The port of Bremen was of paramount importance to the Nazi German navy. Bremen was one of the ports where U-boats were produced, so it was also a priority target for Allied air raids. Factories and port facilities suffered numerous aerial attacks during the war, so, as in other parts of the country, it was decided to create fortifications to protect the arms industry.
In 1944 a bunker was finished to protect U-boats. Under the name of Hornisse , which means hornet in German, a massive bunker was built on a 4.5 meter thick concrete roof capable of withstanding the bombs dropped by the Americans and British.
The bunker was a hangar for the docking of several U-boats, which could be refitted and repaired at this facility without having to worry about air raids. Due to the lack of manpower from Nazi Germany, the facility was built with slave labor. Thousands of concentration camp prisoners and prisoners of war helped erect this military facility. Hundreds of them died due to the harshness of their living conditions.
After World War II, the place was abandoned. In the 1960s, an office building was built on top of the bunker, which is still visible today. Several commemorative plaques remember the fatalities who helped build this military infrastructure of Nazi Germany.
How to get to the Hornisse bunker
The Hornisse bunker is located in the harbor of the city of Bremen. To get there, it is best to do it by public transport. The tram stop Kap-Horn-Straße It is located a few meters from the bunker.