Amid the shimmering blue of the Rügischer Bodden, about three kilometers east of the island of Vilm, a bizarre structure rises from the waves. What looks from a distance like a lonely sea fortress is a fascinating military-historical relic from the GDR era: the former Lauterbach demagnetization station of the People’s Navy, often referred to as “Ostervilm.”
The Mystery of the Lauterbach Demagnetization Station
The history of the artificial island began in the early 1950s. The People’s Navy needed a facility to protect its warships from magnetic sea mines. These mines react to the magnetic field generated by large steel objects in the water. At the station, the ships were “demagnetized” using powerful electrical currents passed through cable loops laid in the water —making them virtually invisible to the mines’ detonators.
The station is not a natural island, but an architectural marvel. Its foundation consists of around 600 oak and concrete piles driven deep into the seabed to support the approximately 250-square-meter platform. Two main buildings stand on this artificial surface: the former living quarters for the stationed soldiers and the machine house for the generators. Today, however, decay reigns here. Thousands of cormorants use the roofs as a resting place, while rust ceaselessly gnaws away at the structure.
In the neighborhood of the “forbidden island”
The view from the station inevitably wanders to the nearby island of Vilm. While the demagnetization station was a place of technology, Vilm was considered the most prestigious restricted area in the GDR. Starting in 1959, it served as an exclusive vacation retreat for the Council of Ministers. High-ranking officials such as Erich Honecker relaxed there in strictly secluded bungalows. This proximity to the “forbidden island” ensured that the entire area remained a blank spot on the map for decades.
The Drama Surrounding the Auction
The future of the platform is uncertain. In fact, there have already been several attempts to sell the station. As early as 2009, the island was auctioned off for 16,000 euros, but any attempt to use it has consistently failed due to strict regulations. Since the station is located in the middle of the Southeast Rügen Biosphere Reserve, environmental authorities prohibit any civilian use or development. Furthermore, the structural condition is so dilapidated that renovation would hardly be economically viable.
Nevertheless, the property will go under the hammer again in the summer of 2026. The auction, conducted by Norddeutsche Grundstücksauktionen AG (NDGA), will take place in Hamburg; the minimum bid is 39,000 euros. It remains to be seen whether a buyer will be found for this historic but uninhabitable monument.
