Toolkit 2 - Character Design: 1945 German Bunkers

 

  The setting for my character design project is a 1945 German Bunker. One of the main intact bunkers I found though my research was Gare De L'Est, which is found under a train station in paris. Originally french, this bunker first intention was to be a air raid shelter but was taken over by germany in the nazi occupation. 

  Spanning a length of 1290 square feet,  Gare De L'est walls are lined with thick concrete as with most shelters. There are several different chambers including a telephone communication systems, oxygen cylinders and various pipes and equipment. 

  There are alot of german bunkers found in northern Pas de Calais, including La Couple ,Fortress of Mimoyecques, Wolf's Lair and Bergkristall. Fuhrerbunker is located in Berlin, and become Hitler's last residence before the end of WWII. This also included housing several of his highest officers and recently wedded wife, Eva Braun. 

  Fuhrerbunker  was at first a large air raider shelter, but was converted into two bunkers. Vorbunker (1936) was first, then fuhrerbunker (1944) was placed 28 feet below, both connected by right angled stairways. The entrance to Fuhrerbunker was sealed off with a heavy steel door and bulkhead. A 3 meter thick reinforced concrete ceiling protected 30 rooms, which consisted of living quarters, communications equipments and a secret exit leading to the garden. Fuhrerbunker had a constant supply of electricity from a generator, but was extremely damp due to be positioned under a large water table. Hitler decorated Fuhrerbunker with lavish furniture and oil paintings.