Kaiser Wilhelm Kaserne
- Kaiser Wilhelm Kaserne Mannheim
- Kaiser Wilhelm Kaserne Frankfurt
- Kaiser Wilhelm Ii Daughter
- Kaiser Wilhelm Kaserne
Wehrmacht Posts/ Kaserne
Part 3
Kaiser-Grenadier-Kaserne, Grenadier-Regiment Kaiser Wilhelm, Konig von Preussen Nr. 101 Dresden, Kaserne des 2. Grenadier, Regiments Nr. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images. Interestingly, the father of a college friend of mine was stationed at Kaiser Wilhelm Kaserne for a period while in the German army in World War I. He was later wounded in France but recovered. The family moved to the US in the 20's. He passed on several years ago. Turley Barracks before World War I. Nachdem Metz als Folge des Krieges von 1870/71 an Deutschland gefallen war, besetzten deutsche Truppen die Kaserne, die dann zu Ehren von Wilhelm I. In „Kaiser Wilhelm-Kaserne“ umbenannt wurde. Belegt wurde sie mit dem I. Bataillon des Infanterie Regiments Nr. Mihalko family in Germany. Some information is courtesy of 'US Army in Germany, 1945-1989' www.usarmygermany.com Installation names in red are installations occupied and used by American Forces in the Occupation and/or early Cold War period but then returned to. Check out Ehemalige Kaiser-Wilhelm-Kaserne, an MTB attraction recommended by 20 other mountain bikers! With 19 photos & 1 insider tips, here’s everything you need to know!
Part 3 features Wehrmacht militaryposts in the following locations: Thüringen - Meiningen; Bavaria- Füssen; Rheinland-Pfalz - Baumholder,Bad Kreuznach; Baden-Württemberg - Schwetzingen,Mannheim, Heidelberg, Wertheim; Hamburg;Niedersachsen - Bergen-Hohne, Wolfenbüttel;Hessen - Friedberg, Gelnhausen.
Note: This page shows only afew such sites .. I would be very pleased to hear from anyonewho would like to share similar then-and-now photos from other Wehrmacht postsin Germany. Contact me at: walden01 (at) comcast.net.
To view various Wehrmacht Kasernesites in northern Germany, visit the ForgottenHistory page.
Note: Afterabandonment by the military and return to the German government, many 1930s-eraKaserne are either partially or totally torn down, so the buildings shown herein modern photos may no longer be there.
| Two Kaserne were built in the southern Thüringen city of Meiningen during the Third Reich period, and other older posts were remodeled during the 1930s. These postcards show the Artillerie-Kaserne, or Barbara-Kaserne (St. Barbara being the patron saint of artillerymen). The Barbara-Kaserne was built from 1935-36 to house units from the 2nd and (later) 4th Panzer Divisions. (MapQuest Map Link) |
| The Drachenberg-Kaserne was built in 1935 for the staff of Panzer-Brigade 2, and other units. The Drachenberg-Kaserne was used after the war by East German Border Guards, and is still in use today by German border troops (the buildings have been somewhat modified from their 1930s appearance). (period postcards) |
| The Hauptkaserne (Main Kaserne) was built in 1865-67, with further modifications through the 1930s. The remaining buildings have been preserved as business offices. Below - Schützen-Regiment-Meiningen parades in front of the Hauptkaserne. (above - 1934-dated postcard) |
The Barbara-Kaserne was used by the Soviet military forces (parts of the 39th Guards Motorized Rifle Division) during the Cold War, but the buildings were abandoned following the Soviet pull-out in 1991. Note the similarity of these buildings to those at Manteuffel Kaserne in Bad Kissingen, which became Daley Barracks under the U.S. 2/11th ACR - the opponents of the Soviet forces here in Meiningen. (Note - this particular building was torn down ca. 2002, and the destruction of this site will apparently continue.) |
Artillery units of the 2nd and 4th Panzer Divisions were stationed here prior to World War II, then the post was used as a hospital during the war. Since the pullout of Soviet troops these buildings have become derelict, although they retain some interesting reminders of their previous occupants, such as Russian newspapers used as wallpaper backing, and flag holders above the doors with Red Star insignia. |
| Buildings of the Barbara-Kaserne as they appeared in 2005. These remaining buildings were demolished in 2010 (thanks to Nicolas Flamel for info). |
| This military barracks was built in Füssen for Gebirgs Artillerie - Mountain Artillery troops. It is called the Allgäu Kaserne today, and still has a painted mural of a Mountain Troops soldier on the wall. (courtesy Jeff Clark) (Google Maps link) |
