Helgoland – Kries Pinneberg

For JPW another Schleswig-Holstein location http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heligoland

This month we had a short break holiday there and spent some time with a tour of the bunkers and picked up on the history of the island that is explained in the link plus a bit more – on 20 April 1945 the civilian population were evacuated after very heavy bombing by the RAF and USAF at the time there were 2700 civilians, 1500 soldiers, 800 marines and 7000 Dutch and Russian prisoners of war forced to work on the massive complex Hitler was proposing there was no room in the bunkers for these workers so they were outside during the bombing – four ships took to the civilians and wounded to Kries Pinneberg – on 11 May 1945 the Royal Navy took control and everybody was evacuated to the mainland the bunkers were then used to store explosives found in the clean up of Germany until 18 April 1947 when Britain used the island as a bombing range as explained in the link – on 1 March 1952 the Heloglanders were allow to return and today a great destination for holidaymakers and day trippers from the mainland on a "butterfahrt" taking advantage of duty free booze and cigarettes and each adult can spend euro 430 on tax free shopping – have a English brochure as a pdf file if a copy is required please send me your email address in a private message

Cheers
Steve

Steve

Will add HMS Heligoland to my list/working notes of RN establishments based in North Wes Germany in the immediate post war period

An interesting addition to the research list but we have to sort the Army first.

Steve, I will be visiting Heligoland next month and would be interested in reading the brochure you mention. How can I send you a private message?

Brian

Brian
Scroll up to my message and click on "steve" top left below author then click on "send PM" let me have your email address to send the brochure and have a great trip
Best regards
Steve

Have a good trip Brian, we are off to Hamburg for a week in June.

Hamburg you say, Sightseeing, Museums, The Hafen, places of cultural interest? Hmmm.......................

I recall, after an Exercise, loading an Armoured Regiments worth of Equipment at Pinneberg Guterbahnhof. The locals were very unfriendly, to say the least!!

Shelldrake wrote:

Hamburg you say, Sightseeing, Museums, The Hafen, places of cultural interest? Hmmm.......................

I did say "we" Shelldrake, as in the "wife and I" so no shennanagins, I'm sure we will take a trip down the reeperbahn though, just for a look

A creep down the `reep, hey.

bigmal wrote:

A creep down the `reep, hey.

Dirty boy!

Nice though.

It's very sanitised now, nothing like the '60's and '70's from what I remember.

Not been back, but i have heard it has changed quite a bit.