What is a shelter?
Shelters, also known as nuclear shelters or air-raid shelters, are primarily built for use in the event of armed conflict, but can also be used as safe havens in other disasters and emergencies.
Shelters/bunkers must be able to withstand the effects of modern weapons, which means above all providing protection against nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare agents and near misses from conventional weapons.
Why shelters are needed
Due to political developments over the past 70 years, protection and security have become a matter of course for most citizens in Germany. Private disaster preparedness is often considered unnecessary and ridiculed. But despite the seemingly good security situation, there are real risks here too.
There are currently 75 active nuclear reactors and dozens of chemical plants in Germany's neighboring countries—and the trend is rising. The number of environmental disasters, crimes, terror warnings, and hacker attacks is growing year by year, which, according to experts, poses a real danger in Germany.
Due to current geopolitical developments and the increasing threat from Russia, shelters are once again becoming important in Europe. The use of drones and armed conflict can no longer be ruled out at this point in time.
Even in the case of disasters that are announced in advance, it would not be possible today to set up sufficient shelters for the German population at short notice.
With your own shelter, you and your family will be protected from danger for generations to come.
Map of nuclear reactors in Europe [1]
Installation of a new sliding armored wall for an existing shelter in Germany
How are shelters constructed?
Shelters essentially consist of a thick reinforced concrete shell made of in-situ concrete in the basement of a building. In the best case scenario, the components are therefore cast in concrete in the basement during the construction of new residential/commercial properties.
Access is secured with special, armored doors. Shelters are also equipped with an emergency exit in case the exit via the shelter door is blocked.
To ensure a safe air supply, the bunkers /shelters are equipped with a special ABC ventilation system and gas filter, which can be operated electrically and, in an emergency, manually with a hand crank.
In non-threat times, shelters can be used regularly as basement compartments, hobby rooms, wine cellars or as protected storage spaces.
What shelter concepts do we offer?
Which prefabricated bunkers do we offer?
Modular prefabricated bunker, subcompact type
The “subcompact” prefabricated bunker is the smallest bunker and offers protection for up to six people. It was developed for short waves of attack (e.g., drone attacks, artillery or bomb attacks), so that the length of stay is designed to be a few hours.
This prefabricated bunker can be installed above ground, partially covered with earth, or completely covered with earth.
Advantage: Due to its above-ground arrangement, this prefabricated bunker can be installed without a permit in all federal states.
Arrange a personal consultation appointment and visit our exhibition bunker in Augsburg, Bavaria.
Secret descent
Variants of panic rooms
Are there shelter spaces in the event of a disaster?
Switzerland
In Switzerland, the legal requirement that every citizen must have a shelter available has been in place since 1971. For this reason, a shelter must be built in every new building. There are currently around 365,000 personal shelters and 1,700 public shelters in Switzerland. Switzerland thus has a shelter quota of 120% - i.e. more shelter places than there are inhabitants. [3]
Germany
In the 1960s, there were shelters in Germany for about 3% of the population. [4] In 2007, the German federal government, in agreement with the states, decided to abandon the construction and maintenance of public shelters and to stop funding them. [5] There are currently no operational public shelters available in Germany. [6]
Conclusion
In contrast to Switzerland, there are no public shelters in Germany. In Germany, you have to make your own arrangements for a shelter.
Can shelters be reactivated?
Installation of a new sliding armored wall for an existing shelter in Germany
In Germany, there are still a large number of private home shelters and public civil defense facilities dating back to the Cold War. Most of these buildings have been forgotten over the years and have not been serviced or maintained for decades and are no longer operational.
We prepare expert reports for the reactivation of existing shelters. Based on the reports, we can create a reactivation plan for the existing facility.
We can subsequently equip and reactivate the protective structure with ventilation systems, gas filters, doors and gates, beds, dry toilets and furniture.
Can shelters be reactivated?
ARD Story – A report about our projects
Many Germans feel that the state does not provide them with adequate protection against war, terrorism, cyberattacks, natural disasters, and organized crime. Where can people find medical help or power for their cell phones in an emergency?
Video ARD Story
Video ZDF heute News
ZDF heute News – A report on our projects
Europe is experiencing a period of uncertainty. The war in Ukraine is brutally exposing the vulnerability of modern societies and raising new questions for Germany. How well prepared is the Federal Republic? What scenarios are conceivable here? And in times of drone warfare and cyberattacks, does the country need real shelters again? While the federal government talks of a “turning point” and strengthens the military, another area is coming to the fore: civil defense, which has long been neglected. The demand for private shelters is increasing. People like Christian Klaus have built their own bunkers deep beneath their homes, concerned that attacks on civilian targets can no longer be ruled out here either.
Safety at the highest level
Armored doors (PT) are often used in the construction of shelters. These doors are made of 20 cm reinforced concrete, protect against explosion pressure waves and radioactive radiation, and also protect against biological and chemical warfare agents with a circumferential seal.
Many people mistakenly believe that a “standard” armored door also offers protection against break-ins. However, a “standard” armored door can be opened from the outside within a few minutes using simple tools, even when locked.
For this reason, the German Shelter Center has developed a locking system to reinforce armored doors, achieving an extremely high level of protection.
As proof, a reinforced armored door was comprehensively tested and achieved the highest resistance class RC6 according to DIN EN 1627.
Even with the use of advanced testing tools, such as an oxygen lance and a 60-ton spreader, it was not possible to open the door from the outside, even after several hours.
The German Shelter Center is the only manufacturer on the market that offers reinforced armored doors in classes RC4 and RC6.
Video: Attempted break-in of an armored door of the
Tpy PT RC6 with extensive tools
Take responsibility for your own safety.
We are Germany's experts in the construction of shelters and bunkers and offer:
Advice on shelter construction in new buildings / extensions / conversions
Specialist planning for shelter and bunker construction
Expert advice and preparation of reports on reactivation
Preparation of reactivation plans
Static calculation of shelters
Sales of shelter components
Project support and contact for architects, structural engineers, construction companies, fitters
Installation of ventilation systems, dry toilets and lying areas
Construction of shelters
Contact us for a free and non-binding consultation.
Germany's real estate agent for the brokerage of existing shelters, bunkers and former military installations
With our division Bunker Makler Deutschland, we are the central broker for the purchase and sale of shelter and bunker properties from all over Germany. We maintain a nationwide customer and property database for absolutely discreet real estate brokerage.
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Rental of individual shelter spaces
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Sale of shelters and properties with integrated home shelter
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Sale and rental of bunkers and former military areas for commercial use
- Establishing contacts for joint construction projects
Further information can be found on the website at:
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