Public transport in Berlin is a chapter in itself: from the well-known Deutsche Bahn delays to ideas for bringing techno to subway stations and cultural trains where music and readings are part of the journey – there is a lot to discover and experience here. Admittedly, sometimes it can be nerve-wracking: when trains break down, you wait forever or get lost in the labyrinthine subway network. But some stations have far more history than you might think at first glance. One example is the Pankstraße subway station, opened in 1977. Behind the walls, past which thousands of passengers pass every day, is a nuclear bunker for 3,300 people – built in the middle of the Cold War. And the impressive thing is: It still exists today in almost its original condition. Read on to find out more about this secret piece of Berlin history.
The Pankstraße subway station, which is part of the U8 line, is located in the Gesundbrunnen district of Berlin. It sounds normal at first – but there is much more to this station than just an ordinary stop on the Berlin subway. On October 5, 1977, in the middle of the Cold War, it was opened as part of the extension of the U8 line from Gesundbrunnen to Osloer Straße – and at the same time was built as a so-called “multi-purpose facility” with a fully equipped nuclear bunker. Thousands of passengers walk along here every day, unaware that concrete and pressure doors, air filtration systems and emergency rooms are hidden behind the walls. The station was built in such a sophisticated way that it would have offered protection for around 3,300 people in the event of an emergency – including an emergency kitchen, sanitary facilities and an independent fresh air supply.
Architecturally, the station is typical of the 1970s: brown ceramic tiles, aluminum cladding and a functional, sober design characterize the image. The complex – including its civil defense facilities – has been a listed building since 2011. Even if it is hard to imagine such conditions today, the Pankstraße subway station is an impressive reminder of how closely interwoven everyday life and the Cold War were in Berlin. Just a few meters below the city, a piece of Berlin’s significant and dark history is hidden here.