The enormous Hochbunker (lit. ‘high bunker’) next to U3 Feldstraße is a sight that you really can’t miss — literally. The former WWII anti-aircraft bunker dominates the St. Pauli skyline and provides a striking reminder of history. Today it hosts, for example, venues for live music and a night club, a climbing hall and office spaces for artists and musicians. The bunker's uses have continued to grow, as there are now residential units on its uppermost floors.
Turning Gray Concrete into Green Spaces
In July 2024, the roof of the bunker was opened to the public: it is now home to a five-story hotel and restaurant complex with a multi-purpose sports and concert hall and exhibition spaces. The most prominent feature, however, is the lush greenery that's already visible from far away.
The top of the bunker hotel even boasts a public garden with stunning views all over the city and port. In addition to providing additional green spaces for both visitors and residents, the green roof and facade serve to cool down the average temperatures in the St. Pauli urban area and provide shelter for birds and insects.
History: Bunkers in Hamburg
In response to Berlin air-raids by Allied Forces in 1940, the Nazi regime issued an immediate decree to build air-raid shelters in cities all across the Third Reich. Hamburg, a central location for the U-Boot (submarine) and oil industries, was deemed an obvious target. At the end of WWII, Hamburg counted no less than 1,051 bunkers — more than any other German city. Today, there are still some 650 bunkers left. Most are more discreet than the Hochbunker in St. Pauli and are located underground or hidden behind residential buildings.
St. Pauli Bunker During WWII
The bunker at Feldstrasse, originally called Flakturm IV (lit. 'Flak Tower IV'), is one of the largest ever built. In 1942, one thousand forced labourers were orderd to build the structure, which measures 75 by 75 metres in width and 35 metres in height, with walls that are 3.5 metres thick.
It was designed to accommodate 18,000 people and featured a special, extra-wide entrance for women with prams and children. During the air raids on Hamburg in the summer of 1943, no less than 25,000 people sought shelter in the bunker and were well-protected by its thick walls, even when directly targeted. However, Allied forces neutralized the bunker's primary military purpose of firing missiles at bomber aircrafts by releasing tin foil strips to interfere with the bunker’s radios.
First-Ever TV-Broadcast
After the war, plans to demolish the bunker were dismissed. Even if successful, the amount of explosives required would likely tear down the surrounding residential areas along with the bunker. Since then, the structure has been used for various civil purposes. In 1950, the public broadcaster NWDR broadcast the first-ever television images in Germany from the bunker.
Nightclub and Live Music Venue
Its impenetrable walls make the bunker a perfect location for events that are a bit on the louder side. The nightclub Uebel&Gefährlich on the top floor is a popular destination for lovers of live and electronic music, while the ground floor is home to a large climbing hall for bouldering. The Resonanzraum also provides space for jazz and experimental music. A prestigious pop music school as well as several artists, actors and musicians have taken up office in the building as well.