Sperenburg
Sperenburg was not always an air field, not even during the Nazi-days. The area was originally part of the Army proving grounds of nearby Kummersdorf, specializing in the research of the usability of military hardware since 1870.
In the 1950s the Red Army was looking for an airfield for exclusive military use. After intense budget talks with the the DDR government construction began in 1958.
Sperenburg was already a Soviet garrison but over time the airfield developed into a Soviet city within East Germany, with schools, shops, movie-theatres, hospitals, etc.
The airfield had its own daily service to Potsdam and Moscow, and at it's peak housed 5,000 military and civilian personnel.
Besides its main runway it had two taxi tracks that could serve as wartime emergency runways. The Red Army made heavy use of Sperenburg: it had both cargo and passenger aircraft (such as An-22 and Il-76) stationed, but also bombers and combat helicopters.
Sperenburg was the location where Erich Honecker, former Head of State of the DDR (from 1971 until 1989), spent his last night on German soil.
As there was a warrant for his arrest he used the Soviet airfield and a Soviet aircraft to flee to Moscow, and from there to Chile.
The Soviets operated from the airfield (although severely restricted) until 1994.
In the 1950s the Red Army was looking for an airfield for exclusive military use. After intense budget talks with the the DDR government construction began in 1958.
Sperenburg was already a Soviet garrison but over time the airfield developed into a Soviet city within East Germany, with schools, shops, movie-theatres, hospitals, etc.
The airfield had its own daily service to Potsdam and Moscow, and at it's peak housed 5,000 military and civilian personnel.
Besides its main runway it had two taxi tracks that could serve as wartime emergency runways. The Red Army made heavy use of Sperenburg: it had both cargo and passenger aircraft (such as An-22 and Il-76) stationed, but also bombers and combat helicopters.
Sperenburg was the location where Erich Honecker, former Head of State of the DDR (from 1971 until 1989), spent his last night on German soil.
As there was a warrant for his arrest he used the Soviet airfield and a Soviet aircraft to flee to Moscow, and from there to Chile.
The Soviets operated from the airfield (although severely restricted) until 1994.
