Rostock and Warnemünde
Rostock and Warnemünde in the German part of the Baltic Sea, was a favourite target for air attacks throughout the war. The city's location made it easy to find and had war-important industries, including the Heinkel aircraft factory and, the cities were a major transit point for the German’s connection to Denmark and Norway.
The first air strikes were conducted in June 1940, another in July 1940 and one in April 1942 followed four major attacks, four nights in a row with the participation of 161, 125, 128 and 106 bombers. The goal was the downtown area and the Heinkel factory in the southern part of town.
A further attack in May 1942 followed, when 193 bombers returned to attack the aircraft factory Arado in Warnemünde and there were further attacks in October 1942, April 1943, July 1943, in April 1944 and the last in August 1944.
In 1943 the German navy built a protective bunker at the port of Rostock. It was type LSB1400 and could provide protection for 1400 persons.
© Picture by Michael Gebert
“ My grand mother was in rostock camp, taken from urss. Crying about hers friends dying during air attacks when she talked to me about it. Since this, she hates tulip, because there were tulips in front of one of a barracks blowed off with hers jews friends in it.
When the soviet were liberating the camp she talked in german to the soldier and never said she was russian. She left to france with my grand-father, he were here because of the STO. ”
Nicolas
“ Thank you for the information. My mother had to flee Warnemunde with her mother and siblings in 1945 as the Soviets were about to invade. They managed to get on a boat which took them to Flensburg where they stayed in a refugee camp for two years. My grandmother met an English sailor while she was in the camp. He asked her to come to England . They married and lived happily and very contented in a Northumberland village. ”
Rossmannek
“ I was born in Rostock on April 14,1941. My sister was 3 years old. My father was serving as a German war soldier. I cannot imagine what she and my mother experienced. The bombing of this civilian city was inhumane. I am now a US citizen and have proudly served in the United States Navy on the SS525 US Grenadier submarine during the Cuban crisis. To this day I do not enjoy fireworks of any kind and resent the anguish caused to innocent pets who cannot handle it either. It is a deep psychological pain. ”
Roland Baran