The events taking place on the geopolitical stage during the last decade of the Cold War – the 1980s – gave little indication of the imminent collapse of the Soviet-led Eastern Bloc (1989-1991). Correspondingly, looking at the amount of technology developed and deployed in the military field during the late, hi-tech stage of the Cold War, it is easy to notice that opponents on both sides of the Iron Curtain dedicated a significant (and even increasing) budget in preparation for a possible total confrontation. Reading papers and specialized books from the time, the outbreak of an open conflict, such to put a violent and abrupt end to years of opposition between the two opposing systems by recurring to nuclear warfare over the territories of Western Europe (most of them belonging to the NATO alliance, and all being substantially more militarized than today), was not deemed just likely, but more as a matter of time.
The БАРС system – The tropospheric network of the Warsaw Pact
In that era of extreme tension, it is not surprising that one of the most sophisticated and expensive assets developed and deployed jointly by all Nations in the Warsaw Pact, of course led by the USSR, came alive. History would cut its life short though, and as soon as the Warsaw Pact disintegrated, as a result of the opt-out from communist dictatorship of all Countries in Eastern Europe, this asset was decommissioned. This system was the tropospheric communication system ‘БАРС’, a Russian word reading ‘BARS’ and meaning ‘snow leopard’. The name stands as an acronym for four words in Russian, which translate into something like ‘Sheltered autonomous radio communication system’.
The idea put forward by the Soviet top-ranking military staff in the early 1980s (prior to the onset of Gorbachev administration) was that of a system capable of transmitting complex orders (not just simple signals, like for opening a bunker door or silo, but articulated messages) in a safe encrypted way, at a long distance and minimizing the chance of a complete breakdown even in case of an enemy nuclear attack. Despite being not new, the concept of a resilient and reliable system, such to allow exchanging significant amount of data without relying on cables, had been tested in earlier stages of the Cold War only for short-radius operations. Mobile transmitters/receivers, loaded on purpose-designed trucks, allowed for a reduction of the risk of a direct hit from an attacker, and for a quick redeployment in case of need. However, for the amount of data and range required for the coordination of a war scenario, involving many different Countries, and geographically encompassing an entire continent, a different system was required, capable of transmitting more massive data flows on longer distances, with a reduced risk of a sudden or complete interruption.
The БАРС system was based on a certain number of stations, scattered over the territory of the Countries of the Warsaw Pact. Each node was built as a bunkerized, manned military installation, featuring high-power, high-frequency fixed antennas emerging from the ground, and an underground shelter protecting all the technical gear required for manipulating the data to be sent or received, interfacing with the other existing local (i.e. national) networks for military and executive governmental communication, and of course managing the tremendous amount of energy required to pump a long-reaching signal into the ether.
Laying on the front line with the West, hosting a Soviet contingent of some hundred thousands troops (see here and links therein), aircraft (see here), missiles (see here) and nuclear warheads (see here), and being a key-ally of the USSR in case of the outbreak of an open war (at least until late 1989), the German Democratic Republic (or GDR, or DDR in German) was clearly included in the БАРС network from the initial drafting phase. Similarly, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Bulgaria, and of course the Soviet Union (which included Belarus and the Baltics, and stretched west to Kaliningrad), all had БАРС stations on their territory. Stations were located at a range of a few hundred miles from one another, thus within the range required for each of them to communicate with one or more of the other nodes. Data (e.g. orders, reports or authorizations) input locally could be relayed along the network through intermediate nodes, down to the intended destination node. There were 26 nodes in total, of which four were in the USSR.
The Wollenberg site – Bunker 301 ‘Tushurka’
The GDR in particular had three stations built, all along the border with Poland, and located east of Berlin – namely Station 301 in Wollenberg, at the same latitude of Berlin, Station 302 in Langsdorf, towards the Baltic coast, and Station 303 in Röhrsdorf (near Königsbruck), not far from Dresden in the southeast of the GDR territory. The first among them, the Wollenberg site (codenamed ‘Tushurka’) could communicate with the other two national stations, as well as with Station 207 in Poland, from where data would be transmitted further down the network, towards the USSR.
The site was built by the GDR state, with technical hardware coming from several Countries within the Warsaw Pact, and most of the military hi-tech components manufactured in the USSR. The actual site (similar to its sister sites) was built in the frame of a highly secretive operation. The staff comprised about 60-70 men, the majority of which were military, where about 15% were civil technicians. Maximum security clearance was required, due to the top-secret nature of the installation and of the overall БАРС system. The bunkerized part of the installation was only a component of the larger premises of the base, camouflaged within the trees on the side of low-rising hill.
As pointed out, the immense spending required for setting up this multi-national hi-tech military communication system, which was extensively tested and completely commissioned (as a network) by 1987, did not save it from a quick demise and disappearance. In particular, Station 301 went definitively offline as early as August 1990.
However, the fate of the Wollenberg site was not so sad as that of many former Soviet or NVA (i.e. the East German Army) installations in the GDR. The high-power antennas were torn down, but except from that, little material damage was inflicted to the buildings and bunker on site. The place was basically shut-off and left dormant, until when a society of technically very competent local enthusiasts started a plan to preserve and open it to visitors, as a memorial specimen of the technology of the Cold War years.
A visit to the Wollenberg bunker site reveals a tremendous deal of interesting details, very uncommon to find elsewhere in the panorama of Cold War relics around Europe. Thanks to a careful preservation and restoration work, the bunker has most of its original systems still plugged to the grid and lit-up – some of them are reportedly still working! Even though the communication networks have been severed, the experience in the bunker is really evoking, and the atmosphere – with all the lit-up cabinets, lights, CCTV cameras, 1980-style screens, etc. – closely resembles that of the bygone era when БАРС was operative!
This report and photographs were taken during a private visit to the bunker, carried out in the Summer of 2023.
Sights
A visit to the the installation in Wollenberg starts from the original high-security access gate. As you may quickly notice when passing through it and getting a first view of the site, the state of preservation is exceptional. Except for the lack of military staff around, everything looks mostly like in the years of operation.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
A group of soft-construction service buildings and a reinforced multi-entry garage constitute the first – and visible – nucleus of the installation. All buildings are painted in a camo coat.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
A former building for the on-site staff has been turned into a permanent exhibition, with memorabilia items from the Cold War years, when the Nationale Volksarmee (or NVA, the Armed forces of the GDR) cooperated with the Soviet Red Army and the national Armed forces of other Countries in the Warsaw Pact.
A meeting room, now employed also for small gatherings, is especially rich of interesting and diverse items, including emblems, books, memorial plates and pennants, as well as TV screens, hi-fi systems and and beamers from the era.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Another room has been set-up as a control center for the base, with an original console and regional maps.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Compared to military bases (for aircraft or tanks), the Wollenberg installation is rather compact, with a main road giving access to most of the (not many) buildings on site, as well as the bunker. Actually, the bunkerized part was built under a low-rising hill, with the antennas originally standing on top of it. Access to the bunker is possible either by climbing uphill on the main road, or through a suggestive original pedestrian tunnel. The latter starts from within the service building itself, and – somewhat unexpectedly, for an underground installation – it climbsuphill, while keeping beneath the surface of the hill side slope. The lower end is guarded by an original CCTV camera.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
At the top end of the tunnel you can find the actual access to the bunker. The design and reinforcement level conferred grade ‘D’ protection according to the military standard in use at the time, with grade ‘A’ being the strongest. Access is through an airlock, constituted by two tight doors at the opposite ends of a small vestibule built in concrete. This design allowed protection from the blast of a nuclear device.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Notably, the locking mechanism of the tight doors is Soviet military standard, which can be found in high-value installations like nuclear depots elsewhere in the Eastern Bloc (see for instance here in Poland, and here in Czechoslovakia).
To the visitor with some experience of Cold War installations, it will be apparent from the very start of the tour that the state of conservation of the bunker, including the systems in it, is exceptional, similar to the rest of the Wollenberg site. The original warning lights and the CC-TV camera for identifying people at the entrance are still in place.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Next to the entrance, a control room with technical gear for checking-in can be found – including original dosimeters for radiation and chemicals, mostly Soviet-made. Looking inside these devices is possible, and reveals a great deal of sophistication in the design and realization of the military-grade material from the time.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Showers and sinks for washing, as well as canister for disposing of contaminated clothes, are located in the same area.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Upon getting access to the sealed area of the bunker and passing by the decontamination facility, you find yourself on the top floor of the underground bunker. The high-technology gear required for the transmission/reception of data on the БАРС network, as well as the interface with other national communication systems, required for receiving data, issuing orders, etc. over the territory of the GDR, were located on this floor.
Two symmetrically placed rooms host two twin transmission centers for the БАРС system. A single manned console can be found in each of them, surrounded by electronic cabinets and switches. At a closer look, all the material herein is Soviet made, and labeled in Russian only.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
On the wall ahead of the console station is a set of cables, communicating with the antenna and allowing to set the orientation and monitoring its status.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
The actual signals transmitted to the antenna, or received from it, traveled along special hollow ducts, with an almost rectangular section. Bundles of these ducts can be found in the ‘Sender’ (which means ‘transmitter’ in English) room, immediately next to the room where the manned console is.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
The modulation and demodulation of the signals going out and coming in respectively through the antenna on top of the bunker required some special pieces of electronics, which included the Soviet-designed KY-374 klystron (codenamed ‘Viola’), a component to be found in the cabinets of the ‘Sender’ room.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Following the hollow ducts, it is possible to find where they finally exit the usually manned part of the bunker, bending into receptacles and leading outside. Piping related to other systems, including air conditioning, can be seen as well crossing or running in the same narrow technical corridors.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Beside the consoles monitoring the antenna and the data flowing through it, a kind of operative room for communication can be found, where consoles allowing to receive and forward data and communication to/from all systems are on display. This largely original room features consoles of different levels of technology.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Original explanatory schemes showing the basic features of the БАРС system are on display in that area – in Russian!
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
An adjoining room features the cabinets required for making all these system work. The cabinets are really many, with a significant share of material manufactured in the USSR. The sight of all these cabinets together is really impressive, and tangibly provides the feeling of a high technology, sophisticated and expensive design. It compares well, but in a largely up-scaled fashion, to the electronics to be found in some special communication bunkers on the western side of the Iron Curtain (see here).
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Interspersed with the original arrangement of the cabinets and consoles are some displays of original material. These include specimens of different types of cables for signal transmission – some of them hollow and pressurized, others featuring impressive bundles of thinner wires – the KY-374 klystron, and other once top-secret core components of the БАРС transmission system. Also on display is one of the few remaining parts of the original system of antennas, once on top of the bunker. The antennas were the only part to be physically torn down when the system was decommissioned, upon the demise of the Warsaw Pact and the end of the Cold War.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
The bunker was manned by military and technical staff 24/7. Furthermore, as typical for bunkers from the Cold War era, provision was made at a design level to allow the staff to live isolated within the bunker for an extended period of time, in view of the eventuality to face a nuclear fallout scenario.
On the same floor as the technical rooms, the commander of the station had his own private room. This is still adorned with typical Soviet iconography, as well as everyday material from the age when the bunker was operative.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
A small canteen, with a kitchen and a modest living room, can be found at the same level. An original storage room has been employed to gather examples of everyday products, like soap, skin care cream, etc., as well as canned food, cocoa, and beverages of all sorts.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
This represents a very rich catalog of now largely defunct and forgotten labels, from the age and regions of the Eastern Bloc (and especially from within the GDR). Also on display are bottles of spirits, likely still very good!
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
The visit proceeds then to the lower floor, which can be reached through a flight of metal stairs.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
The lower floor host the plants required for the regular operation of the entire bunker, such to guarantee operational ability even in case of an enemy attack carried out with nuclear, chemical or biological warfare. The air filtering and conditioning system is very modern. Beside typical filtering drums for particles, to be found also in other bunkers (see for instance Podborsko here), you can see a bulky filtering and climate conditioning system, neatly arranged within two parallel square-shaped ducts. Filtering against chemicals as well as biologic agents was carried out employing special active filters.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Sensors for the level of contamination of the bunker air can be found in different rooms. Much material here is standard Soviet-made.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Systems for water pumping and compressed air can be found as well, including compressors, pumps and reservoirs. Looking at the always interesting factory labels in this area, it is easy to find export products of Bulgaria, Romania and other communist dictatorships of the era. Of course, much hardware is also manufactured in the GDR.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Electricity was supplied from the outside grid, yet capability for self-sustaining in case of a grid loss (for instance in case of war) was implemented as well. Three big German-made Diesel generators have been put in place, and are still in an apparently good condition.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Another example of the high technological standard reached in the late Cold War era is represented by the control room for the plants within the bunker. A manned control station, with a console and a direct view of lit-up cabinets, reporting the status of the various systems running in the bunker, compares well with control rooms of large industrial plants in operation today.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Carefully kept in its original status, with many of the electric links and cabinets still working, the sight of this room is especially evoking.
Also on the lower floor are the sleeping rooms for off-duty staff. Typically, this was not employed except for drills, when the bunker could be sealed to simulate operations in case of the outbreak of hostilities.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Back to the upper floor, it is possible to exit the bunker via a stairway and through a side gate. You will find yourself on top of the low-rise hill where the bunker has been dug. Here the concrete base of the crane where the БАРС antenna used to sit are still visible. Notably, these antennas were much smaller than the tropospheric antennas employed for the TROPOSCATTER system of NATO. This was the result of a different bandwidth employed for transmissions. Therefore, even in the days of operation, the antennas on top of the bunker were not as sizable as those of TROPOSCATTER installations (which were enormous in size).
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Looking closely, in the top area of the installation, the duct for supplying the Diesel oil tank of the bunker can be found, similar to sensors for radiation and other atmospheric parameters (similar to what can be found also in other nuclear-proof bases, for instance here). These allowed to monitor the conditions of the outside air, detect an attack and trigger or manage the sealing of the bunker in case of need, by locking all the tight doors.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
This access to the bunker is fenced by the original electrified fence, severing this area from the rest of the installation through a further layer of security.
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
Wollenberg БАРС Bunker 301 – GDR vs. USSR communication facility
All in all, a visit to the Wollenberg bunker offers an incredible insight in a fascinating and crucial field of warfare – data and communication exchange – as well as a lively and evocative display of a late Cold War hi-tech installation from the Soviet side of the Iron Curtain!
Getting there & Visiting
The German name of the Wollenberg bunker is ‘Militärhistorisches Sonderobjekt 301 Wollenberg’. It can be reached very easily with a car. It can be found in the open countryside along the regional road 158, driving about 35 miles (about 1 hour) northeast from downtown Berlin towards Poland. The exact location is between the small village of Höhenland (~4 miles) and the more sizable Bad Freienwalde (~6 miles). There is a large parking area immediately next to the road, giving direct pedestrian access to the premises of the former military installation. Despite being placed very conveniently, the site is rather elusive when passing by, since it is hidden in the trees and not directly visible from the road. The address corresponding to the place in Google Maps is Sternkrug 4, 16259 Höhenland. The inconspicuous village of Wollenberg, giving the name to the installation, is just nearby, but it is not crossed by the regional road, and it should not be employed for pointing this destination with a nav.
The Wollenberg bunker is a listed historical installation. It is perfectly maintained, privately managed, and it can be regularly accessed with guided tours. These are offered typically one day per week in the summer, or by prior arrangement. Possibly the best option for getting the most out of your visit is getting in contact with the group of very knowledgeable enthusiasts running the place. The official website is here (do not be discouraged by the ‘static’ appearance of the website, they are very active, and they shall typically answer your inquire).
My visit was planned by initiative of Dr. Reiner Helling (see also here), and we visited in a group of three, including the guide (Dr. Michael Schoeneck, a former engineer, with a profound knowledge of any technical aspects related to this installation), which happened to be a perfect option for touring also the narrowest receptacles of the bunker. Visiting in groups too big may be not advisable, since the rooms and corridors are rather narrow, and the place may turn overcrowded for interacting with the guide and for taking good pictures. I think the visit – including the technical content – may be tailored to the needs of the audience. For technical-minded subjects, historians and former military, a visit may take about 2-3 hours (the latter was my experience). In my case, the guide could understand but not speak fluent English, yet Dr. Helling could translate with ease all the explanations. Of course, if you have at least a basic knowledge of German and of the technical material you are looking at, this may simplify your visit, which is in any case highly advisable for those interested in military technology and the Cold War.
Heading to Berlin or the former GDR? Looking for traces of the Cold War open for a visit?
A Travel Guide to COLD WAR SITES in EAST GERMANY
Second Edition - 2024
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War actions in Scandinavia constitute a crucial stage in the unfolding of WWII events in Europe. The strategic position of the Scandinavian peninsula was not overlooked by strategists in the Third Reich and the USSR, and by the Western Allies. As a matter of fact, the German invasion of Denmark and Norway took place as early as the Spring of 1940, starting just weeks before the invasion of Holland, Belgium and France.
History & Remains – A Quick Summary
For Germany in WWII, the long and impervious coast of Norway constituted an ideal strong point to carry out raids over the North Sea, Norwegian Sea, the northern Atlantic and the Barents Sea, interfering with resupply convoys from Britain and the US. Especially after the start of the war against the USSR in 1941, the polar routes going to Murmansk – the only non-freezing port on the northern coast of the USSR – were within range of German warships and aircraft operating from the north of Norway. Control over Norway and Denmark meant total control on the access to the Baltic Sea, thus protecting the northern coast of Germany from direct attack by the Western Allies, allowing unimpeded action against the Soviet Union on that sea. Of the greatest importance in the northern European territory was also the abundance of raw materials – mainly metals for industrial production – so desperately needed by the Third Reich.
For the Allies, keeping Scandinavia was an objective of great relevance in the early stages of the war, since this territory could be a convenient springboard to launch attacks against the flat and easy coast of Germany. In the rapidly changing complex alliances and diplomatic relationships of the early stage of WWII (1939-40), Norway and Sweden tried to keep out of the war. Finland fought the Winter War against the USSR (itself one of the results of the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact, albeit not to the knowledge of the Finns), loosing part of its territory and strengthening its link with Germany for some years to come (see this post). The Third Reich attacked Norway by air and sea in April 1940, and help was sought especially in Britain. King Haakon VII of Norway left for exile in England, and the initial battles of WWII between the Reich and the UK were fought – mainly at sea – in proximity of Norwegian ports.
The Atlantic Wall
Possibly the most impressive military trace of WWII in Europe, the Atlantic Wall – a defense line stretching from France to northern Norway – was designed and built in Denmark and Germany, immediately following the successful push of the Third Reich into these Countries. Actually, those are the Countries where the most relevant remains of this interesting trace of war can be found today. A very ambitious project both in purpose and required resources, the Atlantic Wall never reached completion. Despite that, the geography of Norway, with a coastline featuring only limited access to the inland area, allowed to create an effective barrier against a potential enemy landing. Hundreds of gun batteries, complemented with anti-aircraft artillery and radars, constituted a powerful deterrent against any invasion. As a matter of fact, after the unique episode of the Battle of Narvik in the early stages of WWII, no Allied forces ever landed in Norway from the sea for the rest of the war.
A complete visit to all sites of the Atlantic Wall in Norway is a really immense task, due to the number of installations and their geographical remoteness. However, a few impressive highlights can be found in convenient locations, and can be easily visited by everybody. In this post some of them are presented – the colossal battery ‘Vara’, the southern fortified area of Lista, the forts of Fjell and Tellevik near Bergen, and the massive cannons of Austratt.
War Museums
But other fragments of the rich legacy of WWII in Norway can be retraced also away from the preserved installations of the Atlantic Wall. An interesting page is that of naval warfare deployed by the Navy of the Third Reich – the Kriegsmarine – to counter Allied shipping activities. Names like Tirpitz, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau are frequently found in history books as well as in movies or scale model shops, and they are just a few of the mighty vessels linked to the Scandinavian war theater. Dedicated exhibitions can be found in little but impressively rich museums on these topics. In this post, the Tirpitz Museum in Alta, the War Museum of Narvik and the exhibition in the visitor center of North Cape are covered.
Special interest sites
Heroic actions involving the Norwegian resistance organization are proudly remembered all over the Nation. A particularly interesting location being the Rjukan hydroelectric power-plant, which produced heavy water, a key-component in the research leading to the preparation of fissile material. This strategic asset was highly needed by the German nuclear program. On the other hand, its possession by the Third Reich was seen as a clear and present danger by the Allies, who tried to have the plant destroyed in several instances. The Norwegian resistance was clearly much involved in sabotage missions, due to the difficulty in targeting the place through air bombing raids. The power-plant is today a nice museum, covered in this post.
Photographs in this chapter were collected on a visit in August 2022.
Sights
The map below shows the location of the sites mentioned in this chapter. Their listing in the descriptions roughly follows a clockwise sense, starting from the southernmost point of Kristiansand (Vara battery). Red items are in disrepair, whereas blue ones are official tourist destinations.
The Vara battery was built as the core of the strongly fortified area around Kristiansand. Thanks to its position close to the southernmost tip of the Norwegian territory, this port town is still today very busy with passenger and freight traffic from nearby Denmark.
The Third Reich military started to lay sea mines as soon as it gained control of both sides of the Skagerrak strait. The coast around Kristiansand was reinforced with several coastal artillery pieces, and production of a set of special 38 cm caliber guns – called Siegfried -was started by the Krupp ironworks in Essen in 1940. The aim was that of controlling access to the Baltic sea by means of two batteries of long-range naval guns, one to the south in Denmark (Hanstholm, see here), and one to the north in Kristiansand.
The cannons should be capable of revolving by 360 degrees, and special concrete rotundas were prepared for the scope in a location called Møvik, on the southwestern end of the gulf of Kristiansand. The complex morphology of the terrain in this site led to a smaller than desirable area for the battery, where all technical buildings – including ammo storages – had to be built relatively close to one another. These massive constructions alone, built by the same ‘Organisation Todt’ responsible for the implementation of the coastal defense positions all over Europe, make for a remarkable work of engineering, carried out with the help of local builders, working relentlessly around the clock to have these emplacements ready as soon as possible.
In the event, only three of the four Siegfried cannons made their way to the battery in Kristiansand, one being apparently lost when the transport ship carrying it was sunk on the Baltic Sea. Transporting these 110 ton, around 60 ft long barrels by rail from Germany into the narrow valleys of Scandinavia was not an easy task. However, two cannons were test-fired in May 1942, and the third in November the same year.
The battery received the name ‘Vara’, after a high-ranking official killed in Guernsey in 1941.
Battery Vara went through the war without seeing an involvement in any major war action, and was mainly test-fired only. The whole installation, comprising target detection points, analog computers for target aiming, ammo storages – including more than 1.400 shells! – and many other service buildings, was inherited intact by the Norwegian Armed Forces in 1945, similar to many other installations along the coast of the Skagerrak and the North Sea. It was incorporated in the Norwegian coastal artillery between 1946 and 1954, being later placed in reserve having by then become obsolete for Cold War warfare standards. Two cannons were scrapped, whereas one – the only entirely surviving battery Nr. 2 – was luckily kept. The site survived subsequent stages of demolition works over the next decades, but in the early 1990s it was finally re-opened as a museum.
Cannon Nr. 2
Today, the centerpiece of the visit is constituted by a walk around the perfectly preserved building of cannon Nr.2. This bunkerized building is composed of a set of technical rooms, for ammo assembly and storage, as well as for services like Diesel power generators, and an adjoining rotunda, where the big cannon revolved around a pinion, and could be pointed to its target, following instructions from the battery control center. The latter elaborated target data from detection, identification, measuring and range-finding positions scattered around the battery perimeter.
Access to the back of the concrete building is via the original hatch, closed by iron doors. You can see the narrow-gauge railway track leading in. This linked the cannon buildings with the ammo storages around, and allowed to supply the cannon with ammo parts (the explosive cartridge and the shell are not assembled in a single unity for larger cannons, unlike for lighter weapons). The hatch drives you into a long corridor, the backbone of the bunkerized quarters behind the cannon rotunda. Here some shells have been put on the original railway trolley for display.
The cannon building hosted a permanent watch of a few men, which manned it permanently in shifts. A living room with some berths is the only one offering some comfort in the building.
A number of rooms in the bunker are dedicated to the power generator plant. A primary and a back-up generator share the same room. Of special interest are the labels on all machines and mechanisms, proudly made in Germany – in some cases, by brands still existing today.
Electric power was required for the motion of the cannon, besides for smaller appliances like lights and radios. The cannons could make use of the regional grid, but since an unstable supply might have damaged the cannon motors, aiming operations were often carried out on the controlled internal power grid, fed by the generators, and producing an optimal output.
