Research

The fallen soldiers of Emden

The compilation of the 2,404 fallen Emder soldiers was created to give these victims of the war a face. We are still looking for the names of fallen and missing Emder soldiers from the Second World War.[more]

 

 

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Bunker construction in Emden

The construction of bunkers started in Emden on 21 November 1940. Until the air raid shelters were completed on 27 June 1941, the British bombers flew 28 attacks on Emden, 33 persons were killed and 73 injured. A total of 177 air defense structures were built in today’s urban area. [more]

 

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Air protection in Emden

… “What the air defense demands from you”, was already announced in 1936 in handouts to the population. The first command post for the Emder Luftschutz (air defence) was already completed in 1936 in an administrative building next to the so called Gasthauskirche. [more]

 

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Air raids on Emden and its periphery

The first heavy air attack on Emden took place on 13 July 1940 in the time from 01.38 – 02.37 o’clock. The attack killed seven inhabitants, 17 were injured and 78 became homeless. The next attack took place one day later, with little material damage. In the following months and years, the air alarms and bomb attacks increased steadily. [more]

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Forces letters heading home

The letters of the soldiers reflect the sentiment, partly in the barracks, on the transport, and at the front, with their own personal hardships and the thoughts of the loved ones in the homeland. All of these forces letters are, from today’s point of view, extraordinarily important documents for the study of contemporary history.[more]

 

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Reports from the weekly magazine of the Emder Newspaper

Many exhibits from our museum were presented in the weekly magazine of the Emder Newspaper by the staff of the Bunkermuseum. These include an armband of the Emden field warfare, a viola, a bunker bench and the magazine “Unser Wall”, which were sent to the Emder soldiers on all fronts of the Second World War. [more]

 

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Foreign- and forced labourers in Emden

Up to a few years ago, there was little known in Emden about the forced laborers and foreign workers who were living in the working and community camps during the war. Camps were scattered all over the city from which the workers had to march to the workplaces. In particular, Polish prisoners of war were used to build the bunkers. Dutch workers were also assigned to the local construction companies to build roads.  [more]

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Aerial photographs taken by the allies

By the air reconnaissance flight of the Royal Air Force of 7 September 1941 Emden was photographed in two aerial sections. From June 6th to 7th, 1942, a severe attack on Emden took place, which was also documented. The effects of further air raids were also photographed. After the end of the war, Allied air reconnaissance flew the entire former German empire to obtain coherent aerial images of the destroyed cities, military installations and traffic routes.[more]

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Diaries from Emden as historical documents

Here you will find numerous documents, diaries and ground-attack protocols which reflect different aspects of the Second World War from different standpoints. These sources are of great importance for the understanding of the time. [more]

 

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Published writings of the Bunkermuseum

Over the years, various writings have been issued by the Bunkermuseum, which are now almost all out of print. Digital copies can be found here.[more]

 

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War’s end  and the post war era

Here you will find photographs of the women and men of Emden’s “appointed city council” by the military governor Major Newroth on 7 December 1945 and the first elected council of the city of Emden from 1946 to 1948. On May 10, 1945, Mayor Georg Frickenstein, “When I speak to my Emder people for the first time after more than twelve years, at the beginning I may say as a motto:” As somebody else I moved out, as somebody else I did return “. [more]

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General reports on different topics

Whether reports of Walter Barghoorn, who has fallen in Italy, or Gunther Meentzen, who died at the first air attack on Emden on July 13, 1940. These are brief reports of relatives who have found the possibility to present the fate of individual people long after the end of the Second World War. [more]

 

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Picture films of Emden

Here you will find numerous Youtube films about the younger history of Emden – created by Dietrich Janssen. [more]

 

Our Archives

Topics, such as historical recordings, letters and exhibitions, etc. This page is constantly being updated. What you found on the older pages is inserted here.[more]