Baumholder(Rheinland-Pfalz)
| A military training area and large weapons range complex was established in 1937 near the village of Baumholder. This Kaserne was occupied in 1945 by the French Army, then by the U.S. Army in 1951 as H.D. Smith Barracks. The period view shows Allied vehicles occupying Baumholder shortly after the end of the war. (Google Maps link) |
| Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Baumholder Kaserne is this stone swastika, built into the side of a former administration building. Although slightly altered during a 2013 remodeling, the swastika is still there today, certainly one of the more unique remains of the Third Reich (see here). |
BadKreuznach (Rheinland-Pfalz)
| Hindenburg Kaserne was built in Bad Kreuznach in 1938. The main buildings had decorative slate work over the roof windows featuring eagles with swastikas, crosses, swords, and coats of arms (see more here). The complex was occupied by the U.S. Army in March 1945, but then turned over to the French Army. The U.S. Army again took the Kaserne over in 1951, renaming it Rose Barracks in honor of Maj. Gen. Maurice Rose, commander of the 3rd Armored Division, killed in World War II (the Kaserne in Vilseck is also named for Gen. Rose). The Kaserne was turned back over to German control during the drawdown of U.S. forces in Germany in the mid-1990s. (Google Maps link) |
Schwetzingen(Baden-Württemberg)
| A Panzer Kaserne for Panzer Regiment 23, designed by Dieter Lang and Fritz Schmitt, was built outside the town of Schwetzingen in 1937-38. The U.S. Army occupied this post as Tompkins Barracks from 1945-2013. These photos show the main gate building. (Gerdy Troost, 'Das Bauen im neuen Reich,' Vol. 2, Bayreuth, 1943) (Google Maps link) |
| A unique 1938 mosaic of two armored knights ('Die Gepanzerten') decorates the gate house. |
| Views from 1938-1941 of the main gate (above) and main buildings of the Kaserne (below), with corresponding views today. (period postcard views from usarmygermany.com) |
Mannheim (Baden-Württemberg)
| Fliegerhorst Kaserne in Mannheim-Sandhofen was established in 1937 at a pre-war airfield. The post is used today by the U.S. Army as Coleman Barracks. (Google Maps link) |
| Gallwitz Kaserne in Mannheim was built in the late 1930s. The U.S. Army used this post as Funari Barracks. The post is now closed and locked up. (period postcards)(Google Maps link) |
| Kaiser-Wilhelm-Kaserne was built in Mannheim in 1901. When these photos were taken ca. 1936, the post was the home of Artillerie-Regiment 69. The U.S. Army used the post as Turley Barracks from 1945 until about 2009. When the modern photos were taken in 2016, most of these buildings were being remodeled as office buildings (see the photos at bottom). (photos donated) (Google Maps link) |
Heidelberg(Baden-Württemberg)
| Großdeutschland Kaserne was built in Heidelberg in 1937, and so-named in 1938 after Austria joined the German Reich. The modern view above shows the street side of the main building; the period photo shows the other side (parade field side). The post had several military sculpture decorations - two eagles at the main gate (see here), soldier figures on the façade of the headquarters building (below), and soldier relief carvings at the doorways to other buildings inside the post. The U.S. Army used the post as Campbell Barracks from 1945-2013; for many years this was the headquarters of U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR). (Google Maps link) |
Wertheim(Baden-Württemberg)
| A Fliegerhorst (airfield) was built in Wertheim in 1937. Stuka units and others flew from there during World War II. The Kaserne was used by the U.S. Army from 1945-1992 as Peden Barracks; it is now a business park. (Prof. Gerdy Troost, 'Das Bauen im Neuen Reich,' Part 2, Bayreuth, 1943)(Google Maps link) |
Friedberg(Hessen)
| Above - U.S. Army SP/4 Elvis Presley, 1st Battalion 32nd Armored Regiment, 3rd Armored Division, stands in front of the main gate of Ray Barracks in Friedberg in 1959. The post was started before World War I as Wartturm Kaserne, and used by the Wehrmacht in World War II (the gate building seen above is from the 1930s), and by the U.S. Army from 1945-2007. The post is now abandoned and locked up, except once a year during the local Elvis festival. (Google Maps link) Below - In April 1959 Elvis helped in the relocation of a local military monument for World War I dead in Steinfurth, a part of the city of Bad Nauheim, where Elvis lived. The monument remains in this location today, at the town cemetery. The block labeled HELDEN 1914-1918 (Heroes) that Elvis was guiding is outlined in red in the modern photo. (U.S. Army photo)(Google Maps link) |
