Kopal barracks

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The Kopal barracks was a last from the Austrian army used and after Karl von Kopal named barracks . It was closed in 2006. The facility was located on an area of ​​over 29 hectares in the St. Pölten district of Spratzern on Mariazeller Strasse near the West Autobahn .

history

The area of ​​the later Spratzern barracks was purchased in 1888 as a parade and training area for the troops of the St. Pölten garrison. After Austria was annexed to Hitler's Germany in 1938, the capacity of the city barracks was insufficient to accommodate the planned units of the German Wehrmacht , which is why a barrack camp was built within a few months. It was designed to accommodate two battalions . Since the training area was now blocked, the Völtendorf garrison training area, only a few kilometers away, was created.

Before the start of the Second World War , the barracks which served Cavalry Rifle Regiment 10 and the tank battalion 33 of the 4th Light Division as a shelter during the war were the Panzerersatz- and Training Department 33 and Kraftfahrerersatz- and education departments 17 and 45 several training troops at the location.

After the Second World War

Almost unscathed, the Soviet occupying power took over the camp in 1945 and stationed a tank regiment there until it withdrew in 1955 as a result of the state treaty .

After the Hungarian uprising in 1956, it served as a transit camp for Hungarian refugees.

Federal Army

In 1957 the camp stood empty and was in a bad state of preservation. Nevertheless, Brigade Artillery Division 2 of the Federal Army was relocated here in September of that year and remained stationed in Spratzern until it was relocated in March 1962. The first masonry accommodation began to be built as early as the end of 1959, and three team buildings had been completed by 1962.

In 1960 the conversion of the stationed here began Infantry Battalion 10 for Tank Battalion 10 , which made a substantial expansion of the warehouse needed. The armored halls were renovated and lined with a fire-retardant brick wall inside, a gas station and a tank workshop were set up. After a few further extensions, the renovation was completed in mid-1965. Spratzern became the central maintenance facility for all armored vehicles of the 3rd Panzer Grenadier Brigade with workshop company 3 .

In 1971 a sports field was built in the western part of the barracks. It comprised a soccer field, a 333.3- and a 100-meter running track, high and long jump facilities and tennis courts. A fire water pond created by the Wehrmacht was converted into an outdoor pool. In 1978 a simulator house was built, which accommodated three shooting simulators for tanks. In 1987 the artist Gottfried Helnwein designed the performance "God of the Untermenschen" in the Kopal barracks.

In the course of the "Army Reform 2010" decided in 2005, the Panzerbataillon 10 and with it the Kopal barracks were closed. The last tank left the barracks on June 12, 2006. These were divided between tank battalions 33 and 14 and the tank troop school in Zwölfaxing.

sale

The sale of the barracks was put out to tender in early 2007. The minimum price was set at 17.8 million euros.

Although no buyer was found by the beginning of 2010, according to the property management company SIVBEG, the price should remain at the minimum sale price and not be reduced. In 2011 it was reduced and in August 2011 it was sold for around 12.9 million euros to the architect Julius Eberhardt , who died in March 2012. In June 2012 the 33 hectare site was sold to the foundation around the XXXLutz group.

Further use

While the armed forces no longer used the barracks and no new buyer was found, the area was used as a parking area for the Frequency music festival , but also as a festival area. In December 2013, part of the area under the name Die Kaserne served as a “pop-up club”, i.e. a short-term club location. The area and buildings of the barracks are currently being used as an industrial park for warehouses and storage areas.

See also

literature

  • Alois Eder (Red :): Sprattles then and now. Magistrate of the state capital St. Pölten - cultural administration, St. Pölten 2002.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ "God of the Untermenschen" campaign ( memento from July 12, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) on the homepage of Gottfried Helnwein
  2. ↑ Bundesheer - Current - The last battle tank leaves the Kopal barracks. Retrieved June 1, 2016 .
  3. ↑ Kopal barracks advertised on ORF from January 21, 2007; Retrieved March 22, 2010
  4. ↑ Kopal-Kaserne St. Pölten found no buyer on ORF of March 22, 2010; Retrieved March 22, 2010
  5. ^ The architect bought the St. Pöltner Kopal barracks in Lower Austria on August 30, 2011; Retrieved August 30, 2011
  6. ↑ Kopal barracks sold to the Lutz Foundation ( memento from June 24, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) on NÖN from June 20, 2012 accessed on June 23, 2012
  7. ↑ How to get to the Frequency ( Memento from August 15, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
  8. ↑ Former barracks becomes a party location in Kurier , online edition, November 24, 2013
  9. ↑ Commercial real estate in St. Pölten - Kopal business park. Retrieved June 1, 2016 .

Coordinates: 48 ° 10 ′ 50.2 ″  N , 15 ° 36 ′ 56.4 ″  E