Beside the generator room, the air conditioning plant (not for comfort, but to slightly pressurize the bunker in order to repel and pump-out poisonous or exhaust gas), the Diesel tank and the water tank for cooling the generator can be seen in adjoining rooms.
To the far end of the corridor, a radio room was used to maintain a link with the battery command post, located more than 1 mile away from Vara battery. Actually, by design the electric signals to orient the cannon could be given by the control post, and the radio communication system was there for backup.
On the other side of the corridor with respect to the generator rooms – i.e. towards the cannon rotunda – are four adjoining rooms, used to store the components of the explosive cartridges and shells. The shells and cartridges prepared for firing were moved via a crane to a tray, and from there sent side-wards to the rotunda, where they were loaded on a trolley. The cranes, trays and slots linking these rooms to the rotunda can be found around the area of the bunker closer to the rotunda.
The cranes moved along tracks hanging from the ceiling. These tracks had some switch points, allowing to allow the crane to move across different rooms in the bunker.
Inside these rooms, today you can find much original material of special interest. Specimens of high-explosive (yellow) and armor-piercing (blue) shells are displayed. The weight of the shells was around 800 kg, where the cartridge could feature different weights, roughly from 100 to 200 kg.
The top range of these cannons and shells was around 43 km. Smaller 500 kg shells could alternatively be fired by Siegfried cannons, with a longer range of 55 km. Furthermore, the cannon could be test-fired during drills with smaller caliber shots, by reducing the bore of the cannon. This was a very useful feature, since the estimated loss of barrel metal due to attrition was a staggering 0.25 kg per shot, implying a life of the barrel of only around 250-300 shots, firing with sufficient accuracy. Shooting smaller shells allowed to spare barrel wear and extend the time between overhauls of the cannon.
The sealed canisters for the explosive cartridges, with original markings in German, can still be seen piled in a room!
More material on display includes a rare example of fire direction computer. Actually, that on display is smaller than the one originally used for the long-range cannons of Vara battery, but it provides a good idea of the level of sophistication of this mechanism. Data like target distance, velocity, orientation, wind speed and direction, etc. were set as input to this analog computer, producing fire direction variables to point the cannon. An incredible masterpiece of engineering and craftsmanship, this type of computer is difficult to find in museums, and allows to appreciate the level of development of warfare back in the 1940s.
Data including range of the target was found with the help of special instrumentation. A stereoscopic range-finder was installed in the battery command post, with an arm of 12 m, which allowed good accuracy for very distant targets – required for the long range of the cannons of Vara battery. Smaller instruments with the same principle are displayed in one of the rooms.
Among the special features of this bunkerized building are the restored, original writings from German times, as well as a one-of-a-kind painting made by a Soviet prisoner of war.
From the bunkerized room, you can get access to the rotunda. Cartridges put on trolleys moved along a circular railway track all around the rotunda. This way, cartridges could be taken to the cannon whatever the direction it was pointing. Once to the base of the cannon turret, the explosive charge and the shell were lifted separately by means of two special elevators, up to the level of the gun shutter.
An impressive feature of the rotunda is the ring cover for the circular railway. In order to protect the railway passage from above, while allowing the cannon to rotate, a roof made of thick metal scales was implemented. When revolving around the pinion, the cannon turret would automatically lift the scales on its passage. The sound of the scales being lifted and released while the cannon body was revolving must have been really an experience!
Here the back of the barrel dominates the relatively large firing chamber. The shutter has been left open, so you can see the sunlight through the barrel.
The shell and explosive charge were received from the two elevators on a special tray, and here they were finally aligned one before the other. Somewhat in contrast to the top-notch technology level of the installation, the cartridge had to be pushed from the back into the barrel by hand. A long wooden stick was used for the task. Actually, it was so long that it protruded from the back of the cannon turret, thus requiring a small hatch to be pierced in the metal armor correspondingly. On one side of the barrel, instrumentation for measuring the pointing direction is still in place.
The position of cannon Nr.1 was prepared unusually close to that of Nr.2. As said, this was due to the limited available area on the uneven coast section where the battery was put in place. However, Nr.1 never received a cannon. Conversely, it was modified later in the war, when experimenting with cannon protection from air-dropped high-yield bombs. The rotunda was capped with a very thick concrete roof, sustained by sidewalls which limited the side-wards rotation of the cannon to 120 degrees.
The rotunda can be walked freely. The central pinion is still in place. Inside, the ceiling is covered in original metal panels. The round corridor for the trolleys can still be seen, but there is no access left to the bunkerized part.
Following the railway around the site is a great way to find what remains today of the original installation. There are two bulky ammo storages. These were reportedly more thickly armored than usual, in view of a higher risk of getting hit, due to the unusual proximity with the cannons – designated targets for the enemy.
Furthermore, other smaller buildings are scattered around, which may have served as storage for lighter weapons.
The positions of cannons Nr. 3 and Nr. 4 have been largely demolished, and access is permanently shut to the bunkerized part. However, you can easily climb to the top level, to get a nice view of the rotunda.
Vara is in the top-five list of the most famous surviving installations of the Atlantic Wall in Europe, and a visit to this destination is in itself a good reason for a detour to Norway for war historians and like-minded people. Due to its proximity to the port of Kristiansand, just minutes apart by car, and the relatively easy-to-reach location in the most populated part of Norway, it is also a top destination for any tourist in the area. As a matter of fact, the place is run as a top-level museum, with great reception capability, and is visited by thousands of visitors per year.
Visiting can be performed on a self-guided basis, with an explanation leaflet which allows to get much from your visit, especially if you are not new to installations of the Atlantic Wall (which are mostly standardized, despite Vara having really oversized guns!). A tour of the main features – cannon Nr.2 and the building of Nr.1 – may take 1 hour at least, for an averagely interested person. For an in-depth visit and a quick tour of the premises including other remains, more than 2 hours are needed. Thanks to the exceptional level of conservation and the explanation of whatever is on display, the visit is not boring and may be very rewarding even for younger people.
Large parking on site, picnic tables and warm reception are available – as usual in Norway! Website with full information here.
Nordberg & Marka Batteries – Farsund
Located in the southwestern corner of the Norwegian territory, about 100 miles south of the port of Stavanger, the municipality of Farsund encompasses a number of small coastal villages, around the landmark represented by the lighthouse of Lista.
Two batteries were set up by the German occupation forces as part of the Atlantic wall, both fully operative by 1942. The northern one is called Nordberg fort, where the southern one, very close to the shore line, is known as Marka fort. Between the two, the Germans installed a full-scale airbase, with a runway of roughly 1.5 km, complemented by hangars and shelters largely standing today. Following the end of WWII and the withdrawal of the German military, all these installations were converted for military use by the Norwegian armed forces, which also developed the original airfield into a more modern airbase by stretching the runway.
Today, Nordberg fort is a museum. The German Navy was in charge of the station, which had as centerpieces three 150 mm cannons, with a range of around 23 km. The cannons have been scrapped (with the exception of a lighter piece of Russian make). However, the firing positions are still there, linked by a semi-interred trench.
You can see also the original control point for the battery, developed by the Norwegians more recently, and the concrete base for a radar antenna originally on site.
Several original buildings for services – canteen, hospital,… – are still there, making for a an interesting opportunity to see how this installation looked like back in the 1940s.
The Marka fort was assembled around six 150 mm guns, located very close to the sea, grouped in two batteries of three firing positions each. A huge bunkerized command post was built in the premises of the fort. Today, after the Norwegian military left at the end of the Cold War, the Marka battery is basically a ghost site, despite being still in a relatively good shape.
The control bunker is especially interesting, since you can access the top level and watch the sea from the very same room and windows originally used by the German Navy troops! The general arrangement of the bunker is similar to other command posts you can find on the Atlantic Wall – especially in Denmark (see here).
Marka Battery Lista Farsund – Atlantic Wall – WWII – Norway
Marka Battery Lista Farsund – Atlantic Wall – WWII – Norway
Marka Battery Lista Farsund – Atlantic Wall – WWII – Norway
Marka Battery Lista Farsund – Atlantic Wall – WWII – Norway
Marka Battery Lista Farsund – Atlantic Wall – WWII – Norway
Marka Battery Lista Farsund – Atlantic Wall – WWII – Norway
Marka Battery Lista Farsund – Atlantic Wall – WWII – Norway
Marka Battery Lista Farsund – Atlantic Wall – WWII – Norway
Marka Battery Lista Farsund – Atlantic Wall – WWII – Norway
Marka Battery Lista Farsund – Atlantic Wall – WWII – Norway
The positions for the coastal guns can be reached close to the control bunker. They are uncovered round areas, slightly below the level of the ground, framed by a circular reinforced sidewall.
Marka Battery Lista Farsund – Atlantic Wall – WWII – Norway
Marka Battery Lista Farsund – Atlantic Wall – WWII – Norway
More Atlantic Wall remains, like bunkers, foundations for radar stations, or emplacements for lighter guns, can be be found scattered in the area of Farsund – which kept its military site status well after the Germans had left.
Marka Battery Lista Farsund – Atlantic Wall – WWII – Norway
Marka Battery Lista Farsund – Atlantic Wall – WWII – Norway
Marka Battery Lista Farsund – Atlantic Wall – WWII – Norway
Marka Battery Lista Farsund – Atlantic Wall – WWII – Norway
Marka Battery Lista Farsund – Atlantic Wall – WWII – Norway
Marka Battery Lista Farsund – Atlantic Wall – WWII – Norway
Marka Battery Lista Farsund – Atlantic Wall – WWII – Norway
Marka Battery Lista Farsund – Atlantic Wall – WWII – Norway
Visiting
The museum of Nordberg keeps some of the buildings on the respective site open. However, the majority of the site is open 24 hours, and can be walked freely. A visit may take about 1 hour. A convenient parking can be found right ahead of the modern and welcoming visitor center, from where you can effortlessly reach most of the points of interest in this installation. Website with full information here.
The site of Marka – not part of any museum – can be approached at any time with some walking in the rural area along the coast line. A good starting point for an exploration is here, where you can leave your car and move along an easy trail to the command bunker and the gun rotundas about 0.5 miles west.
Fjell Fortress – Bergen
Bergen was a strategic base of the German Navy, which received a fortified submarine deck among the largest, most active and longest lasting in the history of WWII. The complex morphology of the territory around this port town allowed to effectively protect the access by means of a network of nine firing emplacements. One of them – Fjell – was of exceptional power and range.
It was built between 1942-43 diverting one of the batteries of battleship Gneisenau, which had been damaged beyond repair by an air raid while in port at Kiel (Germany). The battery was composed of three 28 cm guns in a single turret. The latter was very compact in design, a real masterpiece of naval engineering, but nonetheless it featured a rather tall substructure, with all that was needed to operate the guns – protruding from the relatively sleek top of the turret, surfacing on the ground.
Placing this special battery in Fjell required carving the rocky coast, creating a cylindrical underground pit, inside coated with concrete, to host the turret. The turret, an assembly of around 1.000 tonnes with the guns on top, was then transported up to this elevated site, and lowered into the pit. The battery was test fired in the mid of 1943. It acted as an effective deterrent, and reportedly never used in combat.
The battery was incorporated in the Norwegian coastal defense after WWII, and sadly scrapped in 1968, since by then obsolete, but not yet considered an historical landmark.
Clearly, the battery was in the middle of an off-limits military area in wartime, where bunkers for several services and for the the troops, at least two radar antennas and many emplacements for lighter defensive weapons were installed to protect the battery from ground and air attacks.
Today, the bunker-pit where the turret used to rest is the centerpiece of a visit to the site. Starting from the visitor center on top, where the guns used to be, you can descend to the base of the cylindrical pit – roughly 30 ft in diameter and 75 in depth! Here you can see the rooms originally employed for storing the explosive cartridges and the shells for the cannons. These were supplied on trolleys and slides, and sent inside the metal turret, to be lifted up to the level of the cannons for firing.
Most of the original German mechanical and electrical systems is still there to see, including wiring, phones, cranes, trolleys, and examples of shells and cartridges.
Back then, you got access to these storage areas from an entrance on the same level (i.e. not from the top of the turret, but from the base). You can see this entrance, as well as the curved corridor leading from the gate to the ammo storage area. Here, examples of sea mines and other war material can be found. The corridor has narrow-gauge railway track, which was used for resupplying the ammo storage from outside.
The corridor is curved, and firing positions are strategically placed to cover it, in order to counter enemy intrusion.
The bunker gives access to the living quarters for the troops. These are well preserved, and feature brick walls to help insulating the inside from the wet rock of the walls and ceilings.
Services, like toilets, sauna, washing machines and more, are original from the German tenancy. Especially the water basins appear very stylish, a good example of German design from the era.
Besides the main turret bunker, as said the Fjell site offers other constructions on a vast area, which can be checked out from the outside – also since the premises are at least formally military grounds still today.
The road reaching the site from the parking, gently climbing uphill, is reportedly the original main access to the Third Reich site. An interesting tank-stopping device can be seen to the lower end of the road – heavy stones on top of light pillars on the sides of the road. The pillars could be blown, and the stones would fall cutting the road, in case of a potential intrusion.
The fort of Fjell, about 15 miles west of central Bergen, is professionally run as a museum. Parking is only possible to the base of the cliff where the turret used to stand. From there, a 0.8 miles road climbs to the entrance. The scenic location and the nice rural area around make for an enjoyable walk. Visiting inside is only possibly on guided tours, offered also in English (an possibly other languages). A small restaurant can be found on top, where an observation deck has been built in place of the battery.
The location of the parking is here. A visit may take around 45 minutes, excluding the time needed to climb uphill and descend to the parking. Website with full information here.
Tellevik Fort – Bergen
The coastal fort of Tellevik, on the eastern head of the Norhordland Bridge, 15 miles north of Bergen, was part of the lighter defense artillery put in place by the German military to defend any access by water to Bergen. The battery was built by order of the Third Reich, profiting from the forced labor of Soviet prisoners of war.
Lighter howitzers were enough to cover the narrow water passages in proximity of the town. The elevation of the emplacement is low, slightly above the water surface.
The battery of Tellevik was centered on two such howitzers, placed on open-top positions. The two guns can be seen still today, on round concrete firing positions. The giant bridge today largely obstructing the field of sight was not there at the time of the German occupation.
A monument to Norwegian seamen victims to sea mines laid by the German to protect the access to Bergen is concurrently located on the site of the Tellevik battery.
Tellevik is an open air memorial, which can be walked freely 24/7. It can be reached by inputting these coordinates to a GPS navigation app.
A visit may take about 15 minutes, a nice detour from exceptionally crowded downtown Bergen.
Austrått Fortress – Austrått
Similar to Bergen, the major port of Trondheim was a strategic base for the German Navy. Protected by a long firth, the port was an ideal base for submarines and warships, to intercept convoys in the North Sea, Norwegian Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and the Barents Sea. Correspondingly, a number of coastal forts was prepared by the German occupation forces to counter any unauthorized access to the waterways leading to Trondheim.
The most powerful and impressive of these batteries is the Austratt Fort. Similar to the fortress of Fjell near Bergen (see above), Austratt received one of the turrets of the ill-fated battleship Gneisenau, damaged while moored in Kiel, in February 1942. A control and aiming position was put in place a few miles apart along the coast, whereas the battery was surrounded by an off-limits area, stuffed with bunkers for the troops, ammo storage bunkers, and lighter guns for protection against an attack by land.
A major difference between the two ‘sister sites’ of Fjell and Austratt is that in the latter the cannons are still there!
Following the installation of the turret, test fired in September 1943, the fort saw little action, acting as a deterrent, and effectively preventing any serious intrusion by the Allies towards Trondheim from the sea. After the demise of the Third Reich, the fort was taken over by the Norwegian coastal defense, stricken off in 1968, and restored as a museum in the early 1990s.
The cannons are on top of a hill. From the outside, the massive three-barreled turret is really impressive in size!
The barrels can be seen besides the original range-finder – with its impressive arm, granting good measuring accuracy even at a large distance from the target. This item, with its bell-shaped cover, was originally part of the control point, located southwest of the battery, in a location currently very close to an active base of the Norwegian Air Force (Orland).
Despite access to the the firing chamber being possible through a hatch to the back of the turret, the tour follows the way a shell would travel from storage to firing. Hence you start your tour from an entrance to the side of the hill, at the same level of the bottom of the cylindrical tower supporting the guns. This metal tower was taken from the Gneisenau together with the cannons, and put in a pit carved in the rock for the purpose in Austratt.
Access through the side of the hill is protected by a smaller gun. Once inside, you find yourself in a curvy corridor, with a narrow-gauge railway track for the trolleys needed to carry the shells and cartridges inside. A firing position behind an embrassure points against the entrance, for further protection of the site against an intrusion.
The bunker in Austratt – but the same happened to many installations of the Atlantic Wall in Norway – was plagued with severe humidity problems. Immediately besides the entrance, a room with a water basin is fed by natural water dripping from the ceiling and from the rocky walls around.
Original machines for tooling, put in place for maintenance purposes back in the Third Reich years, are still there and working. Similarly, a primary and a backup Diesel generators supplying the fort are still in place, with all ancillary plants, like big Diesel and water tanks for cooling. This is original machinery too, as witnessed by the tags of the mechanical components, all made in Germany.
Living quarters were at the bottom level too. Trying to supply some comfort, the rocky walls were covered with bricks and wood, especially against humidity. These rooms have been partly refurbished with a good resemblance to the original ones. They include the kitchen and some of the sleeping quarters for the troops. However, since humidity was really extreme, troops spent limited time here especially for sleeping, and provisional barracks were built outside of the installation instead.
Hygienic services were reportedly extremely advanced compared to Norwegian standards of the time. Fully working toilets, lavatories and showers were taken as a blueprint by the Norwegian Army after the war. The electric water heater put in place in the Austratt battery was apparently among the first installed in the whole Country – it can still be seen.
Explosive cartridges, fuses and shells arriving from the bunker entry you have walked through at the beginning of your tour would be eventually lifted upstairs. Shells, either high-yield explosive or armor-piercing, would be stored in a chamber featuring cranes hanging from the ceiling, used to put the shells on trolleys. These trolleys transported the shells to the lower level of the turret. The chamber where the shells were stored is physically separated by the turret by means of a concrete wall.
Tight compartments are often found in war bunkers of the Atlantic Wall, and this can be explained by the fact that the deadliest effect of an enemy shot (either a cannon shell from a warship, or an air-dropped bomb) would be that of an overpressure wave (shockwave), capable of killing many in just moments. Overpressure effects can be effectively reduced by putting physical obstacles on the way the shockwave would travel – walls, tight doors, etc. – or by forcing it into smaller passages, like hatches or smaller doors and windows. Therefore, bunkers like Austratt are built in rather small rooms, connected only through narrow hatches and doors.
Again in the storage chamber for the shells, extensive writing in German can be found on many of the mechanisms and electric plants. Everything is original and exceptionally well conserved, just like the Germans had just left!
The lowest level of the turret, where the shells would arrive from the storage chamber to be loaded on elevators going to the upper levels, is a masterpiece of engineering. The technical problem here was that of connecting the slides from the storage chamber, which are anchored to the ground, to the receiving slides on the turret, which could pivot around 360 degrees. The designer of the turret solved the issue by placing an intermediate ring, revolving independently, and capable of connecting the fixed slides from the storage chamber to the revolving platform on the turret. The extremely compact size of the overall design, originally prepared for fitting into a warship, and the elegance and precision of the mechanism resemble those of a pocket watch from the 1920s more than a cannon!
On the turret, you can see three elevators for the three barrels, which were therefore fed independently.
Going upstairs, you meet the storage room for the explosive cartridges. These used to be stored in sealed canisters on display, original from the time. This storage room is placed to the side of the corresponding level in the turret, in a similar fashion to the shells storage below.
Climbing up one more level inside the turret, you reach a platform with the motors for moving the battery around its vertical axis, and for lifting or lowering the three monster barrels. The motion involved high-pressure mechanisms, rather complex and requiring many valves and extensive piping.
To the back of each of the barrels, you can see a large empty volume for recoil. The battery rested on a ball bearing – one of the pretty sizable metal balls is on display.
Finally, the firing chamber can be found on the top level in the turret. Here the shells and cartridges were received, aligned and loaded from the back into the barrels by a pushing mechanical arm. Three independent mechanisms were put in place for the scope in the firing chamber.
You can exit the turret from the hatch to the back of the turret, concluding your tour. In the video below you can see a portrait of the battery from the air, made with a drone.
All in all, similar to the Vara battery (see above), Austratt is in an exceptional state of conservation in the Norwegian and European panorama of artillery engineering from WWII, and a visit may be super-interesting for any public.
Visiting
Despite being relatively close to Trondheim on a map, as usual in Norway, Austratt is a more than two hours drive from the town, and reaching requires taking at least one ferry. However, as noted, this location is a pinnacle in the Atlantic Wall, and surely deserves a visit for technicians and non-technical public as well, and of course for the kids.
Access to the exterior is possible at any time, but visiting inside is only possible on guided tours. The guide is very knowledgeable and makes the visit interesting also for a technically-minded public. The visit inside may take around 1 hour, more if you make questions and show some interest. Convenient parking by the gate of the fort, easy access to the area around the battery. Moving inside can be requiring for non-fit people.
As pointed out in the introduction to this chapter, Norway is rich of memorials from WWII. Even close to some of the attractions in this wonderful Country which are must-see stops for other reasons, features recalling memories from war actions are offered to a curious eye.
Two notable examples are the visitor center of the Arctic Circle along the E6, as well as that of North Cape.
Scandinavia has been a bloody and extremely active theater of war all along WWII, and Norway was directly involved in significant war actions since the first year of the conflict. As a matter of fact, most of the impressive line of fortifications constituting the Atlantic Wall was erected by deploying forced laborers, typically prisoners of war from the Eastern Front, primarily including Russians, other people from the USSR, and Balkan prisoners.
Soviet troops attacked the northernmost German-occupied region from the North, together with the Finns, after the latter negotiated a separate peace with the USSR in late 1944. The retreating Germans opposed a fierce resistance, and it was in this latest stage of the war that most physical damage to towns and installations was caused in Norway, since German troops were ordered to burn up all positions they had to leave.
These facts explain the many Soviet monuments and war cemeteries scattered especially in the northern part of Norway still today – commemorating Soviet soldiers fallen either in war actions or as prisoners of war in the harsh conditions of northern Norway.
One such monument, albeit overlooked, is prominently placed besides the visitor center of the Arctic Circle.
Soviet Memorial – Arctic Circle Visitor Center – WWII – Norway
Soviet Memorial – Arctic Circle Visitor Center – WWII – Norway
Soviet Memorial – Arctic Circle Visitor Center – WWII – Norway
The interest of Germany for Norway was primarily for its strategic position, which became an asset of special value after the start of the war against the USSR in mid-1941. The convoys feeding vital material to the USSR from Britain and the US had to go to Murmansk (see here) and the Kola Peninsula, i.e. over the Barents Sea. This was conveniently controlled by the German occupants, operating from the Norwegian coast.
In the visitor center of North Cape some panels are dedicated to this topic, showing an impression of the structure and routes followed by Allied convoys going to the USSR.
Polar Convoys to the USSR & Scharnhorst Exhibition – North Cape – Nordkapp – WWII – Norway
Polar Convoys to the USSR & Scharnhorst Exhibition – North Cape – Nordkapp – WWII – Norway
Polar Convoys to the USSR & Scharnhorst Exhibition – North Cape – Nordkapp – WWII – Norway
Polar Convoys to the USSR & Scharnhorst Exhibition – North Cape – Nordkapp – WWII – Norway
Polar Convoys to the USSR & Scharnhorst Exhibition – North Cape – Nordkapp – WWII – Norway
Polar Convoys to the USSR & Scharnhorst Exhibition – North Cape – Nordkapp – WWII – Norway
Polar Convoys to the USSR & Scharnhorst Exhibition – North Cape – Nordkapp – WWII – Norway
Detailed panels with maps and pictures recall the last battle of the German battleship Scharnhorst, which was confronted by the group of the British battleship HMS Duke of York, in an epic battle relatively close to North Cape. The massive German battleship, deployed to Norway with Tirpitz (a sister ship of the famous Bismarck) to block the resupply traffic to the USSR, was hit several times and finally sunk in the freezing last days of 1943. The battle was posthumously named ‘Battle of North Cape’. A detailed scaled model of the German battleship is similarly on display in the visitor center.