Gelnhausen(Hessen)
| Herzbachkaserne was built in Gelnhausen in 1936. This was (and is) one of the most attractive Kaserne sites in Germany, with barracks and administration buildings surrounding a lake. The post originally housed Panzer Abwehr Abteilung 9 (anti-tank battalion). The U.S. Army arrived in 1945 and used the post as Coleman Barracks until 1994. Gen. Colin Powell was stationed here as a Lieutenant in 1958-60 and a street is still named for him. The barracks buildings are now used to house refugees, with a Police station in one of the buildings. Below - one of the gate buildings. (period postcards)(Google Maps link) |
| The weather vane on the cupola of what was the Wehrmacht administration building and officers club features an artillery piece and the date 1936. |
| What makes this one of the most interesting Kaserne sites in Germany is the series of nine red sandstone relief carvings above the barracks building entry doorways, depicting various military conflicts in Germanic history. Above - Roman soldiers prepare siege weapons and attack their enemies from chariots.Below - Romans fight Germanic Cimbri and Teutonic tribesmen, ca. 100 B.C. The Germanic soldier in the center has a swastika on his shield. (info from http://www.gudrunkauck.de/Gelnhausen-Kaserne.html by Gudrun Kauck) |
| Above - The Germanic leader Arminius (Armin the Cherusker, Hermann the German) successfully battles the Romans in the Teutoburg Forest. Below - Said to portray Siegfried, hero of the Nibelung Saga. One of the figures (Siegfried?) is wearing a swastika brooch on his tunic. |
| Above - Saxon King Heinrich I (Henry the Fowler) leads German forces against Hungarians (Magyars) and other enemies. Below left - Thirty Years War (1618-1648). Below right - Napoleonic Wars - Baron von Stein (Heinrich Friedrich Karl von und zu Stein) as a Prussian leader during the defeat of Napoleon's French army in 1813-1815. |
| In a contemporary (1936) salute to the Kaserne's anti-tank battalion, this vignette shows a German Army crew engaging what appear to be Russian T26 tanks with their 3.7cm Pak 36 anti-tank gun. Note the ammunition handler at far right, lying on the ground and handing a cartridge forward to the gun loader. |
| The final relief depicts a Wehrmacht soldier of 1936 clasping hands with an SA Mann (left) and a factory worker or smith (right), with the legend IM JAHRE DER EHRE 1936 (In the Year of Honor 1936). To the left of the central group (below left) are figures depicting an architect, a doctor (?), a girl in a BDM jacket (Bund Deutscher Mädel), and a mother with child. The group to the right (below right) includes a mother with a boy in HJ uniform (Hitler Jugend) and figures that have been defaced by explosive and/or machine gun damage (several of the previous figures also show bullet damage, probably from 1945). These final figures are unclear, but may show a farmer couple in Trachten (regional costume), and the final figure is evidently a journeyman carpenter, from his distinctive bell-bottom pants. |
| A Kaserne named for the capture of Fort Douaumont at Verdun during WW1 was established in Hamburg in the early 1930s. The Kaserne serves today as a Bundeswehr University. A large pylon with an eagle remains in front of the Kaserne. (period postcards in author's collection) (Google Maps link) |
| A monument honoring the German East Africa troops in WW1 was built adjacent to Estorff Kaserne in Hamburg. The monument also honored Rommel's Akrika Korps after WW2. The monument still exists in a gated park; today the eagle bears an iron cross instead of a swastika. (period postcard in author's collection)(Google Maps link) |
Bergen-Hohneand Wolfenbüttel (Niedersachsen)
| The Bergen-Hohne Kaserne has served as a training area since 1935. Today it is used by both the British Army and the German Bundeswehr. The building seen here was the Wehrmacht Offizier Heim. Today it is a British Army community center called the Roberts Roundhouse, or just the Roundhouse. (Google Maps link) |
