and resource-efficient solution to the challenges faced by the German military in the late stages of WWII. Its glass construction provided a tactical advantage, as the mine was resistant to detection methods of the era. However, its widespread production also highlighted the logistical difficulties in deploying and utilising such large stockpiles effectively during a rapidly deteriorating military situation.