Polar Convoys to the USSR & Scharnhorst Exhibition – North Cape – Nordkapp – WWII – Norway
Polar Convoys to the USSR & Scharnhorst Exhibition – North Cape – Nordkapp – WWII – Norway
Polar Convoys to the USSR & Scharnhorst Exhibition – North Cape – Nordkapp – WWII – Norway
Polar Convoys to the USSR & Scharnhorst Exhibition – North Cape – Nordkapp – WWII – Norway
Polar Convoys to the USSR & Scharnhorst Exhibition – North Cape – Nordkapp – WWII – Norway
Visiting
The visitor center of the Arctic Circle on the road E6, with a small Soviet monument, can be found here. The monument is open 24/7.
The visitor center of North Cape is… at North Cape! The inside can be accessed during opening times, and the tables with information on WWII convoys and battles are on an underground mezzanine. Website with full information here.
War Museum – Narvik
The port town of Narvik was founded in the 19th century as a commercial base for exporting iron ore from Sweden. A small town by the sea, surrounded by steep-climbing mountains, and in a remote location well north of the Arctic Circle, Narvik was turned for about two months into a though theater of war for the Germans, following their occupation of Norway.
It was here that the British started a battle to stop the German push to the north, as soon as the 10th of April 1940, basically at the same time as the Germans had reached the town during their conquering campaign.
What resulted was a complex, multi-stage operation, lasting until early June 1940.
At first, the British fleet mounted a naval attack, carried out with a flotilla of five destroyers. This force clashed with the local German complement of ten destroyers. The British operation met with mixed success, and was finally repelled by the German navy operating in the narrow waters around Narvik, at the price of two destroyers on each side – plus several cargo ships destroyed in the battle. Three days later, on the 13th of April, a new force, composed of the British battleship HMS Warspite and 9 destroyers, launched another assault, resulting in the complete loss of the German destroyers fleet in the region – German warships were either sunk or scuttled.
The Germans however kept control of the town. A mixed force of British, Polish and French troops, together with the Norwegians, started an operation to conquer the town by land. The operation was successful, and the German troops had to retreat along the coast, away from Narvik. However, the start of the Battle of France – the invasion of France by the Third Reich – on the 10th of May, 1940, resulted in a rapid loss of priority of Narvik as a strategic target for the Allies. It was decided in Britain to withdraw from Norway, and to evacuate all previously landed military forces from Narvik. The town fell under German control on June 8th, basically concluding the conquer of Norway by the Third Reich.
The Allied landings around Narvik in 1940 where the first on the European continent in WWII, carried out without the participation of the US, more than three years before operations in southern Italy or Normandy.
The town of Narvik is still today an active commercial port of primary relevance in the region. The heritage of war actions is preserved in a purpose-installed museum, modernly designed and easy to visit.
On a first floor, the naval operations around Narvik are described by means of technological 3D board with virtual projections – very nice and lively. Around the board, memorabilia from the British and German warships taking part to the operations back in the Spring of 1940 have been put on display.
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
They include an original Nazi eagle from one of the ships. Since the campaign around Narvik included also air and land operations, war traces including parts of aircraft, guns, mortars, machine guns, first-aid kits and many uniforms are also on display.
Uniforms are from the many corps which took part to those actions – they are British, German, Polish and even French.
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
On a second floor, you are offered displays of artifacts retracing other aspects of WWII in Norway. These include land mines – put in place by the Germans along the coast, similar to Denmark, to impede Allied landings – an Enigma coding machine, Third Reich memorabilia, a section of the Tirpitz armored hull, radio machinery supplied to the resistance, as well as personal items belonging to former prisoners of war.
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
Finally, on the last floor heavier weapons are put on display, including torpedoes, light armored vehicles and more, even for post-WWII times.
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
War Museum Narvik – WWII – Norway
Visiting
The battle of Narvik is one of the best known from WWII in Norway, and the little museum in the town center duly retraces its timeline, through an elegant exhibition, sufficiently rich to satisfy even the most exigent experts, but not so extensive to be boring for the general public. A really well designed museum, surely worth a visit, which may last from 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on your level of interest.
The location is right besides the town hall, and can be found here. Parking opportunities on the street nearby. Website with information here.
Tirpitz Museum – Alta
The German battleship Tirpitz was laid down as the only sister ship to the well-known Bismark. Eventually, she underwent developments which made her the heaviest battleship built in Europe. Her actions were concentrated along a limited time frame, between January 1942 and November 1944, when she was finally sunk by British Lancaster bombers, making use of Tallboy high-yield bombs.
She spent her operative life along the coasts of Norway, where she constituted an effective deterrent against a sea-launched Allied invasion, and was employed tactically against resupply convoys going to the USSR.
Tirpitz was a strategic target for the Allies, which tried to get rid of her by no less than seven war operations, meeting with limited success until the last one.
With an armor more than 30 cm thick, Tirpitz was marginally maneuverable especially at lower speed, but the hull was very difficult to penetrate, and the four turrets and eight 38 cm barrels, plus twelve side-shooting 15 cm barrels, complemented by many more defensive weapons, made it a dangerous asset against land and sea targets.
The ship capsized and sunk in shallow water in the bay of Tromso, and following the end of the war, she was largely dismantled. Original pieces of the ship could be collected, as well as some personal belongings from the crew. Some more were taken out from the water over the years.
The museum in Alta is dedicated to the memory of the ship, and offers an extremely rich collection of items connected with Tirpitz. Furthermore, by means of memorabilia items, it retraces the history of the war years in the northernmost region of Norway – Finnmark. The reason for installing the Tirpitz Museum in Kåfjord, near Alta, is bound to the fact that the battleship was based here for a period, as witnessed by some historical pictures. The museum has a rich guestbook, which includes top-ranking military staff from several Countries.
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
The small museum is home to some of the finest and largest scales models portraying Tirpitz. The level of detail and the accuracy of the reconstruction is really stunning.
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Some smaller diorama models portray scenes from the life onboard, or details of special interest. An unusual one portrays the capsized hull of the ship, following the sinking!
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Besides the scale models, original instrumentation, shells, wooden slabs from the deck, and more parts of the ship are put on display.
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
A room is dedicated to the operations carried out against the battleship. The ship was reportedly attacked several times without substantial damage. One of the attacks was carried out by the British, recurring to mini-submarines. Among the artifacts on display are the decorations to the men involved in these operations.
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Extremely interesting artifacts in the museum include material from the crew, taken away after the sinking over the years – sometimes found in the area as recently as the year 2000.
These include typewriters, cutlery with swastika emblems, musical instruments, sport suits with prominent Third Reich insignia, and many personal belongings.
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
In one case, the cabinet or wallet of a crewman revealed cash and stamps from the time.
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Among the countless items in this exhibition are original material – including radio stations – employed by the resistance movements in Norway, as well as light weapons, uniforms and decorations of the Soviet troops who operated in the Finnmark region, helping in repelling the Germans in the last stages of WWII.
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
On the outside, the anchor and parts of the armor of Tirpitz can be seen, together with an official memorial stone.
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Tirpitz Battleship Museum Alta – WWII – Norway
Visiting
The museum is located some five miles from Alta, in the small settlement of Kåfjord. It is hosted in a single, small wooden building – possibly a former canteen – to be found here, with a small parking nearby. A website with full visiting information is here.
Visiting the museum may take from 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on your level of interest.
Vemork Hydroelectric Power Plant & Heavy Water Facility – Rjukan
The nuclear program of the Third Reich is still today a matter for researchers, since – mysteriously enough – most documentation disappeared by the end of the war. Among the ascertained facts were the excellence of nuclear scientist in Germany at the time on the one hand, and the total lack of adequate quantities of raw material, or plants for processing it, to actually build real nuclear weapons on the other.
The latter is witnessed by the great strategic value attributed to the plant in Rjukan, hidden in a scenic deep valley in the region of Telemark, in southern Norway, about three hours by car from Oslo. A hydroelectric plant there – the exact name is Vemork power-plant – was employed to produce heavy water through a dedicated electrolysis separation process, which requires huge amounts of energy. Heavy water is a key component for the production of Plutonium – in turn required for atomic weapons – in heavy-water reactors.
Also the Norwegians understood the value of the plant. As soon as the winds of war started blowing from Germany in early 1940, heavy water then in storage was taken away to France, and later to Britain following the invasion of France by the Third Reich.
After Norway had been occupied by the Reich, the plant was at the center of three sabotage operations. Extremely risky and partly ending in disaster, these operations were carried out both by Norwegian and British staff, parachuted from Britain.
It took until 1944 to mortally hit the plant, well protected by its own natural setting. Two dedicated bombing raids carried out by US bombers damaged the plant beyond repair – at least in the late war scenario, when the Third Reich reaction capacity was weakening every day. The final act in the Norwegian heavy water saga was the sinking of the small boat – named Hydro – loaded with the reserve of heavy water from Vemork, having just started its trip to Germany on Lake Tinn.
The plant was again in business in the years after the war, and remained operative until the early 1990s, involved in production of various chemicals.
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
Today, it is a much visited museum. Actually, the most impressive part of the plant is that of the hydroelectric turbines. Aligned in a single immense hangar, these now silent giant machinery send glimpses of the original, fashionable early-1900 industrial style.
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
Some of the turbines and generator assemblies – manufactured by AEG, as witnessed by the labels – are really huge.
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
A suspended platform allows to capture with a bird’s eye the entire hall. Here you can see also completely analog control panels, again in a very elegant style from the era.
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
Vemork Power Plant Heavy Water Rjukan – WWII – Norway
Visiting
The museum in Vemork can be reached in less than 3 hours driving from central Oslo. The power-plant can be approached walking from the parking (here) over a suspended bridge crossing the deep valley. The area is very scenic. The highlight of the show is the hall with the power turbines. A visit may take from a few minutes to more than 1 hour for more interested subjects.
A website with full information can be found here.
The area around Jüterbog, about 1 hour and 15 minutes south of Berlin by car, has enjoyed a long military tradition, dating from the years of the Kaiser and WWI, through the Third Reich and all the more than four decades of the Cold War, until the departure of the Soviet Army in the early 1990s.
Almost for the entire duration of the 20th century, the area has been scattered with barracks, immense training grounds, shooting ranges, officer’s houses, army administration buildings, technical depots, airports and military academies.
The town of Jüterbog is actually much older than the 20th century, but the Soviets, who grew to a much greater population than the Germans in town after 1945, did not pay much attention to this nice medieval town. Following their withdrawal and the end of all military operations around, the town center received substantial money for restoration from the Government of reunified Germany, and the result is really remarkable – Jüterbog is today possibly one of the most lively and nice-looking centers in the region, with medieval towers, gates and churches, hotels, restaurants and bright-painted houses all around.
However, one hundred years of military activities in this province could not be wiped out at once, and despite nature is now invading the old army premises after operations ceased, to a careful eye the heritage of the German and Soviet Armies stationed there can be spotted quite easily, immediately out the lovely historical town.
Perhaps the most prominent witnesses of the past activities are the old flight academy, installed in the Third Reich years and later employed also by the Soviets, who got control of the area after they arrived in 1945, and kept it even after the foundation of the GDR and the corresponding Armed Forces (i.e. the Nationale Volksarmee, or NVA). The flight academy is today a listed building, despite in a state of partial disrepair. Another example is the big airbase of Jüterbog/Altes Lager, which went on operating as an NVA and Soviet airbase until the very end of the Cold War, and is now being used as a sport airfield, a kart circuit track, an event venue and a solar power plant.
In the following report, more locations in and around Jüterbog are pinpointed, photographed during two visits, partly guided by the knowledgeable Dr. Reiner Helling, in the Summer seasons of 2021 and 2022.
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The material in this post covers ‘Shelter Albrecht’, a one-of-a-kind private collection of items from WWII and especially from Soviet times, more views of the former airfield of Altes Lager, with a Granit bunker still in very good conditions, an abandoned military hospital with evident traces of Soviet operations, a Soviet cemetery, and a few more items, silent and overlooked witnesses of a recently bygone era.
The airbase of Jüterbog/Altes Lager was selected by the Soviets for further development with the arrival of jets in the late 1940s-early 1950s, and grew to be a prominent attack aircraft and helicopter base in the territory of the GDR. Now reduced in size to the point that some taxiways have been turned into public roads, some of the incredibly many aircraft shelters originally in place in the peripheral parts of the base – mostly AU-16 – have been wiped out. However, a set of two to the east of the runway have been spared this fate, and have been redeemed by a private business. One has been turned into a venue for events, whereas the other has been employed to showcase a great collection of WWII and Cold War memorabilia. Actually, the two hangars are located inside a somewhat larger perimeter, with an original technical building and room for even more exhibits.
A first impressive sight is the original Soviet scheme of the base. Similar signs were typically put close to the gate of any Soviet base (as seen for instance here in Ribnitz/Damgarten), and with their Russian writings today they witness the Soviet tenancy of the base.
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
On the apron, an original military version of the ubiquitous Trabant, in army green color, is on display together with a field kitchen and a gigantic roadwork machine. The latter is Russian made, with tank tracks, and powered by a 12-cylinder Diesel engine.
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
A Mil Mi-2 helicopter, which for some hard-to-imagine reason had ended up on the Adriatic coast of Italy in a private collection, where it sat almost derelict, has been brought back to the other side of the Iron Curtain, and restored in a camo coat and placed in a prominent position. Not far, a wing from an old Lavochin La-5 Soviet aircraft can be found.
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Still on the open air exhibition are a decorated panel once gracing a Soviet hospital – possibly the one described later (here) – and another celebrating the Warsaw Pact. But the exhibits are really countless, and include propaganda posters, and canisters for ordnance.
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
To the side of the main exhibition hangar, in the area of an interred fuel tank once serving the base, is an incredible set of Soviet panels, originally from this or other Soviet bases around. These panels are partly decoration/celebration signs, with portraits of Soviet soldiers and emblems.
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Other are technically-themed, with explanations concerning driving habits and rules, hand-to-hand combat, and more. Similar items, including fake targets for assault training, can be found for instance in Forst Zinna, an abandoned Soviet base not far from Jüterbog (covered here).
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Also part of the collection is a rare mural, apparently retracing the push to the west of a Soviet division (?) during the Great Patriotic War.
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Inside, the aircraft shelter is stuffed with interesting memorabilia. From WWII, exhibits include remains of downed aircraft, including damaged engines, propellers and canopies. Among them are remains of an Avro Lancaster, a Focke-Wulf 190, a Junkers Ju-87 and the canopy of a pretty rare training (two-seats) version of the Messerschmitt Bf-109.
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Four large scale models cover as many interesting sights around. The first is the former flight academy of the Third Reich (mentioned above and covered here), north of the Altes Lager airbase premises. Also on display are books and furniture originally from the library of the academy.
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
A second model portrays the entire area between the academy (north) and the airfield (south), including the latter. This area, now largely shrouded in the trees and partially in private hands, used to host technical installations and even factories connected with warfare business – all linked by an extensive network of roads and railways.
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Another model is that of two airship hangars from the years of German tenancy. These had to be really huge, but are today completely gone. Among the factories in place in the area, were those for supplying gas for the airships.
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Finally, a fourth scale model represents the older airfield of Jüterbog/Damm. The latter is not far from Altes Lager, and is today in private hands for some cattle breeding business. It features very peculiar concrete hangars, an interesting specimen of Third Reich construction engineering. Some aerial pictures can be found here. That airfield was not selected for further development by the Soviets, due to the limited potential for runway lengthening, in turn due to the proximity with Jüterbog town.
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Soviet-related items on display range from painted tables, originally gracing the walls of the base, to technical signs in Russian, to a full array of personal and military items, all belonging to the Soviet staff stationed in Jüterbog. These include an interesting overall map of the Soviet airfields on GDR territory, with basic technical data.
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Among the highlights, an official printed portrait of Stalin, and one of Brezhnev in a military uniform, parachutes and parts from attack aircraft, many direction signs and instructional panels for low-ranking military staff. Also very interesting is a radar scope with the three air corridors to West-Berlin and the position of Altes Lager printed on it!
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Of special interest for aircraft enthusiasts are many pictures from the days of operation of the airbase, with many exotic Soviet aircraft seen landing, departing or taxiing around.
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Other panels tells about the presence of rocket forces in the area of Jüterbog – in particular the 27th R.Br. of the NVA. They operated the SCUD-B system.
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Back outside, the exhibition is completed by an original monument from Altes Lager, often employed as a background for official ceremonies, and more personal memorabilia of the owner of the museum, formerly serving within a tank division of the NVA.
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Reconstructed shops and schools are on display, with much original furniture and everyday items of Soviet make.
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Shelter Albrecht – Jüterbog – Altes Lager – Soviet Cold War and WWII memorabilia collection
Getting there and Visiting
The place is really worth a visit for everybody interested in memorabilia items from Soviet times, or for those looking for tangible traces of the military past of Jüterbog. The location is easy to reach by car, with a convenient internal parking. The address is Niedergörsdorfer Allee 4, 14913 Niedergörsdorf, Germany.
An updated official website with opening times is apparently not available. However, Mr. Helmut Stark, the owner of the place, may be contacted beforehand (in German only) to inquire about opening times and plan a visit – try Googling his name and that of the site for updated contacts. The place is regularly open at least in the weekends in the warm season. A visit to this site will be likely with Mr. Stark following you and giving explanations in German. This will take about 45 minutes.
Granit Bunker and Hangars in Jüterbog/Altes Lager
Some views of the Altes Lager airbase are provided in this chapter, and some aerial views can be seen here. The huge, flat-top hangars date from the Third Reich era, and similarly the control tower with its annexes. Some of the hangars were reportedly dismounted by the Soviets and taken to the Soviet Union soon after the end of WWII.
Jüterbog Altes Lager Abandoned Soviet Base Bunker Granit Cold War Nuclear Warheads
Jüterbog Altes Lager Abandoned Soviet Base Bunker Granit Cold War Nuclear Warheads
Jüterbog Altes Lager Abandoned Soviet Base Bunker Granit Cold War Nuclear Warheads
Jüterbog Altes Lager Abandoned Soviet Base Bunker Granit Cold War Nuclear Warheads
Jüterbog Altes Lager Abandoned Soviet Base Bunker Granit Cold War Nuclear Warheads
Jüterbog Altes Lager Abandoned Soviet Base Bunker Granit Cold War Nuclear Warheads
Jüterbog Altes Lager Abandoned Soviet Base Bunker Granit Cold War Nuclear Warheads
Besides all the aircraft shelters scattered all around the runway, a relevant and pretty secluded Soviet addition north of the airfield is a Soviet Granit-type bunker. This type of bunker was among the lightest in Soviet inventory, and could serve multiple purposes, e.g. storing movable radar trucks, tanks, other machinery, or weapons. Actually, its presence on an airfield may suggest the purpose of storing special air-dropped weapons, maybe tactical nuclear, high-explosive or chemical ordnance.
Jüterbog Altes Lager Abandoned Soviet Base Bunker Granit Cold War Nuclear Warheads
Jüterbog Altes Lager Abandoned Soviet Base Bunker Granit Cold War Nuclear Warheads
Jüterbog Altes Lager Abandoned Soviet Base Bunker Granit Cold War Nuclear Warheads
Jüterbog Altes Lager Abandoned Soviet Base Bunker Granit Cold War Nuclear Warheads
Jüterbog Altes Lager Abandoned Soviet Base Bunker Granit Cold War Nuclear Warheads
Jüterbog Altes Lager Abandoned Soviet Base Bunker Granit Cold War Nuclear Warheads
Jüterbog Altes Lager Abandoned Soviet Base Bunker Granit Cold War Nuclear Warheads
Jüterbog Altes Lager Abandoned Soviet Base Bunker Granit Cold War Nuclear Warheads
Jüterbog Altes Lager Abandoned Soviet Base Bunker Granit Cold War Nuclear Warheads
Bunkers of Granit-type are possibly the most frequent special constructions in former Soviet bases (see for instance here or here), but the one in Jüterbog is interesting since it is very well conserved, and its massive metal doors are still perfectly in place, providing a nice impression of how this technical item should have looked like in the days of operation.
Getting there and Visiting
The airport of Altes Lager is today pretty busy, with several companies having taken over much of its original premises now open for business. Multiple access points are available, and chances of looking inside the original installations are many. Given the still exceptional state of conservation of the Granit bunker, in order to protect this rare historical artifact from the impressive hordes of catatonic idiot spoilers and writers out there, no indication is provided on its exact location.
Military Hospital
Among the buildings now shrouded by the overgrown vegetation in the area between Jüterbog/Altes Lager airfield and the town of Jüterbog is a sizable military hospital. Totally invisible from the road, the hospital is basically made of a single, building featuring three long interconnected rows.
It is made of the typical German dark-red brick, a design which is way too elegant for Soviet occupants. The arrangement of the facade and the nice railings suggest a construction date from the years of the Kaiser and the German Empire, maybe early 20th century.
However, the years of Soviet use are witnessed by a big mural, portraying Lenin with some Soviet soldiers in the background, with a black and yellow striped ribbon and a red star, emblems of the Red Army.
The aura is very silent and mysterious, and as such, this location is a mecca for urban explorers. Actually, the only noise came from a fast spinning ventilation fan in a window frame! This was pushed by an air stream however, not likely by a motor…
Some more buildings complete this complex, and original GDR-style lamps can still be seen around – the tall trees now surrounding the building were likely not in place when the hospital was closed, presumably in the early 1990s.
Not difficult to find in the trees between Jüterbog and the airfield of Altes Lager, there is no clear interdiction sign to access this complex from behind, yet vibration sensors planted in the ground can be spotted around, and some security cars can be seen sometimes parked on the main road. A walk around the hospital is not especially dangerous nor difficult, and may take about 25 minutes taking all the pictures. The building is architecturally nice and possibly listed. Yet it is in partial disrepair and largely sealed, and getting in is obviously not advisable.
Soviet Cemetery
The only relic of the years of Soviet occupation which is immediately visible to the general public in Jüterbog is the Soviet military cemetery. This is located to the back of the Liebfrauenkirche, in the historical center of Jüterbog.
Actually, a monumental part, with railings embellished with hammer and sickle emblems and a monument with writings in German and Russian to the back, is detached from the church yard.
Jüterbog Soviet Cemetery Friedhof
Jüterbog Soviet Cemetery Friedhof
Jüterbog Soviet Cemetery Friedhof
Jüterbog Soviet Cemetery Friedhof
Jüterbog Soviet Cemetery Friedhof
Jüterbog Soviet Cemetery Friedhof
However, possibly in later times, the limited space available in the lot originally planned for the monument meant some graves were dug right in the church graveyard, side by side – but not mixed – with German graves.
Jüterbog Soviet Cemetery Friedhof
Jüterbog Soviet Cemetery Friedhof
Jüterbog Soviet Cemetery Friedhof
Jüterbog Soviet Cemetery Friedhof
Jüterbog Soviet Cemetery Friedhof
Jüterbog Soviet Cemetery Friedhof
Jüterbog Soviet Cemetery Friedhof
Jüterbog Soviet Cemetery Friedhof
Getting there and Visiting
The exact address is Am Dammtor, 14913 Jüterbog, Germany. The place is well-kept, being part of the historical city center of Jüterbog. Parking opportunities all around on the street. A visit may take 10 minutes.
Railway Yard, School and Command Building
The town of Jüterbog acted as a ‘local capital’ for the many Soviet troops and their families scattered in the corresponding district. The hospital (see above) was not the only large installation in place. A district school was also installed, which served not only the very town of Jüterbog – with a Russian-speaking population of more than 70.000, greater than the German nationals – but also the residing Soviet population of smaller technical installations in the area. A notable example is the impressive nuclear depot in Stolzenhain (see here), where a dedicated staff and their families occupied four residential blocks now gone. Their children reportedly attended school in Jüterbog.
The school is today largely abandoned, and a quick tour around reveals typical Soviet decorations in the large sporting hall.
Jüterbog Soviet School Abandoned Cold War Relic
Jüterbog Soviet School Abandoned Cold War Relic
Jüterbog Soviet School Abandoned Cold War Relic
Jüterbog Soviet School Abandoned Cold War Relic
The school building is geographically close to the railway station. The latter had a passenger terminal dedicated to the Soviet population, which was completely segregated from the German one.
Furthermore, the railway in Jüterbog had also a primary logistic function, connected with the military activities going on in the area. Besides transporting tanks, vehicles and other material, also nuclear warheads arrived by rail from Belarus or Ukraine (both in the USSR at the time), for storage in the Stolzenhain Monolith-type bunkers (see here). A special railway track with a dead end in the trees featured a special interchange platform, allowing to move the sensitive warheads in their controlled canisters to trucks, and by road to Stolzenhain – usually at night. Since warheads were also sent back for maintenance or overhaul, the transport operated also in the opposite direction.
Jüterbog Railway Track Station
Jüterbog Railway Track Station
Very close to the railway station and the school is also a large grassy area, surrounded by a nice, old-style metal fence. This area is that of an older training ground, dating to the years of the Kaiser. A command building, now in disrepair, betrays the same origin, featuring decorations in a typical old-German style.