| Flak Kaserne in Wolfenbüttel was built in 1935 for Flak Regiment 36. The post's appearance has changed very little, but it is no longer used by the military. (period postcard)(Google Maps link) |
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Wehrmacht Posts/ Kaserne
Part 2
3 slot graphics cards. Part 2 featuresWehrmacht military posts in the following locations: Bavaria - Grafenwöhr, BadTölz, Berchtesgaden, BadReichenhall, Garmisch, Munich;Hessen - Butzbach, Giessen, Frankfurt, Fulda,Bad Hersfeld; Rheinland-Pfalz - Baumholder,Baden-Württemberg - Karlsruhe.
Note: This page shows only a few such sites .. I would be very pleased to hear from anyone who would like to share similarthen-and-now photos from other Wehrmacht posts in Germany. Contact me at: walden01 (at) comcast.net.
To view various WehrmachtKaserne sites in northern Germany, visit the ForgottenHistory page.
Note: After abandonmentby the military and return to the German government, many 1930s-era Kaserne areeither partially or totally torn down, so the buildings shown here in modernphotos may no longer be there.
Grafenwöhr
| The Grafenwöhr Training Area in northeastern Bavaria was established before World War I as an artillery live-fire range. It was greatly expanded before and during World War II, and is now one of the major U.S. Army live-fire range areas in Germany. The best-known site at 'Graf' is the elaborate water tower on the main post, with the military Forsthaus (forestry house) beside it. (1936 postcard in author's collection) (MapQuest Map Link) |
| More period postcards of the Grafenwöhr Kaserne - on the left, barracks buildings; on the right, the section of the Kaserne for artillery troops. |
These 1938 decorations appear above doorways on several buildings in the 620-630 range (near the Post Exchange (PX). |
| This military cemetery on the Grafenwöhr main post contains the graves of 261 Russians and Romanians who died here as prisoners of war during World War I. |
Click hereto see views of a military ceremony in the town of Grafenwöhr in 1940.
One of the main SS officer cadet training academies (Junkerschule) was at Bad Tölz in the mountains of southern Bavaria. The Bad Tölz Junkerschule was taken over by the U.S. Army in 1945 and served various functions, including as a Division headquarters, Special Forces barracks, and NCO Academy. After the Americans moved out ca. 1995, the buildings stood vacant for several years, but have recently been remodeled into a shopping area. This remodeling included removal of the famous entrance archway, as well as most of the buildings beyond the main quadrangle. |
Distant view of the Bad Tölz Junkerschule (Wenn alle Brüder schweigen, 1981 ed.) (MapQuest Map Link) | Aerial view of the Bad Tölz complex, taken shortly after the end of the war. Under U.S. occupation, the post initially served as headquarters for the 1st Infantry Division. (U.S. Army photo) |
| Changes and construction continue at the Bad Tölz complex. On the left is a view of the gate building from the rear. On the right can be seen the building at the rear of the quadrangle, not yet remodeled (visible through the arch in the period photo below). |
A military barracks complex was built in the Berchtesgaden suburb of Strub in 1936-38 for the 2nd Battalion of Gebirgsjägerregiment 100, and was cited in a 1940 book on German art as a classic example of harmonious military architecture blending into the surroundings. The modern view is from a slightly different angle to show Berchtesgaden's Watzmann mountain in the background. (1942-dated postcard in author's collection) (MapQuest Map Link) |
| Although it has now been turned back over to the Germany military, the Gebirgsjäger Kaserne (Mountain Troops Barracks) was used by the U.S. Army until 1995. (period postcard) |
| Further views of the Gebirgsjägerkaserne in Strub, from period architectural publications and postcards. |
The period insignia over the entry door has been modified so that the eagle holds an edelweiss flower (symbol of the Mountain Troops), instead of a swastika. | The Lion Monument memorializes all those of the Mountain Troops who have lost their lives in war, in particular the Mountain Troops of World War II. |
For other photos of Berchtesgaden area Third Reichbuildings, that were taken over in 1945 by the U.S. Army but have now beenreturned to the German government, see the Berchtesgadenpages.
