I explored an abandoned Nazi/Soviet air base in Eastern Germany (OC)

This weathered road right here leads directly to what once was the tower of an air base built by the Nazis in the 1930's and taken over by the air force of the Red Army after the end of the Second World War.

Come join me for a day of exploring the town-sized premises, which now lurk abandoned in the woods of Brandenburg!

We begin our journey with this distinct building. As you might have guessed from the shape, size and ... well, the chimney, this was the heating plant of the base.

The inside doesn't feature much of the heating system anymore, although you can easily imagine furnaces on the concrete foundations.

Parts of the piping system are still present as well, especially on the ceiling.

So is some of the electrical installation, like these casings of what I suppose were fuse boxes.

While this is not part of the system perse, things might have gotten heated here as well =).

The base opened in 1935 and primarily served as training center for pilots of the Nazi airforce ("Luftwaffe der Wehrmacht"). After the end of WWII, the Red Army operated it until the early 1990's. It has now been largely abandoned for several decades.

This building apparently was air traffic control. This might have been the reception, probably handing out keys / orders and so on.

The air traffic control complex consists of several intertwined buildings. It's interesting that they partly differ in style, as some of them have probably been added later on.

Some are in worse shape than others. While many are at least stable enough to be accessed, others collapsed completely years ago.

This building, on the other side, is one of better-conserved ones, mostly due to concrete as building material rather than wood.

Fragments of the electrical installation along with some wiring and fuse boxes are still present here, too.

As is this, which I would assume was kitchen equipment based on the characteristics as well as the tiled floors and walls.

Quite well preserved is this lovely standing toilet. Let's hope dinner was easily digestible ;).

Banksy, is that you? Artistic quality of graffiti around the site varies widely, but there sure are some interesting ones.

Our first real finding of Soviet activity was this newspaper on the ground. It was weathered, but still clearly readable.

Although it's doubtful it was used for entertainment purposes. Old newspapers were widely used as cheap insulation material instead.

What's interesting is that this newspaper dates back to 1925, which is like 20 years before the Soviets took over the base.

Edit: as pointed out by @MissivesFromTheTower and @Clayman8 1925 was the founding date of the newspaper. This specific issue was published in 1977.

This pit for vehicle maintenance can be found right next to the first big hangar building, which we're working towards to. Apparently it was also used by the on-base fire response team.

It also features a couple of old shower installations, supposedly for mechanics to get rid of oil and heavy dirt.

The actual hangar is in pretty mediocre shape. Notice the trees growing out of its side.

The roof is starting to get spotty; the frame is rusty and the paneling is slowly disappearing. Although that contributes to an interesting light setting.

A few steps from the hangar lies the tower building. It housed the command center as well as air operations oversight.

This small concrete building was the "one person observation bunker". It was supposed to be used to monitor flight operations more closely, but apparently being assigned to it was more of a penality exercise than a real contribution.

The tower building is in decent-enough shape to be explored. Let's head on in!

It mostly consists of three levels; all more or less shaped in the same way. They're large concrete hallways, connecting a few dozen rooms.

Most of them are empty except for a little concrete rubble. Time has clearly taken its toll here.

The centerpiece, however, the pretty staircase, is fairly well intact. Well enough to head upstairs at least.

This is the room right underneath the tower. It provided a very good view of the runway and probably was used as air operations center or something similar.

That is the actual tower cabin, built right on top. Back in the day, it probably was filled with monitoring equipment, and given that, it was really pretty small.

However, it naturally offers the best view of the runway. Nowadays, it is hardly recognizable anymore. It runs between the fence and the beginning of the forest, right along the tree line in front of that.

Up-close it looks like this. You can still see parts of the tarmac if you know where to look. This is somewhat amazing as flying operations have largely seized by the end of the 1950's. That was also due to the runway only being ~1.100 m long (~0.7 miles) and thus too short for operating fighter jets.

In the tower building, we start coming across a few graffiti of the nicer variety.

Also, even more interesting, we encounter several large signs, clearly indicating military usage. This one describes chemical weapons along with their kinds and effects.

This one right here describes the rules to protect against WMDs. The table contains a variety of exercises and standards that need to be met in order to be considered ready. This included things like putting on gas masks in less than 13 seconds.

Interestingly, this schematic describes devices for electronic warfare, mostly jamming devices and their parts like control panels and antennas.

The best wiring we've seen so far! Almost pristine condition ... by Soviet standards =).

Let's explore the outskirts of the base some more, starting with the other hangars.

They sure are huge and could have housed a variety of aircrafts based on their size. However, due to other limitations of the base, mostly support aircrafts such as the Antonow An-2 and Jakowlew Yak-11 were stationed here. Later, in the 60's and 70's, mostly helicopters were used, such as the Mil Mi-1, Mi-4 and Mi-8.

The roof has really given up in this one ... although the skeleton makes for a very nice light setting and shadow play on the walls!

This photo gives me dense Fallout vibes. Can't you just imagine closing in on a Ghoul-filled base right here after doing some surveillance from the edge of the woods? The little guard tower and the broken fence really sell it. So Bethesda: if you need inspiration, feel free to reach out - I'm an excellent location scout :D.

