top of page

Stasi bunker makers

The former alternative control point of the head of the district administration for state security in Leipzig is well camouflaged in the local recreation area Lübschützer Teiche with Machern. The property was disguised as a vacation facility of VEB Wasserversorgung Leipzig. In the middle of the complex, which consists of several buildings, is the bunker, which was built from 1968 to 1971 and whose entrance was camouflaged with a barrack. In the event of tension and mobilization, the Leipzig Stasi chief and his staff, a total of around 100 full-time employees, would have relocated their office from headquarters to Machern. The bunker is open to visitors every last weekend of the month from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and is part of the museum memorial in the “Runden Ecke” in Leipzig. The entire 5.2 hectare, listed site with all preserved buildings and systems as well as the 1,435 square meter bunker interior can be visited. The interior of the bunker was particularly interesting for me, because a few months ago I used a flashlight to explore the structurally identical but looted bunker of the Stasi district administration in Berlin, east of Berlin. In Machern, however, I was only able to get an idea of how such a bunker should work.

bottom of page