Schwarzenberg barracks

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Schwarzenbergkaserne ( village )
locality
Schwarzenbergkaserne (Austria)
Red pog.svg
Basic data
Pole. District , state Salzburg area  (SL), Salzburg
Judicial district Salzburg
Pole. local community Wals-Siezenheim   ( KG  Siezenheim I, Wals I)
Coordinates 47 ° 47 '50 "  N , 12 ° 59' 0"  E Coordinates: 47 ° 47 '50 "  N , 12 ° 59' 0"  Ef1
height 437  m above sea level A.
Residents of the village 17 (January 1, 2020)
Post Code 5071 Wals
prefix + 43/0662 (Wals)
Statistical identification
Locality code 13946
image
Schwarzenberg barracks, bottom right in the aerial photo
Source: STAT : index of places ; BEV : GEONAM ; SAGIS
17th

The Schwarzenbergkaserne is the largest barracks of the Austrian Armed Forces in terms of area directly on the western city limits of the provincial capital Salzburg in Austria in the municipality of Wals-Siezenheim . With 240 hectares, the barracks is so extensive that it represents a separate village of the municipality.

history

Camp Roeder

After the victory of the anti-Hitler coalition over the German Reich in World War II (see: unconditional surrender of the Wehrmacht ), Austria was divided into four zones of occupation . The state of Salzburg was part of the US zone. The USFA ( United States Forces in Austria ) took over the properties of the German Wehrmacht . It was problematic that some of these accommodations were needed to accommodate displaced persons ; in the state of Salzburg alone this was 68,000 people. In addition, the available accommodations did not quantitatively meet the needs of the US troops. However, after the failure of the state treaty negotiations of 1950 and the situation in the Cold War , which came to a head as a result of the Korean War, it became apparent that the occupation of Austria would last even longer. The US troop accommodation in Salzburg (e.g. in Camp Kleßheim, Camp Lehen, Camp Riedenburg, Camp Truscott) also did not offer the possibility of a quick increase in troops, which should be relocated from the USA in the event of an emergency .

For these reasons, the USFA offices began planning a division barracks in Salzburg at the end of 1950 . Anif , the Salzachspitz in Lehen and Wals-Siezenheim were considered as potential locations . While the Salzachspitz was quickly rejected by the US authorities (risk of flooding, no meaningful transport and airport connections), there were protests by the population at the other two locations. After interventions with the Salzburg provincial and Austrian federal governments and a series of internal political differences, the Wals-Siezenheim location, which was considered the most sensible because of its proximity to the motorway and airport, was implemented. The site was confiscated by the USFA, then bought by the Republic of Austria and leased back to the USFA; the landowners were compensated with three times the basic price customary at the time.

The barracks should correspond to the type of a US division barracks. The construction site had the dimensions of 3 × 1 km. Construction began on June 1, 1951, and completion was expected in late 1952. In addition to the immediate proximity to the motorway and airport, a siding was also built, which was built in the Second World War to the Führer’s guest house in Kleßheim Palace on the main Salzburg-Munich line and only had to be continued. Accommodation for soldiers was built here in a very short time, as well as its own waterworks, a substation with its own line from the Wiestal reservoir , a waste incineration plant, two sewage treatment plants, a large cinema, places for military training (arena, pistol shooting range, etc.) and a separate industrial section Depots and workshops as well as various other facilities for recreational activities. There were no ammunition depots on the site, because the ammunition was loaded onto trucks with 1-ton trailers that were housed in constantly changing locations. Only later were larger amounts of ammunition stored in the former ammunition store in Gois. On December 19, 1951, the inauguration took place in the presence of American and Austrian celebrities (the church inauguration was carried out by Archbishop Andreas Rohracher ).

In addition, housing estates were built in Lehen (General-Keyes-Straße) to accommodate families of soldiers and a second one in the immediate vicinity of Camp Roeder.

The camp was named after Captain Robert E. Roeder, who fell on Monte Battaglia in Italy on September 28, 1944 and was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor on April 17, 1945 for his bravery .

Schwarzenberg barracks

With the signing of the State Treaty on May 15, 1955, the end of the US garrison in Salzburg came in sight. On October 15, 1955, Camp Roeder was handed over to the Austrian Armed Forces or administratively to the Federal Building Administration II. The inventory was brought to West Germany or auctioned off at Kleßheim Palace. No agreement could be reached on part of the facilities, which was then scrapped (e.g. large laundry, bowling alleys).

In 1956/57 part of the barracks was used as an internment camp for around 750 deserted Hungarian soldiers after the collapse of the Hungarian people's uprising .

On November 3, 1967, the barracks were renamed Schwarzenberg barracks after Field Marshal Karl Philipp Fürst zu Schwarzenberg - the Austrian commander in chief of the allied armed forces at the Battle of Leipzig (1813).

Current developments

After the turn of the century, the barracks lost a lot of space due to restructuring and changed areas of responsibility for the Austrian Armed Forces as well as the great desire of the surrounding community for an industrial and commercial park, which is now used as a commercial area. The barracks are still the largest barracks in Austria with 240 hectares and around 400 buildings.

Since July 2015, 87 refugees have been accommodated in the barracks for the Federal Ministry of the Interior.

Location and traffic

The barracks can be reached directly with the city ​​bus line 2 and via the A1 exit Salzburg - Airport .

Stationed organizational units

See also

literature

  • Gerhard L. Fasching and Otto H. Rainer: The Dislocation of the US Armed Forces 1945 to 1955 in Salzburg. In Hans Bayr et al .: Salzburg 1945-1955. Destruction and rebuilding. Museum Carolino Augusteum ( MCA annual publication 40/41), Salzburg 1995, ISBN 3-901014-43-8 , pp. 289–321.

Web links

Commons : Schwarzenbergkaserne  - Collection of images