Not quite sure what these have been used for. They kinda had some characteristics of grow houses, but ultimately, they probably just served as storage units.

Decently sized, also potentially suitable for cars, trucks and other motorized equipment.

I love how they repurposed the warning sign here to serve as a wall of the little guard tower. I wonder if they have actually been used for base defense or rather to watch out for wildlife as they're barely 5m (~15ft) tall.

Graffiti is starting to get slightly better from the artistic perspective.

I'm pretty sure these buildings were used as large-scale garages due to the structure.

Also, there are still some smaller workshops and rusting car parts left, which is a pretty clear giveaway.

I hope the birds started nesting there after the power was shut off ... don't want to have them fried =).

Now that we've explored the part of the base which was largely related to flying operations and logistics, let's head on down Main Street into the center of the little town.

It mostly consists of a few dozen of these brick buildings, which largely served as barracks for the soldiers stationed there. At its peak, the base housed up to 5,000 personnel.

I wonder what this cute little house was used for. Maybe it was used as an auxilliary building to the parade ground or it was the home of the beloved janitor.

Two more hangars are situated right next to the crew quarters. These are a bit different in style and size, especially regarding the architecture of the roof. I suppose these were added by the Soviets whereas the first few we've explored were constructed by the Nazis when the base was initially built.

The inner workings of some hangar rooms have collapsed completely, such as this one, made from wood. The brick/concrete shell is holding up pretty nicely though.

That's a pretty rose!

This room was likely used as kitchen for the hangar crews.

Oh yeah ... getting there in terms of quality! Colorful, well-executed, featuring a cat ... yep, I like it.

This three-level bunk bed frame was stored in the hangar and is one of the not too many clear indications the site was used in a military capacity.

Now these three buildings were surely added by the Soviets as this is typical post-war Eastern-European architecture. In Eastern Germany, these types of buildings ("Neubaublocks") were highly sought-after to live in, as they had nice features for the time, such as central heating, individual bathrooms and balconies.

Entertainment was also not forgotten. The area right beneath featured a large soccer field and outdoor exercise area.

A recreation center, which was probably used for indoor sports, is located in the vicinity as well ...

... as is this Olympic-sized swimming pool, which still is in pretty good shape!

Also, as is tradition in both Germany and Russia, the recreational facilities featured several saunas as well.

These included small pools, which were supposedly filled with cold water. You're supposed to dunk into them after a session in the sauna.

The showers are admittedly not too inviting anymore. However, by abandoned place standards, these are in a very nice shape!

Ahh yes ... let's relax a bit now after the sauna and a nice shower =).

The interior is comparatively well preserved here and is typical for the 70's and 80's in Eastern Germany.

This building right here apparently was the mess hall and the central kitchen.

That sure is interesting. However, the structure is certainly not in the best state anymore, so we watch our steps closely.

In many rooms, the quality of the floors is dubious at best. That's not necessarily a problem if it's a wooden floor, like here, but as the room is mostly empty, also not worth any risk.

This, on the other hand, looks way worse. The floor is severely cracked, there is moss growing in the middle, it's bent and wavy. If you enter such a room, make sure to keep your distance from other explorers and only walk along the edges, never in the middle.

I sure hope that they didn't have to cook for thousands of people on that kind of stove, but it is one of the few remaining kitchen utensils left.

I have no info on the food quality, but in any case, it's good to have some restrooms nearby =).

I love how this wall represents almost all states of decay in one picture. From perfect paint over it peeling off, only the mortar being left until bare bricks.

"Once upon a time ...", she says. The attic is of questionable stability as well, so we don't poke around there too much.

What we do find though is a part of this German newspaper from 1935. The article is about free masons, not sure though what the context is.

This is a little on-base convenience store where groceries could be purchased ... if they were available. The style is typical for these kinds of stores ("Konsum", as they were called in Eastern Germany) at the time.

"Without a smartphone, I could see in what a beautiful abandoned place I am in right now". Fair point ... living more in the moment and less for Instagram is becoming an increasingly rare artform.

Inside the Konsum building, there isn't much left. Mostly pipes from the heating/ventilation system.

The tiled area might have been used as butchery, but that's just a guess as not much is recognizable anymore.

The infrastructure is preserved quite well though. The ventilation system looks like it could use a good maintenance session, but still has a chance to work.

The water pipes are really rusty though ...

Nice little gazebo in this sort of park area. Some civilians were living on the base as well as family members of the stationed soldiers.

Thus, also children were growing up there and at least could have had a little fun on this simple playground. The overgrown structures remind me a little of the Pripyat photos.

I suppose this was some kind of swing? Not sure how it worked and it certainly didn't look inviting in terms of finding out.

While this building looks pretty similar to the others, it certainly is one of the more interesting ones, as this was the on-base hospital.

While it is mostly empty as well, it is distinguished by using a few friendlier colors, at least on the lower floors.

Now if this green doesn't scream hospital, I don't know what does =).

The tiling is also a bit more upbeat here. I'm guessing this was either to make already sick people feel a little better and/or also because civilians were treated here and not only military staff.

On the upper floors, caution is warranted here as well, as the ceilings started to come down in some sections.

