Flak Tower

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One of six Flak towers built during World War II in Vienna.

Flak towers (German: Flakturm) were large AA gun blockhouses used by the Luftwaffe to prevent overflights of key areas in certain cities in World War II. They also served as air-raid shelters for tens of thousands of people and to coordinate air defence. With concrete walls up to 3.5 m thick, these towers were considered to be invulnerable to attack with the usual ordnance carried by Allied bombers, though it is unlikely that they would have withstood Grand Slam bombs which successfully penetrated much thicker reinforced concrete. Aircraft generally appeared to have avoided the Flak towers.

The Russians, in assaulting Berlin, found it hard to make an impression on the Flak towers, even with the largest Russian assault gun, the 203mm Howitzer. They generally manouvered around them, and eventually sent in envoys to seek their submission. Unlike the rest of Berlin, the Towers tended to be better stocked with ammunition, and used their anti aircraft 128mm canons to attack ground units. The Zoo Tower was one of the last points of defense, with German armoured Units rallying near it at Tiergarten, before trying to break out of the encirling Russian army.

The towers, during the fall of Berlin, formed their own communities, though this was part of the reason of their downfall. Being some of the safest places in the fought-over city, they were usually crammed with civillians, eventually forcing them to capitulate.

For the time after the war, the conversion to representative objects with decorated facades was planned. After the war was lost, the demolition of the towers was in most cases unfeasible and many remain to this day. The Zoo Tower was demolished by the British at the end of the war.

Contents

Flak Tower generations

The three generations of G-Towers.

Each Flak Tower complex consisted of a G-Tower (Gun Tower), and a L-Tower (Fire Control Tower).

Generation 1 G-Towers were 70.5 * 70.5 * 39 m, usually armed with 8 (4 twin) * 128 mm Guns and numerous 37 mm, 30 mm and 32 (8 quad) * 20 mm Guns.
Generation 1 L-Towers were 50 * 23 * 39 m, usually armed with 16 (4 quad) * 20 mm Guns.
Generation 2 G-Towers were 57 * 57 * 41.6 m, usually armed with 8 (4 twin) * 128 mm Guns and 16 (4 quad) * 20 mm Guns.
Generation 2 L-Towers were 50 * 23 * 44 m, usually armed with 40 (10 quad) * 20 mm Guns.
Generation 3 G-Towers were 43 * 43 * 54 m, usually armed with 8 (4 twin) * 128 mm Guns and 32 (8 quad) * 20 mm Guns.

The evaluation of even larger Battery Towers was commissioned by Hitler. These would have been three times the size and firepower of Flak towers.

Built towers

Flakturm I - Berliner Zoo, Berlin

Berlin Zoo (1st Generation)
* G-Tower was demolished after the war.
* L-Tower was demolished after the war.

Image:Berlin bunker.jpg|Zoo Tower, Berlin, after the battle

Flakturm II - Friedrichshain, Berlin

Friedrichshain (1st Generation)
* G-Tower was partially demolished after the war, one side remains visible.
* L-Tower was demolished after the war.

The G-Tower, known as Mont Klamott (Rubble Mountain) in Berlin, was the inspiration for songs by singer-songwriter Wolf Biermann and the rock band Silly.

Flakturm III - Humboldthain, Berlin

Humboldthain (1st Generation)
* G-Tower was partially demolished after the war, one side remains visible. The interior can be visited.
* L-Tower was partially demolished after the war, some walls remain visible.

Image:Humboldthain.jpg|Flakturm II G-Tower

Flakturm IV - Heiligengeistfeld, Hamburg

Heiligengeistfeld (1st Generation)
* G-Tower was transformed into a residential building.
* L-Tower was demolished after the war.

Image:Flakbunker-Heiligengeistfeld-Hamburg.jpg|Flakturm IV G-Tower

Flakturm V - Wilhelmsburg, Hamburg

Wilhelmsburg (2nd Generation)
* G-Tower remains to this day.
* L-Tower was demolished after the war.

Image:Flakturm Wilhelmsburg.jpg|Flakturm V G-Tower

Flakturm VI - Stiftskaserne, Vienna

Stiftskaserne (3rd Generation)
* G-Tower is used as a base by the Austrian Army.
* L-Tower (in Esterhazypark) is used as an aquarium ( the ["Haus des Meeres"]).

Image:Vienna flak tower DSC02590.JPG|Flakturm VI G-Tower Image:HausdesMeeres.jpg|Flakturm VI L-Tower

Flakturm VII - Augarten, Vienna

Augarten (3rd Generation)
* G-Tower remains empty.
* L-Tower remains empty. Use as a computer data storage facility or open air cinema being under consideration.

Image:Vienna flak tower dsc01576.jpg|Flakturm VII G-tower Image:Vienna flak tower dsc01594.jpg|Flakturm VII L-tower

Flakturm VIII - Arenberg Park, Vienna

Arenberg Park (2nd Generation)
* G-Tower is used as a storehouse for art.
* L-Tower remains empty.

Image:Arenberg1.jpg|Flakturm VIII G-tower Image:Arenberg2.jpg|Flakturm VIII L-tower

Planned, not built

Berlin

Tiergarten (two additional planned, not built)
Hasenheide Templehof (planned, not built)
Reichstag building (considered for modification, but found unsuitable)

Bremen

Bremen Neustadt (two planned, none built)

Hamburg

East Hamburg (planned, not built)

Munich

Munich Railroad Station (eight planned, none built)

Vienna

Original plans were to place the three towers in Schmelz, Prater & Floridsdorf.

Flak Guns

References

Foedrowitz, Michael. The Flak Towers in Berlin, Hamburg and Vienna 1940-1950, Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, 1998. ISBN 0764303988
Beevor, Antony. ''Berlin The Downfall 1945" Penguin 2002

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

[Special]

[Description of towers, maps, photos] (in German)
[Towers in Vienna] (in German)
[Several photos of the towers and bunkers]
[Towers in Vienna] (in German)
[List of books about flak towers and bunkers in German language]

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