Flak tower

The 'G-Tower' atAugarten,Vienna. The top of the 'L-Tower' is visible to the right.

Flak towers(German:Flaktürme) were large, above-ground,anti-aircraftgunblockhousetowers constructed byNazi Germany.There were a total of 8 flak tower complexes in the cities ofBerlin(three),Hamburg(two), andVienna(three) from 1940 onwards. Other cities that used flak towers includedStuttgartandFrankfurt.Smaller single-purpose flak towers were built at key outlying German strongpoints, such as atAngersin France, andHeligolandin Germany.

The towers were operated by theLuftwaffeto defend againstAlliedstrategic air raidsagainst these cities duringWorld War II.They also served asair-raid sheltersfor tens of thousands of local civilians.

History and uses

Flak tower during construction (1942)

A12.8 cm FlaK 40,the main guns of the Flak-towers, and its crew

After theRAF's raid on Berlin in 1940,Adolf Hitlerordered 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.

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 railschedule was altered to facilitate the shipment of concrete, steel and timber to the construction sites.

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 roundsper 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-degreefield of fire. However, only the128 mm (5.0 in) FlaK 40 gunshad 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 civiliansand a hospital ward inside. During theBattle of Berlin,occupants formed their own communities, with up to30,000 Berlinerstaking refuge in one tower during the battle. These towers, much like thekeepsof 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.

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.

Humboldthain Flak tower today in Berlin

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.

Design iterations

The L & G-Towers inAugarten,Vienna

Eachflaktower complex consisted of:

• aG-Tower(German:Gefechtsturm) "Combat Tower", also known as the Gun Tower, Battery Tower or Large Flak Tower, and
• anL-Tower(German:Leitturm) "Lead Tower" also known as the Fire-control tower, command tower, listening bunker or small flak tower.

The three generations of G tower

Generation 1

The G-Towers were 70.5 m (231 ft) square and 39 m (128 ft) tall, usually armed with eight (four twin)12.8 cm FlaK 40and numerous37 mm Flakand 32 (eight quadruple)20mm Flakvierling guns. L-Towers were 50 m × 23 m × 39 m (164 ft × 75 ft × 128 ft), usually armed with four quadruple 20 mm guns.

Generation 2

G-Towers were 57 m × 57 m × 41.6 m (187 ft × 187 ft × 136 ft), usually armed with eight (four twin) 128 mm guns and sixteen (four quadruple) 20 mm guns. L-Towers were 50 m × 23 m × 44 m (164 ft × 75 ft × 144 ft), usually armed with forty (ten quadruple) 20 mm guns.

Generation 3

The G-Towers were 43 m × 43 m × 54 m (141 ft × 141 ft × 177 ft), usually armed with eight (four twin) 128 mm guns and thirty-two (eight quadruple) 20 mm guns.

The evaluation of even larger Battery Towers was commissioned byAdolf Hitler.These would have been three times the size and firepower of flak towers.

Towers

Flakturm I – Zoo Tower – Berliner Zoo, Berlin

Main article:Zoo Tower

The tower built near theBerlin Zoowas 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.

Flakturm II – Friedrichshain, Berlin

• Friedrichshain(1st Generation)
  • G-Tower was partially demolished after the war; one side remains visible. The tower was caught in low-level aerial footage of the ruined city in 1945.52.526522°N 13.431886°E/52.526522; 13.431886
  • L-Tower was demolished after the war.52.527884°N 13.438582°E/52.527884; 13.438582

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 Biermannand the rock bandSilly.

Flakturm III – Humboldthain, Berlin

Flakturm III G-Tower

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.52.547238°N 13.384961°E/52.547238; 13.384961.The L-Tower was partially demolished after the war; some walls remain visible.52.544092°N 13.387326°E/52.544092; 13.387326

Flakturm IV – Heiligengeistfeld, Hamburg

Heiligengeistfeld G-Tower in 2006

Heiligengeistfeld(1st Generation)53.556212°N 9.970104°E/53.556212; 9.970104

Heiligengeistfeld G-Tower undergoing additional construction in 2021

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 sq. m. (3,230 sq. ft.) in area and have six windows (openings in the wall).

