Unusual Nazi Bomb Shelters

[Wiseguy A]

First appearing in 1936, they were quickly dubbed "cigarette stubbs" or "sugar beet heads". Officially they were called Winkeltürme (Winkel Towers)- after their architect Leo Winkel of Duisburg. Winkel patented his design in 1934, and in the following years Germany built 98 Winkeltürme of five different types.

http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/05/strange-towers-of-third-reich.html

 

[miss_elise]

crazy... the nazi's built giant phallus' all over the country....

 

[Wiseguy A]

crazy... the nazi's built giant phallus' all over the country....

I didn't want to put it that way, but yes.

 

[BellyTank]

Phalli.


B
T

 

[miss_elise]

is that the plural? i wasn't sure... most of the other ones i can get... at least i'm not like my friend who insists that the plural of octopus is octopodes

 

[Wiseguy A]

I guess without a definite rooftop they are hard to bomb from the air

 

[miss_elise]

yeah, you can fit quite a lots of people in them apparently, and the smaller area make them harder to target... plus the bottom is all reinforced so when the bomb lands, it slides down the side and explodes at the bottom... kind of a neat concept really...

 

[Smithy]

Not just Germany, Here is Trondheim near the U-boat pens, there are similar structures which were used for protecting ammunition. This was one of the largest Kriegsmarine bases during the war and the RAF came over here often bombing and strafing shipping and naval traffic, so the area around the U-boat pens was heavily fortified. The Germans built these as others have said as the are difficult to hit from the air and their ability to deflect direct overhead strikes.

I'll try and take some photos sometime and post them here. The structures and U-boat pens, as well as bunkers are still all present.