A little sun, a little rain: The weather is unpredictable, but our outing recommendation isn’t. It takes us to Wünsdorf, where the Wehrmacht built a bunker in the late 1930s that was also used by the Soviet Army after World War II. It can still be visited today.
Report by Ulrike Nagel for RBB Abendschau and Brandenburg Aktuell, Fri, Feb. 7, 2020; 7:30 p.m.
Wünsdorf-Waldstadt offers a green idyll, and that alone is reason enough for a day trip. This weekend, however, the remnants of the bunker town are also open for visitors to explore—on their own. We’ve already taken a look around.
Day Trip Tip: The Bunker City of Wünsdorf-Waldstadt
This segment presents Wünsdorf-Waldstadt as an interesting destination known as both a “book town” and a “bunker town,” with a rich history. The area served as an important military site in Germany, particularly during World War II and afterward as a base for the Red Army.
The Bunker Complexes
- Camouflage: The bunkers were built in the late 1930s out of thick concrete and disguised as country houses, complete with wooden doors and an additional layer covering the roof.
- Zeppelin Communications Bunker: This bunker, which is still partially intact, served as the Wehrmacht’s most important telecommunications hub during World War II. Many women worked here, conducting secret telephone conversations. It featured a sophisticated ventilation system to heat the bunker.
- Winkel 2 Air-Raid Tower: The tour also features a rocket-shaped tower, which is not a missile but an air-raid tower that could accommodate 315 people. Inside, there were benches and an air filtration system.
Tours
- The ruins of the demolished bunkers, as well as intact bunkers, can be visited as part of guided tours.
- One of the air-raid shelters houses an exhibition featuring models and equipment from the era of civil defense.
- The Garrison Museum in Wünsdorf, located in former horse stables, covers the history of the town from the Imperial era through 1945.
- The video promotes an “Underground Sunday,” during which visitors are allowed, as a special exception, to explore the bunkers on their own and take photos anywhere before the site is locked up again.
The history of Wünsdorf—from the Imperial era through the world wars to the stationing of the Red Army after 1950—is visible in many places throughout the town.