Jüterbog Command Building Abandoned Relic
Jüterbog Command Building Abandoned Relic
Jüterbog Command Building Abandoned Relic
Getting there and Moving around
The school can be found in Jüterbog here. Cross the street from the school, the old training grounds and command building are immediately spotted. Walking north past the command building, you get access to a pedestrian bridge over the railway tracks, with a nice view of the station. An exploration of the railway tracks has to be considered extremely dangerous, since the railway line there is today a high-speed one, with bullet-fast trains appearing in just seconds. A walk around this spot in Jüterbog may take 15 minutes. Parking opportunities ahead of the command building.
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Soviet Ghosts in Germany
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A pleasant country in northern Europe, Denmark is geographically surrounded by the North and Baltic seas, and shares its only land border with Germany. In the late 1930s, this meant having a very dangerous dictatorship as the only neighbor, and no possible direct help coming by land from other allies. Without natural defenses against and attack from the south, the Kingdom of Denmark was militarily occupied basically in one day, on April 9th, 1940. This happened through a joint operation carried out by the land, air and naval forces of Nazi Germany.
A quick historical overview
The interest of Germany in controlling Danish territory was mainly strategic. It served as a springboard to attack Norway further north. The latter was in itself more interesting to the economy of the Third Reich, as it was rich of natural resources, including raw materials not available in Germany. These were so needed by the Führer, who was dreaming of making Germany independent from international supply trade.
Furthermore, controlling both Denmark and Norway meant control over the eastern coast of the North Sea, and a chance to control the only access to the Baltic Sea. The USSR was not a declared enemy before 1941, but withdrawing from the mutual cooperation pact with Stalin – signed in a hurry just days before the invasion of Poland in September 1939 – at some point, and openly attacking Russia, had been in the mind of the Führer since he first put on paper his worrying geopolitical thoughts. By controlling the Baltic, Hitler could control sea trade to non-freezing ports of the USSR, which in 1940 had already taken over Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in agreement with Germany.
As a matter of fact, the conquer of Norway was not without significant losses for Germany. This was also the result of Britain starting to militarily oppose Germany. The two countries had been already at war since September 1939, but without any serious confrontation having taken place for months.
Since then, the British – and later also the American – threat from the west had to be faced through the fortification of the western coast of the Third Reich, which by the end of the summer of 1940 extended roughly from the Pyrenees in southern France to Kirkenes in northern Norway. This highly visionary task was taken up very seriously by the German military-economic machine, and produced the ‘Atlantikwall’ – which translates pretty obviously into the ‘Atlantic Wall’. This long defensive line had to be built all along the coast, and was mainly based on a catalog of standardized reinforced concrete constructions, to be reproduced in great numbers. Construction was coordinated by the main contractor, the German ‘Organization Todt’, which made extensive use of subcontracted local companies in the various occupied states where construction had to take place.
Despite the majority of the elements in the line were reinforced barracks for troops watching the coastline, ammo and supply storages, command and communication bunkers, canteens, and other service buildings, there were of course also a number of heavier constructions. These included coastal gun batteries, to counter attacking ships, lighter gun batteries, to stop troops attempting a beach landing, aiming stations, to adjust the line of fire of gun batteries, anti-aircraft guns to defend the line from air attacks, and some technical buildings serving as bases for advanced radar systems. The latter were among the most useful and widespread items along the line, as German technology developed fast during the war, to produce powerful detection systems against air and sea menaces.
Needless to remember, similar to many pharaonic works conceived by the Führer and his entourage, the Atlantic Wall was never completed, and it failed to spare the Third Reich from total annihilation. The once-modern military installations along the western coast of Europe soon became obsolete, as war changed face at a quick pace following WWII, with new weapons and techniques. Furthermore, the front line of the new Cold War shifted geographically to the middle of Europe. A tangible sign of enemy occupation, the massive bunkers of the Atlantic Wall met different destinies depending on the country. However, albeit only rarely preserved, thanks to their bulkiness and sturdy make, they are in most cases still visible.
About this post
Being the first land along the western coast to fall under German control, work on the Atlantic Wall started in Denmark earlier than anywhere else. Today extensive traces of the line are still pointing the shores of the North Sea.
A few focal points are preserved as first-class museums. These include the strongholds of Hirtsthals and the huge battery at Hanstholm, in Northern Jutland. The latter had been designed around a cluster of four monster coastal guns, to the aim of controlling the passage through the Skagerrak channel, providing access to the Baltic Sea. A twin battery – Vara – was built to the north of the strait in Norway.
Closer to the German border, the area of Blavand – featuring also the famous ‘Tirpitz battery’ in its arsenal – is another example of a partly preserved portion of the line. Bangsbo fort in Frederikshaven has been partly refurbished and opened as a museum, after being used by the Danish military for a while. There you can find one of the few remaining examples of an Atlantic Wall installation with its original guns still in place.
Smaller strongholds, opened as smaller scale museums or left to more adventurous explorers, often feature unique special constructions, which justify a detour at least for more committed war historians. These include the Skagen battery, the disguised bunkers in Thyboron, and the complicated Stauning battery, built on two opposite coasts of a closed firth.
All these sites – and a few more – are covered in this post, which is based on photographs taken in August 2019. Denmark is officially protecting the installations of the Atlantic Wall as historical buildings – unlike France, for instance – so visiting even abandoned sites maybe rewarding, especially if they are out of the mainstream touristic routes. Unfortunately, many bunkers now closer to crowded touristic areas have been damaged by vandals.
Sights
Map
The sites covered in this post are listed on the following map. Sites opened as museums are pinpointed in red, wild sites are marked in blue.
The sites are listed in the post following the coastline of Jutland from its southwestern end.
Located about 50 miles north of the German border along the coast of the North Sea, the small town of Blavand sits on a promontory protruding towards the sea, and protecting the access to the port town of Esbjerg – still today a major commercial port of Denmark.
The area of Blavand saw the construction of an incredible number of Atlantic Wall elements, which grew up in more instances during the war years.
Close by the parking ahead of the lighthouse on the very tip of the promontory, you can find trailheads leading to the southern and western shores of the promontory.
The southern shore makes for a typical North Sea landscape – an endless sand beach. What makes it different from others is the number of light bunkers placed along the shoreline. Despite little imposing, this model – type ‘F’ – was purpose built for the wide shores of Denmark in 1944, in view of a potential enemy beach landing. These firing positions were armed with machine guns, and placed at pre-determined intervals – about 1’500 ft – matching their accuracy range.
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Many bunkers are slowly sinking in the sand, and only small parts of them can be seen emerging from the ground.
Others have been turned into strange sculptures, adding a horse head and tail.
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Under favorable tide conditions, you may enter some of the bunkers. There you can appreciate their simple structure, with a defensive embrasure by the entrance (looking towards the coast) and loopholes to the sides of the firing chamber.
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
On the beach close to the lighthouse you can find a very big bunker with a wide hollow cave on the inland side, which used to support a searchlight.
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Along the western shore you can find more massive bunkers. These include four former coastal gun batteries. These heavier constructions have assumed strange attitudes, after sinking in the sand somewhat irregularly over the years.
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Looking towards the inland from the beach, you can spot an aiming/fire control positions, with a distinctive bulbous roof and a long curved slot on the facade.
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Your walk along the northern shore may be interrupted by safety warnings concerning mine threat. As a complement to the defensive potential of the Atlantic Wall, extensive minefields were set up on most of the Danish beaches. This turned into a big issue soon after WWII, when an extensive demining action had to be carried out.
Furthermore, part of the Blavand promontory is occupied by a military firing range. When training exercises are taking place, special warning lights are lit and flags are raised, to delimit the territory where you should not venture.
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
In the dunes slightly inland from the shoreline, it is possible to find another big number of bunkers. They are not always visible from the distance, and entrance is in most cases from one side only – the only side emerging from the sand.
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
A very distinctive item is the colossal platform for a ‘Mammut’ type long-range anti-aircraft radar. This used to be operated by the Luftwaffe, whereas other bunkers in Blavand – like elsewhere along the Atlantic Wall – used to be run by other branches of the Germany military.
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
The base for the radar is in itself a rather complex bunker, with several cavities and extensive piping, once needed for power cables feeding the antenna, as well as other wiring.
Close by, a smaller radar base bunker used to be operated by the German Navy. Also here, holes and passages for cables can be found in the walls and roof.
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
It is noteworthy how many bunkers feature traces of original decorations, like painted walls, fake wallpaper, frescoes and small frieze lines. This is typical to many other installations of the Atlantic Wall.
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Metal hardware can be found in the form of a bulky aiming turret emerging from a bunker.
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
In another instance, a mortar mouth pops out from the ground.
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
The underground bunker underneath the latter can be explored with some difficulty – there are also quite annoying bats inside -, but it reveals an aiming wheel with original markings in a reinforced concrete dome!
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
An interesting sight nearby the lighthouse is the tower once supporting a ‘See Riese’ radar. The protruding arms once sustained a wooden platform for military operators.
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stronghold Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Getting there and moving around
The area of Blavand is rather extensive and rich of diverse installations, so notwithstanding the general bad shape of most of the bunkers, visiting may easily take 3-4 hours for a committed tourist, getting inside most of the items. A good starting point is the free parking by the lighthouse, provided you come early especially in summer, cause it tends to get more and more crowded along the day.
Blavand – ‘Tirpitz’ Coastal Guns
Despite at least some of the bunkers on the shores of Blavand being in a relatively good shape, there is a part of the Atlantic Wall which is officially preserved as a museum. This is one of the two unfinished bunkers intended to support a set of massive 38 cm coastal guns.
These guns – four, two for each bunker – were originally intended to be put on board battleship Gneisenau. The latter got damaged in port, and the guns were diverted to coastal use. The decision to build the Tirpitz battery to protect the port of Esbjerg came relatively late during the war, in 1944. As a result, construction of the battery supporting structures was not completed when the war ended, and the four never installed guns were scrapped – except one, which can be admired in Hanstholm (see below).
The name ‘Tirpitz’ attributed to this battery is of uncertain origin, and sometimes this installation is also referred to as ‘Vogelnest’.
The museum has been built only in the southernmost bunker. The installation is very modern (and crowded), and it has been designed as a thematic museum in five sections. Two of the most interesting are about the Atlantic Wall and its impact on local life, and on the extensive mining and demining operations on the shores of Denmark.
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Other sections are related to amber trade and local seamen activities.
Finally, you can get access to the base of the gun turret. Photographs are bad here, due to very poor lighting and limitations on camera use.
You can see a central round dome, surrounded by an external corridor. Traces of a post-war explosion can be noticed looking at the metal part of the construction.
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Outside of the museum you can find a cannon cut in pieces, plus rigs used for construction. The bulky concrete arms protruding from the roof were meant to support the crane for mounting the cannons.
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
With a five minutes walk from this bunker, you can get to the northern battery. This is not preserved, and the entrances have been bricked up. Yet you may better appreciate the size of the bunker from this exemplar than from the one turned into a museum.
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Tirpitz Battery Blaavand (Blåvand) Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Getting there and moving around
The museum is located east of Oksby along Tane Hedevey, a local road connecting Blavand to Esbjerg. There are signs along the road, and a large parking ahead of the entrance. The museum is very modern, and may turn very crowded in summer. Website with full information here. You can visit on your own with an audio-guide. The visit to the military-related sections may take about 1 hour.
Adding a walk to the northern battery will take further 20 minutes at most, as there is no chance to step in.
Stauning Battery
Construction of this battery started in the second half of 1944, and consequently it was only partially completed before the end of the war. The geography of the Stauning battery is rather peculiar. The intended design was based on four coastal guns to be placed on the inland side of the Ringkobing firth – basically a lake with a channel-like small mouth connecting it to the sea. On the other coast of the firth, i.e. very close to the North Sea in Hvide Sande, the aiming station for the battery was finally built.
In the event, only one of the reinforced concrete gun positions reached completion, whereas the other three cannons were kept on basic, not reinforced aprons. The gun bunker is the only exemplar of this model built along the Atlantic Wall, and was designed around a 19,4 cm gun manufactured in France.
Located far from the shore in a secluded area of the countryside, this battery is in a relatively good shape, and thanks to the hard soil its position has not drifted since it was installed. You can even walk on top.
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
More elements are scattered in the bushes and over the private pasture nearby. Among them, a firing position presumably for anti-aircraft or light field guns, and corresponding ammo storages.
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
There is also a reinforced concrete barrack or command post. This can be toured inside, revealing some metal piping still in place.
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Traces of gun concrete platforms – likely gun firing positions – blown up after the war can be seen, similar to many smaller cubic buildings of uncertain purpose.
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
A couple of unattractive half-interred ‘living bunker’ can be found too, another design present only in Denmark – the type was named ‘Falkenhorst III’. Inside, traces of original wall paintings can be easily spotted.
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
There is actually a fire direction post of some sort in this part of the battery too. This is a square-based concrete booth, with an adjoining living bunker.
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
The aiming position in Hvide Sande is rather easy to find, on top of a mound close to the city center. There are actually two concrete accesses on the eastern side of the hill. The one closer to the top gives access to the metal dome you can spot on top of the mound.
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Hvide Sande Point Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Hvide Sande Point Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Hvide Sande Point Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Climbing up to the dome is possible along a rusty ladder, going through a narrow vertical passage. Once there you can see the mounting of a telescope for measurements. There are side slots looking outside, and an original marked wheel to provide measurements. You can also spot small foldable wooden tables (or perhaps jump-seats).
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Hvide Sande Point Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Hvide Sande Point Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Hvide Sande Point Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Hvide Sande Point Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Hvide Sande Point Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Hvide Sande Point Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Hvide Sande Point Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Hvide Sande Point Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Downstairs, there are a few panels explaining the history of the battery.
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Hvide Sande Point Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Hvide Sande Point Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Hvide Sande Point Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Hvide Sande Point Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
The second concrete entrance gives access to a ‘living bunker’ for the troops, with explanatory panels on the history of the place.
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Hvide Sande Point Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Hvide Sande Point Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Hvide Sande Point Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Hvide Sande Point Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Stauning Battery Hvide Sande Point Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Getting there and moving around
The inland part of the Stauning battery with the gun station is located close to Stauningvej 55. You may park your car not far north from this address, on a wide lot close to the entrance of a local residential area. Most notably, this battery is about .5 miles from the beautiful Danish Museum of Flight (see this post). Exploring the battery may take 1-1.5 hours, as the place is totally wild and inconvenient to visit.
The Hvide Sande point is on the northern rim of the channel linking the firth to the North Sea. You can see the mound close by a major round about, where road 181 meets Troldbjergsvej. There are several parking options nearby. The place is technically not abandoned, but there was no ticket/staff, and it was totally dark when I visited. You would better take a small torch with you.
Sondervig
Just as an example of how extensive the construction of the Atlantic Wall was in Denmark, you may have a look to the beach in Sondervig, where people spending the day by the sea are accustomed to the view of the monstrous German bunkers pointing the shore.
Atlantic Wall Sondervig Beach Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Sondervig Beach Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Getting there and moving around
You may find a parking spot in Sondervig and access this famous touristic beach by foot.
Thyboron
The coastal battery at Thyboron has a unique place in the panorama of Atlantic Wall buildings. Here a sort of sample list of possible deceptive techniques were tested on otherwise normal bunkers. The usual constructions pointing the shore have a strange appearance here, thanks to the imaginative talent of a Danish architect – who turned out to be a spy working for the Allies.
At least two gun batteries bear a special roof, resembling that of a house. Also thanks to erosion, they now have even odder shapes, resembling some Star Wars spaceship.
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
An observation bunker bears a tiled roof. Surprisingly, an apparently original fragment of telegraph wire can be found inside.
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Given the position of the bunkers – lying isolated on a deserted beach – it’s pretty difficult to suppose this kind of deception was ever effective…
There are also some more straightforward constructions around, some of them in a relatively good shape. The cusped lintels above most doors and openings are typical to elements of the Atlantic Wall in northern countries, and are made for protecting the passages against snow and icing rain.
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Just inland from the ‘sample list’, you can find a large underground bunker, somewhat difficult to access – it is sinking in the sand. Conspicuous traces of original wall painting and even writings in German can be found on the walls.
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
The message in German is a warning message, telling to stay away of the walls in case of bombardment. This warning sign is rather ubiquitous in Danish bunkers.
Close to the the city center – and actually a part of the Coastal Center, a museum for children dedicated to the life along the western coast of Jutland – it is possible to find another bunker deceived as a wooden house! This deception technique is far more convincing than those on the shore…
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Getting there and moving around
To visit the bunkers on the shore you can reach a convenient public parking at the southern end of Vesterhavsgade, southern Thyboron. Visiting these bunkers may take about 45 minutes for a committed tourist. To get to the Coastal Center you may follow the signs and park at your convenience ahead of the building. The deceived bunker can be seen from the outside of the museum, so getting the ticket is not needed if you are not interested in the rest of the installation.
Extra feature – Sea War Museum, Thyboron
Thyboron has a prominent place in WWI history, being the Danish village closest to the area of the Battle of Jutland, one of the very few naval battles of that war, and one of the top-ranking in history for the number of vessels and tonnage involved, and for the casualties – almost 9’000 seamen were killed.
The battle was fought between two major formations of the the German Kaiser on one side and the King of England on the other. Started almost by chance, as the two opposing factions appeared on the same sector unaware of each other, the fighting was so intense that cannon fire was heard along the shores of Thyboron for many hours. The battle ended with a tactical defeat on the British side, but the Kriegsmarine of the Kaiser avoided any other serious clashes with the British for the rest of the war – in this sense, this was a British strategic victory.
Today, a monument dedicated to those who perished in the Battle of Jutland occupies a wide area over a promontory in northern Thyboron, close by the Coastal Center (see above).
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
A nice museum dedicated to sea war has been put in place nearby. On the exterior you can find old mines, torpedoes and even parts of relics taken from the bottom of the sea.
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Inside you can find many unique artifacts, including cannons, insignia, and everyday items from ships taking parts to the Battle of Jutland.
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Also unique are parts of early submarines dating from WWI, recovered from the sea thanks to novel investigation and capture technologies.
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
The museum is at large dedicated to naval battles and ventures of WWI. A section is dedicated to the most modern sea archaeology techniques.
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Sea War Museum Thyboron (Thyborøn) Jutland Battle WWI Denmark
Outside of the museum, you may spot a few Atlantic Wall bunkers as well, likely converted into more modern military installations in a post-WWII period. They are apparently run as museums, but they were closed when I passed by.
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Thyboron (Thyborøn) Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Getting there and moving around
The Sea War Museum is located very close to the Coastal Center in central Thyboron. Dedicated free parking right ahead of the entrance. Visiting may take about 1.5-2 hours for more committed subjects, despite the small size. The museum is stacked with extremely interesting details, the exhibition is rich and well made. Really an interesting detour for anybody interested in sea war. Website here.
Agger
Agger is located north of the Thyboron Channel, and can be reached with a five minutes ferry ride from nearby Thyboron. The long, windy, wild and distressing beaches south of the village of Agger are not really welcoming, nor easy to visit. Yet here you can find some unique and imposing elements of the Atlantic Wall.
These include a firing control bunker of the Navy. A feature often found also elsewhere, you can see some of the concrete bunkers are made of joined blocks. Light can be seen coming from the thin slots between the blocks in some occasions.
Atlantic Wall Agger Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Agger Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Agger Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Agger Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Agger Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Agger Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Agger Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Agger Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Agger Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Another special construction here is the support tower for a ‘Seetakt’ radar. The tall concrete tower is assembled together with a bulkier concrete base.
Atlantic Wall Agger Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Agger Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Agger Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Agger Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Agger Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
The assembly has slipped to the shoreline, and today it can be neared only in favorable tide conditions. Furthermore, it is sitting in a banked attitude, making it looking really derelict.
Atlantic Wall Agger Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Agger Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Agger Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Agger Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Thanks also to a rather bad weather, these elements of the Atlantic Wall looked really eerie when I visited!
Getting there and moving around
The Agger site is wild and not signaled. The area is part of a national preserve, and part of the endless beach is a stage for kites, surfing activities and other beach sports. There is an official parking at the western end of Lange Mole Vej, less than five minutes by car from the ferry terminal to Thyboron. From there you should go to the beach and walk north for about 15 minutes to get to the tower, the highlight of the show.
You may spot it from the distance. I could not get in the tower due to unfavorable tide conditions, but visiting inside may not take much time, for the expected condition is not good, with little left to see.
Hanstholm
The Hanstholm battery is one of the most developed of the entire Atlantic Wall. As pointed out in the introduction, together with the sister site ‘Vara’ in Norway – about 80 miles north – this battery was centered on four massive 38 cm cannons, installed to obstruct surface passage through the Skagerrak, and de facto controlling the access to the Baltic Sea.
An initial battery based on less powerful 17 cm coastal guns was put in place as soon as 1940. The gigantic 38 cm guns arrived only later and were tested, but never used in action. The metal parts of the firing stations, including the turrets and guns, were eventually scrapped in the early 1950s. Over the years, this huge installation, with more than 300 bunkers fell largely into private hands, and today many former storage bunkers are used as warehouses for machinery and goods by local owners.
Nonetheless, battery Nr.3 has been turned into a modern museum, after being largely refurbished to its original splendor. As such, it is a one-of-a-kind museum, with thousands of visitors per year. Two more turrets and a number of bunkers are left to explorers. While they are not actively maintained, they are still in a rather good shape, and responsible exploration is even supported with some indications.
The area of the Hanstholm is almost 4 square miles. In order not to get disoriented, a good starting point is the museum in and around turret Nr.3. There you are greeted by a pretty unique 38 cm cannon! This is actually from the Tirpitz battery (see above), but it is exactly the same item once installed in Hanstholm. The size is really remarkable, especially when compared to more modest and usual 15 cm coastal guns, on display.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
The modern museum offers a quick recap of the history of the place, with memorabilia including everyday items, letters, maps and original weapons.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Once you are done with that, you can get access to the underground part, where you first meet the ammo storage rooms, on the side of a long corridor aligned along a narrow gauge railway track. This was used to connect the firing stations – i.e. the four bunkers with the guns – to larger ammo storages scattered around the are of the fort.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
There are two major adjoining rooms along the corridor, each dedicated to a different part of the cartridge. The piercing part – the ‘bullet’ – and the exploding fuse were kept separated from each other. This is similar to naval guns, and typical to larger calibers. The complicated railings hanging from the roof were made to allow moving the parts of the cartridge by means of movable cranes.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
In action, the bullets and fuses were loaded on a slide, and from there on trolleys which would enter the turret from below. Today, as the turret is not there any more, the trolleys are in an open air corridor, apparently without any sense. It is noteworthy that the inscriptions and frescoes are all original, albeit refurbished.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
The structure of the firing station and of the Hanstholm fort can be better appreciated from the drawings and models below.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
A second part of the firing station is the bunker for the complement of men needed to operate this complicated cannon. The place was permanently watched, with shifts spending the night in underground quarters. Those pertaining to firing station Nr.3 have been refurbished, and provide a vivid impression of the original appearance. There are sleeping and living quarters, as well as large, military style showers and toilets.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
There is also a complete power station, with two Diesel generators, a mechanics shop, water tanks and more.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Out of the Nr.3 firing station you are encouraged to tour at least part of the site along a series of prescribed trails. Among the items you meet on this tour is one of the ammo storages. It is not dissimilar from the ammo storage part of the firing station. The ammo parts were loaded on a railway car passing through, and from there moved towards the gun turret.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
There are also many smaller storage and service bunkers, some bearing interesting original inscriptions inside.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
The Hanstholm fort was defended by field cannons and anti-aircraft guns. Emplacements for the latter can be spotted around in more instances.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Another suggested part of the visit is firing station Nr.4, which is not really preserved, but is not in a generally bad shape either. You can get in only if you have a torchlight. Visiting may offer something very similar to Nr.3, except everything is more derelict – but for this reason, may be more authentic.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
In the living part, you can find inscriptions in German and traces of the original wall paint. With a general knowledge of the plan from the visit to Nr.3, you may easily recognize the corresponding rooms – power station, toilets, living rooms, etc.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
To get to the ammo storage part, you can walk along the round corridor outside. No trolleys left here, differently from Nr.3.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Inside the ammo storage rooms, you notice that the inscriptions have been largely canceled for some reason, but the slides as well as the frescoes above them are still there.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Still part of the suggested itinerary, you can find a control station, in a rather bad shape, and more interestingly a very peculiar building, located on top of a cliff.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
This was a fire direction station. Due to the high-tech nature of the Hanstholm battery, fire direction worked on what can be considered archaic computers! The building has many floors. There is provision for a permanent team of technicians, hosted in living and sleeping quarters downstairs.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
The top floors used to host the computing machines, which were fed by measurements from instruments mounted in metal domes, facing on the roof of the building. The room for the computing machines is rather dark, and due to the black walls it is difficult to see anything even with a torch.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
The Hanstholm site offers several ancillary bunkers open to the public. Among them, one for a generator, supplying the whole fort in case of a grid failure.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Another bunker is an ammo storage, with a big concrete arch outside, for a moving crane operating above railway cars. Narrow gauge railway tracks can be seen still today in this part.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
The pivot in the middle of firing station Nr.2 has been interred after the war, but the living/sleeping quarters for the troops and the ammo storage parts can be visited, albeit they are not connected any more by a direct passage.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
A visit to this firing station is very interesting, for writings are in a generally better shape than in Nr.4, even though this too has not been refurbished.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
In the ammo storage part, writings are especially abundant. You can see also traces of the original telephone wiring.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
The last firing station, Nr.1, is not accessible, even though not interred.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
As said, there are many other bunkers an remains around, which are typically not accessible, especially the farther you go from the museum. They are now largely on private land and used for something else.
