Wehrmacht Posts Pt. 3

Wehrmacht Posts / Kaserne

Part 3

Part 3 features Wehrmacht military posts in the following locations: Thüringen - Meiningen.


Two Kaserne were built in the southern Thüringen city of Meiningen during the Third Reich period, and other older posts were remodeled during the 1930s. These postcards show the Artillerie-Kaserne, or Barbara-Kaserne (St. Barbara being the patron saint of artillerymen). The Barbara-Kaserne was built from 1935-36 to house units from the 2nd and (later) 4th Panzer Divisions. (MapQuest Map Link)


The Drachenberg-Kaserne was built in 1935 for the staff of Panzer-Brigade 2, and other units. The Drachenberg-Kaserne was used after the war by East German Border Guards, and is still in use today by German border troops (the buildings have been somewhat modified from their 1930s appearance). (period postcards)


The Hauptkaserne (Main Kaserne) was built in 1865-67, with further modifications through the 1930s. The remaining buildings have been preserved as business offices. (1934-dated postcard)

Meiningen3.jpg (142997 bytes)

Meiningen7.jpg (130014 bytes)

The Barbara-Kaserne was used by the Soviet military forces (parts of the 39th Guards Motorized Rifle Division) during the Cold War, but the buildings were abandoned following the Soviet pull-out in 1991. Note the similarity of these buildings to those at Manteuffel Kaserne in Bad Kissingen, which became Daley Barracks under the U.S. 2/11th ACR - the opponents of the Soviet forces here in Meiningen. (Note - this particular building was torn down ca. 2002, and the destruction of this site will apparently continue.)


Artillery units of the 2nd and 4th Panzer Divisions were stationed here prior to World War II, then the post was used as a hospital during the war. Since the pullout of Soviet troops these buildings have become derelict, although they retain some interesting reminders of their previous occupants, such as Russian newspapers used as wallpaper backing, and flag holders above the doors with Red Star insignia.


Buildings of the Barbara-Kaserne as they appeared in 2005.

Back to Wehrmacht Posts Part 1

Return to the "Third Reich in Ruins" homepage