Kaserne Krampnitz - a return trip! LOTSA PICCIES!!!

[karltrowitz]

That Eagle is absolutely stunning and seriously needs to be preserved. Nice pics.

 

[TeeJF]

That Eagle is absolutely stunning and seriously needs to be preserved. Nice pics.

Agreed. I don't know how it has escaped the authorities when they decreed that all Nazi era decoration in Germany was to be erased, much less what it was doing in an active Soviet barracks.

 

[KingRat]

Agreed. I don't know how it has escaped the authorities when they decreed that all Nazi era decoration in Germany was to be erased, much less what it was doing in an active Soviet barracks.

I think you'll find it was film set. I could be wrong, as I also have it on good authority the Soviets were'nt the ones hell bent on the destruction of all Nazi symbolism, that was the Brits, Yanks and French. Ivan didn't really give a t*ss what the building contained just as long as it was warm, dry and had somewhere to store the lard and cabbage.

 

[TeeJF]

I think you'll find it was film set.

Ivan didn't really give a t*ss what the building contained just as long as it was warm, dry and had somewhere to store the lard and cabbage.

I thought exactly the same thing but a real mosaic made out of genuine materials is a b*gger of a lot of trouble to go to just for a flim. The normal approach is a paint brush and stencils, roll on pre-painted decor, or plastic mouldings etc etc etc. When viewed through the lense even the tackiest "replicas" can look totally convincing - I used to work for the BBC and did several prestigious dramas over the years including a really big production with John Mills and Omar Sharif, and even that had remarkably tacky props and set.

Before I saw it for real "prop" was exactly my conclusion but having laid on my back beneath it taking pix I soon began to wonder. On the plus side it's just too damned elaborate a piece of work for a prop. Also it is in a building which from the outside appears superficially Soviet,until you spot the ornate balcony. And inside it is so obviously NOT Soviet. The Soviet buildings at KK are utilitarian in the extreme and their idea of decor is crappy cement reliefs painted in gaudy colours. This building interior here is full of elaborate polished sandstone et all.

On the minus side other Nazi decorations around KK have been chiselled out so if they went to the bother of doing that then why not this one too?

All I can suggest is go see for yourself before it's gone, and then decide what you think - you may be surpsied.

But I will say this, prop or otherwise, it is breath-takingly beautiful, even allowing for the dark symbolism so readily associated with insignia and emblems of the Third Reich.

 

[KingRat]

I thought exactly the same thing but a real mosaic made out of genuine materials is a b*gger of a lot of trouble to go to just for a flim. The normal approach is a paint brush and stencils, roll on pre-painted decor, or plastic mouldings etc etc etc. When viewed through the lense even the tackiest "replicas" can look totally convincing - I used to work for the BBC and did several prestigious dramas over the years including a really big production with John Mills and Omar Sharif, and even that had remarkably tacky props and set.

Before I saw it for real "prop" was exactly my conclusion but having laid on my back beneath it taking pix I soon began to wonder. On the plus side it's just too damned elaborate a piece of work for a prop. Also it is in a building which from the outside appears superficially Soviet,until you spot the ornate balcony. And inside it is so obviously NOT Soviet. The Soviet buildings at KK are utilitarian in the extreme and their idea of decor is crappy cement reliefs painted in gaudy colours. This building interior here is full of elaborate polished sandstone et all.

On the minus side other Nazi decorations around KK have been chiselled out so if they went to the bother of doing that then why not this one too?

All I can suggest is go see for yourself before it's gone, and then decide what you think - you may be surpsied.

But I will say this, prop or otherwise, it is breath-takingly beautiful, even allowing for the dark symbolism so readily associated with insignia and emblems of the Third Reich.

We'll we're out there in Jan and I think we might be in the area so will, if time permits take a squizz.
With regards the building not being a lump of Soviet concrete, I know it isn't fella.
The entire camp was Nazi before Igor moved in.
I've got a picture somewhere of the Soviet utilitarian buildings - they were German too, or the Ruskis got bored and practiced their Germanic Italics. Or were you referring to the flats? Now they really were Soviet!!

 

[TeeJF]

I've got a picture somewhere of the Soviet utilitarian buildings - they were German too, or the Ruskis got bored and practiced their Germanic Italics. Or were you referring to the flats? Now they really were Soviet!!

Yeah, I realised the flats were, they're so bl**dy bleak dontcha think?

As regards the other buildings, some have fairly ornate elements, others are plain old concrete with zip in the way of embellishment. I assumed the paragons of blandness were all Soviet whereas the more elaborate were the original 30's Werhmacht buildings. I had also assumed that the place was massively expanded under the Russian admin. Is that not the case?

 

[KingRat]

Yeah, I realised the flats were, they're so bl**dy bleak dontcha think?

As regards the other buildings, some have fairly ornate elements, others are plain old concrete with zip in the way of embellishment. I assumed the paragons of blandness were all Soviet whereas the more elaborate were the original 30's Werhmacht buildings. I had also assumed that the place was massively expanded under the Russian admin. Is that not the case?

Those flats were that grim we actually made a concious decision NOT to look at them

As for expansion, there must have been a considerable effort to squeeze all those guys in after Jerry did a bunk Comrade Lilli is far better placed to comment though. I'm going to shut up now as I've broken my rule about opening the hole in the front of my face and removing all doubt

 

[lilli]

Comrade lilli

The inner nerd in me did a bit of diggin back in about june time re Soviet buildings and suprisingly the Soviets only expanded here when they really needed to ... to demonstarate I have pictures

Here is Krampnitz in 1953 - Obviously after the war but this shows the Kaserne how it would have been in 45

(so you can get your barings the front building (the big one ith the arch) is just up and left from the L92 road sign)

Compare this to the recent one (2004 was the clearest so I used that)

As you can see on the far left the Soviets have aded the motor pool and on the far right they have added the flats.

The other way you can tell is that the main accom blocks are still standing! The Soviets tended to put things up quickly and mostly in concrete! If it was brick they kinda only used one skin and then they dont like being derelict and standing for too long!

If you do go over to Germany again ( and I am sure that you ill its addictive ) Have a look at Doeberitz and you'll notice that they have done pretty much the same thing there added very little and reused what was there

 

[TeeJF]

Thanks for that Lilli, great bit of detective work. Where's this other place you mentioned then? We are back over on Christmas Eve but we already have a pretty full schedule. Not that there's ever any excuse for not putting "another" in the to do list!

Cheers...

M and TJ

 

[KingRat]

Thanks for that Lilli, great bit of detective work. Where's this other place you mentioned then? We are back over on Christmas Eve but we already have a pretty full schedule. Not that there's ever any excuse for not putting "another" in the to do list!

Cheers...

M and TJ

Doeberitz, it's on the otherside of the dual carriageway to the Olympic villiage.

 

[eclectic_fence]

Wow, what sight. Glad you took the effort to go again so you could share these incredible pictures.

 

[tattooed]

Wow!

Simply............ Awesome! Great shots, I NEED to go there