Visitors center at bunker "Valentin" (type XXI gen)
 

This story is about plans to open a visitors' center with exhibitions in 2015 at what was then the largest building project in the world, absolutely bomb proof submarine pens for Germany's Type XXI boats. Though great resources were thrown into the project, including the lives of about 1,600 slave laborers, it never actually launched even a single submarine. The plan was for the vessels to be constructed 8k upriver on the Weser in sections and then barged down to the giant pens, codenamed Valentin, where they would be welded together and equipped. The British bombed the facility when it was about 90% complete in March 1945 with bunker buster bombs, causing two massive rips in the roof and destroying its usefulness. The Allies had waited for the program to near completion before bombing it.

I didn't see where anyone had posted a link yet to the story so I thought I would throw this out there.

http://www.welt.de/kultur/history/article13358686/Valentin-Der-Bunker-fuer-Hitlers-Super-U-Boote.html

Cool stuff, they should certainly build a visitors center to help preserve history. Isnt their a couple sub pins that are either bombed out or sealed off that to this day contain a few subs?

I'd definitely visit, but then again, I'm an easy mark for this kind of stuff.

Not sure how great the response would be from the general public. Do you think they could pay the rent? :hmmm:

That's correct...a few links:

http://www.jamesgdorrian.com/U-Boatcomplex.html

http://www.adventuretwo.net/stories/enter-the-wolf-pack

http://www.uboataces.com/articles-uboat-bunker.shtml

I knew it! coool stuff thank!

Your welcome Kaleun http://www.psionguild.org/forums/ima...ies/pirate.gif

La Pallice is ripe for opening to tourism by the look of those photos! :yep:

IIRC part of the movie Das Boot was filmed on location there.

There is already an exhibition there which is open to the public, so you don't have to wait untill 2015 - however you have to register first if you want to attend a guided tour:

(I edited the phone number, so international visitors may be able to call)

Here is another fine article about the openening, where also an Irish sailor, who was a POW at Valentin, attended: http://www.weser-kurier.de/Artikel/B...eroeffnet.html
http://media2.weser-kurier.de/media/...3/2xru1109.jpg
:salute: to the sailor, Harry Callan

And a link to a photo series of the bunker: http://www.weser-kurier.de/Bilder/Br...-Valentin.html

jimbuna and Penguin ... thanks for the great links and context !!

This is very cool thanks,

SINK EM ALL!! http://www.psionguild.org/forums/ima...ies/pirate.gif