Abandoned & Industrial Photography

by Björn Sahlberg Updates About

Soviet Military Base FZ

Far out red treads

Former DDR, Germany.

Info
Exhibition prints
Links
Wall art in the theatre foyer. Very colourful and soft shaped for a piece of military propaganda at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

Welcome! Wall art in the theatre foyer. Very colourful and soft shaped for a piece of military propaganda.
October 2013.

Embedded barrack 1 at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2014.

Embedded barrack 1. I have come to appreciate the warm yellow colour used for many of the barracks.
October 2014.

BETA

Embedded barrack 2 at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

Embedded barrack 2. (beta)
October 2013.

BETA

Barrack entrance with corrugated porch deco at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2014.

Barrack entrance with corrugated porch deco. (beta)
October 2014.

BETA

Defence logistics wall deco at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2014.

Defence logistics wall deco. (beta)
October 2014.

BETA

An outdoor display case among the barrack at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2014.

An outdoor display case among the barracks. (beta)
October 2014.

BETA

Vegetation taking no notice of the notice board at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2014.

Vegetation taking no notice of the notice board. (beta)
October 2014.

BETA

The ever present Olympics were present at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

As we have seen before, the Olympics were ever present. (beta)
October 2013.

The Number One badge one the outside wall of a gym at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

The Number One badge one the outside wall of a gym.
October 2013.

Olympics oriented wall art inside one of the gyms at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

Olympics oriented wall art inside one of the gyms.
October 2013.

BETA

Gym wall stencil deco at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2014.

Gym wall stencil deco. (beta)
October 2014.

BETA

I'm guessing that Italy hosted the soccer world cup at some point during the cold war at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2014.

I'm guessing that Italy hosted the soccer world cup at some point during the cold war. (beta)
October 2014.

BETA

Before moving out the Soviet troops stripped the buildings of most things worthwile at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2014.

Before moving out the Soviet troops stripped the buildings of most things worthwile. If this was the case with the gym floor I'm not sure, but wouldn't be surprised. (beta)
October 2014.

Spectator's stalls at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

Spectator's stalls.
October 2013.

Only the silhouettes left at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2014.

Only the silhouettes left.
October 2013.

BETA

Know your gymnastics at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

Know your gymnastics.
October 2013.

BETA

Start's end at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

Start's end.
October 2013.

BETA

The outdoor pool at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

The outdoor pool.
October 2013.

Running in the opposite direction, yet Number One at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

Running in the opposite direction, yet Number One.
October 2013.

Proper Badlamp enlightening The Flag at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

Proper Badlamp enlightening The Flag.
October 2013.

Ceiling creativity in one of the barrack storage rooms at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

Ceiling creativity in one of the barrack storage rooms.
October 2013.

Wall art in the library. Quite possibly acknowledging the 28th (and last) congress of the Communist Party held in 1990 at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

Wall art in the library. Quite possibly acknowledging the 28th (and last) congress of the Communist Party held in 1990.
October 2013.

Wall art in the library. Quite possibly acknowledging the 28th (and last) congress of the Communist Party held in 1990 at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

Wall art in the library. Quite possibly acknowledging the 28th (and last) congress of the Communist Party held in 1990.
October 2013.

Jump the turnstiles, play ping pong, praise The Party at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

Jump the turnstiles, play ping pong, praise The Party!
October 2013.

I would be running away too at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

I would be running away too.
October 2013.

Sports deco in one of the barrack stairways at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

Sports deco in one of the barrack stairways.
October 2013.

Tank crew helmet in one of the barrack attics at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

Tank crew helmet in one of the barrack attics.
October 2013.

BETA

Theatre foyer corner at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

Theatre foyer corner. (beta)
October 2013.

Theatre foyer wardrobe desk at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

Theatre foyer wardrobe desk.
October 2013.

Theatre foyer wall art in full at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

Theatre foyer wall art in full.
October 2013.

Theatre interior. Not much left since the roof has collapsed at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

Theatre interior. Not much left intact after the roof collapsed.
October 2013.

Balery interior at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

Bakery interior.
October 2013.

Diver's training pool. Note the little window probably used by the instructors at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

Diver's training pool. Note the small window probably used by the instructors.
October 2013.

BETA

Tank driver's training pool at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2014.

Tank driver's training pool.
October 2014.

Monument remains 1 at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2013.

Monument remains 1.
October 2013.

Monument remains 2 at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2014.

Monument remains 2.
October 2014.

Monument remains 3 at Soviet Military Base FZ. Former DDR, Germany. October 2014.

Monument remains 3.
October 2014.

Yours truly

Achtung bitte!

A large military compound in former East Germany dating back to the early 1930s. Besides the ever present housing barracks there were theatres, restaurants, sports facilities and – Wikipedia claims – a zoo (!). After World War II the base was used by Soviet troops until the early 90s when it was stripped down and abandoned. Today most of the buildings have been demolished and the plan to completely restore the area is ongoing.

In the early 50s acknowledged East German social realist painter Lothar Zitzmann was commissioned to make one of the murals here. So far I have yet to identify it and possibly it's already long gone.

All photos marked with “beta” are temporary versions, scanned from the lab's contact sheets. These will be replaced with sharp versions over time. But knowing yours truly, don't hold your breath ...

October 2013 – October 2014

September 2019

June 2020

Hasselblad 500c/m, Zeiss Distagon 50 mm F/4, Meopta Flexaret V, Kodak Ektar 100, Kodak Tri-X at EV 400, Imacon Flextight Photo, Canon Canoscan 9000F (beta).

Exhibition prints

Sovjetbas FZ 1. Forna DDR, Tyskland. Oktober 2013.
Sovjetbas FZ 2. Forna DDR, Tyskland. Oktober 2013.

Sovjetbas FZ 1 and 2 was among the selected works for the ASKA.nu anniversary exhibition.

These prints have been sold.

Sovjetbas Fz 1 @ ASKA.nu – The First Two Decades

Sovjetbas Fz 2 @ ASKA.nu – The First Two Decades

ASKA © 1999-2020 Björn Sahlberg

Home

About

Updates

Most rights reserved