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hanstholm Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Getting there and moving around
The Hanstholm strongpoint is a must for everyone interested in the Atlantic Wall! The museum is modern, completely accessible, with a convenient parking and all usual facilities. Website here.
The refurbished part is basically only firing station Nr.3, but many other bunkers, like the fire control center, as well as firing stations Nr.2 and 4 are open for explorers, and they have not been spoiled by vandals. You need to go with a torchlight and proper clothing, but the visit may be very rewarding.
Many more bunkers around are closed to the public, as they are now private property and used for other purposes.
Due to the enormous size of the area, visiting may easily turn into a full-day or even multi-days business for an enthusiast. For the general public, a visit to the museum and one of the trails may take a 2-3 hours depending on the level of interest.
Hirtshals
Similar to Hanstholm (see above), the area of Hirtshals was soon selected by the Wehrmacht for a coastal fortification, thanks to its strategic position overlooking the mouth of the Skagerrak strait.
The first four 105 mm field guns were positioned here as soon as summer 1941. They occupied open-air concrete aprons, which still today bear trace of the original camouflage paint and deceptive net.
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
A peculiarity of this fort is its extensive network of trenches, which connect all the battle stations to the living quarters for the troops and the service buildings, like the canteen-bunker and the hospital-bunker.
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
On top of the steep cliff dropping to sea level, you can find the bunkers for the guns. These were moved from the open aprons in 1944, into purpose built reinforced concrete firing positions. A special feature here is the steep flight of stair giving access to the gun area from behind. This construction was made necessary by the particular morphology and rock type of the cliff.
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
You can spot significant traces of the original camo paint, and the letters ‘St’ on many walls, meaning ‘Ständig’, i.e. resistant in German. These letters were used to mark those buildings capable of sustaining shelling and bombing raids.
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
A bulbous roof allows to easily recognize the fire direction station.
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
A more rare item in Hirtshals is the base for the ‘See Riese’ radar. This is a hexagonal concrete hollow platform. The bunker underneath it would serve to host a Diesel power generator.
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Back from the coastline, you may enjoy a long exploration of the trenches and of the many restored bunkers. Many bear original markings and paintings.
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
In some rare cases, you can also find original decorative paintings, likely made by the soldiers stationed in the bunkers.
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Restored bunkers include a ‘living bunker’, but many other installations are in good conditions, like interred shelters, ammo storages, etc. Traces of cables, armored doors – some of them with glass lights – and telephone wires can be found in many bunkers.
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Furthermore, in Hirtshals you have the chance to get a bird’s eye view of the fort, by climbing on top of the local lighthouse!
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Hirtshals Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Getting there and moving around
The Hirtshals site is an open-air museum. There are technically opening times, but the area is not fenced, so if you are looking for a visit to the exteriors, you can walk around freely at any time. The museum has a website here, and guided visits are offered in many occasions. Many bunkers were closed when I visited, and they might be visible only with a guide. Some other bunkers are open and lighted, whereas the majority are basically left to explorers – open and not lighted – but rather accessible and very easy to visit, maybe with the help of a small torch. There is not a clear entrance (the area is not fenced), nor permanent staff on the site.
There are explanatory signs for basically all of the bunkers, in double Danish/German language.
The parking is ahead of the lighthouse, which is a different entity and operates with opening times you can find here. The parking is large and free. Climbing on top of the lighthouse is possible at a small fee – apparently only Danish Crowns cash accepted.
Together with a climb on top of the lighthouse, the visit may take from 1.5 to 3 hours, depending on your level of interest.
Skagen
The Skagen area is mostly famous for its location on the very tip of the Jutland peninsula, the natural northern end of continental Europe, and ideally as the geographical point where the North Sea and Baltic Sea join together. The long and quiet shores there and the population of seals contribute to making Skagen a prominent touristic attraction, often crowded with visitors from Denmark and abroad.
What people going there may not expect is the presence of a number of massive firing positions from the years of the German occupation! These are concentrated along the eastern coast, and include firing position for 120 mm coastal guns, overlooking the Skagerrak strait.
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
There are also a fire control bunker, which has drifted to the shoreline, as well as radar support bunkers.
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Unfortunately, these installations have been left to the elements and – most sadly – to vandals. Except for their huge size, there is not much left to appreciate.
But there is more related to the Atlantic Wall in Skagen. A former hospital bunker has been partly refurbished and converted into a very interesting smaller museum on the local battery.
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Inside, you can first appreciate the special size of the doors and corridors, made to allow moving stretchers around.
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Put on display are several items related to the history of the Skagen fortress. There are uniforms from the time, photos from the years of operations, and everyday items left over by the Wehrmacht.
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Some of the rooms have been reconstructed, and provide a vivid impression of the original appearance.
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Skagen Battery Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Among the exhibits are also some relics from a downed British aircraft.
Getting there and moving around
Visiting the Skagen battery is easier from the small parking Hvide Fyr, Fyrvej, 9990 Skagen. This parking is free. Going on the Baltic shore from the parking means a five minutes walk along a prepared path. A quick walk with a look to the abandoned battery would take about 20 minutes.
You may either walk to the tip from there, or better move your car to shorten the walk, going to the huge dedicated parking area where the road N.40 ends. This parking is not free.
You will find the Skagen Bunker-Museum in the former hospital bunker immediately to the southwestern side of the parking. Website here.
Visiting may take about 30-45 minutes, an interesting small detour from the local natural attractions.
Bangsbo
Comparatively less fortified than the North Sea coast, the eastern cost of Jutland is the place of a primary military and commercial port named Frederikshavn. This is also a starting point for travelers going to Norway from central Europe.
Here the Germans installed one of the few strongpoints on this side of the peninsula. What makes the so-called Bangsbo fort unique among the Atlantic Wall installations is the fact that three of the four original guns in the coastal battery are still in place!
The main area of Bangsbo fort, where the coastal battery is located, can be found to the south of the town, and is somewhat similar to Hirtshals (see above). Both are located on top of a cliff, with a significant area to the back dedicated to command, living and service bunkers.
Today, some of these bunkers have been completely refurbished. These include the command bunker for the local commander of the Kriegsmarine (the German Navy). This is super-interesting, with many artifacts from the time, from military gear to swastika-marked dishware, from maps to photographs of general Rommel – who superintended the construction of the Atlantic Wall – visiting the installation, and much more.
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Much interesting is especially the reconstruction of the command/meeting room.
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Scattered over the premises of the military area are cannons and several strange items, like a tank turret intended to be placed on top of a defensive Tobruk.
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
There are a refurbished hospital bunker and reconstructed living quarters.
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
The firing control post roughly at the center of the area is another highlight, having been completely refurbished, with plenty of Nazi insignia and original material.
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
To the back of the bunker are a living and command area, whereas the front part is an observation deck.
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
The firing positions with guns are numbered from Nr.1 to 3. They are based on 15 cm coastal guns, installed in 1944, replacing older and smaller pieces.
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
The guns can be walked around. The cartridge supply slides to the back of the firing chamber are still in place.
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Guns Nr. 1 and 3 are similar, whereas the central gun was taken from a Danish cruiser cannibalized by the Germans in Kiel during the war. Today, it bears a greenish paint.
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
There used to be a fourth cannon with a field of fire of 360 degrees. Trace of a platform can be seen, as well as an anti-aircraft gun.
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
The fort shares a border with an active military area, so a part of the original installations cannot be visited. Others are open only for those visiting on guided tours. These include a radar-supporting station. Others can be entered, but are basically empty.
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
A minor part of the Bansgbo fort is located north of Frederikshavn. It is a partially preserved anti-aircraft firing station. This was made of four firing places and a central fire direction point. The latter is still visible at least from the outside.
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
One of the anti aircraft guns is also in place. The rest of the installation has been filled with land and made inaccessible.
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Atlantic Wall Frederikshavn Bansgbo Fort Denmark Nazi Defense Line Atlantikwall
Getting there and moving around
The major part of Bansgbo fort can be found south of Frederikshavn. It can be accessed from Bakkevej, which ends with the parking of the museum. Website here. The area can be walked and accessed with a ticket. There are picnic facilities and a small shop. Guided tours are offered at pre-defined times, see the website. You can get a good impression even by walking around on your own, but some bunkers can be accessed only with a guide. I did not join a guided tour, and all the pictures above are from a self-guided visit.
The site is not huge, but very interesting thanks to preservation efforts. It may easily deserve a 2 hours visit.
The anti-aircraft site is located north of Frederikshaven, and can be reached from Nordre Strandvej. You may park on the large free parking made for the local beach. This smaller installation may be visited in 10-15 minutes without a ticket.
During the last two years of WWII, the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany was slowly retreating from the eastern front, pushed back by the mighty blows of the Red Army. The bombing runs carried out by the western Allies from airfields in Britain were systematically hitting most urban centers in mainland Germany and over the territory occupied by the Nazis. It is hard to imagine, but it was in the year 1944, when the destiny of Germany was almost sealed, that industrial production in Hitler’s Third Reich reached an all-time record.
At that time the Germans were desperately short of fuel, raw materials and troops, and their production efforts would not spare them from a complete defeat in 1945. Yet it was in the last stages of the war that some of the most ambitious industrial facilities were designed, built and in some cases made operative before the end of the war.
The driver of the design was in most cases the need to move production lines to secluded and well protected areas, difficult to spot and to destroy through air bombing. As a result, these sites were placed far from urban centers. They were also designed to withstand bombing, by putting them underground, or building them with substantial reinforcement, making large use of one of Nazi Germany’s favorite materials – reinforced concrete.
In this chapter two major sites of this kind are described. One is in southwestern Poland, a region which had been part of the German Empire for long before WWII. The second is in eastern Bayern, today one of Federal Germany’s most prosperous states, close to the border with the Czech Republic. Photographs were taken in late summer 2018.
Construction around this cluster of underground sites started in late 1943, and reportedly lasted until the closing stages of WWII, just days before the Soviets entered the region. The name ‘Riese’ means ‘giant’ in German, and it is surely well suited for this complex, which while far from finished is really striking in size. It was actually composed of at least six major construction sites, which in the intention of their designers should have been developed deeper in the mountains, until a link could be established between them forming a formidable network of tunnels and large halls.
Besides the size and historical meaning of these sites, what makes project ‘Riese’ so fascinating is also the actual purpose of this incredible complex is far from established. Three major theories exist in this respect. The complex might have been intended to be an underground industrial city, a kind of Noah’s Ark for the ‘superior race’ embodied by the top-ranking military and governmental staff of the Reich, or a gigantic secret laboratory for innovative technologies.
What is sure is that the construction was carried out by forced labor, mainly by prisoners of Gross-Rosen concentration camp, just a few miles north of the complex. For the scope, the Nazis created a number of satellite camps next to the entrance of the construction sites. Rather incredibly, only very scant traces of the project remain in the written records of key figures of Nazi Germany – Albert Speer’s personal diary notably reports some millions marks allocated for project ‘Riese’, and at some point after the war he cited the item resulting from the completion of the construction works, whatever its purpose, as sized to be capable of hosting some tens of thousands people.
Today, six construction sites have been discovered, of which two – Osowka and Rzeczka, the most conspicuous – have been opened to the public, whereas the other are visitable basically for speleologists only.
Osowka
The first visitable site is in the town of Osowka. This site is composed of two parts, one underground with access from the side of a hill, the other close to the top of the same hill.
The underground part can be visited only with a guide. The plant of the completed construction features two accesses, and you will be driven in using the first and out using the other. Between the entrances, the site is mainly composed of an array of parallel tunnels pointing towards the mountain, connected by long halls.
Close to the entrance you can spot a concrete guardhouse with loopholes for machine guns. Some wooden structures like in a mine have been put in place to give an idea of the appearance of the working technique at the time of construction.
Most tunnels have been dug but not reinforced with concrete walls, whereas others are almost complete, showing a peculiar two-level design. The lower level features a smaller section, and the top one a taller, round shaped section.
A feature of the ‘Riese’ complex is a special technique for building the inner concrete coat of the rocky tunnels, producing the distinctive ‘church-ceiling-like’ appearance of some of the halls, with a round shape and frames close to one another.
The Osowka site features also a collection of smaller artifacts, collected from the ground and dating from the construction years, i.e. from late WWII.
Life-size silhouettes of some WWII tanks are on display, to show how the size of these items was totally compatible with the size of the tunnels, in support of a potential use of the site for weapon manufacture.
The outside part, which can be accessed freely, is the most mysterious. At the base of the trail leading uphill you can spot a strange concrete platform, with provision for – possibly – interred pipelines.
Close to the top of the hill you can find a huge concrete platform, with an apparently chaotic ensemble of slots, pipes, handles, stairs and pools. This item has been deemed close in shape to the base of a service building for the valves and pipelines of a power-plant. Theories have flourished in support of the use of this item as a prototype control system for a nuclear power-plant.
The nuclear program of the Nazis, which indeed existed and is even documented to some extent, is shrouded in mystery for what concerns the actual findings obtained during the war. These dark spots are also due to the destruction of most of the hardware connected with the program everywhere in Germany, and with the inherent secret nature of the program itself. No evidence exists of the Osowka site in the public papers about the nuclear studies of the Reich, so the true purpose of this object is likely to remain an unsolved riddle.
Close by this platform, you can find an original concrete building, part of the same construction plan. It is pretty long, with large windows, and likely intended for troops or technical staff.
Compared to Osowka, this site is more centered on the inside part. Again, there are two entrances, close by a creek on the side of a hill, providing access to a network of tunnels. Similar to Osowka, close by the entrance you can find guard-houses in concrete. These were built soon, possibly for keeping a watch on the forced workers.
The construction works in Rzeczka were less advanced than those in Osowka. Yet thanks to the lack of the concrete coat, you can appreciate the size of the tunnels, some of which are really tall.
There are small collections of artifacts found in the tunnels, and an original concrete room offers a description of all discovered sites of the ‘Riese’ project.
A 1:1 copy of a V-1 German flying bomb has been placed in one of the tunnels, to show the compatibility of the size of this weapon with the tunnel. Such weapons were reportedly assembled in underground facilities elsewhere in Germany.
Visiting is again possible only with a guide. Some multi-media experiences with sounds, lights and voices are included in the tour, but these are not so impressive for those who don’t understand Polish.
On the outside, you can spot some relics from construction years, including trolleys, and concrete slabs watermarked with symbols of the local construction companies tasked with the practical realization of the site. There is also a copy of a V-2 rocket, operative in the last months of WWII but little effective in changing the fate of Nazi Germany.
As pointed out, the sites connected with project ‘Riese’ are many, but most of them are not visitable unless to specialists and with the help of a speleologist. On the other hand, the two sites of Osowka and Rzeczka are professionally operated as primary tourist attractions. The distance from these two sites is about 20 minutes by car, so you can surely arrange the tour of both sites on the same day, with much spare time in your daily schedule.
At Osowka you can find a large parking and a fully equipped visitor center, where you can book a guided tour, or join a departing one – the only way to get inside. Please note that the number of people admitted on each tour is relatively small, so I would suggest booking at least one day in advance through their website (partly also in English) to be sure to get a place at the time you like. They offer several different tours. The most complete include a visit to a part of the underground site which can only be accessed by boat. This is given only on some days by reservation, and only for groups. The standard tour of the inside is offered several times a day.
The guided may turn out really boring, cause you are provided an audio-guide in English with explanations lasting a couple of minutes for each of the circa ten stops, in face of the Polish-speaking guide talking about 5 minutes per site. You may try to spend your spare time taking good pictures, but even though groups are relatively small, they tend to obstruct the view inside, leaving poor chances for acceptable shots. Furthermore, lighting is not very good, so a tripod would be recommended, except you don’t have the time and chance for undisturbed long poses. Therefore, if you are interested in top-level pictures, you would better arrange a dedicated tour out of the normal touristic offer. Otherwise, you’d better go prepared to a difficult visit.
The outside part of the site is less frequented and more rewarding. It can be reached in about ten minutes following a pretty steep, unpaved trail in the trees. This part is unfenced and unguarded.
The Rzeczka site has only an inside part, which can be visited only on a guided tour. You can join one of the frequent tours they provide even without reservation. There is a small visitor center and plenty of parking space. Similar to Osowka, the guide will speak in Polish, and you are provided an audio-guide in English. The visit lasts less than in the case of Osowka, and the audio-guide explanations are more proportionate to the speech of the Polish-speaking guide, making for a more enjoyable visit. The multi-media experiences are of little relevance for non Polish-speaking people. Outside you can find also some panels with explanations on the history of the site in both Polish and English. Website with some info in English here.
The tunnels in Rzeczka are poorly lighted too, so photographing will be difficult unless with a tripod, but the conditions are not very favorable for operating with a tripod – many people around and short times between stops along the tour.
‘Weingut I’ Aviation Industry Complex, Germany
The giant complex known as ‘Weingut I’, the original codename attributed by the Nazi staff at the time of its design and construction, is the direct result of a plan to relocate all major industrial production lines of the Reich to protected areas, far from the line of the front and from any major urban center. In this particular case, the new factory was intended to shelter the production line of the new Junkers Jumo 004 jet engines for the ‘Schwalbe’ – also known as Messerschmitt Me-262, this was the first jet fighter in the world to be pushed into service, back in 1944.
The huge factory was designed based on a basic module made of a reinforced concrete arch, some 250 ft open, 100 ft tall and 10 to 15 ft thick. This item was to be built on site and partly buried under ground level. Twelve such modules were needed for the complete hangar, with a total intended length of the factory of around 1.200 ft. Of the planned twelve sections, seven were actually built between mid-1944 and the end of the war.
Despite the intended scope was that of hiding the factory to protect it from aerial reconnaissance, due to the size of the construction works the object was reportedly spotted by US aircraft, but not attacked. Actually, the special construction was tested against explosives by the US Army after the war, resulting in the collapse of all modules except one, which is still standing today besides the pretty sizable relics of the others.
The site is not actively guarded, but it is located in a regional nature preserve, so access is through a nice walk in the trees. Once next to the hangar you can find multiple access points.
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Close to the main arch, the only one still standing, it is possible to find an explanatory panel in German only. It commemorates also the forced laborers from the nearby concentration camps, who had to take part substantially in the construction works.
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Walking under the arch is at your own risk, cause despite the bulky appearance of the structure, smaller pieces of concrete are hanging from from the ceiling. However, a walk inside will give you the most striking impression of the size of the hangar.
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Just nearby the remaining module to the west you can find a walkable, half interred bunker, likely with a technical function which is today hard to imagine.
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
The module still standing today is the westernmost of the hangar, so walking east you will have the chance to step on the roof of the demolished modules. A number of thick iron rods can be spot at ground level.
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Walking along the former southern side of the hangar, you can spot a deep well, probably part of the construction strategy. It may have been used to take out the gravel from beneath the base of the arches to lower them to a rest position on more compact ground.
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Along the same side you can find a way to walk below the fallen structure. You can also get a view of the edge of one of the modules.
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
Weingut I Hitler’s Messerschmitt Hangar Germany
The eastern end of the complex is probably the most hazardous, cause you find an unprotected concrete cliff a good 10 ft high, constituted by the edge of a fallen module.
All in all, the place is a nice example of the undeniable structural design abilities of the German military, really interesting to visit both from a technical viewpoint and as a witness of the utopian visions of the Nazis, which unfortunately cost the lives of many.
Getting there and moving around
Reaching the trail-head is very easy by car. Leaving Mühldorf am Inn for Waldkraiburg along the road St2352, about 0.5 miles south of the crossing with St2550 you will find a sizable gravel factory to your right, preceded by an unpaved road taking west in the trees. You can park on the unpaved road on the northern side of the factory – probably a heir of the original factory built to feed the construction works of the hangar.
From there, you should take the unpaved trail into the trees, closed to vehicle traffic. It is another 0.5 miles to the site, on a flat and easy trail. A quick scan of the Google map will allow you to plan the trip. The place is not remote, cell phones work and you may use a virtual map to get oriented on site. Visiting might take about 2 hours for a very interested subject, including the trip from the parking and back, plus all time needed for pictures .
Possibly one of the worlds best-known architects from the 20th century, Alvar Aalto – together with his wife Aino, also an architect – enjoyed a great popularity since the beginning of his working career. He began with experimental works mostly based on mixing and harmonizing many styles from different ages and countries – especially Italy, a Country the Aalto couple visited for the first time during their honeymoon, and which they fell in love. In the last 1920s with the birth of the functional style Aalto became a herald of this new architecture, which he mixed with an instinctive and very personal vein, resulting in something really original and easily identifiable. Aalto’s creations usually feature a great care for any detail, making any room in his buildings natural to use for its intended function.
Aalto’s work is of course well represented in his Finnish mother country, a nation which always acknowledged him as a great artistic personality and which he never left for long.
This short post presents some of the highlights of Aalto’s production in Finland. While far from complete, the sites listed here may offer already an idea of the diversity of the functions of Aalto’s buildings.
Photographs were collected on a visit to Finland in August 2017.
Surely one of the best known creations of Alvar Aalto, this beautiful mansion was built in 1938 for the Gullichsen family, owner of a successful wood pulp business and paper factory. This was not the only work commissioned to Alvar and Aino Aalto by this family.
This residential building was designed in Aalto’s typical interpretation of functional-organic architecture. The great variety of the materials and the attention to all details both inside and outside is also typical to this architect, which in this case could work without any relevant budget constraints.
The mansion is immersed in a young forest, in the hilly countryside north of Pori, close to the western coast of Finland.
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
The front façade features a small covered porch leading to the door.
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
Access to the slightly overhead garden is through a pergola on the northeastern corner of the house. The garden features a large swimming pool, a fireplace and a dinner table.
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
The large windows can be removed completely to transform the large ‘double living room’ occupying most of the ground floor into an open space communicating directly with the garden and nature around.
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
Villa Mairea Noormarkku Alvar Aalto
The windows are pretty heavy though, and this technological feature was used only rarely.
Visiting
The villa is still property of the Gullichsen family, and sometimes used for vacation or party time by the owners. Tours are arranged through a local guide by permission of the owners on a semi-regular schedule. You will need to make a reservation through their website for visiting, picking one out of the available dates. Payment is due on the day of visit, credit cards accepted. Parking is possible close to the villa. Unfortunately, on regular tours it is not possible to take pictures of the inside, and only the ground floor can be visited. Anyway getting a view from inside will add value to your visit, so it is highly recommended. The guided tour of the inside takes about 45 minutes.
Finnish Glass Museum, Riihimäki
This beautiful museum traces the history of Finnish glass design. While not an ancient tradition in this Country, Finland has reached in the 19th and 20th century a great fame in this field.
A first part of the museum is dedicated to the evolution of the techniques for glass manufacture.
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Then follows a huge collection of glass artifacts produced in Finland in various ages and for different purpose. Among them, there are also some very famous designs by Alvar and Aino Aalto, as well as other Finnish designers.
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Riihimaki Glass Museum Finland Iittala
Visiting
The museum is a famous attraction and can be reached quite easily. All information here. The visit may take 1 to 2.5 hours depending on your level of interest. The sight of all those glass artifacts is captivating even for those with little interest for design and art!
Säynätsalo Town Hall
Another well-known masterpiece, the complex in the small town of Säynätsalo was built in the years 1949-52 to host the local town hall, a public library as well as some private business. Red bricks cover the exterior, which is articulated in two main buildings designed around an inner courtyard for pedestrian access.
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
The inside of the city hall building presents a series of smaller rooms on the main level, aligned along a corridor opening on the courtyard. Anything from the chairs to the door handles and lamps was designed by Aalto, making the ensemble really harmonious.
