Stasi-Bunker Lübschützer Teiche
Almost completely preserved alternate command post of the Leipzig Stasi district administration near Machern – museum open one weekend a month.
About the museum
Between 1968 and 1972, the Leipzig District Administration of State Security had an alternate command post built in the woods by the Lübschützer Teiche ponds north of Machern. In the event of war or crisis, the head of the district administration was to continue working from here with around 120 full-time staff and two Soviet KGB liaison officers. Outwardly, the site posed as a vacation facility of a state-owned water supply company; bungalows and the commander's house reinforced this impression.
The core of the complex is a reinforced-concrete bunker lying several meters underground with around 1,500 square meters of floor space. It had its own power generation, air filters, water supply, and communications equipment so that it could operate self-sufficiently for a time even after a nuclear attack. The secret facility was discovered and made public in December 1989, and in 1995 the approximately 5.2-hectare site was listed as a historic monument.
Today the Bürgerkomitee Leipzig e. V. (Leipzig Citizens' Committee), which also runs the memorial Museum in der "Runden Ecke", operates the bunker as a specialist museum. It is considered the only almost completely preserved alternate command post of the Stasi at district level. The exhibition and guided tours explain the military tasks of the Ministry for State Security, its plans for mobilization – including the planned internment of opposition members in isolation camps – and the technology and daily routine in the facility.
Highlights
- Almost completely preserved reinforced-concrete bunker with around 1,500 m² of floor space
- Original equipment for emergency power, air filtration, and communications
- Disguised as a vacation complex with bungalows and a commander's house
- Documentation of Stasi plans for mobilization and isolation camps
- Listed 5.2-hectare site in a local recreation area
Permanent exhibitions
- Museum im Stasi-Bunker – A tour through the original bunker rooms with supply and communications equipment. The exhibition explains the Stasi's military tasks and its plans for times of tension and mobilization.
- Operated by
- Bürgerkomitee Leipzig e. V.
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €7 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5School and university students |
| Students & apprentices | €5 |
| Groups | –Group tours and prices on request from the Bürgerkomitee Leipzig. |
Admission includes a guided tour. The outdoor grounds can be explored independently. 25% discount with the LEIPZIG REGIO CARD (according to Leipzig Tourismus).
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Bahnhof Machern · 45-min walk
S-Bahn S3 or RE 50 to Machern station, then a good 3 km (about 45 minutes) on foot; alternatively bus 682 to Lübschütz and a walk of about 1.9 km.
By car
Parking available · 10-min walk to the entrance
Public parking lot of the Lübschützer Teiche recreation area; no parking at the bunker site itself.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | The bunker can be visited on guided tours; the outdoor grounds are freely accessible. Group tours for school classes and other groups by arrangement with the Bürgerkomitee Leipzig. |
