Panzerbau III, Military production facility in Essen, Germany

Panzerbau III is an industrial facility in Essen originally built for tank production, featuring large manufacturing halls alongside underground production areas. The site spans substantial grounds and displays the typical layout of a wartime factory with visible entrances and concrete foundations throughout.

The facility was built between 1941 and 1943 by Krupp as a specialized factory for tank component manufacturing. The site was partially sealed off and abandoned in the years following the war's end.

The site stands as a reminder of forced labor practices during wartime, with the structures themselves bearing witness to a dark chapter of industrial history. The grounds and buildings speak to how manufacturing and human suffering were deeply intertwined during this period.

The site is not easily accessible today and displays warning signs about potential collapse hazards due to its deteriorating condition. Visitors should exercise extreme caution when exploring the grounds, as it remains a fragile historical location.

The three underground production halls were flooded and provisionally sealed with rubble and sprayed concrete before demolition of the surface buildings began in late 1959. From the 2010s, safety work closed off the last accessible ruins of the factory halls, so the former site can now be used safely as a local recreation area.