Feldberg Radio Relay Station Kolbenberg in the Taunus, Germany

From a stateside reader, I got the following pictures as well as permission to publish them. My thanks goes to Donald Engel for his friendly contribution.

This one shows Oberursel and its main cross roads between the Vorstadt and the train station. The road names are Oberhöchstädter Straße and Adenauerallee. The year is 1962.

Oberursel 1962

Now we are heading up to the Kolbenberg and its ‘new tower’ back in 1962.

Kolbenberg Tower 1962

This was the original memorial plaque, and the photo was taken in 2006.

Not only did Mr. Engel give me permission to use his photos, but he also designed the originial plaque *, which is placed near Sandplacken. The original one was stolen and in 2014, a replacement plaque was put up.

Kolbenberg Memorial Plaque

The barracks and other buildings around the Kolbenberg radio relay station.

Microwave dish Kolbenberg

These are the remains of the Feldberg radio relay station.

Rubble at Kolbenberg

Now, even the rubble has been cleared.

The Sandplacken area is a great place to visit also in the winter time. We usually buy our Christmas tree up there from one of the vendors. They usually also serve Bratwurst and Glühwein mulled wine. This will probably be a little different this year…

Also, if you like to join the Kolbenberg former military community, then visit this website: https://spokt.com/

*Edit on 20 November: Mr. Engel kindly pointed out an error on my behalf, and I corrected it within the text.

Comments

  1. Michael Pfeifer says

    I was stationed at Feldberg RRL from May 1986 – May 1991. It was a great place to work & I loved being out in the forest on that hilltop.

  2. Fischer Paul-Gerhard says

    Dear Mrs. Shipley,
    I am a local national German , who raise up in Oberursel my hometown. Many years we had a common good expierence with our guests from the US. I remember on a lots of meetings and
    activities we partizipate on it. Also the people from the former Nato – Facility Feldberg Radio Relay Site has been includet. Your historical documentation about this I really prefer to visit in the Internet. Now I contact you from Seoul Korea, where I live with my korean wife since 8 years.
    Here we have also lots of US Forces (USFK) as peace process keeper together with the Korean Ministry of Defence. Many things, which comes happen in Germany Oberursel, are similar here,
    in Southkorea and very real. Greetings from Seoul Korea Family Lee-Fischer

  3. Craig Carpenter says

    I was stationed at FEL from June 1987 until it was unmanned in 1992. Great place to work, great communities and people around us and a lot of friends both military and civilian.
    Remote support from Rhein-Main until 1994. Sad to see it all gone but the tower in Google Maps, but time goes on. I hope others have great memories of the place as I do.

  4. Thomas Duff says

    Hey there, my name is Thomas Duffy and I am 48 years old. I was born in Bad Homburg, about 20km away from the Kolbenberg, where this station was located. As an adolescent I was there several times. I loved it, especially in winter, when the fence was frozen. The place was lit up even at night. Very cool and mystical. Once, we spend a night in front of this station in a truck. I really regret that the last time I was there is 26 years ago.
    Yesterday I went to this place and I was shocked that the whole place is gone, except the big antenna and some concrete walls. Before the place was removed some idiots vandalized and burnt it. You can see the videos on youtube.
    Can someone of you veterans please tell me, if I remember correctly that there were on the left free side of this area, that was not surrounded by the concrete wall but by a metal fence, big parabol antennas on the ground, i.e. behind the guard house? I cannot find a single picture on the internet with these antennas. Thanks in advance.

  5. Donald L. Engel says

    Hello Thomas, If there were parabolic antenna on the ground during the time period when you visited the site, it is because they were being removed from the tower, and awaiting transportation to Rhein Main Air Base. The only picture of a parabolic on the ground (That I’m aware of) is shown above in this article.

  6. Dennis Gilb says

    Hi Craig,

    Been looking for you for a while. Send me a message if you get a chance.

  7. Dennis Gilb says

    Hi Don,

    How are you? I was wondering whatever happened to the Feldberg web-site that I believe you or Tom use to manage back in late 90’s early 2000’s? I was a member but hadn’t used it in a long time and not sure if it still exists.

    Thanks

  8. Hello Craig Carpenter. I was stationed with you at Rhein-Main 92. We travelled up to the site regularly to provide support once the site was unmanned. The team, Goodspeed, Schneider, Davis, Stuart, Gee, Eames, Kittle, that’s all the names I can remember. Good to see on here!

  9. James Mills says

    Stationed at the site as a cook from 78-81 and loved it. Many friends both military and civilian. Sadly, many are deceased now. Sad to see that the site is no longer there. Had a movie theater, recreation room, chow hall, barracks, and Club /Bar. Beautiful site.

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