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
The upper floor is present only in a square-based corner tower, and here you find the main hall. It is very tall, but lighting is through narrow windows and together with the colors of wood and brick, it induces a sense of calm, warmth and concentration.
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
Saynatsalo Town Hall Alvar Aalto
Visiting
Today the town hall is not used for this function any more. Actually there are some small businesses like a bistro and a bed and breakfast in it. Yet the place is preserved mostly as it was, and a good part of the main level and the former town hall can be visited. Visits are offered on a regular basis at least in summer. Website here.
Muurame Church, Muurame
The church of Muurame is one of the last ‘eclectic’ works of Aalto (1929), in an age when modernism was already spreading among avantgarde architects. The inspiration from Italian architecture is pretty evident, testifying on the close bond between Aalto and the Italian architectural heritage.
Muurame Church Alvar Aalto
Muurame Church Alvar Aalto
Muurame Church Alvar Aalto
Muurame Church Alvar Aalto
The location on top of a small hill is pretty suggestive.
Visiting
Not well signaled unless you come very close, the exact address is 7 Kirkkotie, 40950 Muurame. The place is only open for ceremonies. I was very lucky as I happened to pass by when a marriage was just going to be celebrated, so I could get a quick view of the sober, elegant interior. The exterior can be neared without problems all the time. Official website in Finnish here.
Jyväskylä
The town where Alvar Aalto spent his youth did receive much in return from its illustrious citizen. Surely one of the most prominent examples of social architecture is the main campus of the local University – today one of the three top-ranking educational institutes in Finland.
Several buildings were designed as the backbone of this campus between 1951 and 1958. The inspiration came again from classical architecture, especially Greece, as Aalto’s view was that of reproducing the basic plant of an acropolis. Among the buildings in the campus probably the most notable are the library and the teacher’s training school nearby.
Jyväskylä University Library Alvar Aalto
Jyväskylä University Library Alvar Aalto
Jyväskylä University Library Alvar Aalto
Jyväskylä University Finland
Jyväskylä University Finland
Jyväskylä University Finland
Jyväskylä University Finland
Jyväskylä University Finland
Jyväskylä University Finland
Jyväskylä University Finland
Jyväskylä University Finland
A very nice scenery is constituted by the sports ground, with a series of low-profile buildings around it forming a really proportionate ensemble, like the stage of a theater.
Jyväskylä University Finland
Jyväskylä University Finland
Jyväskylä University Finland
Jyväskylä University Finland
Jyväskylä University Finland
Jyväskylä University Finland
Jyväskylä University Finland
Jyväskylä University Finland
Jyväskylä University Finland
Jyväskylä University Finland
Another notable building by Aalto is the city theater, completed after the death of the architect based on his design, and the former building of the Police department nearby, conceived to somewhat deceive the role of the institution making it look somehow less ‘martial’ than its usual function may imply. An older design close to the city center is that of the building of the Trade Unions, closer to the eclectic period of the designer.
Jyväskylä Theatre Alvar Aalto
Jyväskylä Theatre Alvar Aalto
Jyväskylä Theatre Alvar Aalto
Jyväskylä Finland
Jyväskylä Trade Unions Alvar Aalto
Finally, a unmissable highlight in town is the Alvar Aalto Museum. Designed by the architect, it hosts a nice collection of prints, drawings as well as pieces of furniture tracing the evolution of Aalto’s style with many interesting details.
Jyväskylä Alvar Aalto Museum
Jyväskylä Alvar Aalto Museum
Jyväskylä Alvar Aalto Museum
Jyväskylä Alvar Aalto Museum
Jyväskylä Alvar Aalto Museum
Jyväskylä Alvar Aalto Museum
Jyväskylä benefits from a generally fortunate setting – here are some photographs of the lake and some new buildings in town.
Jyväskylä Finland
Jyväskylä Finland
Jyväskylä Finland
Jyväskylä Finland
Visiting
A visit to Jyväskylä with the museum and a walk along a trail touching all Aalto’s works may take from a half to a full day. A website suggesting a trail with links to the pages of the corresponding attractions is here. The University campus is still in use, like the theater and the building of the Police – today an office building. As a result, visiting the interiors may be tricky. Despite that, a walk in the campus and in the city center together with a visit to the Alvar Aalto Museum may fully justify a detour to this lovely town.
Rovaniemi
The town of Rovaniemi was totally destroyed by the retreating German Army in the closing stages of WWII – the so called Lapland War. As a result, construction work could be carried out without the constraints typically bound to the presence of an older neighborhood. Alvar Aalto was tasked with the design of a new city center, featuring a city hall, a theater – ‘Lappia-talo’ – and a public library.
Lappia Talo Rovaniemi Alvar Aalto
Rovaniemi City Library Alvar Aalto
Rovaniemi City Library Alvar Aalto
Rovaniemi City Hall Alvar Aalto
Rovaniemi City Library Alvar Aalto
Rovaniemi City Library Alvar Aalto
Rovaniemi City Library Alvar Aalto
The buildings were erected in multiple stages between the Sixties and the Eighties, after the death of the architect. The ensemble is very harmonious and nice to walk, not intimidating as mostly usual for similar buildings especially in the US.
Rovaniemi City Hall Alvar Aalto
Rovaniemi City Hall Alvar Aalto
Rovaniemi City Hall Alvar Aalto
Rovaniemi City Library Alvar Aalto
Rovaniemi City Library Alvar Aalto
Lappia Talo Rovaniemi Alvar Aalto
Rovaniemi City Library Alvar Aalto
A possibly more famous building in Rovaniemi – not by Aalto – is the Arktikum, built in 1993 and hosting some local museums.
Arktikum Rovaniemi Alvar Aalto
Visiting
The civic center is still used for its original function. At the time of my visit it was closed for Sunday. A website in Finnish with information on the history of Aalto’s building in the northernmost region of the Country, including his works in Rovaniemi, can be found here.
Helsinki
Aalto’s contribution to Finland’s capital city has its most visible example in the Finlandia House, or ‘Finlandia-talo’ in the local idiom. This long and flat building is located close to the parliament and was built in 1971, among the last works of the architect. It is a ‘social event’ building, hence it hosts a theater, conference rooms and areas for exhibitions.
Finlandia Hall Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Finlandia Hall Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Finlandia Hall Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Finlandia Hall Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Finlandia Hall Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Finlandia Hall Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Finlandia Hall Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Finlandia Hall Helsinki Alvar Aalto
The inside is on two main floors. As usual with Aalto’s buildings, despite the size, which for the case of the Finlandia house can be appreciated from outside looking at the length of the eastern façade, you don’t feel disoriented nor overwhelmed especially once inside.
Finlandia Hall Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Finlandia Hall Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Finlandia Hall Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Finlandia Hall Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Finlandia Hall Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Finlandia Hall Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Finlandia Hall Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Finlandia Hall Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Finlandia Hall Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Finlandia Hall Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Finlandia Hall Helsinki Alvar Aalto
All details of the furniture have been designed with the building. Unfortunately, I could not visit the upper floor thoroughly for a congress was taking place there.
The building has a historical significance, for it was here that the Helsinki Accords involving the US, USSR and most European Countries of the time – including those belonging to the Soviet sphere of influence – were elaborated and signed in 1976, forcing an evolution of espionage and repression systems in communist Countries.
Further buildings by Aalto include the House of Culture – or ‘Kulttuuritalo’ -, inaugurated in 1958. It is composed of two main blocks with a theater and offices. The blocks are fused together by a covered passage and a low building with a connecting corridor, so they appear as an ensemble.
Kulttuuritalo Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Kulttuuritalo Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Kulttuuritalo Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Kulttuuritalo Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Kulttuuritalo Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Kulttuuritalo Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Kulttuuritalo Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Kulttuuritalo Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Kulttuuritalo Helsinki Alvar Aalto
Originally built for the questionable cultural and propaganda activities of the local Communist Party, the complex has been used for long now as a popular rock concert venue.
An example of business architecture is the Headquarter of the Social Insurance Institution – known with the abbreviation ‘Kela’ in Finnish. The effort of the designer to avoid creating an imposing, bulky and intimidating building inspite of the narrow streets around, and the need to host rooms and offices for about 1000 people, is evident. The façade is broken and made partly modular, the height of the building is reduced as much as possible, and the horizontal lines of the windows tend to evidence the horizontal dimension. The volume is made lighter by including an open porch at the level of the entrance. The warm tones of the materials produce a sense of calm, yet preserving the sobriety of the appearance, where there are no decorations nor any curved line.
The headquarter of the Social Insurance Institution Kela Alvar Aalto
The headquarter of the Social Insurance Institution Kela Alvar Aalto
The headquarter of the Social Insurance Institution Kela Alvar Aalto
Visiting
The Finlandia House is located in central Helsinki and used for congresses, concerts and exhibitions. Having a walk around and inside is possible without particular restrictions except during official events. It is also possible to take a guided tour of the venue, information here.
Similarly, part of the House of Culture can be accessed most of the time without prior notice, but full visits are offered at least in summer on a regular basis. Information here.
As far as I know, the ‘Kela’ building is not open to the public, but it is possible to have a look around and come close to it without restrictions. The location is nearby the northwestern corner of the Olympic Stadium.
Paimio Sanatorium
Probably the best-known work of Aalto’s production, the hospital in Paimio is unanimously regarded as a milestone in the history of modern architecture. The hospital was built in 1933, and used as a sanatorium for tuberculosis and later as a general hospital.
Today it is a rehab center owned by the University of Turku, which is not far away on the coast and where Aalto had his studio. Visiting the inside is usually not possible, but you can walk around the complex without being disturbed. The location deep in the countryside, far from any crowded town and away from traffic, is really suggestive and peaceful.
Paimio Sanatorium Alvar Aalto
Paimio Sanatorium Alvar Aalto
Paimio Sanatorium Alvar Aalto
Paimio Sanatorium Alvar Aalto
Paimio Sanatorium Alvar Aalto
Paimio Sanatorium Alvar Aalto
Paimio Sanatorium Alvar Aalto
Paimio Sanatorium Alvar Aalto
Paimio Sanatorium Alvar Aalto
The central building for patients is the most distinctive – a tall, flat and narrow wing where the rooms are aligned along a long angled façade looking south. The main wing is connected to other blocks – for surgery, administration, etc. – through a central volume where the entrance to the building is also located.
Paimio Sanatorium Alvar Aalto
Paimio Sanatorium Alvar Aalto
Paimio Sanatorium Alvar Aalto
Paimio Sanatorium Alvar Aalto
Paimio Sanatorium Alvar Aalto
Paimio Sanatorium Alvar Aalto
Paimio Sanatorium Alvar Aalto
Paimio Sanatorium Alvar Aalto
Paimio Sanatorium Alvar Aalto
Paimio Sanatorium Alvar Aalto
The complex of the hospital is completed by a series of residential buildings for the staff. These are small examples of residential functional architecture, not designed to be luxurious, and still inhabited today.
Visiting
As far as I know, visiting is not possible inside. The outside can be toured de facto, even though I guess the land around the hospital belongs to the hospital, so you’d better avoid attracting too much attention. The hospital is a bit tricky to find, cause it is not advertised as an attraction and it is well out of the village of Paimio. The GPS coordinates to reach the entrance are 60°27’53.0″N 22°43’54.4″E.
Following the end of the Battle of Britain, mainly fought in the air in summer-fall 1940, the plans of the Axis for an invasion of Britain were halted and progressively updated and reconfigured. The successful invasion of Holland, Belgium and Northern France had led to a stabilization of the border of the Axis territory on the Atlantic coast of Europe earlier in 1940. Since then and until the counter-invasion by the Allied troops in June 1944, the military command of Germany decided for the fortification of the coast with the Atlantic Wall, a series of naval gun batteries, ammo storages, barracks, radar stations, command and communication centers, and everything else that was needed to detect and contrast an attack from the West, both from the sea and from the air.
But the coast of the Atlantic was not considered only as a border line to be defended. Some large-caliber cannons of the Atlantic Wall built in the region of Calais on the narrowest sector of the English Channel, were capable of hitting targets on British mainland. Furthermore, many port towns on the cost of France were converted into military ports from where the Kriegsmarine operated regularly with various material, including the famed underwater U-Boot forces, running offensive missions against all sorts of Allied ships in various sectors of the North Sea and the Atlantic ocean. Airbases were routinely operated in the regions of Northern France, Belgium and Holland both for bombing raids over Britain and later for fighting missions in defense of the occupied and the innermost territories of the Reich from the Allied bombing runs. With the help of the US, these began to systematically target the Axis in 1943, operating from Britain.
Finally, the newest and most advanced conventionally armed weapons of WWII started to be operated from the coastal area in 1944 by the German armed forces. The famous ‘Retaliation Weapons’, or ‘Vergeltungswaffen’ in German – from which the famous abbreviation ‘V’ of the V-1, V-2 and V-3 – suffered from limited range, and so had to be launched from close enough to their intended target – Britain, by design. Today some relics of the launch sites and some buildings connected with the deployment of such ordnance can be visited when touring the area of the Pas-de-Calais, the northernmost province of France.
The following photographs, taken in summer 2016, portray four notable sites of the kind in that region.
Since 1943 new weapons enriched the arsenal of the German armed forces. The famous V-1, manufactured as Fieseler-103, reached operational readiness and began to be deployed that year. This relatively simple, subsonic, air-breathing – i.e. non-rocket-propelled – flying bomb, while not very accurate, could be deadly against large target cities like London. Its limited range forced deployment in the occupied territories closest to Britain.
Many launch bases were prepared in Northern France, from where Southern England was well within range. The V-1 was used only after the D-Day – the first registered operative launch was on June 13th, 1944, against Britain. By the end of Summer 1944 the Allied had pushed the Germans roughly back to the region of the Ardennes in Northeastern France, on the border with Belgium. Consequently, all bases in Northwestern France were silenced. Later in the war, V-1 were still launched against liberated Belgium and central England, from more inland and further north bases by the retreating German forces. Total launched V-1 were actually in the order of the tens of thousands.
The Ardouval site is possibly the only V-1 site officially opened to the public in France. It is an open-air museum with no fences, so it is open h24 every day of the year. The site was severely hit before by Allied air raids before it could enter service, so no flying bomb was ever launched from it. Actually, the bomb craters can be clearly spotted in the trees all around. Going far from the paved walkways is not advised due to danger of unexploded ordnance.
Ardouval V1 Site
Ardouval V1 Site
Ardouval V1 Site
Ardouval V1 Site
Ardouval V1 Site
The installation is rather extensive, and traces of some original buildings and service roads remain to this day. Among them a concrete water basin, a generator building, a building with a concrete arch for aligning navigation instruments prior to the launch.
Ardouval V1 Site
Ardouval V1 Site
Ardouval V1 Site
Ardouval V1 Site
Ardouval V1 Site
Ardouval V1 Site
Ardouval V1 Site
Two curved trails from the V-1 body storage to the operational buildings and launch ramp can be spotted. The launch ramp was reconstructed, but just besides you can see the launch observation bunker, with a slot for visual checking the launch from very close to the lower end of the inclined ramp.
Ardouval V1 Site
Ardouval V1 Site
Ardouval V1 Site
Ardouval V1 Site
Ardouval V1 Site
Ardouval V1 Site
Ardouval V1 Site
Ardouval V1 Site
Ardouval V1 Site
Ardouval V1 Site
Ardouval V1 Site
Ardouval V1 Site
Ardouval V1 Site
Barely recognizable ruins of other buildings can be spotted as well. Touring the place is not complicated, thanks to an explanatory panel close to the parking. It is advisable to take a picture of it with your phone, to be sure to see everything the site has to offer. Time required is about 45 min.
Getting there and moving around
The site of Ardouval (Val Ygot) is located close to the town of Ardouval and Pommeréval. It can be easily reached by car from the latter, less than 2 miles from the town center, driving west on the D99. Large free parking on site.
V-2 – Watten & Wizernes
Much more advanced than V-1, the V-2 was the first operational rocket in the world. Invented by the team of Wernher von Braun and tested in Peenemünde, on the border between today’s Germany and Poland, this liquid-propelled rocket came in the latest stage of WWII. The production totalled around 5000 units, and about 3100 were actually launched during the war, basically only from mobile launch platforms. Targets were mainly Belgium and Britain, but the first successful launch took place against Paris in September 1944. As for the V-1, range was among the weaknesses of the design, so that a deployment close to the Atlantic coast was necessary for targeting Britain from mainland Europe.
Mobile gantries were well designed and allowed a relatively fast re-deployment, a critical feature in the last stage of the war when the frontline was moving eastward at fast pace. Despite that, Hitler’s personal preference was with huge, autonomous, fixed launch bases, for which design and construction work began soon after the occupation of Northern France.
Two sites were created. The first was close to Watten, in the forest of Eperlecques – about 40 miles from the coast to the south-east of Calais – and was codenamed ‘Kraftwerk Nordwest’. Work on this monstrous bunker – probably the largest you will ever see from this age – started in early 1943 in a forest, at ground level and with little natural defences.
This installation was designed for the assembly of V-2 rockets arriving by train, and for supplying them with oxygen prepared in place in a dedicated branch of this bunker-factory. The intended role of this installation was the creation of a ‘rocket revolver’, capable of launching rockets at a frequency of 1.5 per hour, 24 hours a day. The Allies did not overlook the potential strategic relevance of the site and bombed it repeatedly. During a raid carried out by US forces in summer 1943 the site still under construction was seriously damaged. Since then it was decided to turn it into a liquid oxygen production factory for supplying other launch sites. Soon after the disembarkment, the place was finally abandoned after being hit by Tallboy bombs by the British. After capture in September 1944 it was decided to further demolish it by testing several new ordnance against a target so hard to crack.
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
The site is open as a regular museum, which can be visited on self-guided tours. A trail in the trees leads you to the main bunker, the tallest part of which can be entered. A V-2 mockup allows you to appreciate the proportions of the building. Some of the tunnels can be seen from the outside.
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Also in place are a V-1 launch ramp, cannons and vehicles. Time required for visiting may vary between about 30 minutes to more than 1 hour depending on your level of interest.
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
Eperlecques V2 Site Watten
The second site was built starting mid-1943 close to Wizernes, and not far from the previous site in Watten. This was codenamed ‘Schotterwerk Nordwest’, and it was intended for the same basic scope of the other, but it had also to be built to avoid heavy damage from air-dropped bombs. The location was extremely favorable, making use of a former quarry, with tunneling in the body of a U-shaped hill. A distinctive feature still remaining today is the concrete dome covering part of the site. The place was stricken with usual and Tallboy bombs after the D-Day. This caused the collapse of the entrances to the tunnel system, and of the side of the hill. The dome moved and banked to on side, but notably it did not break apart.
La Coupole V2 Site Wizernes
La Coupole V2 Site Wizernes
La Coupole V2 Site Wizernes
La Coupole V2 Site Wizernes
La Coupole V2 Site Wizernes
The place is open as a major documentation center. Besides the usual IMAX theatre in a building close to the parking, you can visit on a self-guided tour both the tunnels in the side of the hill and the area below the concrete dome – it can be incredibly hot and suffocating there, where it’s cold in the tunnels. You can find here much information about the history of the site and more in general of the deployment of the V-1 and V-2 in the area. A complete visit without the IMAX may take 45 minute to 1.5 hours depending on your interests.
La Coupole V2 Site Wizernes
La Coupole V2 Site Wizernes
La Coupole V2 Site Wizernes
La Coupole V2 Site Wizernes
La Coupole V2 Site Wizernes
La Coupole V2 Site Wizernes
Getting there and moving around
Both sites are easily reachable by car. The site of Watten is located is about two miles west of the town. You can reach it driving west on the D207 from the crossing between D207 and D300. A road called Rue des Sarts takes to the right after about .6 mile. The local name of the place is ‘Le Blockhaus d’Eperlecques’.
The site of Wizernes is located on the D210 about 1 mile south of Wizernes. The local name is ‘La Coupole’ – the Dome’.
Both sites are clearly signed.
V-3 – Mimoyecques
The hatred against the indomitable British enemy reached a pinnacle with the deployment of the V-3, reportedly Hitler’s favorite, a supercannon capable of shelling London from a distance of around 100 miles. The installation in Mimoyecques, close to Cap-Gris-Nez, about 8 miles southwest of Calais, was single-targeted against the ‘symbol town’ of London, for the cannon could not be oriented – it was built inside a hill and pointed upwards in a fixed attitude. The design was based on the older idea of multiple-charged shells, i.e. shells which were accelerated gradually to a very high target speed while running along an exceptionally long (430 ft) barrel. The site in Mimoyecques, codenamed ‘Bauvorhaben 711’, by design accommodated 25 such barrels, allowing the battery to shoot at the very high rate of 10 shells per minute, all the day round. The tunnel was designed to allow a train entering it.
Work on the site began in summer 1943, but the site never reached completion and was severely hit in summer 1944 by Allied bombing raids. President Kennedy’s elder brother reportedly died in an accident on one of them. It is noteworthy that the novelty and originality of the design disoriented Allied intelligence, who did not understand the role of the installation before capture in September 1944.
The concept of supercannons, albeit never provedly succesful from an operational viewpoint, was destined to emerge again in recent history, with a similar installation proposed by Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and designed with the help of a Canadian company – its manager being reportedly killed by the Mossad to hamper realization.
Together with the other ‘V sites’, Mimoyecques was almost completely demolished in order to avoid any further strategic use. It is reported that Winston Churchill in person pushed for this, to the aim of preventing the yet-to-be-established government of France from any action against Britain – some speculate that what the Prime Minister likely feared was the establishment of Communist rule in France.
Mimoyecques V3 Cannon Site
Mimoyecques V3 Cannon Site
Mimoyecques V3 Cannon Site
Mimoyecques V3 Cannon Site
Mimoyecques V3 Cannon Site
Mimoyecques V3 Cannon Site
This is site is not so famous as the V-2 sites, and not similarly ‘institutional’, yet there are opening times. You can go on a self-guided tour of the tunnels, where you can find many explanatory panels, as well as a reconstruction of one of the barrels. It’s always too warm for me, but I must say this time it was incredibly cold inside… The visit may take 30-45 minutes. Guided tours are available in French.
Mimoyecques V3 Cannon Site
Mimoyecques V3 Cannon Site
Mimoyecques V3 Cannon Site
Mimoyecques V3 Cannon Site
Mimoyecques V3 Cannon Site
Mimoyecques V3 Cannon Site
Mimoyecques V3 Cannon Site
Mimoyecques V3 Cannon Site
On the outside, just besides the tunnel entrance you can find a steel plate once on top of the site armouring the outlets of the barrels. The concrete construction on top of the place lies on a private property. I could only take one pic before being forced to withdraw…
Getting there and moving around
The area is very nice, with the lovely Cap-Gris-Nez and Cap-Blanc-Nez a few miles away. The site can be reached on the D249 between the small towns of Bainghen and Landretun-le-Nord. Large free parking on site.
Among the most unequivocal signs of the oppressive communist dictatorship in the former German Democratic Republic – ‘GDR’ or ‘DDR’ in German – are probably the many buildings once operated by the STASI, the German cousin of the well-known Soviet KGB.
Being a state security service by its very name – STASI stands for ‘STAat SIcherheit’, or state security -, this organization was responsible for the capillary control over the behavior of the citizens of the GDR, to the aim of counteracting any threat to the communist rule. It was mainly composed of a para-military staff and of an extensive network of informers – so extensive that actually about 1 out of 180 in Eastern Germany worked for the STASI, while by comparison in the USSR 1 out of 595 worked for the KGB. The main goal of this agency was keeping the statu quo, hence any suspect behavior of East-German citizens, deemed subversive with respect to the communist rule, was reported, investigated and usually suppressed.
People found guilty of acts against the State – i.e. against the communist government – were often sentenced to years of imprisonment. This meant that prisons and camps flourished in the GDR, as people got arrested and at least kept for interrogation just for having received western newspapers or having colored their rooms with posters of American pop singers. How the STASI came to know of similar ‘violations’ was by means of informers, who triggered secret investigations carried out with ‘James Bond gear’, like cameras and microphones hidden in coat buttons and bags. Microphones and cameras were also usually installed in the walls, chandeliers and doors of the houses of suspected subjects.
This huge institution was among the most feared and hated – as well as expensive to run – in the GDR, and soon after the reopening of the border and the demolition of the wall in Berlin in 1989 many of its buildings were occupied by the population. To deny responsibility in the unfair trial, imprisonment and confinement of many citizens, the staff of the STASI began ‘burning’ its archives immediately, but they were so extensive that this rapidly turned out to be impossible. The STASI was disbanded among the first governmental agencies of the GDR in the early months of 1990, even before the two halves of Germany were merged. Finally the archives were made publicly available during the process of the German reunification. Many people came to know they had been carefully observed and spied in every movement during their everyday life.
