Complex camp 22
Map with all coordinates: The complex camp 22 ( KL / 22 for short ) was a storage facility for weapons of the National People's Army of the German Democratic Republic . Above all, former tunnels and bunkers from the time of National Socialism were used for this purpose . The complex camp 22 consisted of three separate locations, which were located within a radius of about 100 km . The locations were in Großeutersdorf , Rothenstein and Lengenfeld .
Locations
Grosseutersdorf
The tunnel system in Walpersberg near Großeutersdorf covers approx. 30 km. 15 km of it have been rebuilt by the NVA . These tunnels were created at the beginning of the 20th century as sand mining tunnels by Porzellanwerke Kahla AG. In 1944, these tunnels were occupied by the National Socialist war economy. The REIMAHG (Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring) plant A was created, which was to produce the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter in series. After the war, parts of the tunnel system were blown up by the Soviet Army . In the 1960s, several tunnels were used by the local LPG to store potatoes and other vegetables.
It was not until the 1970s that the NVA decided to use the system. Expansion began in 1974. Approx. 15 km of the system were cleared of rubble and reinforced with shotcrete.
In the NVA language, the following designation has become established for the system: FüRückwMobVerb / TT-2. The LaSK (land forces) were stationed . These were subordinate to the MfNV (Ministry of National Defense) .
At Walpersberg there were two separate outdoor areas, one on the northeast side, the second on the southeast. The area on the north side is above the road from Kahla to Bibra . An asphalt road leads past the allotment garden at the birch grove to the fenced area. The area on the south side can also be reached via a well-developed road via Großeutersdorf ( location ).
The underground facility had five entrances. Four of the entrances were intended for cars, trucks and low loaders: gates 1 and 2 were on the south side, and gates 3 and 4 on the north side. There was a direct connection between gates 1 and 3, as well as gates 2 and 4. These two main tunnels tunnel under the entire mountain with a total length of about 3 km; on each of them are the areas in which weapons and explosives were stored. Gates 1 to 4 could only be opened hydraulically from the inside. Therefore, the people entrance on the south side was of particular importance: It was the only entrance that could be opened from the outside. Therefore, there was a lock attendant specially provided for this access; he was the first and the last to enter or leave the tunnel system. They also wanted to be prepared for nuclear war : in the eastern part of the facility there is a nuclear bunker that could be completely sealed off from the outside world within a very short time. Activated charcoal and other chemical filters ensured that any radiation from outside could not penetrate. There was also a kitchen in the tunnel system.
In 1990 the Bundeswehr took over the facility. However, due to the enormous costs, it was decided to give up the location in 1996. Many illegal drivers were now squirming through the holes in the gates. This was also made public in various Internet forums, so that the country had no choice but to weld the gates and dump large amounts of earth in front of them. Since 1999 only the entrance has been officially open, but only with special permission. However, due to the bats that live there and are under nature protection, this is not given with pleasure.
Since the beginning of 2007 there has been a documentation center of the History and Research Association Walpersberg eV in Großeutersdorf.
Rothenstein
In Rothenstein , too , a former armaments plant from the Second World War formed the basis for an NVA weapons depot . The armament plant had the code name "Albit" and was supposed to secure the production of the Zeiss-Werke Jena during the Second World War. This system was also empty until the mid-1970s. Its tunnel system is significantly smaller than that in Walpersberg. Approx. 5 km of tunnels were built with the help of shotcrete as a weapons store. The area in front of the Rothensteiner Felsen was secured with a 4 m high concrete wall. The area had a direct connection to the Jena - Saalfeld railway line and could therefore also be well supplied with heavy weapons ( location ).
The Rothenstein system was abandoned by the German armed forces in 2003 and sold to a private investor (Terra Space GmbH) by the regional finance department. A development plan was then laid over the entire property. The former military area is now designated as a commercial area. There is a building permit for the underground storage facility as a high-security storage facility. The property is guarded by a security service .
Lengenfeld
At the Lengenfeld (Vogtland) site, the complex was located near the former cotton spinning mill ( Lage ). During the turnaround in the GDR , a citizens' meeting demanded that the property be opened.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Michael Richter: The Peaceful Revolution: Departure for Democracy in Saxony 1989-90, Volume 1. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 2009, page 1065.