A military barracks complex was built in Bad Reichenhall, north of Berchtesgaden, from 1934-36. Shown here is the Gebirgs-Artillerie-Kaserne (for mountain artillery troops), also called the Ritter-von-Tutschek-Kaserne. Still used by the Bundeswehr, it is now called the Hochstaufen-Kaserne, and the swastika below the eagle at the corner of the building has been changed to an edelweiss flower. (from period postcards; photo below-right from a private collection) (MapQuest Map Link) |
| 1940s postcard views of the Gebirgs-Artillerie-Kaserne. |
| Gebirgsjäger (mountain troops) parade in the Ritter-von-Tutschek-Kaserne in these winter views. (courtesy Stewart McCartney) |
This is the Gebirgsjäger Kaserne, or Mackensen-Kaserne. The period soldier paintings no longer appear on this building, which is just down the street from the Artillerie Kaserne. This Kaserne was built for the staff and 3rd Battalion of Gebirgsjägerregiment 100. (1940-dated postcard in author's collection; my thanks to Torben Behrens for info about this site) |
| German Gebirgstruppen (Mountain Troops)had two posts at Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the Bavarian Alps. Above is the Gebirgsjäger-Kaserne, also called the General-von-Epp-Kaserne. This post is used by the U.S. Army today as the Marshall Center. The post shown below was the regional military hospital. It is used today to house refugees (see also here). (Google Maps links - above; below) |
This period wall mural is in a building now used by the U.S. Army as its PostExchange (PX) in the Garmisch community.
(Note - This Kaserne was closed in 2006 and this building has been demolished.)
| Period postcard views of two of the several Kaserne in Munich. On the left, the Nachrichten Kaserne, built for signals units. On the right, the Kaserne for Panzer Abwehr Abteilung 7 (Armor Replacement Battalion) in the Munich suburb of Freimann.Click here to see other Kaserne in Munich. |
Butzbach(Hessen)
| Butzbach is located in the Wetterau region of Hessen, near Giessen. Before World War I, the palace of Count Philipp III was converted into an infantry barracks. This site continued to serve as a barracks through World War II, after which it served the U.S. Army as Schloss Kaserne. The area was returned to the German government in the mid-1990s, and the military buildings were torn down in 1999. The Schloss itself is being restored. (left - 1910-dated postcard) (MapQuest Map Link) |
| Wehrmacht infantry parade at the Butzbach Kaserne in the 1930s. (from 'Spearhead' newspaper, 21 May 1973; 33rd Armored Regiment Assn., www.33darmor.com) |
This parade may have been on the sameoccasion as the photo above. The groups in the center appear to be taking
the Oath of Allegiance, as two officers in the foreground salute. (author'scollection)
| A closer view of the doorway seen in the photos above, with a close-up of the sandstone Reichsadler. |
| These two postcards show the Kaserne in the 1930s, when it was the home of Infantry Regiment 36 (the 1930s buildings seen on the right have been torn down). In a remarkable coincidence, under U.S. Army control from the 1960s-1990s, this post was part of the 1st Brigade, 3rd Armored Division, which included two battalions of the U.S. 36th Infantry Regiment. |
Kaiser Wilhelm Kaserne Mannheim
| The city of Giessen had several military posts, some dating to the period before World War I. Above are two period postcards showing the Wald-Kaserne, or Verdun-Kaserne. This post was later used by the U.S. Army as Rivers Barracks, and is now the Giessen Automeile. (Google Maps link) |
| The Verdun-Kaserne had several bunkers. Click here to read more about these bunker systems. |
| The Berg-Kaserne was built in Giessen in 1887, and other buildings were added later during the Third Reich period. The original iron fencing above at the main gate reads (in English): This Barracks Served from 1887 to 1918 as Quarters for the Glorious Infantry Regiment Kaiser Wilhelm (2d Hessian Grand Duke) No. 116. |
