Tour Report: Soviet Tank Army Headquarters

Only about 200 meters away from the stone bust of Lenin you can discover another relic of the Soviet occupation, and Lenin has a place there too. It is the headquarters of a Soviet tank army, which was located in a luxurious housing estate during the Cold War. The officers' mess was housed in a former rest home, while other departments were housed in buildings in the surrounding park.

Due to the short distance, we didn't even have to go back to the car, we could go straight there. The grounds were densely overgrown with trees and bushes, but were not cordoned off, so we could simply walk from the road to the mansion-like building that was once the officers' mess. It was here that we crossed paths with Lenin again. A statue of the revolutionary stood in the middle of the thicket, as if he was still watching over the grounds 30 years after the withdrawal of the Soviet troops - his gaze stoically fixed straight ahead.

At first we couldn't find an entrance to the building. At the back, however, we discovered two entrances: an air-raid tunnel that led via a staircase into the bunkered basement of the building, and a direct entrance via a staircase into the said basement.

The listed former rest home is architecturally really beautiful to look at - the Soviet officers probably had a very good time here. However, with the exception of the bunkered cellar, there aren't really many relics of the Soviet army left to discover in the building. Nevertheless, we really enjoyed exploring it, as it is a really beautiful place.

From the officers' mess, we explored the rest of the grounds. The other buildings were not nearly as beautiful; they were brick-built and plastered office barracks like those found in many Soviet bases and garrisons.

However, there were still a few relics to discover in these office buildings: a few pieces of furniture, maps, the classic newspapers on the walls and even some clothes had been left behind by the Soviets.

We hadn't expected the area behind the officers' mess to be so large. It was probably bigger, but part of the area is already being reused.

All in all, it was a very exciting exploration in beautiful weather and with some great surprises!

To find out a bit more about the history of the place and to check out all the photos, click the button below.

Tour Report: Goodbye, Lenin!

Lenin's head stands in an overgrown meadow in a small town in Brandenburg - alone, half-hidden behind a bush, as if history itself had become entangled here. The stone bust rises silently from the ground, almost absorbed by nature, and yet it is impossible to miss. The sight of it is irritating and captivating at the same time: in the middle of this hidden area, far from any official place of remembrance, it seems to be a fragment from another time - resistant, forgotten and yet unbrokenly present.

It is as if the head has found shelter in this place - a kind of silent exile after the end of the ideological age that once elevated it. The bushes and growing trees seem like a natural veil, like they are protecting something that does not want to be found. The fact that this memorial has survived hardly seems coincidental: since the withdrawal of Soviet troops, the region has been systematically cleared up - memorial plaques removed, statues toppled, traces erased. But here, in a no man's land between consciousness and oblivion, the head remains. Neither officially preserved nor destroyed, it seems to have stolen itself from the field of vision of time - like a silent witness waiting for something that will never happen again.

Not far away are a few residential buildings that were expropriated by the Soviet army after the Second World War. After reunification, they underwent extensive renovation and were converted into modern living spaces. Behind the largest building is a small green area with playground equipment - a place of everyday life. But behind it begins an undesigned wilderness left to its own devices. The bust lies right on the threshold between a cultivated habitat and a natural mess - without a pedestal, marked by decay. Its nose is damaged and a gaping hole in the back of its head reveals a hollow interior with only dried leaves and scattered pebbles. The view inside is sobering - and yet there is something mysterious about it, as if this place holds a secret that eludes quick access.

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Tour Report: Peenemünde Power Station

This decommissioned power plant on the island of Usedom is not an abandoned place. It is a museum. The power plant was built to supply the nearby oxygen factory with enough electricity to produce the fuel for Germany's A4 (V2) rockets. It is the last remaining complete building of the Peenemünde testing facilities and conveys the industrial character of work within the armaments projects. The entire building is designed as a freely accessible monument.

On a beautiful day in June 2020, we drove to the island together with a friend who does not partake in the hobby of urban exploration, but does have a historical interest. In the way, we made a short stop at the ruin of the oxygen factory, only to find out that it wasn't accessible anymore. It would have been nice to have another look at it, but this way, we got to the museum pretty shortly after it opened that day.

A short path leads from the parking lot to the power plant site. Among other things, a V1 (flying bomb) and a V2 are on display on the forecourt. You can also take a look at a few wagons from the former factory railroad.

Upon entering the museum, we were almost completely alone in the huge halls of the old power station, which was a blessing, because I could take photos using a tripod without people walking around in the scene. We took the opportunity and explored every accessible area of the main building before exiting again and checking out the technical building.

As the museum was populated by more and more visitors, we took some time to look at the exhibits in the outdoor area before walking over to the harbor to check out the old Juliet-Class Soviet submarine.

This was a really nice day with sunny skies, warm weather and - contrary to most of our other explorations - without the risk of getting caught by security.

To find out a bit more about the history of the place and to check out all the photos, click the button below.