by WorldTribune Staff, November 29, 2024 Real World News
In 2007, Germany dismantled its bunker network, considered unnecessary at the time. The country, with a population of 84.4 million, currently has a total 579 public shelters, enough for roughly half a million people.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s threats against nations supporting Ukraine, which includes Germany, has prompted officials in Berlin to propose the rapid repurposing of subway stations, office buildings, and other public spaces as bomb shelters.
Officials in Berlin are drawing up a list of public and private buildings that could be converted into bunkers if necessary, the country’s Interior Ministry said on Wednesday.
The list would include car parks, underground train stations, state buildings, and private properties.
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A phone app with a digital directory of bunkers and emergency shelters was also planned, the spokesperson said, adding that citizens would also be encouraged to convert their own basements and garages into shelters.
Andrea Lindholz, a member of German parliament representing the opposition Christian Democrats (CDU), has criticized the government’s slow response to the escalating war:
“Even though we hope that this situation doesn’t arise, we must be prepared to protect the public in the event of an emergency. We need to significantly increase the capacity in Germany.”
Lindholz pointed to Poland’s example of constructing new shelter access.
Ralph Tiesler, who heads up Germany’s Federal Office for Civil Protection, said that building a new bunker network from scratch could take a generation. To address immediate needs, he said Germany is encouraging residents to set up personal shelters in basements and other secure areas within their homes.
Earlier this week, a top NATO military official urged businesses to prepare for a wartime scenario and adjust their production and distribution lines accordingly, in order to be less vulnerable to blackmail from countries such as Russia and China.
Earlier this month, German media reported on “Operation Plan Germany” — a classified document detailing how Germany could support the deployment of thousands of NATO troops to Ukraine in the event of escalating nuclear threats from Russia.
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