“Verirrte Gewehrkugeln” or stray bullets. Can you imagine? That was the reason why the Schließplatz Mähderklinge, a military shooting range, was temporarily closed in 1892.
Let’s delve into the story of Schließplatz Mähderklinge. This former shooting range offers a glimpse into Feuerbach’s military past. It is located in the Gewand Mähderklinge.
Back in 1869, the Royal Military Administration sought a new location for its shooting range. The old one was on Rotebühl-/Rötestraße. They found it here in Feuerbach, in the Mähderklinge. The administration began buying land. By 1870, the Schließplatz Mähderklinge was ready for soldiers and officers.
The army expanded the facility in 1874 and again in 1878/79. Each time, it added over 100 ar. The shooting lanes stretched 600 meters long. You can still identify some of the walls today. However, the buildings erected in 1886 have vanished.
As I mentioned earlier, stray bullets caused problems. So, in 1892, the shooting operations were temporarily suspended. But they were later allowed again. In 1904, local authorities rejected another expansion.
Interestingly, there are no documents in the main state archive about the final closure. Some people believe the shooting range remained active until World War II. A contemporary witness confirmed this suspicion. The 1929 Feuerbach address book still listed a “Military Shooting Range-Canteen.”
In February 1961, the German Federal Armed Forces wanted to reactivate the shooting range. The location was Mähderklinge and Heukopf. Despite strong opposition from the district council, the military persisted. But with the support of the Stuttgart city administration, the military abandoned the plan in August 1963.
Finally, in 1966, the buildings of the Schließplatz Mähderklinge were demolished. Today, the Schließplatz Mähderklinge is silent. It is a reminder of a different time. A time when soldiers practiced their aim here. It is a place where stray bullets once caused concern. As you explore, consider the echoes of gunshots. Think about the soldiers who once trained here at Schließplatz Mähderklinge.