The large hill in Volkspark Friedrichshain covers one of three anti-aircraft bunkers from World War II. Part of the bunker are still visible near the top of the hill.

To most people, it looks like a regular graffiti wall. But to bunker fans, it’s the flak tower sticking out from the top of the Big Bunker Mountain.

The Big Bunker Mountain is located in one of Berlin’s most popular parks, Volkspark Friedrichshain. Situated just a short distance from Alexanderplatz, it’s a gathering place for exercisers, families with children, dog walkers and anyone who seeking an escape from the hectic intersection of the Mitte and Friedrichshain districts.

The park truly looks like a fairytale. At the entrance, on the corner of Am Friedrichshain and Friedenstraße, you are greeted by the Fairytale Well, a fountain featuring characters from the Brothers Grimm stories.

Fairytale Fountain in Volkspark Friedrichshain.
The Fairytale Well with characters from the Brothers Grimm fairytales.
Photo by Chrissie Sternschnuppe@Flickr. CC BY-SA

During World War II, the park was turned into a military zone. The second of three flak towers was built there from April to October 1941. It protected against bombers with four heavy 128 mm guns and twelve 20 mm light gun.

Like the flak tower in Humboldthain, the flak tower in Volkspark Friedrichshain was destroyed when the war ended. The command tower that sent signals to the semi-automatic guns on the flak tower was also destroyed.

The flak tower was demolished in 1946. The Soviet army put 40,000 kg of explosives in four ammo chambers at the bottom corners of the tower. The blast blew out the bottom floor on all sides, making the five-story tower one floor shorter. The tower also split in half.

ADN-ZB/Donath
Berlin, Gesprengter Bunker im Friedrichshain. 
Aufn. August 1949
The flak tower was one floor smaller after the blast, and it split in half.
Photo by Otto Donath/Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-M1203-316@Wikimedia. CC BY-SA

After that, 3,000 women called Trümmerfrauen (rubble women) spent four years covering the ruins with rubble from the destroyed neighborhood. They also made paths and planted trees on the hill.

Today, the big hill is called Big Bunker Mountain or Mont Klamott, and the smaller hill with the command tower is called Little Bunker Mountain.

Even though the cracked flak tower is covered, there is one spot where the bunker can still be seen. It’s hard to notice, and every day joggers pass by without realizing it is a Nazi bunker, a reminder of a past we should not return to.

This graffiti wall atop the big bunker mountain in Friedrichshain is the remains of a World War II flak tower.
The visible part of the bunker appears just below the top of the Big Bunker Mountain.
Photo by  Chrissie Sternschnuppe@Flickr. CC BY-SA.

Before you get to the top of Big Bunker Mountain, you’ll see a piece of concrete covered in graffiti. That’s what’s left of the flak tower. In the old photo higher up in the article, it’s the small triangle pointing up in the center.

Remains of the flak tower in Friedrichshain.
The concrete wall where the flak tower broke in half.
Photo by Chrissie Sternschnuppe@Flickr. CC BY-SA.
The little bunker girl posing in front of the remains of the Friedichshain flak tower.

Where:
Großer Bunkerberg (Big Bunker Mountian) in Volkspark Friedrichshain.

Price: Free
Family friendly: Yes

Written by


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *