Reactivation of shelters: why many bunkers are of little use

There are still almost 600 bunkers in Germany. Could they be used again in case of war? Bunker expert Diester explains in an interview why this won’t happen overnight.

tagesschau.de: How soon could the remaining bunkers in Germany be used as shelters again?

Jorg Diester: This is difficult to say and varies from case to case. The 599 shelters are still subject to the civil protection obligation, which means that the federal government can fall back on these rooms in the event of a crisis, as there is a special right of use. So this is a legal category, but says nothing about the functionality of the shelters. It could take two days, two weeks, or two years to get these bunkers back online, depending on their condition. That also depends on how much effort and money the repair would take.

tagesschau.de: What exactly is needed to reactivate the bunkers?

Diester: First of all, the shelters would have to be cleared. For example, the public bunker under a private house in the Eifel is full of boxes and belongings from the homeowners. The same applies to the shelter under a municipal administration in Rhineland-Palatinate, where files are stored. Clearing is certainly possible quickly, a bigger problem is the ventilation and filter system. Since shelters are hermetically sealed to the outside, the air supply plays a central role. In an emergency, the air supply is essential for survival. If the ventilation is no longer functional, pumps and filters may not be as easily repaired. The technology is usually 30 years old, which could be extremely time-consuming and expensive.

tagesschau.de: Are there regional differences in the condition of the shelters?

Diester: Nobody currently has an overview of the condition of the bunkers. But the fact is: Most of the shelters that are still subject to civil protection are in Baden-Württemberg with 222. In Bavaria there are 156. Together, the two states have 376 bunkers. In purely mathematical terms, that is more than half nationwide. In Rhineland-Palatinate, for example, there are only five public shelters left. In this respect, there are significant regional differences in terms of numbers. Not all of them can be used overnight. The federal and state governments decided in 2007 to no longer maintain the shelters.

tagesschau.de: What requirements does a functioning bunker have to meet?

Diester: According to the former federal regulations, which existed until 2007, a shelter had to withstand extreme mechanical loads, protect against fire and debris, and against nuclear, biological and chemical warfare agents.

A functioning bunker must therefore have thick walls and be hermetically sealed so that no toxins can penetrate. Of course, beds, food supplies and sanitary facilities are also needed. In the past, these were mostly dry toilets.

tagesschau.de: Civil protection should now be strengthened. What do you expect?

Diester: I don’t expect a quick solution. The 599 remaining shelters must first be inspected and examined. At the same time, politicians will have to look for interim solutions. Where are there underground car parks, basement rooms, train stations that could be used temporarily as shelters? Of course, they would then offer no protection against nuclear, biological or chemical weapons. In general, it is still unclear how much money should be spent on strengthening civil protection.

tagesschau.de: If the policy is to strengthen civil defense, should bunkers play the central role?

Diester: No, there must always be several pillars. If we cannot provide a place in a shelter for everyone, evacuation planning is required. How should thousands of people be brought out of the danger zone in the event of a crisis? Which way, with which means of transport? I am not aware of any concepts for this. More speed and transparency is needed here for the population as to how politics and administration want to proceed in a crisis situation.