Bunker 5001 was East Germany’s ultimate undisclosed location. Had the Cold War turned hot, East German leader Erich Honecker and other high-ranking communist leaders would have comfortably ridden out the end of the world in this 7,500 cubic meter space.

It’s buried in the middle of a forest about 40 kilometers from Berlin.

My guide, Hannes Hensel, who’s part of a group called the Berlin Bunker Network, showed up and poked around the ground for awhile until he uncovers a steel trapdoor. He opens it and beckons me inside. We won’t surface again for well over 4 hours.

“This was the most technologically advanced bunker of its time,” Hensel says while explaining his interest in the site. Bunker 5001 was actually superior in some respects to similar American and West German bunkers of its time.

Inside, he shows me how the East Germans built the bunker as a series of massive containers, built on giant springs and coils so that the facility could ride out the shock wave from nearby nuclear blasts. The bunker contained its own generators, water system and air filtering facilities, so that its 400 inhabitants would have had no need to enter the nuclear wasteland above for two weeks after a war. The postwar plans were a bit hazier, however.

“After two weeks, they would have gone above ground wearing radiation suits and gotten to an airplane and flown eastward to Russia,” says Hensel.

Bunker 5001 is definitely number one on the most endangered list of bunkers in the Berlin area. The site’s entrances meanwhile IS SEALED UP with concrete sometime to prevent thrill-seekers from gaining access.

Further Documentation is available at http://www.bunker5001.com/

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"Wir haben hier mit meinen 2 kleinen Enkeln eine wunderschöne Woche verbracht, die Wohnung und der große Garten sind sehr schön und wir haben in der Umgebung und am See einiges unternommen. Die Kommunikation mit der Vermieterin war sehr verständnisvoll und angenehm."

"We rented the house to be near the race course for the Erkner Ironman triathlon. It was the perfect base. Very short drive (or bike ride on race morning) to the course and our time hanging at the house the rest of the weekend was very fun and relaxed. The kids loved the trampoline and box of toys in the yard. We all also enjoyed the sauna. The house is very cozy and comfortable and has everything you need. The hosts are also super friendly and communication is great. I would definitely...

"Perfekter Ort, um dem Altagsstress zu entfliehen. Schöne Einrichtung, alles da was man so braucht. Alles sehr gepflegt und sauber. Netter Kontakt mit den Vermietern. Idealer Standort für ausgedehnte Radtouren. Oder ab Bernau mit der S Bahn nach Berlin rein. Badesee gleich um die Ecke."