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Flak towers (German:Flaktürme) were large, above-ground, anti-aircraft gunblockhouse towers constructed byNazi Germany. "Flak" is short foranti-aircraft gun in German:Flugabwehrkanone. There were eight flak tower complexes in the cities ofBerlin (three),Hamburg (two), andVienna (three) from 1940. Other cities that used flak towers includedStuttgart andFrankfurt. Smaller single-purpose flak towers were built at outlying German strongpoints, such as atAngers in France andHeligoland in Germany.
The towers were operated by theLuftwaffe to defend againstAlliedstrategic air raids against these cities duringWorld War II. They also served asair-raid shelters for tens of thousands of local civilians.
After theRAF raid on Berlin in 1940,Adolf Hitler ordered the construction of three massive flak towers to defend the capital from air attack. Each tower had a radar installation with a radar dish which could be retracted behind a thick concrete and steel dome for protection.[1]
Hitler was interested in the design of the towers, and even made some sketches. They were constructed in six months. The priority of the project was such that the Germannational rail schedule was altered to facilitate the shipment of concrete, steel and timber to the construction sites.[1]
With concrete walls up to 3.5 m (11 ft) thick, their designers considered the towers to be invulnerable to attack by the standard ordnance carried by RAF heavy bombers at the time of their construction.
The towers were able to sustain a rate of fire of8,000 rounds per minute from their multi-level guns (albeit mostly smaller-caliber shells, such as the2cm FlaK 30), with a range of up to 14 km (8.7 mi) in a360-degree field of fire. However, only the128 mm (5.0 in) FlaK 40 guns had effective range to defend against the RAF and USAAF heavy bombers. The three flak towers around the outskirts of Berlin created a triangle of anti-aircraft fire that covered the centre of Berlin.
The flak towers had also been designed with the idea of using the above-ground bunkers as a civilian shelter, with room for10,000 civilians and a hospital ward inside. During theBattle of Berlin, occupants formed their own communities, with up to30,000 Berliners taking refuge in one tower during the battle. These towers, much like thekeeps of medieval castles, were some of the safest places in a fought-over city and so the flak towers were some of the last places to surrender to theRed Army, eventually being forced to capitulate as supplies dwindled.[2]
The Soviets, in their assault on Berlin, found it difficult to inflict significant damage on the flak towers, even with some of the largest Soviet guns, such as the203 mm M1931 howitzers.[3]
After the war, the demolition of the towers was often considered not feasible and many remain to this day, with some having been converted for alternative use.
Eachflak tower complex consisted of:
The evaluation of even larger battery towers was commissioned byAdolf Hitler. These would have been three times the size and firepower of flak towers.
The tower built near theBerlin Zoo was the first-generation type and covered the government district. It was also used as a repository for artefacts from the Berlin Museum. The occupants surrendered to Soviets on 30 April 1945. In 1947 the British blew up the G-tower on the second attempt with several tons of explosives. The L-tower was demolished first in July.
Both towers were covered over and now appear to be natural hills inVolkspark Friedrichshain. The G-tower, known asMont Klamott (Rubble Mountain) in Berlin, was the inspiration for songs by singer-songwriterWolf Biermann and the rock bandSilly.
The third of the first-generation flak towers were built atHumboldthain.The G-tower was partially demolished after the war; one side remains visible. The interior can be visited.52°32′50″N13°23′06″E / 52.547238°N 13.384961°E /52.547238; 13.384961. The L-tower was partially demolished after the war; some walls remain visible.52°32′39″N13°23′14″E / 52.544092°N 13.387326°E /52.544092; 13.387326
Heiligengeistfeld (1st generation)53°33′22″N9°58′12″E / 53.556212°N 9.970104°E /53.556212; 9.970104
This tower contains six levels below the rooftop and includes in its design, as part of its air-raid shelter, two identical spaces for protection against gas attacks. One is located on the first floor (above ground level) and the other on the second floor. Both in Tower 1, they are about 300 m2 (3,200 sq ft) in area and have six windows (openings in the wall).[5]
The L-tower was demolished after the war53°33′10″N9°58′02″E / 53.55285°N 9.967314°E /53.55285; 9.967314. The G-tower was transformed into anightclub with a music school and music shops. In 2019 theNH Hotel Group announced plans to turn it into a luxury hotel with arooftop garden. Construction was planned to take place in 2021 and opening in 2022. After the reconstruction the height was to increase to 58 m, with five additional floors. There were to be thirteen stairs.[6]
The construction was completed 2 years behind schedule in 2024, The hotel, called "Reverb", first opened in April, with a capacity of 134 guest rooms.[7] The rooftop garden opened in July and contains 4,700 trees and shrubs.[8]
The tower atWilhelmsburg is a 2nd-generation type.The G-tower remains to this day,53°30′36″N9°59′24″E / 53.51006°N 9.98993°E /53.51006; 9.98993, the L-tower was demolished after the war.