| There is a long wall at the main entry to the Berg-Kaserne, decorated with tiled reliefs depicting workmen, farmers, and their families, with helmeted soldiers standing guard with swords and shields (unfortunately defaced with graffiti today). This 1935-36 work was by the Giessen artist Carl Bourcarde. (Google Maps link) |
| Drake Kaserne in Frankfurt am Main was the headquarters for the U.S. 3rd Armored Division (Spearhead) from the 1950s until the early 1990s. The entry gateway featured two Reichsadlers and an iron gate with interlinked swastikas (this iron gate and the eagles were removed in the 1970s). (photos courtesy Doug Stanley) |
| On the left, an overall view of the Drake Kaserne gate in 1958. On the right, Gibbs Kaserne in Frankfurt as it appeared in 2006, complete with Reichsadler still on one building. (from the U.S. Army in Germany site) |
| In 1937 a Kaserne was built in Fulda for artillery observation units. The major tenant unit during most of the Cold War was the Regimental HQs and 1st Squadron of the 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment from 1951 until it was reflagged as the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in 1972. Under U.S. use, the Kaserne was known as Downs Barracks. In 1993, following the end of the Cold War mission, the Kaserne was returned to German control, and it now houses several government and police offices, and small businesses. (Click here to visit OP Alpha, one of the border sites guarded by 1/11ACR.) (US Army in Germany page; thanks to Max Whipps for further info)(MapQuest Map Link) |
| Then and now views of the main gate building. (period postcard) |
Kaiser Wilhelm Kaserne Frankfurt
| The Kaserne was originally named in honor of Gen. Erich Ludendorff, a World War I hero (and early member of the Nazi Party), and the original plaque still remains at the main gate. Ludendorff was one of the major participants in the 1923 Munich putsch, in which the early Nazi Party attempted to take over the Bavarian government. Ludendorff marched with Hitler to the Feldherrnhalle, where he was the only marcher to advance against the line of police without retreating. |
| Period tunnels still exist beneath the parade field of the former Ludendorff Kaserne. |
| In 1937 a Kaserne was built in Bad Hersfeld for motorcycle and armored car units. The major tenant unit during most of the Cold War was the 3rd Squadron, 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment from 1951 until it was reflagged as the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in 1972. Under U.S. use, the Kaserne was known as McPheeters Barracks. In 1993, following the end of the Cold War mission, the Kaserne was returned to German control, and it now houses several small businesses, government offices, and a school. (Click here to visit OP India, one of the border sites guarded by 3/11ACR.) (period postcards; thanks to Max Whipps for further info)(MapQuest Map Link) |
Kaiser Wilhelm Ii Daughter
| The former McPheeters Barracks is one of the best-preserved Wehrmacht/Cold War posts, that is no longer in use by the military. The Kaserne area is now called the Gewerbepark Hohe Luft. (period postcards) |
Click hereto visit a site about McPheeters Barracks in the 1960s and 1970s.
| Rhein-Kaserne was built in the Karlsruhe suburb of Knielingen from 1935-38. It was occupied by the U.S. Army as Gerszewski Barracks. The photo on the left shows the Hoheitszeichen on a building beside the gate - remains of the swastika still appeared under U.S. Army control in the 1950s and 1960s. The eagle remained until the Kaserne was torn down in 2004. (from the U.S. Army in Germany site and the 79th Engineer Battalion site) |
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Kaiser Wilhelm Kaserne
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