The Nazi bunker, constructed in 1942, took less than a year to build. In fact, it took just 300 days. Its original name was Flakturm IV (Flak Tower IV) and its new name is the Hochbunker located in St Pauli district of Hamburg. It is living proof of the wartime past of Germany. The bunker has been in use even after the end of World War II. It accommodated civilians to take care of the housing crisis in the postwar period.
Later it became a hub of business including a German TV station. There were also nightclubs, radio stations, and studios. It will now become a luxury hotel with a lush rooftop garden and a new travel destination.
CNN describes the bunker. Germany built hundreds of bunkers in Hamburg during the war. The Hochbunker was one of the largest and concentration camp laborers who carried out the work. It was a massive structure with 11.5 feet thick walls. It was impenetrable and could accommodate 18,000 people. The entrance was wide enough and capable of handling women pushing baby carriages. It served as a shelter to people during the summer air raids of 1943.
Nazi bunker to become a luxury hotel
NH Hotel Group has plans to remodel the bunker into a 136-room luxury hotel complete with modern amenities like a bar, café, and restaurant and could open its doors in mid-2021. There will be a rooftop park and a memorial center for the victims of Nazi Germany. Extensions will involve five pyramid-like floors that will offer a panoramic view of Hamburg. There was thinking to demolish it after the war but such an action was not deemed feasible because the number of explosives required would have threatened nearby residential areas too.
CNN says this is a new concept to promote dark tourism. This sort of tourism is gaining momentum because people want to visit places where there have been deaths and sufferings.
A few examples are of holocaust sites, battlefields, prisons, slavery sites, graveyards etcetera. Tourists love to visit exotic locations and a place like this World War II bunker in Hamburg could prove to be a favorite destination in due course of time.
Prisoners from concentration camps built the bunker
According to The Sun UK, the St. Pauli bunker in Hamburg, Germany is of World War II vintage. Prisoners from concentration camps built it and it is set to become a luxury hotel. There will be five floors and the structure will resemble a pyramid. The bunker has four pillars and another one will be added to create a pyramid effect. At present, there are two nightclubs on its premises and it has held events, and music gigs in the past.
This was one of the largest bunkers ever built to serve two purposes – one was to attack Allied aircraft and the other to protect people from attacks. Thousands of people used it during Wwii as protection against air raids.