Ammunition factories near Hamburg

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FockeWulf
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Location: Schleswig-Holstein/Germany

Ammunition factories near Hamburg

Post by FockeWulf »

I live in Geesthacht and in the World War we had two large ammunition factories here.
The ammunition factory in the district Krümmel is older than the factory in the district Düneberg and was built from Alfred Nobel in the year 1865. He lived some years in our city and he invented in Geesthacht the dynamite. He bought this area for 14.000 Taler in the year 1865 and built a chemical factory. The factory was destroyed by self-ignition of nitroglycerine in 1866. The factory was rebuilt and he invented further well known explosives.
Between 1914-1918 was the factory in Krümmel very important and after the World WarI dismantled by the Allies. The factories Krümmel and Düneberg were a main pillar of the German armament industry in the World WarII and were destroyed almost completely during a bombing raid on April 7th, 1945.
On this day 350 tons bombs were thrown off B-24 Liberator bombers from the 2nd/20th BG from 2nd AD on Düneberg.
Few minutes later was the 14th/96th BG with his Liberator bombers over Krümmel and threw off 452 tons bombs.

The April 7th, 1945 was the day of the Rammjäger, the operation had the code name "Schulungslehrgang Elbe(training course Elbe)". The Schulungslehrgang Elbe was a volunteer unit formed from volunteer fighter pilots, under the command of Oberst Hajo Herrman, who flew as a night fighter pilot. His plan was to launch light weight fighter like the BF-109G’s and K’s, with the objective of ramming into a US bomber, using their propellers to hit the tail of the bomber, and hopefully the German pilot would bail out and return to base. They weren't suicide pilots like the Japanese kamikaze – 70% of the successful pilots survived their ramming attack. It was a hard and risky mission, but they had an opportunity to parachute if necessary.
Some German fighter pilots ramming bombers in our area, but the most were hit from American fighter pilots who protect the bombers. The Rammjäger had no weapons and therefore they couldn't fight against the Allied fighters. In 1985 the BF 109 G-10/AS from a Rammjäger was found in the ground, only some hundred meter away from my house. Gefreiter Rudi Ringhofer was hit from Captain Harrison Bruce Tordorff, an American fighter pilot from 352nd FS. Gefreiter Ringhofer lost his foot, but he survived the war.
I have many informations and pictures about the Rammjäger operation, if somebody is interested, I could make another thread about this topic.

In 2005 I took many photos in the Krümmel and Düneberg district, now I will show you some of Krümmel.
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The remains of a bunker

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A larger bunker

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A entrance in close up

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This is a old water tower in Krümmel, the tower was built in 1917 because he was planned in the Hindenburg-program. Like by a miracle, he was only slightly damaged in the World War II. The tower is very unstable and should be blown up some years ago. This plan was rejected and he shall be restored soon.

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Inside of the water tower

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A one-man bunker near the water tower and you can see many of these bunkers in the area. When bombers were reported, a man had to keep fire watch there. This man had to report the exact places where the bombs strike in, so the fire department could react.

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Further remains of bunkers

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Some inside views of buildings
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FockeWulf
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Location: Schleswig-Holstein/Germany

Post by FockeWulf »

Here are some photos of the ammunition factory in the district Düneberg.

At first another short story because I forget to mention it in my last post. In 1944 my grandfather had to work in the ammunition factory Krümmel.
My grandfather fought in Poland and later at the west front until the bullet of a French soldier pierced his shoulder.
At the eastern front he was seriously injured from a Russian soldier, a toe was torn off and a rifle bullet was in his lung.
Because he was seriously damaged, he had to work in the ammunition factory in Krümmel.
In the year 1944 he was reenlisted and then seriously injured from an American hand grenade.
The fragments from the grenade couldn't be removed and he lived with them till he died some years ago.
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My grandpa as young soldier in 1939

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My grandpa with Krümmel work clothing in 1944

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A large building in Düneberg, everything was good disguised and therefore were plants on the roofs.

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Everywhere you can see these lantern in Düneberg, I think about 300 in the forest

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A damaged lantern

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A wall

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SS-Schutze Schuller
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Post by SS-Schutze Schuller »

Wow, Great pictures!

Isnt that a luftwaffe uniform? Could someone elaborate?

Thanks
Shergar
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excellent

Post by Shergar »

could you expand on the planes ramming the americans were they blue squadron im interestedin this part of the war

thank you
Franz repper
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Post by Franz repper »

wow! top photos :D Keep them coming. Nobel the same guy who was behind the Nobel peace prize
Last edited by Franz repper on Fri Sep 01, 2006 3:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Franz repper
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Post by Franz repper »

Sounds good can we watch? :D
Franz repper
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Post by Franz repper »

Oh I say you are Rude :lol: Think I will save them for a private moment :wink:
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FockeWulf
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Post by FockeWulf »

@ SS-Schutze Schuller - Glad you like the pics, thank you. You are right and my grandpa wear a Luftwaffe uniform, he was a member of a 88mm "eighty-eight" anti-aircraft crew.

@ Shergar - I write more about the planes ramming the Americans in the next days. I have the names and units from most of the German pilots who participate.

@ Franz repper - Thank you. ^^ Yes, the same guy who was behind the Nobel peace prize.

@ Kurt Volkmar - Thank you. Bee can come, no problem. :lol:
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bee
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Post by bee »

hehe, thanks for the invitation *g*

btw: seen this? looks the same. but then, all of them bunker ruins do.

http://hirschhagen.hi.ohost.de/
bee.
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the greatest pet i had was a flat rat.
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dog green 1
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Post by dog green 1 »

Great pics. Love this kind of thing. Fasanating yet eerie at the same time. thanks for sharing. Be sure to post more if you have them.
"To a New Yorker like you a Hero is some sort of wierd sandwich"

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von bock
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Post by von bock »

:shock: fantastic pictures have you got anymore???
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