Fichtel and Sachs Bunker, World War II bunker museum in Schweinfurt, Germany

The Fichtel and Sachs Bunker is a 20 by 21 metre high-rise shelter built in 1941, rising 19 metres to the top of its 1.40-metre concrete roof. A tent roof of concrete elements, inclined at 25 degrees, disguises the structure, whose walls are two metres thick and clad in brick with dummy windows.

This shelter was built in 1941 by Riedel Construction and served to protect the population during air attacks. Schweinfurt was a frequent target of allied bombing raids because of its ball bearing factories.

The bunker shows how people sought shelter here during the war and what equipment was used to keep them safe. The exhibits give insight into daily life under bombing and the fear that residents experienced then.

The bunker is an above-ground structure with five floors reached by stairs; there is no lift. The museum opened in 2014 and its displays are spread over several floors, so allow time to climb between levels. Every April a memorial event for the end of the war in Schweinfurt takes place here.

The facility displays deactivated bombs from allied raids, showing the massive amount of explosives the city had to endure back then. There is also a separate Cold War exhibition area with rooms from the German armed forces, extending the story beyond the 1940s.