Today, some of the most prominent buildings once operated by the STASI are open to the public and represent an interesting and worrying memento of this chapter of the history of Germany. The following photographs are from some such sites I visited over the years from 2013 to 2023.
The headquarters of the STASI occupied an extensive citadel composed of many big, multi-storey buildings. Like the KGB, the tasks of the STASI weren’t limited to internal state security, but also to border protection – a very serious business in Eastern Germany, as you can see from another page of this site dedicated to the German inner border – and espionage activities abroad. The various directorates occupied their respective buildings in the citadel. The place is in a semi-peripheral district of former East Berlin named Lichtenberg.
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
The main building hosts a museum of central relevance on the topic, where you can find much data about the history and the impressive size of this agency, as well as spy gear – for instance mimetic microphones for listening to conversations in private houses. The stories of some of the victims of the communist surveillance machine are also reported. Envelope-opening devices and rags for preserving the odor of those arrested for watchdogs are displayed in showcases.
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Probably the highlight of the museum is the apartment and office of Erich Mielke, the director of the STASI from 1957 – well before the wall was erected in Berlin – up to the dissolution of the GDR. Many original directional offices have been preserved and nowadays can be visited.
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
The place is very evocative and retains much of the disturbing ‘GDR atmosphere’, typical to this and other similar installations. The number of visitors is much lower than close to Checkpoint Charlie and the DDR museum near the Berliner Dom, which are mostly cheesy tourist attractions with comparatively little content. On the contrary, in this museum you can still easily perceive the commitment of the GDR goverment towards its own survival, and the proportion of the oppressive apparatus that was created to this aim – here you clearly understand the STASI was a serious business and changed the life of many people.
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
Berlin Lichtenberg Normannenstrasse Stasi Headquarters
After visiting the museum in the central building you may have a look around to the exterior of other buildings in the citadel, today mostly unused, abandoned or partially occupied by private businesses – I guess the place still retains for many people a very negative aura.
Getting there and moving around
Today the citadel can be reached very conveniently by car or with the U5 (between the stops Magdalenen Strasse and Frankfurter Allee). The museum is fairly modern and well presented, but as of 2015 when I visited the ticket could be paid only cash and some explanations were in German only. Inside the museum there is no air conditioning, and it can be very hot and uncomfortable in summer. Parking is not a problem in front of the main entrance or nearby. Website here.
STASI Prison and Restricted Area, Berlin-Hohenschönhausen
The second largest quarters of the STASI are located in yet another outer district of former East Berlin. Old photographs of the area clearly show that this part of the town was interdicted to visitors not connected with the business of the STASI – there used to be fences and gates all around, cutting some of the roads entering the district. Besides some directorates and administrative buildings, this citadel hosted a prison and a labor camp. The former was the main STASI prison in East Berlin, and those who were arrested on account of suspect activities against the State were usually carried here, where they had to withstand interrogations.
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
This place is really grim and appalling. It looks like the staff of the prison had just left. Everything from what you see to the smell of the cells, offices and interrogation rooms is totally evocative of the original GDR atmosphere.
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
The STASI became the owner of the place in 1951, after the Soviets, who had managed the occupied territory directly after the German capitulation in 1945, left control of many administrative functions following the creation of the GDR. Under the Soviet rule, in the years of Stalin between 1945 and 1951, a labor camp was set up here and the main building of the prison – a former canteen for Nazi staff – opened for business. More than 20’000 people passed through this installation between 1945 and 1951, many of them on their way to deportation to the USSR.
Under the control of the STASI, the camp was dedicated to non-political prisoners, where the prison, enlarged in more instances as the STASI citadel was growing up, was for the ‘enemies of the State’. More than 20’000 people were imprisoned here between 1951 and 1990.
The place can be visited only on guided tours, offered on a regular basis also in English. Following the tour you can see various imprisonment cells. The worst – and really inhumane – from the times of the Soviets are in the basement of the main building, with no windows and no ventilation, where many people were crushed together waiting for interrogation or deportation.
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
The majority of the cells date from the era of the GDR, and are more modern. As the main business of the prison was that of extorting confessions, the prisoners were progressively brought in a state of psychological prostration. Preventing any form of communication was part of the treatment, so most cells for newly arrested people were for one person only. To isolate those arrested even more, when moving from the cell to the interrogation rooms and back the wardens observed special red and green lights, telling when there was somebody else in the corridors. This way the inmate would not see anybody except for the warden and the officer who interrogated him during all his or her stay in the prison.
Padded cells with straitjackets like in asylums were used in the process of extorting confessions, when the inmates were treated with drugs causing hallucinations and loss of physical control. These can be seen in the basement of one of the buildings.
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Also visible are some cells with open top for spending half a hour per day in open air.
An interesting item presented in the exhibition is a minivan that was used for taking people quietly to the prison. The appearance and markings are those of a normal cargo van for transporting goods, whereas the interior is structured with micro-cells for arrested people.
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Interrogation rooms are aligned on a corridor, and are extremely essential, featuring a shabby furniture. Greasy traces on the wallpaper and the smell of old fake leather heated by the sun is make the original atmosphere come alive.
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
A further wing is where a clinic for inmates was located. The clinic was of good level, with much technical instrumentation to manage several regular or emergency situations. The office of the director of this wing is another example of pure East German design. Most notably, the once omnipotent Erich Mielke appears to have been interned here following his arrest after 1989.
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
A one-of-a-kind exhibit is a railway truck for inmates. Besides the rather uncomfortable compartment design, with small chairs in a very little space, this transport was made really inhumane through the lack of air conditioning, the windows with bars and even a white glass, which deliberately created disorientation. These trains were artificially put on the lowest priority, so as to make traveling a painstaking experience for inmates.
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
Berlin Hohenschönhausen Stasi Remand Prison
The memorial is not central, so only those really interested in the history of the GDR, and of East Berlin and the STASI usually come here. Nonetheless, it is managed like a good level international museum, with guided tours, facilities for groups and a serious bookshop. Before taking the tour you are offered a movie telling the history of the prison in brief and showing the testimonies of former inmates. All in all a very interesting – and instructive – experience, surely worth a detour from the more touristic districts.
After visiting the prison, you may have a look around to the other buildings in this citadel. You can find a map in a cheap but interesting booklet they sell in the bookshop (‘The prohibited district’, by Erler and Knabe).
Getting there and moving around
The correct address of the prison building is Genslerstraße 66, Berlin. You can reach it easily by car. The neighborhood is primarily residential and not central, so parking won’t be a problem. If you have not a car, you can arrive conveniently with the tram line M5 from the most central districts. The correct stop is Werneuchener Strasse, and from there it’s about 0.4 miles to the gate of the prison. Website here.
STASI Prison Lindenstrasse, Potsdam
Behind an elegant façade like many others you can find in central Potsdam there is a prison comparable in size to the ‘main’ prison in Berlin Hohenschönhausen described above, and mostly unknown to the general public crowding this small and beautiful historical town.
This building was used as a prison by the Kaiser, the Nazis, the Soviets and finally the GDR. It was renovated and modified in many stages during its long history, and during WWII under the Nazi rule, some sections of the courthouse in central Berlin were transferred here, when the original buildings of the Nazi courthouse got damaged as a result of Allied air raids.
Potsdam Lindenstrasse Stasi Prison Courthouse
Potsdam Lindenstrasse Stasi Prison Courthouse
Potsdam Lindenstrasse Stasi Prison Courthouse
Differently from Hohenschönhausen, the prison in Potsdam is not part of a ‘citadel’, even though the KGB headquarters in the GDR were not far – actually they can be found close to Schloss Cecilienhof, Potsdam, now partly converted to luxury apartments and villas.
Another difference with respect to Hohenschönhausen is the style of the building, which dates back to older times. This is reflected in the plan and in many details of the construction, which at least from the exterior is very elegant.
Potsdam Lindenstrasse Stasi Prison Courthouse
Potsdam Lindenstrasse Stasi Prison Courthouse
Potsdam Lindenstrasse Stasi Prison Courthouse
Potsdam Lindenstrasse Stasi Prison Courthouse
Potsdam Lindenstrasse Stasi Prison Courthouse
Inside you can find Soviet cells in the basement – also here the most inhumane – and other cells packed along narrow corridors on several floors. In the inner courtyard there is a central block of open top cells for ‘recreation’, and traces of the original cameras and surveillance systems.
Potsdam Lindenstrasse Stasi Prison Courthouse
Potsdam Lindenstrasse Stasi Prison Courthouse
Potsdam Lindenstrasse Stasi Prison Courthouse
Something you may appreciate is the fact that you can visit the place on your own. Paneling with data or telling the stories of former inmates are totally in German, but you are given a leaflet with explanations and a map of the place at the entrance. Also a few original interrogation rooms have been preserved and can be seen.
Potsdam Lindenstrasse Stasi Prison Courthouse
Potsdam Lindenstrasse Stasi Prison Courthouse
Potsdam Lindenstrasse Stasi Prison Courthouse
Potsdam Lindenstrasse Stasi Prison Courthouse
Potsdam Lindenstrasse Stasi Prison Courthouse
Potsdam Lindenstrasse Stasi Prison Courthouse
The entry price is very reduced, so visiting is of course a must for the committed tourist, and interesting also for the general public. The place is ‘mimetic’ and not much advertised, so you won’t find the usual flocks of visitors, unlike the royal estates in Potsdam… Much recommended.
Getting there and moving around
The precise address is Lindenstrasse 54, Potsdam. It is in central Potsdam, so you may park at your convenience for visiting the district and have a stop there if you like. Similarly, if you are coming with the public transport system just go to the central district and walk to the place. Website here.
STASI Pre-Trial Prison, Rostock
Similarly to the prison in Potsdam, the anonymity of the façade of this building in central Rostock, placed to the back of a section of the courthouse still working today, is really deceiving. A prison capable of hosting more than 100 inmates can be reached today via a small door leading mainly to the offices of the faculty of the local university. Once inside the building you will notice a worrying fence on the side of the stairs going to the first floor, where you can get access to the prison.
Rostock Stasi Remand Prison
Rostock Stasi Remand Prison
Rostock Stasi Remand Prison
Besides the many cells, it is possible to find a very interesting exhibition on the history of the GDR and of the STASI, with much data and stories from the time. Also many artifacts can be found, like spy gear, rags for preserving the odor of inmates for watchdogs to make capture easier, state bonds used to pay informers, and more.
Rostock Stasi Remand Prison
Rostock Stasi Remand Prison
Rostock Stasi Remand Prison
Rostock Stasi Remand Prison
Rostock Stasi Remand Prison
Rostock Stasi Remand Prison
Rostock Stasi Remand Prison
Rostock Stasi Remand Prison
Rostock Stasi Remand Prison
The main function of the prison was that of keeping those arrested for interrogation until they were sentenced. More than 4000 people spent some time in this prison, mainly for ideological crimes, in the years of the GDR.
Rostock Stasi Remand Prison
Rostock Stasi Remand Prison
Rostock Stasi Remand Prison
Rostock Stasi Remand Prison
Rostock Stasi Remand Prison
The place can be visited for free with an audio guide also in English. Some parts, including the open-top cells outside and the rigor cells in the basement can be visited only in a guided tour – as far as I understood, these are offered in German only.
Rostock Stasi Remand Prison
Rostock Stasi Remand Prison
Rostock Stasi Remand Prison
Rostock Stasi Remand Prison
Rostock Stasi Remand Prison
On the top floor you can see an interesting exhibition on people who escaped or tried to flee the GDR by sea.
Getting there and moving around
Centrally located in Rostock – a lively city on the coast of the Baltic Sea – at a walking distance from Rosengarten. If you are moving by car, you can park on Hermannstrasse, and reach the door to the back of the courthouse block (opposite a small market). The door is heavy, so press it hard, it may be open even if it looks closed. Website here.
STASI Maximum Security Prison ‘Bautzen II’, Bautzen
Originally designed as a pre-trial and short-term court jail by the local government, the prison of Bautzen II was erected under the Kaiser to the back of the courthouse in the homonym town in the southeastern corner of Saxony, today very close to the border with both Poland and the Czech Republic. A larger penitentiary, named Bautzen I and originally conceived as a juvenile jail, was built around the same time in town.
With the advent of the Nazi dictatorship, both facilities began to be exploited for the prosecution of political dissidents, or to isolate elements of ‘inferior races’. Violence, intimidation and extorted confessions began to be the rule. Both branches of the prison of Bautzen fell under Stalin’s control at the end of WWII, and this corresponded to an exceptional increase in the number of inmates, which included a substantial share of former Nazi staff and opponents of the Soviet regime.
After the creation of the GDR, the facilities in Bautzen went on working as primary centers for the confinement of political prisoners, together making for possibly the largest detention center in the country. The smaller jail of Bautzen II, with slightly more than 200 single cells, was turned into a maximum security prison intended for the most dangerous ‘subversive elements’ of the whole state. While Bautzen I is still an active state prison of todays Federal Germany, Bautzen II has been opened to the public as a memorial.
The dreary access from outside is through three gates, and this adds to the perception of the place as really ‘no hope’.
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Similarly to the prison in Potsdam (see above), Bautzen II can be toured on a self-guided basis, without a group. Most parts of the prison are opened, and several cells can be accessed.
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Some of the cells retain the original furniture, even shabbier than the usual communist standard. The metal staircase in the middle of the prison building allows to better appreciate the size.
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Besides rigor cells with additional bars and an incredibly small walkable area, some groups of cells are separated from others, with armored doors splitting the corridors in contiguous isolated sections. This was possibly a special feature of this maximum security prison. You can experience an unreal silence when sitting in a cell closing both the doors of the corridor and of the cell.
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
There are also some ‘common areas’ for inmates to work and stay, and an external courtyard divided in sectors, to allow inmates to spend some time open air, but without the chance to meet or see each other.
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Bautzen II Maximum Security GDR Prison
Getting there and moving around
The prison of Bautzen II is open as a national monument, a website with full information about visiting is here. I noticed that there are descriptions in German only throughout the prison, so you would better go prepared at least on the history of the place – starting for instance from the website – to get the most from your visit. The location is Waigangstrasse 8a, which is behind the courthouse of Bautzen, 0.8 miles to the east of the historical town center, conveniently reachable walking from the railway station and also by car. The area around the courthouse is mainly residential and parking can be found easily. Bautzen I is still today an active regular detention facility and cannot be visited.
A vital center of the Sorbs, an etnic group of Saxony and Brandenburg recognized by the German Federal Government, the town of Bautzen is nice to visit and rich of historical content. It is about 45 miles east of Dresden, and bolsters a picturesque, perfectly refurbished town center with medieval to baroque architectural elements.
STASI Headquarters, Dresden
The STASI headquarters and prison in Dresden have been developed starting 1945, originally as a prison for the Soviet NKVD (later KGB), on the premises of a former factory not far from the river Elbe and the historical district of the town – which would lay destroyed for decades following air raids in WWII. Similar to the prison in Lindenstrasse, Potsdam (see above), the underground floor of the former factory building was turned into a prison, with provision for a number of very basic cells typical to Stalin’s era, aligned on a narrow corridor.
Until the facility was handed over to the newly-formed GDR in 1952, the Soviets interned here mostly German citizens accused of cooperation with the defunct Nazi regime, as well as subversive elements, unfriendly with the Soviet controlling forces. As usual within a dictatorship, indictment was largely arbitrary and sentences extremely harsh – following arrest, most people were deported to forced labor camps of the Gulag system in the USSR, some were brought to Moscow to be hanged, and many were sent to provisional camps established in the ‘Soviet occupation zone’, later to become the territory of the GDR.
In this part of the exhibition it is possible to step in most of the cells, very small and essential.
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
A room is dedicated to the Gulag system, whereas another is a memorial for those taken to the Dresden prison and who reportedly did not survive the ordeal of the Soviet detention system, or where sentenced to death on the base of political reasons.
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Also visible are some service rooms, like the bathrooms and rooms for the guards.
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Along the corridor an emergency cable could be pressed by the guards at any time when in distress, triggering an alarm. From this part of the prison it was possible to access a inner courtyard.
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Concurrently with the handing-over to the STASI, the facility was expanded, with offices and a modern multi-storey prison building.
Access for those arrested was via an inconspicuous wooden gate. An apparently innocent cargo van was employed for arrests. It can be checked out and it reveals provision for several segregated micro-cells inside. Once disembarked from the van, some prisoners may have had to wait for the prison check-in process inside mini-cells. Temperature in this area used to be – and still is – terribly hot in the summer.
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Once inside, prisoners had to undress and undergo an accurate inspection in the check-in room. They were photographed for records in a special room, where they sat on a chair which was moved by the camera operator to obtain portraits at specific angles. Then prisoners were assigned dresses and slippers for their stay.
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
This prison acted as a remand (i.e. pre-trial) prison, with 44 cells on 4 levels.
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Cells were for one, two or three people. Single cells were not customary from the 1970s on, except for rigor cells.
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
An example of the latter can be seen, with a small chair bolted to the ground and no windows. A special cell was that for writing letters, something that was possible only at prescribed intervals (e.g. once per week) and in this special room – obviously, all communications were checked and censored by the STASI. This cell features a small table, a chair, and a lavatory.
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
An uncommonly ‘comfortable’ cell was employed for foreign prisoners, who included those who had tried to help GDR citizens in their escape attempt, and who for some reason had got caught by the STASI. These cells had a window allowing a view of the sky – not possible through the special windows of regular cells – and a larger iron bed, instead of a narrow wooden berth.
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Separated boxes in a walled courtyard outside were employed for letting the prisoners spend some minutes per day in the open air.
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Walking the prison building you may notice that most of it is still original, including the purely-GDR linoleum floor, and the alarm system. The heavy curtains make the building dark and oppressing. The temperature in the summer is also very hot. The building is very silent, much resembling the original asylum-like feeling.
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
A routine operation in a remand prison was interrogation of the prisoners. Prisoners were insistently interrogated by STASI staff before formalizing an indictment. For the purpose, they were taken to the top floor of the building, along a few flights of stairs, up to the the interrogation rooms. Interestingly, the door giving access to this ‘bureaucratic’ part of the facility still bear seals (now reopened), put in the days of the revolution following the demolition of the wall in Berlin in 1989. The offices of the STASI, with material and archives, were sealed for criminal investigation.
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Today, in this area a few original relics from the STASI operations can be found, like photographic film, nominal folders, stamps, keys, etc.
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
One interrogation room is still visible, whereas many others have been converted and are today employed for thematic workshops by the organization running the memorial.
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
As of 2023, the memorial is undergoing restoration, with the reopening of a larger part of the offices planned soon. Momentarily, it is possible to see the original grand auditorium of the STASI, a full-scale theater, with a typical GDR decor and even an original audiovisual apparatus. It is hard to imagine what kind of people could attend some symposium in an elegant room like this, just 50 ft away from prisoners confined in cells, non-criminals confined mostly only because suspected of having some arbitrarily-defined ‘subversive ideas’.
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
The quarters of the old NKVD prison are linked to the more modern prison building by a long underground corridor.
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Memorial Bautzner Strasse, Dresden – KGB/STASI prison and headquarters, Dresden, GDR
Getting there and moving around
The former STASI headquarter in Dresden is run as a memorial by a very active society, supported by various preservation bodies and associations. A professional website with much information, including a leaflet with a description of your visit in English, can be found here. A visit may easily take 1.5-2 hours for an interested subject. Many parts of the facility are accurately preserved and make for a very evocative memento. Furthermore, permanent and temporary exhibitions add to the experience and documentary value.
Visiting is possible on a self-guided basis, with explanatory booklets in many languages including English lent for the duration of your visit.
The memorial is located northeast of the historical district of Dresden, right on the northern bank of the river Elbe. The exact address is Bautzner Straße 112a, 01099 Dresden. However, access by car to the inside parking is possible only at these coordinates, (51.06688926262786, 13.782718227181237). Since access is from a major road where a U-turn is impossible, and the entrance to the parking is somewhat ahead of the official address, it is worth employing these coordinates for your nav, otherwise you might be missing the entrance to the parking, being forced to a pretty long tour of ‘one ways’ and ‘no turns’ before you get back to your intended destination.
Memorial ‘In der Runden Ecke’ – STASI Headquarters, Leipzig
Similar to its cousin in Berlin-Lichtenberg, the former headquarters of the STASI in Leipzig has been opened as a memorial. In this case, the building was not made on purpose, but converted from a pre-existing one. A decorated, elegant palace in the city center was chosen for the local brain of the repressive apparatus. The building features an angled facade, since the name ‘on the round corner’ – ‘in der Runden Ecke’ in German.
The entrance hall to the former headquarters has retained much of its original appearance.
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
The main part of the exhibition is immediately reached through the original reception office, which has been left willingly untouched since the pre-1989 era – including now dead CC-cameras, and two elaborated majolica murals with emblems of the STASI and some decorations.
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
The exhibition takes the ground floor of a wing of the building, i.e. only a small part of the original site. The office of a clerk has been mothballed preserving at most its original, shabby appearance, with a portrait of Honecker.
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
In an adjacent room, many rigs for covert mail and communication interception and inspection activities are displayed. These range from steam-pumping envelope openers, to fake postal stamps from Federal Germany, or even from abroad (to send false communications), and even fancier machines for reproducing signatures, looking inside parcels, etc. – every design betraying a really paranoid attention to details, and a true waste of exceptional engineering abilities.
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
A complete cell and photo studio – for mugshots – from the now demolished STASI prison in Leipzig has been spared for this exhibition, not much dissimilar from others on this web page (see above).
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
More artifacts on display include audio and image gathering stuff, ranging from micro cameras and recorders, to exceptionally compact, high-precision zoom lenses. Archived rags with the smell of repression victims in case of escape – for dogs – are another specimen from the STASI crazy inventory.
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
A room is devoted to the STASI huge paper archive, and to the silly, titanic effort to destroy the evidence of years of illegal spying activity as quick as possible, following the re-opening of the border. The solidified slime obtained from paper fragments is on display. Some very evocative pictures show the immense Leipzig archive and its conspicuous remains after the destruction attempt.
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Two more rooms tell about the immediate post-WWII history in Leipzig, with pictures from 1945 with Nazi officials who committed suicide, as well as from the first stage of Allied occupation and Soviet administration – before the GDR was founded.
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
An interesting collection of artifacts concerning the Soviet-GDR friendship and alliance is really evocative of a luckily bygone era.
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Finally, the corridor is full of interesting pictures, telling about the disinformation role of the STASI, border patrolling, and many other businesses this overpowered criminal organization was in charge of.
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
The building is today also seat for an agency managing the old STASI archive for historical purposes. Furthermore, the first floor and the elegant stairs leading to the top can be toured, with some display cases showing attractive Soviet-era artifacts.
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
The first floor in particular must have been an official meeting/reception area, or a director’s office. Part of the original furniture is still there, including a mural with the head of Dzerzhinsky, the founder of the Soviet Ceka back in Lenin’s time, and an inspirational figure for all fanatics of ‘state security’ in the communist world – an activity which was a synonym for violent prosecution of free will.
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Memorial ‘in der Runden Ecke’ – Former STASI Headquarters, Leipzig, GDR
Getting there and moving around
The memorial is on the border of the pedestrian area in Leipzig city center. It is modestly publicized, but thanks to its accessibility, it might be easily included in a standard visit to historical Leipzig, and it is significantly populated by tourists. Entrance is free of charge, and its professional website is here. Despite the small size, for an interested subject visiting might take 2 hours or more. Free pictures are allowed, and an audio guide in English allows to get much from the visit even for people not speaking German.
STASI Bunker, Machern
The bunker in Machern is an underground facility built for the STASI in 1968-72 as an emergency headquarter, for keeping the chain of command and coordinate operations in case of a potential crisis. It represents a specimen of the level of commitment of the GDR government with respect to the preservation of control, and a witness of the huge budget made available to this particular ministry, inextricably linked to the government itself and pivotal in the survival of the oppressive GDR communist regime over its entire life span.
The crisis in Prague in 1968 possibly triggered the build up of a similar underground network by the STASI, which customarily operated in secrecy. The very existence of the bunker, located some 30 minutes driving from central Leipzig, was unknown to most. The inconspicuous visible part of the facility was deceived in one of the lots in a district of free-time homes for employees of a public company. It was discovered only following the 1989 revolution and the abolition of the STASI.
Compared to underground military installations, either of the NVA or the Red Army, the bunker is rather compact. However, it had provisions for about 100 staff in case of crisis, with a moderate ability to resist military-level attacks, including facing a nuclear war scenario.
