The barrack, stores and power-generation galleries

Learning lessons from the deficiencies of the pre-First World War forts around Verdun and elsewhere, the Maginot Line designers took great care to ensure that the garrison could continue to live and fight even if completely surrounded by the enemy. Thus, the barracks area, which is around 17 metres underground – deep enough protection against even the heaviest shells, includes a modern kitchen and medical treatment room as well as bunks for three officers, 24 non-commissioned officers and 144 soldiers.

One of the most remarkable aspects of the "ouvrage's" design, were the water, ventilation and power systems. During the Battle of Verdun in 1916, the French garrison of Fort Vaux was forced to surrender when a shell destroyed their sole supply of water. Schoenenbourg has four separate sources with the ability to pump four to five cubic metres of water each hour. The ventilation system was built with the possibly of the Germans using poison gas in a future war in mind. Located in the power house, four batteries of 7 filter drums each were designed to clean the air being pumped into the fort from the outside with stale air from the power and barrack areas being expelled via the men's entrance. Lastly, the power plant possessed four 160hp Sulzer diesel generators feeding a sub-station with 3,000 volts. The sub-station distributed this power into 440 volts for the combat blocks and 120 volts for the turret motors.