Working group fortress Cologne
The Working Group for Fortress Cologne eV is a non-profit association that is dedicated to monument protection , but also to nature conservation in Cologne . One of the most important concerns of the association is to protect the Prussian forts of the inner and outer Cologne fortress belt from decay. The voluntary association has existed since 1998 and is politically neutral.
Issues and activities
Exploration and preservation of the fortress belt
The association strives to preserve the remaining structures of the inner and outer Cologne fortress belt. These are to be researched in cooperation with various authorities in the City of Cologne and the State of North Rhine-Westphalia as well as the Federal Property Office, excavated under scientific scrutiny and repaired.
In order to research the Prussian fortress of Cologne, the plans and records of which are widely scattered in the archives of the former victorious powers of the First World War , the Working Group for the fortress of Cologne has undertaken research trips to the large relevant archives and maintains contacts with fortress experts in various European countries. The association provides advice and support to investors and architects who want to take on the forts in order to put them to a new use. The aim of the working group is to preserve the buildings for posterity.
The Cologne Fortress Working Group presents its research results at the Europe-wide “Monument Day” , the annual “ Fort X Day ” and on guided tours of various fortress structures. In order to bring the Prussian era to life, these tours are presented in historical uniforms.
The association maintains contacts across Europe to historical associations that are active in the fields of fortresses, bunkers and historical uniforms.
Museum bunker
The association maintains a museum bunker on the site of the former repair shop of the Deutsche Reichsbahn in the district of Nippes . The bunker, built in 1941, had the function of accepting reports of incoming bombers during the Second World War and warning the Cologne train drivers so that loads could be secured and the employees of the Reichsbahn repair shop could seek shelter in other bunkers. The bunker served as quarters for 18 men from the factory air raid guard and had several rooms, including a doctor's room and a small telephone system. The bunker is located at Werkstattstraße 106 near the turning hammer.
In contrast to the other, around 50 bunkers in Cologne, the Reichsbahnbunker has been preserved in its original state thanks to the work of the AG fortress Cologne as a museum and can be visited.