Buildings of FEA 6 under protection (again)!

[rammjaeger]

In Grossenhain (20 miles north of Dresden/Saxony) are still some buildings of the former Flieger-Ersatz-Abteilung (Aviation Replacement Detachment) No.6 existent. 5000 men of the German Air Force were living, working and training with FEA 6 in 1918. At least 12, maybe 14, knights of the Pour le Mérite trained and/or served in Grossenhain.

At the end of the Communist time in Saxony the following old buildings of the Luftstreitkräfte – built between 1914 and 1918 – were still existent:
1 “Familienhaus” (“family house”), a kind of barrack for NCO and their families;
1 Mannschaftshaus (barack for common soldiers);
1 Wirtschaftsgebäude (economy building incl. casinos for officers and NCO);
1 Flugzeughalle Nr.1 (hangar #1, the first of Fliegerstation Grossenhain, built 1913/14);
1 guardian house (built January 1918 );
1 Kraftwagenremise (garage for the cars of the Flieger);
1 Flugzeug-Werft mit Verwaltungebäude (big workshop/repair facility with bureau building).

BTW the Werft is the oldest military aviation facility in Germany and had model-character for 30+ others built in WWI.

As well in Grossenhain you can find some hangars of the later Luftwaffe (1930s/40s), a WWII-Werft and other buildings, which were also used by the Russians between 1945 and 1992/93. The Russians built also own shelters and facilities there. *

Already in the GDR the garage and the workshop of the FEA 6 had (both were not part of the Soviet-Russian airbase) the status of protected buildings – it was forbidden to change the historical character or to remove the buildings. Some years ago the town of Grossenhain intended to create a business park on parts of the old airbase. The town got “European money” for the “cleaning up” but not for repairs or rebuilding of the old hauses, hangars etc. Hastily (possibly to avoid any opportunity for protests) the economy building and the guardian house were removed and the last hangar changed in its structure. The same could not happen with the Werft and Garage-buildings because both are not owned by the town and not situated at the area of the business park (which was attracting only a few investors – a typical fact in Eastern Germany). It has to be noted that Mr Heerde – the former chief of the local museum for history – was suggesting to maintain a complex of buildings with typical buildings of every aviation period. The plan was not accepted or promoted in any way.

(to be continued)

[rammjaeger]

Last year I was informed by Mr Heerde about a change in the status of Werft and garage. Both lost the status of protected buildings because of a new evaluation which was done by people who had no idea about the cultural and historical back ground of Saxony or even military aviation.
I wrote a letter of protest against this unlucky (and for the buildings dangerous) decision, informed about the historical background and importance of the left buildings. Mr Heerde made a photographic documentation with the comparison of WWI and todays photographs.

On 7 March 2002 the members of the bureau (4 persons from Grossenhain and Dresden) for the protection of historic monuments, Mr Heerde and two representatives of the current owner of the buildings had a meeting and a walk through the old buildings. Nobody invited me but Mr Heerde told me that he was invited and I invited myself. Luckily I found the represents of the Saxon office for protection of historic monuments very open-minded to our intension to get the old status back.

When I was coming back from the USA yesterday I found a letter with a copy of the new decision about the two buildings (werft and garage). Both buildings, situated at the Major-von-Minckwitz-Allee 4, came under protection now (again). I hope this decision is only the first step in a process which could maybe result in a kind of WWI aviation exhibition or museum with visitors from all over the world (similar to Oberschleissheim in Bavaria) or a similar project but that is still a kind of dream. Currently the workshop building is used for the trade with old machines and devices and the garage was leased and used by some Russian for the trade with wood. In fact the dealing with wood was only cover for cigarette smuggel. You can still see the manipulated pieces of wood with holes for cigarette boxes in the building.

Just an information.

VBR
Rammjaeger

[Immo_Frese]

Hallo Hannes,

dank Dir für die interessanten Einblicke in die Situation in Grossenhain. Schön, daß soetwas heute doch noch möglich ist!
Nur nicht locker lassen...

Gruß, Immo

[DavidErrol]

A similar situation exists in San Francisco where a group of enthusiasts are trying to save the buildings of the old Crissy Field near the famous Golden Gate Bridge. Their aim is to create a museum to preserve the aviation heritage of the Bay Area.

Look at this web site to understand what is happening there:
www.crissyfieldaviation.org

Good luck,
DavidErrol

[rammjaeger]

Hallo David,

I enjoyed the website dealing with the old Crissy field.
It gives me some ideas for the presentation of our own project in Grossenhain too. I hope you will succeed with your (more advanced) project.
Happy Easter and very best regards
Rammjaeger

Danke Immo,

ich werde hoffentlich im April ein Treffen in Grossenhain haben, bei dem die Flugplatzleitung und andere interessierte Seiten ein Konzept ausarbeiten wollen, um mehr über die Flugplatzgeschichte zu erfahren und wichtige Gebäude zu erhalten.
MfG
Rammjaeger

[AchimEngels]

Hallo Rammjaeger,

ich habe zwar keinen Direkten Bezug zu Grossenhain, wenn ich aber etwas tun kann um zu helfen, lass es mich wissen. Die Wichtigkeit Deines Ansinnens ist mir durchaus bewusst.

Grüße
Achim

[rammjaeger]

Vielen Dank, Achim!

Wir werden in den nächsten Wochen hoffentlich zu einem Konzept für die weitere Arbeit in Großenhain kommen.
Ich werde dann auf Dein Angebot zurückkommen, da wir sicher jede Hilfe brauchen können.

Mit freundlichen Ostergrüßen
Rammjaeger