Berlin Last defence : Führerhaubtquatiere Maybach I. Zossen - Wünsdorf

[GEBIRGS-JAGER]

Thank you and keep up the the good work. Brian

[BPA-Paul]

Great photo's Carsten, thanks for your time and effort in posting.

[msteve21]

Aaaa+

Great tour, thank you for taking the time and effort to post this.
Mark S

[hayleyp]

1

Wow thanks ,will

[Obersalzberg]

Yrs, great pictures, but never a Fuehrer Headquarters. Just OKW.

[uscob]

It's a very interesting site and worth to visit. I can't speak for now, but there are nice Pics from the Exhibition. I was there on the first Tour after the Russians left and there was only a smal "Museum" in the old "Burlakov" Villa, where the High Commander of the soviet/Russian Forces lived so I saw everything in a "virgin" condition.

[Douglas Jr.]

Thanks a lot. Wonderful tour.

[Carsten135]

hey guys

thx for the nice words and yes the area is def. worth a visit, ill recomend you guys set atleast a whole day to look arround, i have been visit this area for arround 8 times and i still discover new buildings, bunkers etc.

And yes Obersalzburg, the OKW Maybach 1 was mainly the "functional" part of the Führerhaubquartier which was Maybach 2, the maybach 1 was serving as HQ for the OKW and all communication to all fronts made during the war until 16 april. so this facility stands for planning and communication for both maybach 2 and Berlin for that matter, it also played a major role in the " operation Valkyrie " the assasin attemp on hitler at wolfchanze whit the discovery of the "Zossen Akten" in the Maybach 1 facility, a very intresting chapter in German military history which goes deep in the officers mind- thinking and planning at that time.
As i see the area the 2 complexces is build together mixed whit barracks and administerial buildings along whit Panzer facilitys so the whole area is massive. The area whit Maybach 2 is off limit for public but that dosent go for the air so allow me to use sattelites in my further investigation of the area.

The Maybach 2 stands for Hitlers FHQ and all the top guys in this regime but it was never finnished for his use which he raged about in the Berlin Bunker in the last days, so Maybach 2 is on the list of "unfinnished FHQ" along whit Olga, W3, Zigeuner ( Brunhilde) , Riese, and S III these complexces was in function but never finnished. Most of Maybach 2 was build but ill guess the " Bunkerprogram" for Berlin and area was moved to the eastern front bec of resources contra okonomy.
Theres still no evidence that Hitler even visited this secret place during the war, besides that he was not comfortable in the company of the OKW after the assasin attemt so trusth or loyality was on a very small place for him.

Well the complex was blown to pices in the 2 years they demoliced the whole bunker area and today its hard to see the "halfmoon camp" bunkers but meny of the other buildings like barracks and storrages facilitys along whit the SS camp is still visual from air.

Lets go arial......

First pic is the to complexces together, you will proberly have a hard time to see it but they are there.....Maybach 1 in the left side and Maybach 2 on the right side.... pic 2 is the compound of Maybach 1 and area whit barracks etc. The Garisonmuseum is the last building in the lower right corner of the pic

Maybach 1 + 2.jpg

Maybach 1.jpg

[Carsten135]

the Maybach 2 area in 1945 after a airraid, the small spots marks the bomb craters ( ****ty aiming ) the complex is seen clearly here, pic 2 the same pic seen today......a major solarpannel park is established up to the camp.

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arial maybach 2.jpg

[Carsten135]

the "halfmoon camp " its hard to see by the destruction but the trained eye see the conjucture , pic 2 is the original remaing buildings in the area

maybach 2 halfmoon camp.jpg

Maybach 2.jpg

[Tora_Tora_Tora!]

Many compliments for this more than interesting reportage !!!!!
Thanks for your time to share it with us!

[Carsten135]

the complex in war times... pic 2 whit the excact same bunkers as maybach 1 is present in maybach 2

a1 (2).JPG

002.JPG

[Carsten135]

a denkmal for the " Zossen Akten " whit the very same safe the documents was found by gestapo.

301.JPG

302.JPG

[Carsten135]

hey tora, no problem mate

[crfraser]

Carsten - Just found this tour and it is better than what is available in published works on Zossen. I am particularly grateful for the photos of the Zossen denkmal as I have a special interest in Oberstleutnant Werner Schrader, whose safe this was and I have not previously seen photos of this. I have in my collection Schrader's death certficate showing his suicide at Zossen and the receipt for the funds found on his corpse countersigned by two brother officers. Schrader's suicide on July 28 1944 led directly to the discovery of the safe containing Hans Dohnanyi's archive of evidence of Nazi crimes. This led to the arrest of a great many officers who had not previously been suspect for July 20 and it was a key factor in the path to execution for the Canaris circle at Flossenburg in early 1945. I also own a great may other documents form Schrader's estate but the two pictured below are most directly related to Zossen.

Carsten - Are you sure that Schrader killed himself at Maybach I? Most sources I have read say Maybach II, were many of the OKH functions in Berlin were moved to avoid bombing in early 1944. Schrader was in charge of an army special duties section (Heerwesenabteilung) in the OKH. This small unit had been set up in the late 30's to liaise between Canaris' Abwehr and the OKH primarily for conspiratorial purposes.

Do you know if there is a key to which units occupied the various houses in Mybach II (like that shown on page 1 of this string for Maybach I)?

Also - are you sure that the memorial is Schrader's own actual safe? I thought it was a generic safe acquired by some students in the early 2000's. Can you tell me where the memorial is located in Zossen as I wish to visit it some day.

Also, can you explain why Maybach II is not accessible. It looks to be grown over. Is it private land or perhaps uncleared?

Thanks again.

Below are scans of Schrader's record from WASt and scans of the 2 docs I mentioned.

Regards


Colin