The lighting sure gets heavier on the upper floor. I suppose that the treatments were administered here whereas the patient's rooms were below.

About the only medical equipment still present is this lamp rack, which would make this room likely one of the ORs. Gotta admit, feels kinda creepy.

The attic here looked a bit better than in many other building. At least Lukito, Storki and Reini made it without the floor collapsing.

The basement is naturally stable. Unfortunately, it is slightly flooded. It also widely featured sauna facilities, although these were presumably more for therapeutic than recreational purposes ...

... along with the classic dunking pools. Watch your head though, the ceiling is really not made for tall people!

Parts of the heating system are still present here as well, a few meters away from the sauna. Makes sense =).

Also still there is this boiler, which looks like it could use some work.

Luckily, a small workshop is nearby, so the mechanics can get right to it!

Not sure what this room was, but it might have been the morgue. The flooding makes for a very neat reflection though.

At the edge of the base, opposite from the tower, we encounter that little guard building. Should we have signed in? Apparently, it was also used as a small post office at times.

"Smartphones prohibited? Gotta post that immediately ...". The artist sure wasn't very pro mobile devices.

This smaller building right here apparently was the officer's club along with a second central kitchen.

It featured several small bars and seems to have been used for parties and celebrations.

The club area was desigend in a sort of a Tiki style. I'm really not sure when this dates back to though.

The mess hall. You can certainly imagine hundreds of soldiers having dinner here.

This probably was the kitchen, given the ventilation shafts.

The last building we're exploring closely is this one, which looks much like the others but had a distinct purpose. It was used for educational purposes and housed several auditoriums which doubled as cinemas.

Unfortunately, it was in a very rough state and not too easy to explore. Especially as the day is coming to an end and focus is fleeting, special caution is required here.

This is probably the most demanding artwork which we encountered on the site. Hopefully it doesn't become an omen for the rest of the exploration =).

One of the lecture halls with a podium stand and still some seating left.

The other one, on the opposite side of the building, in roughly similar condition.

While on first glance this looks like movie equipment, it was more likely part of the fire extinguishing system. I suppose that a fire hose was rolled up on that.

This, on the other hand, much looks like the projector room, although there weren't any signs of the tech anymore. Also, maybe someone ignored the "Rauchen verboten" (no smoking), given the fire damage on the right wall.

We end the tour in the on-site gymnasium, which was right across the road from the elementary school. Decently sized, but the floor isn't necessarily suited for basketball anymore.

After a long day of exploring this exciting abandoned place and smelling like sweat, mold and concrete, we're happy to look back on the experience and impressions. Thanks to everyone who made it this far! I hope you enjoyed the virtual tour as much as I did the real one!

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I explored an abandoned Nazi/Soviet air base in Eastern Germany. I did so with the permission of the owner and the authorities. All pictures were taken with either a Canon 80D/400D or a Samsung S22+ and are original content.

DISCLAIMER: Exploring sites like this one might be trespassing and thus is most likely illegal if done unauthorizedly. Also, it might be rather dangerous, since there is damage and decay. I do not encourage anyone to explore such a place ... if you should decide to do it anyway, follow the basic rules of urban exploration:

1. Do not go alone
2. Watch your steps closely
3. Leave everything the way you find it
4. If something seems unstable or too dangerous, take another route or simply don't go there at all
5. Wear adequate clothing, stable shoes and bring sensible equipment (such as a flashlight and a cell phone)

Life and health are more relevant than curiosity ... but it's also important to have fun ;)

If you're interested in seeing more morbid, decaying goodness, please consider checking out my other posts:

- Various abandoned places on the Island of Tenerife (Canaries): https://imgur.com/gallery/i-explored-various-abandoned-places-on-island-of-tenerife-canaries-spain-oc-F4Jnrt6
- Semi-Abandoned Town of Bombay Beach, Salton Sea, California (OC): https://imgur.com/gallery/i-explored-semi-abandoned-town-of-bombay-beach-salton-sea-ca-sandy-shores-from-gta-v-oc-byp2wws
- Abandoned Lake Dolores Waterpark in the Mojave Desert, California (OC): https://imgur.com/gallery/7llNW3M
- Abandoned George Air Force Base in Victorville, California (OC): https://imgur.com/gallery/8H0uAao
- Abandoned HQ bunker of the Ministery of the Interior of the GDR: https://imgur.com/gallery/6wIRqnC
- Abandoned "Sophienheilstätte" sanatorium in Thuringia, Germany: https://imgur.com/gallery/aQyPZkQ
- Abandoned Hotel "Schwarzeck" in Thuringia, Germany: https://imgur.com/gallery/p9K55dg
- Abandoned Luxury Hotel Fürstenhof in Eisenach, Germany: https://imgur.com/gallery/q2qdGpd
- Abandoned Petrova Gora Spomenik in Croatia: https://imgur.com/gallery/QEXrm
- Abandoned luxury hotel "Belvedere" near Dubrovnik: https://imgur.com/gallery/SYbeQ
- Abandoned hotel "Jadran" in Jelsa on the island Hvar: https://imgur.com/gallery/6peUy