Ever wondered what it felt like to seek shelter during World War II? The Hochbunker Pragsattel stands before us. This massive structure whispers stories of resilience.
The Hochbunker Pragsattel is one of Stuttgart’s most recognizable landmarks. Locals often call it the “Bosch-Turm”. This nickname comes from the Bosch company advertisement once displayed on its roof. From a distance, the building’s sheer size is impressive.
Construction occurred during 1941 and 1942. Ludwig Bauer’s company built it. Sixteen workers and ten prisoners of war helped. Paul Bonatz, the architect of Stuttgart’s main train station, designed the bunker.
Inside the Hochbunker Pragsattel, two spiral staircases wind upwards. They allow access to each of the eight floors. They also lead to the roof. Remnants of a Flak position remain there. Three 2.0 cm guns once stood guard. Sadly, the roof is inaccessible during tours.
An elevator was installed in the Hochbunker Pragsattel. The Stahl company built it. It sits precisely in the center. Though the machinery remains, the elevator stopped running years ago.
The Hochbunker Pragsattel offered protection to 1,200 people during World War II. Later, its capacity increased to 2,190. This was for civil defense purposes. However, in 2016, it was decommissioned. The building is about 30 meters high. The Bosch advertising adds another 6 meters. The SSB antenna stretches about 20 meters.
The bunker has nine floors. The outer walls are one meter thick. Each floor housed toilets, sinks and drains. The bunker contains 51 rooms. There are two entrances on the ground floor. They are opposite each other. They lead to the staircases. The basement was for technical equipment.
Bonatz planned to clad the Hochbunker Pragsattel with stone. Some green-gray sandstone arrived. But they were never attached. The facade was renovated in 1980.
After the war, the Hochbunker Pragsattel served as housing until 1961. Around 135 men lived in the windowless rooms. The evangelical youth met in the basement. Bosch put up its illuminated advertisement soon after the war. In the early 1990s, they added a 3.5-meter-high frame on the roof for the advertisement.
In 1984, the Hochbunker Pragsattel was modernized. It now has blast doors and updated sanitation. Today, the tower showcases 60 years of bunker history.
Today, an exhibition on disaster protection is located in the building. The Pragsattel bunker can be visited by special arrangement. This exhibition was created with the Stuttgart Fire Department. It includes exhibits about food in emergencies.
The Hochbunker Pragsattel received monument protection status in February 2023. So, as you stand here, remember the people who sought refuge within these walls.