The L-Tower was demolished after the war53.55285°N 9.967314°E/53.55285; 9.967314.The G-Tower was transformed into anightclubwith a music school and music shops. In 2019 theNH Hotel Groupannounced 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 58m with five additional floors. There were to be thirteen stairs.

The construction was completed 2 years behind schedule in 2024, The hotel, 'REVERB', first opened in April, with a capacity of 134 guest rooms..The rooftop garden opened in July, and contains 4,700 trees and shrubs.

Flakturm V – Stiftskaserne, Vienna

Kletterzentrum Flakturm wall – Vienna, Austria

View from the top of the Kletterzentrum Flakturm wall in Vienna

• Stiftskaserne (3rd Generation)
  • G-Tower's interior is used by the Austrian Army.48.201734°N 16.355853°E/48.201734; 16.355853
  • L-Tower (in Esterhazypark) has been used as a public aquarium, theHaus des Meeres,since 1957.48.197719°N 16.352495°E/48.197719; 16.352495
  • The outside of the L-Tower was re-purposed as an outdoor climbing wall.

Flakturm VI – Wilhelmsburg, Hamburg

Wilhelmsburg G-Tower

The tower atWilhelmsburgis a 2nd generation type. The G-Tower remains to this day,53.51006°N 9.98993°E/53.51006; 9.98993,the L-Tower was demolished after the war.

Flakturm VII – Augarten, Vienna

• Augarten(3rd Generation)
  • G-Tower remains empty. The entire north-east and half of the east 20 mm gun platforms, including the connecting walkways, were removed in 2007 due to deterioration. The tower itself has been reinforced with steel cables encircling the entire structure: 12 cables are located above the gun nests, 6 just below, and an additional 4 midway up the tower. The tower is home to thousands of pigeons which nest on every platform and opening. The tower suffered an internal explosion, and several floors near the top are missing on one side. The west side of the structure is also used as a cellular communications tower.48.22563°N 16.372815°E/48.22563; 16.372815
  • L-Tower remains empty. Its use as a computer storage facility or an open-air cinema is being considered.48.227896°N 16.377992°E/48.227896; 16.377992

Flakturm VIII – Arenbergpark, Vienna

• Arenbergpark (2nd Generation)48.198448°N 16.391489°E/48.198448; 16.391489
  • G-Tower is used as a storehouse for art.
  • L-Tower remains empty.

Planned towers (not built)

Berlin

• Tiergarten(two additional planned, not built)
• Hasenheide inNeukölln(planned, not built, had been built in Hamburg instead)
• Reichstag(considered for modification, but found unsuitable)

Bremen

• BremenNeustadt Contrescarpe (two planned, none built)

Hamburg

• EastHamburg(planned, not built)

Munich

• München Hauptbahnhof(eight planned, none built)

Vienna

• Original plans were to place the three towers in Schmelz, Prater & Floridsdorf.

See also

• Battle of Berlin
• Defence of the Reich
• Nazi architecture
• Martello tower

Further reading

• Foedrowitz, Michael. (1998).The Flak Towers in Berlin, Hamburg and Vienna 1940–1950.Schiffer Publishing.ISBN0-7643-0398-8
• Ute BauerDie Wiener Flaktürme im Spiegel Österreichischer Erinnerungskultur,Phoibos Verlag, Wien 2003.ISBN3-901232-42-7
• Flavia Foradini, Edoardo Conte:I templi incompiuti di Hitler,catalogo della mostra omonima, Milano, Spazio Guicciardini, 17.2–13 March 2009
• Valentin E. Wille:Die Flaktürme in Wien, Berlin und Hamburg. Geschichte, Bedeutung und Neunutzung,VDM-Verlag, Saarbrücken 2008,ISBN3-8364-6518-3
• Flavia Foradini:Berlino: Cercando sotto terra le tracce dei ciclopici sogni nazisti,Il Piccolo, Triest, 19 agosto 2012.
• Flavia Foradini:I bunker viennesi,Abitare, Milano, 2.2006

External links

• Several photos of the towers and bunkers(in German)
• Hamburg Bunker Hotel
• Page about the Vienna flak towers(in German)
• What remains of the flaktowers today
• Renovation concept for the Hamburg Flak Tower
• Flaktowers in Berlin, Hamburg and Vienna(short film)