Lager Herbstwald, Military facility and air-raid shelter in Nottuln, Germany
Lager Herbstwald was an underground military facility with eight large barracks and additional structures in the forested area of Im Drosteloh near Münster. The site was built entirely below ground with an interconnected tunnel network throughout.
The Wehrmacht built the facility in 1944 as an alternative command center for the Deputy General Command VI following British air raids on Münster. After the war ended, British forces demolished the entire underground structure in 1948.
After the war, displaced people from Eastern Europe used the site temporarily for shelter. The barracks provided basic housing for those who had lost their homes.
The site today is a ruin with limited access, as most structures were destroyed. Visitors should check on guided tours with local experts or explore the exterior of the location.
Construction workers camouflaged the building sites with nets and foliage to hide them from enemy air reconnaissance. The concealment worked until Allied forces eventually discovered it.
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