The visit starts by accessing the grounds, where an unassuming little country villa of the GDR can be found, which acts as a check-in point, and as a ticket office.
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
Soon you may notice the presence of unusual gear on the premises. These include houses and training gear for dogs, cables for allowing leashed watchdogs along a pre-assigned watch pattern, a concrete sentry box, fire extinguishing gear, piles of fuel barrels, a deck for repairing vehicles, and a rather big grey hangar.
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
The latter hides the blast-proof double entrance to the underground bunker. Before stepping in however, it is possible to check out an impressive amount of spare parts aligned on shelves, with literally tons of interesting military-grade material – most of them clearly marked as Soviet manufacture. Many mystery boxes with writing in Russian can be seen. Rolls of barbed wire, metal nets, camo blankets, and other material for sealing and deception can be seen together with more technical material, including technical instrumentation.
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
A small collection of memorabilia from the STASI years is shown on site, as well as a permanent exhibition with technical schemes and organization details.
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
Access to the underground bunker is via a horizontal armored door and through a long flight of stairs. An airlock with two tight doors was installed for making the place blast-proof and seal it in case of nuclear attack.
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
Dosimeters and showers for decontamination can be found close to the entrances – there are two of them, both inside the same hangar.
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
The bunker was mainly intended as an intelligence center for crisis management. The flow information was guaranteed by a number of communication systems and facilities. Manned stations can still be seen in a number.
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
Beside communication facilities, the bunker features sleeping quarters for the STASI staff, a kitchen/canteen area, and a few offices and private quarters for the decision-makers – senior STASI officers. These offices offer a reasonable level of comfort, typical to the the bunkers from the era (see for instance Kossa and the Polish headquarters near Wolin, but a similar level of comfort could be encountered also on the western side of the Iron Curtain, like here in Britain).
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
The bunker is built mainly around a square corridor, with an array of long and narrow rooms, each dedicated to a specific function.
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
STASI Bunker Machern – Nuclear-proof intelligence headquarters near Leipzig, GDR
Soviet material can be found everywhere, including air filters and heaters.
Different from the previous sites bound to the grim and disturbing history of the STASI and of the communist-led repression in the GDR, this bunker offers an interesting perspective into the para-military domestic activity of this former backbone of the single-party government of that country.
Getting there and moving around
The STASI bunker-museum in Machern is a branch of the STASI memorial in Leipzig (see above). An updated web page on this bunker can be found in the German version of the website of the Leipzig memorial (here), with updated information on the planned dates for a visit. The bunker is regularly open only on a few dates over the year, which are published in advance.
The visit allows to access the grounds, where explanatory panels are available in German, as well as the storage hangar and bunker. In the hangar, visitors are offered a short introductory video (in German). Afterwards, it is possible to visit the hangar and the bunker on a self-guided basis. Reservation is not required, but access is regulated on site by gathering visitors to form small groups, who are admitted to the bunker one by one to avoid overcrowding. Time in the bunker is more than enough to check-out the items on display, taking all the pictures. In all, a visit to this installation may take about 1 hour once on site.
Please note that they accept only cash for the ticket.
The location is in the countryside, about 10 miles northeast of Leipzig along the road B6. It is easy to reach only with a car or similar. There is a large parking there (51.376119908957726, 12.633996194227596), also serving the nature recreation area around. The entrance to the bunker can be reached from the parking with a .5 miles walk along a local road here (51.37857212168658, 12.644452664748663). No parking is possible on that road. Please note that the position corresponding to the bunker marked on Google Maps is largely inaccurate.
The bunker is located very close to the former Soviet base of Brandis/Waldpolenz (see here).
KGB Prison and Headquarters, Potsdam
This memorial is strictly speaking an outlier in this chapter, since it was never a STASI facility. Since their arrival in late April 1945, the Soviets installed a major intelligence and counter-intelligence center in Potsdam. An entire district was severed from the rest of this fashionable imperial town – which had fallen in the hands of the Soviets and later in the GDR. Its perimeter was fenced, the area provided with a guarded gate, and interdicted to everybody except authorized Soviet staff.
In it there were residential buildings, as well as central offices of the secret intelligence and security services of the Soviet Union in the heart of the GDR, and immediately on the border with West Berlin.
Today this exclusive residential area has been returned to its original function, except for a memorial, which has been prepared in the former prison originally built by the Soviets in a pre-existing, relatively little and unassuming building.
The Soviet secret services employed the prison from 1945 to the early 1950s as a remand prison for former Nazi collaborators, but also for German citizens considered dangerous or unreliable for the Soviet system. They were typically sentenced to years of forced labors and deported to the Gulag systems. When the STASI was created and took over the surveillance of GDR citizens, this prison was employed primarily for Soviet citizens considered as dissidents, including military staff. It is estimated that the Soviet population in the GDR totalled half million people in the late 1980s, therefore surveillance was not an easy task for the Soviets, requiring a dedicate apparatus with its own facilities.
The citadel and the prison in it went on operating until 1994, among the latest facilities to be relinquished by the then-Russian government.
The largely arbitrary indictment and sentencing of German citizens interned in this prison by the inhumane bureaucratic Soviet government of the years of Stalin indeed made many victims. Therefore, this place is primarily a memorial.
The shabbiness of the entire construction, typical to Soviet KGB prisons (see for instance here) is really striking. The visits starts on the first floor, where a number of cells can be seen. A rigor cell can be recognized by the lack of any light or ventilation. The ground was typically flooded with cold water, and the walls are covered in rough plaster, so that the prisoner could not sit on the ground nor lean against the wall.
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
On the top floor, former interrogation rooms today host a very interesting exhibition, with rich and detailed information in multiple languages including Russian and English. They cover the activity of Soviet secret services in the ‘Soviet occupation zone’, and later in the GDR and the Soviet enclaves in it. The brutal treatment reserved to many Germans, typically in the immediate post-WWII years under Stalin’s rule, is witnessed through striking documents, accounts and photographs. Among those sentenced to death were even schoolboys who did not want to learn Russian.
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
A focus is put on the structure of the law system of the communist dictatorship in the USSR, as well as on the mechanism of interrogations – including accounts of Soviet defectors.
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
Original memorabilia from the place include coats, special armbands for the staff authorized to enter the citadel, as well as original documents from the various ages of operation of the place.
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
In the basement are group cells intended for many people on their way to deportation. Graffiti from inmates can still be seen in the plaster.
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
A rigor cell which did not allow standing is also part of the exhibition.
A memorial to the victims of Soviet hardship has been installed on a side wall, whereas a modern visitor center completes the exhibition.
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
A thematic walk in the former Soviet citadel highlights through explanatory panels the original function of some of these buildings. Now returned to their original imperial splendor, they carry unsuspected grim memories of the communist era. Among the most notable features is the relic of a former small monument. Looking carefully, some of the houses still bear numbers on the facade according to the Soviet-style numbering of town blocks.
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
KGB Prison and Headquarter, Potsdam – Memorial Leistikowstraße
Getting there and moving around
The memorial is called Gedenk‑ und Begegnungsstätte Leistikowstraße Potsdam, and its professionally-run website is here. The address is Leistikowstraße 1 – 14469 Potsdam. Many parking opportunities on site. Reaching is easy also with public transport from Berlin. The prison is very close to the Cecilienhof palace.
The visit is on a self-guided basis, with much information available through the website, including options for smartphone-guided tour to the prison and to the former citadel. The permanent exhibition (in many languages) is rich and interesting, a detailed visit to the prison and exhibition may take up to 1 hour 15 minutes. A walk in the former Soviet citadel, today very enjoyable, may add 30-40 minutes for the more committed visitor.
‘The lost city of Vogelsang’ – this is the complete name often attributed to this former Soviet installation built under Stalin’s rule in 1952, located about 35 miles north of Berlin in the former territory of the communist German Democratic Republic (GDR, or DDR in German). Actually, the base was among the first three of the kind in size, housing about 15.000 Soviet troops of tank and artillery divisions, service staff and their families – much more residents than the majority of ‘normal’ cities in the region.
In the case of Vogelsang, two facts add to the usual grim aura of a deserted Soviet base.
Firstly, it was never much publicized among the locals, being large enough to contain all services needed by the troops and their families – it was basically a ‘secret base’. The trees now invading all free areas between the skeletons of the remaining buildings were not there until the early Nineties, when Russian troops left the former territory of the GDR – during 1994. Yet even when it was active, the place was hidden from the eyes of those passing by, thanks to the very rich vegetation. Its very location, pretty far away from everything, surely helped in shrouding it into secrecy.
Secondarily, at least in one instance in recent history, in the years of Khrushchev, of the latest Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations, this place was used for the deployment of an arsenal of strategic missiles pointing to European targets, reportedly in core Europe and Britain. Much confusion exists about dates and many details are missing – the deployment was so secret that even the government of the GDR didn’t know about it, so the existence of the base and its role are a somewhat ‘inconvenient reminder’ of the recent past for Germany. Today this base is still really hard to spot.
Anyway, I visited the site several times between 2016 and 2020, and I took the following photographs. While from the sequence of my visits it is apparent that the installation is quickly decaying, thanks to the combined action of the government and of ignorant writers, both showing a bothering null respect for history, there is still something left to see. I give also some basic info for getting to this site on your own.
Getting there and moving around
The village of Vogelsang can be reached by car from downtown Berlin in about 1 h 30 min – the road distance is about 40 miles, but a substantial part of the itinerary follows local roads, resulting in a pretty long time needed. Be careful when pointing your nav, for there are several towns named ‘Vogelsang’ in Germany. This one is in Brandenburg, located north of Berlin, along the road 109. The closest major town is Zehdenick, a few miles to the south of Vogelsang on the same road 109.
As usual with military bases, there is a railway track reaching Vogelsang, and getting there by train is of course possible. During my stay I heard the whistle of various trains passing there – even though I noticed only a very small station and nobody around, so possibly there’s no ticketing service. I noticed the scheduled time for arriving by train from Berlin is identical to that needed moving with a car. If you don’t want to be forced to stick to timetables, I suggest going by car.
Once there, I parked my car on the grass close to the only crossroad in town – where the 109 is crossed by Burgwaller Strasse. I parked behind the info table – there is obviously no info on the base, just about ‘regular’ nature trails in the area. Nobody complained about me parking there, and I found my car intact about six hours later…
Burgwaller Strasse crosses the railway and heads straight into the ‘zone’. Please note that soon after crossing the railway a) the road is not paved any more, b) there are prohibition signs about vehicle traffic, so you can’t go further with a car.
For moving around you will need an electronic map and possibly a GPS, cause the site is huge, and the area is covered with trees and vegetation, and many former roads are not visible any more, so getting lost is pretty easy. Moreover, from Google maps you can’t spot much from above, because of the trees. This makes a GPS + map of the site very important for the particular case of this site, differently from other bases.
I used my iPhone and it worked perfectly. Just install the free Ulmon (aka CityMaps2Go) app (app website here) and download the offline Brandenburg map – this provides an incredible detail. Furthermore, there is a strong Internet signal over most of the base – strangely enough, the area is well covered.
Anyway, if you don’t want to depend on the Internet once there, you can pinpoint the places you are more interested in on the offline Ulmon map before going – I did also this as a backup, cause I didn’t know whether Internet would be working.
I suggest not to overlook this point. Thinking back, I would have hardly made it without a cell phone with a GPS + map. You have to walk in the trees quite a bit before reaching any buildings. The trees hide everything and you can easily get disoriented – wasting much time moving around. Everything is solved with a GPS and a good map.
Over five visits, I spent almost 20 hours touring the place. During my first visit (lasting about 6 hours), I just concentrated on the southernmost part of it, which is of course the richest in remains, electing not to reach the launch pads closer to the village of Beutel (see this chapter). On that first visit, I walked approximately 11 miles standing to my iPhone, so be ready to walk. Even though there are no great physical barriers for moving around, the place is really abandoned and vegetation is wild. Probably you will need to walk in nettles and brambles at some point, so choose your clothes and shoes carefully.
On the plus side, you will see much wildlife!
Many interesting sights are outdoor, some are indoor. As usual, all abandoned buildings, except perhaps the nuclear storage bunkers that are very sturdy, must be considered dangerous. You should observe through the windows or enter at your own risk.
Sights
Missile Launch Pad
This is the southernmost, isolated launch pad on the site. You can see a concrete platform at the level of the ground about 20 feet long, with metal holding points. It was used to anchor missile-carrying trucks before tilting the missile canister vertical and preparing for launch. It is highly probable that the missile system intended to be installed here was the R5 ‘Pobeda’, NATO codename SS-3 ‘Shyster’. The relatively small range of this missile is in support of a deployment in a region so close to the border with european NATO Countries (see this chapter also for a general map of the missile installations in this area).
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
The road leading to the missile pad and from there to the main complex of the base today is barely visible. Traces of a barbed wire fence, delimiting the external perimeter of the base, can be found here, together with a network of trenches and dips once needed for the missile launch system (which included technical trailers with generators, control system panels, …).
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
The territory of the base is scattered with tokens from their former owners, from mugs to batteries, to military material of all sorts.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Southeastern Inner Access Post
Walking along the barbed wire fence from the missile launch pads to the core of the base, you will come across a long concrete wall. Soviet bases are often divided into sealed sectors. Access to the ‘service part’ of the base, with living quarters, schools, … was past this wall. The gate has disappeared, but you can find traces of it where the wall is interrupted and a concrete-paved road points into it. A cage for watchdogs can be found close to this checkpoint.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
In a first building for the guards, with window railings, look for Russian writings even on the ground.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Buildings by the entrance post include a garage with writings in Cyrillic, with an apron for maneuvering trucks or cars. On the cranes inside the garage, you can find inscriptions by the Soviet troops occupying the base. Leaving this type of ‘autograph’ was typical for Soviet troops (see for instance the traces left in the theater of bases in Poland, here).
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Nearby the entrance, a clubhouse, visitor center, or something alike can be found, with a pleasant architecture – large windows and a bar.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Entertainment Quarters
Two main buildings here, a movie theater and a clubhouse.
The theater is still in good shape. Some of the original lights and traces of the performance program board can be seen outside.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
The road leading to the front entrance is still visible, but the façade is not imposing any more, for trees are now hiding it.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Signs and propaganda posters in Cyrillic alphabet and with photos can be spotted here and all around the base.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
The café, with an original banner in Cyrillic, can be spotted to the left of the theater, close by a small warehouse with a loading platform.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Some kitchen furniture and gear can be still spotted around.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Between the theater and café buildings, you can find an incredible Soviet sculpture. The most striking feature you can see in the pics is a portrait of Lenin!
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
The Lenin panel was moved in 2017 to a Soviet-themed museum in Wünsdorf (see this dedicated chapter about this incredible place and its museum). The rest of the mural was there as of 2019, still reasonably resisting to the weather and spoilers.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Mural monuments are among the most interesting features of Vogelsang. Not far from this base, you can find another example of these Soviet creations described in this chapter.
Children School
This is rather creepy – even the curtains are still in place on some windows…! On the ground floor you can access a small gym.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Much of the heating system – made in Germany – is still in place.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
On the first floor some very interesting murals can be easily spotted, together with traces of a small theater and special classrooms for language teaching and other purposes.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Soldiers Sports Ground
This has been turned into a corn field. Something of the original tribunes still stay, with original decoration made from parts of machinery I guess.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Water/Heating Plant
A small water pumping/heating plant occupies a building nearby the gym (see next section). Traces of the original hardware can be found, with writing in Russian.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Also a small living room, likely belonging to a technician looking after plant, is part of this small construction. Traces of the original curtains are still there! Unofficial writing in Cyrillic can be found on the concrete wall making for a small backyard to the plant.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Soldiers Gym
Very creepy! Gym apparel, subscription forms, record boards and gym gear still around…
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
To the back you can spot a former Turkish bath with no roof and trees in it.
Soldiers Barracks
There are pretty many buildings of the same kind aligned along a still visible concrete paved road between the school and the training center. Many of these buildings look like being close to collapsing. Some interesting halls and various items can be found in some of them.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Soldiers Canteens & Training Center
There are various canteens and entertainment centers scattered over the territory of the base.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Some nice murals in pure Russian naïve style can be found in some of the buildings. Some of the halls are very very large.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Among the most notable features in Vogelsang, a peculiar tank simulator and a small but very deep pool, for training purposes, can still be found in a dedicated training building.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Unfortunately the door appears to be blocked by a collapsed roof or something, but you can reach or at least see the features of interest through broken windows.
Base Headquarter
The headquarter of the soviet base in Vogelsang sit in a two-levels building with an imposing facade. Today you can see the remnants of a porter’s office, giving access to the main staircase.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Climbing to the upper floor, you reach a hall with a wooden canopy. Two corridors leading to the offices of the military staff depart from there.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
From a 2020 visit, this building has taken a particularly rotting appearance, and maybe it is not going to last for long.
Mural of Soviet Triumphs & Soviet Soldier, plus Buildings Nearby
This is an incredible mural, about 60 feet long, with various symbolic scenes – army power, technology and agriculture, family and helpful society and housing for everybody.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
A collection of Soviet emblems follows. This mural contributes greatly to the uniqueness of Vogelsang in the panorama of Soviet bases!
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Turning your head 90 degrees to the right from this mural, you will see an artistically pleasant giant head of soldier, embossed on the side of a building. Differently from the mural nearby, this is of some artistic value. The head was still there during my next visits, even though writers have attacked the base of the wall where it is standing, and the plaster is starting to fail. Who knows how long this old guardian will stand, recalling the past splendor of Soviet Vogelsang with his sad expression?
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Close by, it is possible to find scant remains of other propaganda gears, like a three-steps stand for speaking, a bigger one in the shape of a Red Banner flag made in concrete and bricks, and an adjoining painted mural with planes, ships and soldiers. Unique!
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
In this area you can find also some service buildings in a relatively good shape. Among other things, there is a (likely) central laundry, with (possibly) ironing machines still in place.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Still in the area, some buildings appear to host small apartments. As usual in Soviet bases, Pravda and other news adorn the walls – they were used to hang wallpaper, but this has largely gone today, and old news have faced again. Just reading the publication dates and titles, or looking at the pics, can be really intriguing.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Some of the buildings hosted nearby the mural hosted technical services, like boilers for centralized hot water supply, or similar. You may spend some time exploring this area, finding some curious rooms – and even a well preserved sauna!
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Underground Cellar with Mural
An interesting sight for braver – maybe crazier – explorers can be found in the underground cellar, in the basement of a canteen building, among the service buildings just described.
There a big plaster (?) mural can be found, painted in bright colors, with missiles, soldiers, the Kremlin in Moscow and a huge red banner with hammer and sickle! The state of conservation is exceptionally good.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Also very interesting are the inscriptions left by troops stationed at Vogelsang, apparently coming from districts like Kishinev (now Chisinau, Moldova), Chelyabinsk (Russia), Krim (Crimea), Yakkabag (Uzbekistan), Donbass (Ukraine) – all around the USSR! The years reported range between 1989 and 1990. The mural might date from just little earlier, hence it may be relatively new, justifying its still good condition.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
It is not a long walk from the surface, you just need to descend a short flight of stairs. The only thing is that the cellar is flooded, so you will need to explore it moving around in a kind of pool of clean but cold water, reaching up to your crotch! A good torchlight is mandatory. Other adjoining rooms display further inscriptions in Cyrillic.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Mirage Mural & Most Peripheral Buildings
A painted portrait of a Mirage 2000 was made on the back of a fence wall not far north from the mural of the Soviet triumphs, close to a watchtower. A data sheet in cyrillic alphabet is painted besides, and another aircraft is visible on another part of the wall.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Pretty curious about the choice of the Mirage, among all ‘enemy aircraft’ of Western powers. May be this was just the beginning of a gallery of portraits? As of 2019, I could not find this any more, maybe it is now gone.
As a matter of fact, this corner of the base is now close to an area to the north end of the base, where demolition works have stricken hard, flattening huge lots once occupied by many more buildings.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
On the border of the surviving group of buildings, you can find some interesting items, including a garage, and another 3D monument, on the side of a secluded flat area now invaded by vegetation, which might have been a square or a small outdoor sporting facility.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Northeastern Gate Area and Defense Bunker
On the northeastern corner of this major remaining part of the base, just north of the school and theater you can find traces of a kind of park, with a network of walkways sided with hedges. Today, the plants used for hedging are overgrown, but you can still clearly recognize the original patterns. Furthermore, there are street lamps still standing an showing the way!
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
On the northern end of this once pleasant area, you can find a half-interred bunker. The entrances are bricked up, so you can’t get in. Considering the position, close to service buildings for everyone in the base, like canteens, gym, school, etc., this bunker might have been a defense bunker for the people of the base, in case of an attack.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
A lonely gate and fragments of the wall surrounding this sector of the base can be found not far from here, a rather evoking sight.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Bunkers for Nuclear Warheads
These are located to the south-west of the base, pretty far from the living quarters and training centers, and closer to the limit fence of the and to the road and railway. A long concrete-paved road connects these two sections of the base.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Two bunkers can still be seen. They are very large and covered with land and vegetation. They have security gates at both ends. On one end, there are cranes probably for moving the nuclear warheads between trucks and the bunker. On the other end there is a small service building, attached to the side of the bunker.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
The ventilation system is huge, with large openings, valves and extensive piping.
At the time of my first visit one of the two bunkers could be entered with no difficulty by the back gate. The thickness of the gate is impressive. Inside there are multiple interconnected cellars running along the main axis of the bunker, separated by walls and gates. Approaching the other end, where the entry gate to the crane area is blocked closed, there are rooms and ventilation control gears.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
The inside of the bunker is very dark, but surprisingly it is far less wet than expected. Probably at least the construction layers for climate control are still working properly.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Since 2017, both bunkers are closed, but as you can see from the pics below, the exterior is still basically intact. Writings in Russian can be found on the gates of the bunkers.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Scattered around the bunkers are some guard turrets overseeing the area, walls enclosing it in a perimeter, as well as protected entrances to some subterranean passages. In front of the blocked entrance of the bunker you can walk in, there is a mystery wall of ceramic brick, whose function I can’t guess.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Warning: in the area between the two bunkers I almost stepped on much dangerous debris, like pieces of rusty barbed wire and similar items. Carefully watch your step.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
North of the bunkers a large garage for trucks can be found. The bunkers just described were for warheads only. The missiles used to be stored in dedicated bunkers, once located besides the trucks depot (trucks were used to take the trailers carrying the missiles to the launch pad).
These missile storage buildings have been partly demolished, leaving some concrete slabs once making for a pavement. Some further bunkers have been interred (filled with land). I took some pics from the top of these old halls, by letting the camera down a loophole on the rooftop.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Cutting from the bunkers directly south to the road going back to the village, you cross the former perimeter of the base. From the inside you cross a wall, two lines of poles with traces of barbed wire, and a ditch. Thinking back, mines might have been buried between the two lines of barbed wire…
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Southeastern Corner and Carved Graffiti
An incredible testimony of the people once occupying the base came as a surprise during a short detour in the trees from one of the major roads crossing the base, approaching the southeastern corner of its large premises. A group of graffiti carved in the trees by the presumably young Soviet soldiers stationed there, totally in Cyrillic with names and year, left a vivid trace of archaeological value in this region of Germany. Some inscriptions date back to the 1960s!
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Approaching the railway track an unusual parking can be spotted, where only the lights are still in place. Totally disproportioned to the size of the town, it was probably connected with the military base, and is now deserted. A now dead railway crossing can be found too.
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base Germany
Vogelsang Nuclear Missile Soviet Base
Final Comments
You can’t see anything unusual at a glance when passing by the very small village of Vogelsang. To say it all, you can hardly spot todays village itself – a handful of small houses along the main road.
This would be good for urban explorers and war historians, as it should protect what remains from writers and other spoilers. Paradoxically, it is not protecting the site from disappearing at a quick pace, as the German government is reportedly promoting reforestation in the area, and buildings are being demolished little by little.
It is a pity, for this former base is rich of examples of Soviet ‘art’ and of other very rare artifacts, which after all are now part of history, and perhaps should deserve more consideration.
Since my first visit some years ago, some buildings to the north have been demolished, and the bunkers closed forever. Ignorant writers and spoilers are taking their toll, too. In 2020 there were huge construction trucks and teams with heavy machinery working in the northwestern part of the base. Recent updates from fellow explorers reported that not much remains of the northwestern part of the base. Remarkably, the mural with the Soviet soldier has been demolished, and so the painted underground cellar, between 2020 and 2022.
This was partly expected, but as of 2022 it looks like we are getting close to the point when the present chapter will be a memento of what used to be in Vogelsang. There is still something left to check out there, but possibly not even such to justify a specific tour and the inconvenience of reaching this wild destination.
