While many might be familiar with the cities and military bases of the Soviet guests in Wünsdorf, Jüterbog and Krampnitz – its not a secret that Fürstenberg an der Havel (and its surroundings) was one of the most important cities for the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany. Not only did Fürstenberg host the Soviet Nuclear Warheads that East Germany would have been allowed to use in a “worst case scenario” (Sonderwaffenlager Lychen), it also had a second equally secretive nuclear weapons base – the “Sonderwaffenlager Neuthymen”.
Fürstenberg Havel 1933 – 1945
Like many cities throughout Germany, Fürstenberg had a sizeable Nazi presence by the 1930s. In 1938, through the aid of slave labour the Nazis built the KZ Ravensbrück, which would house a predominantly female prison population who would primarily be forced to work in the industrial factories nearby.
With the Nazi bureaucracy having gotten more complex over the years, the Sicherheitspolizeischule Drögen – one of seven Security Police Schools in the German Reich – was established in the Village of Drögen just outside of Fürstenberg. We have an entire article dedicated to the former Sicherheitspolizeischule Drögen so we wont go into it here. Both the Wehrmacht and the Luftwaffe had sizeable contingents stationed in and around Fürstenberg, including units of the Latvian Legion.
Sonderwaffenlager Neuthymen 1950 – 1990
The Soviets moved into Fürstenberg Havel in May 1945, and like with every German city quickly took over the former Nazi military installations. By 1946 – Fürstenberg became the headquarters of the 2nd Guards Tank Army, the first Red Army unit to enter Berlin during the Battle of Berlin. The Soviets had taken over large parts Fürstenberg and marked them off limits for non military personnel – specifically the area around the Röblinsee with its luxurious villas. The Soviet Army kept on expanding its presence in and around Fürstenberg, with it eventually occupying roughly 2000 hectares of land.
As with most of these highly sensitive soviet military sites, any (and accurate) information is a rather rare thing and there tends to be more speculation than hard facts available. People with seemingly far more time on their hands have been “discussing” for several years who, and what served in this corner of Brandenburg, though it seems like some consensus has been found surrounding some bare facts.
Unlike many of the other Soviet Military installations in East Germany (Krampnitz, Oranienburg, Bernau etc.), the Nazis did not have a military base in Neuthymen, so the Soviets built their own base around the year 1950, specifically for the 204th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment.
By November of 1958, Neuthymen was upgraded for missile deployments, and by early 1959 storage facilities for nuclear warheads were built.
After the arrival of the missiles and warheads, Neuthymen, the following units rotated in:
635th Missile Division of the 72nd Engineering Brigade (From 1959)
This division was responsible for overseeing the installation of the SS-4 and SS-3 missile systems. Their presence marked Neuthymen’s transition from a conventional military base to a high-security missile launch site.
152nd Missile Brigade (From 1969)
As part of the Soviet strategy to maintain rapid missile deployment capabilities, the 152nd Missile Brigade took over operations at Neuthymen. Under their tenure, an AU-11 type nuclear weapons storage bunker was constructed, further solidifying Neuthymen’s role as a nuclear weapons storage site.
3rd Guards Special Reconnaissance Brigade (Spetsnaz) (1966-1985)
A highly trained reconnaissance unit, this brigade specialized in deep penetration reconnaissance, sabotage, and counterintelligence operations in preparation for potential conflicts with NATO forces. One of the main tasks of the brigade in the 1960–1980s was to detect and destroy the mobile missile systems of potential enemies
14th Air Assault Brigade (From 1985)
As part of Soviet rapid response forces, the 14th Air Assault Brigade was stationed at Neuthymen to provide airborne capabilities. This unit was trained for fast deployment in case of heightened tensions along the Iron Curtain.
By 1990, Neuthymen was equipped with the usual maintenance halls, heating plant, garages and workshops, a waterworks, as well as residential buildings, a gym (with the obligatory basketball court), regimental buildings and the “culture” house. Along with the nuclear warhead storage bunker (Type AU-11) and missile bunker, Neuthymen was equipped with one R-5 and four R-12 missile launchpads.
Sonderwaffenlager Neuthymen Video
Unfortunately we realised too late that our camera had a focusing issue, and that the videos that we took have some massive quality issues. Its still watchable, but you will notice that the camera is constantly shaking/focusing. We decided to upload them anyway as you do get some footage from inside the bunker (which was pitch black inside) as well as some “good” footage of what the condition of the Kaserne Neuthymen was in, in 2024.
Sonderwaffenlager Neuthymen 1990 – 2008
After german reunification, the Soviets planned a phased withdrawal from the country within the the next 4 years. While some soviet soldiers had the “luxury” of remaining in Germany until 1994, highly sensitive sites likes Neuthymen were decommissioned as quickly as possible, Neuthymen was handed over to the german authorities in 1994, stripped of any and all technical equipment.
With more military installations at its disposal than it needed, the german authorities essentially left the site to rot. Any renovation or re-naturisation work would cost time and money, which the state had precious little of for projects like this. By 2008 the city of Fürstenberg finally took action, and with the help of Government, EU and local funds began demolition works to tear down and re-naturalise the the former military installation.
Sonderwaffenlager Neuthymen Today (2024)
2025 Update: We’ve received word after publishing this post, that the bunkers have now been sealed (the entrance doors have been blocked with rubble).
The process has been slow over the past 16 years, but a significant amount of the buildings in Neuthymen have been torn down. While the bunkers still exist – quite possibly because they are the hardest to tear down and are normally just buried – most of the residential and infrastructure buildings have already vanished. All the remaining buildings, of which there are only a handful – have also been completely gutted, leaving behind an even more desolate picture than normal.
Below is a map of the Sonderwaffenlager Neuthymen – with how it was in 2024 – with the the most “interesting” locations mapped. The largest collection of buildings in the lower left are all empty residential type buildings, the majority of them being older construction tpyes, with one new residential block left.
Its only a question of time before all the remaining building are gone and the bunker entrances covered with thousands of pounds of sand or earth. Not much will be left of the first nuclear missile equipped base in (east) Germany, though it would be a nice idea if they erected a similar plaque like they did in the nearby lychen, to remind those who pass by here the dangers that once lurked in the forrest.
Sonderwaffenlager Neuthymen Address
Neuthymen, 16798 Fürstenberg/Havel
Geo Coordinates: 53.205711195413365, 13.200524416916135
