Secret Underworld: A Guided Tour of the Bundesbank Bunker in Cochem

There are places that not even the local population knew about. In Cochem, too, the surprise was great when the history of the Bundesbank Bunker in Cochem came to light.

Deep underground in the Cond district of Cochem lies one of the most fascinating and simultaneously oppressive relics of the Cold War, representing an extraordinary and, for decades, concealed chapter of West German history. But how did this come about?

A Well-Kept Cold War Secret

To understand the justification for its existence, the enormous financial expenditure, and the sheer spatial dimensions of the Bundesbank bunker in Cochem, one has to travel back to the Cold War era in the 1960s.

The Fear of the Fake D-Mark

This era was not only characterized by the nuclear arms race, the stationing of medium-range missiles, and bloody proxy wars. There was a concern that the West German economic miracle could be targeted through a massive loss of confidence in the Deutsche Mark. This would have inevitably led to a collapse of the entire West German economy. Intelligence services feared that in the event of an escalation, the Warsaw Pact could deliberately infiltrate astronomical amounts of highly professionally forged D-Mark cash into the West German economic cycle. This would have destroyed the population’s purchasing power and undoubtedly led to more than just riots.

15 Billion D-Mark: The Secret Emergency Currency

It was secretly decided that the Federal Printing Office (Bundesdruckerei) and the Typographical Institute had to produce a strictly secret, immediately deployable emergency currency alongside the regularly circulating DM notes. This could have been deployed immediately to stabilize the economy. It was estimated that 15 billion Marks should be sufficient to prevent the potential worst-case scenario.

However, producing and securely storing 15 billion in banknotes against theft posed a problem. How could this be achieved without too many people knowing? And above all, where could such massive amounts of money be stored so securely that it would be available even in the event of a nuclear attack?

Why Cochem Was the Perfect Location

The responsible officials first set out to find a suitable location and chose Cochem. But why there?

Cochem was situated far away from the primary military and political urban centers of the Federal Republic of Germany. The town is nestled in the protective Moselle valley, and the surrounding slopes offer massive, protective layers of slate. Another advantage was that not many people lived in the town from whom a secret had to be kept.

The Training Center as Camouflage

But how could a construction project of this magnitude be made possible without explaining everything to the local residents? A cover story was needed, and so a training center for the Bundesbank was created. Two completely inconspicuous camouflaged houses in Cond became a training center and recreation home for employees of the Deutsche Bundesbank, providing the absolutely perfect cover for the discreet exchange of specialized personnel, the delivery of supplies, and the unnoticeable maintenance of the massive facility below.

The construction of a bunker was justified by a “regulation” stating that government employees had to be protected in the event of an attack. Everyone believed this at the time, as bunker facilities were being built all over the country. The closest neighbors were even promised a spot, with a request for secrecy, since there wouldn’t be enough room for all Cochem residents. This explained the construction work to the locals – what they didn’t know, however, was that in addition to the “official bunker,” further corridors and a giant vault were being built.

A life support system was also installed. In the event of a nuclear strike, a chemical attack, or another massive crisis, the responsible facility operators and armed guards would have locked the ton-heavy steel doors, hermetically sealing off the entire facility from the outside world for 14 days.

Storing the BBk II Series

This secret currency, officially designated as the replacement series BBk II, encompassed the unimaginable volume of 15 billion D-Mark. The BBk II series consisted of banknotes in standard denominations of 10, 20, 50, and 100 D-Mark. Visually, the banknotes differed from those in circulation at the time. This way, the population would have been able to clearly distinguish them in a crisis.

Logistically, it must have been a masterpiece, because they actually succeeded in bringing these gigantic sums of money into the vault unnoticed. In 1966, the entire 15 billion D-Mark were hidden in the deep underground vaults of the bunker in Cochem, stacked in hundreds upon hundreds of boxes that reached up to the ceiling of the armored rooms.

As the end of the Cold War became apparent, the emergency currency lost its significance. Once again, under the highest secrecy, the money was removed from the bunker, secretly destroyed at a private company, and then burned in a household waste incineration plant.

Experience Report: My Tour of the Bundesbank Bunker Cochem

It is quite a strange feeling to stand in front of the two inconspicuous camouflaged houses in the Cond district of Cochem. Nothing, absolutely nothing in this idyllic residential area suggests that a Cold War relic is hidden beneath our feet. The entrance to the bunker is located in a modern visitor center. This is also where the approximately 40-minute guided tour begins.

Our guide was an absolute stroke of luck and made the experience tangible from the very first minute. The crazy part: he himself has lived in the immediate neighborhood for years and had – just like all the other Cochem residents – not the faintest idea what was going on beneath his front yard! With a great mix of historical expertise and personal anecdotes, he took us on a journey back to the 1960s.

Down into the Depths

We descended into the depths via a long staircase. With every step, the air became noticeably cooler and the atmosphere more oppressive. We first reached the area that was intended to serve as a shelter for the unsuspecting residents in an emergency – the perfect cover story for the construction work. After that, we left the civilian part behind.

In Front of the Gigantic Vault

Passing through massive airlocks, thick blast doors, and a winding corridor, we approached the heart of the facility: the giant vault door.

When you stand in front of this steel monster weighing tons, you truly realize the scale of this project. Behind it are the twelve spacious wire mesh cages where the secret BBk II series was stored. Standing in this room and imagining that 15 billion D-Marks were once stacked to the ceiling here is an absolute goosebump moment.

Oppressive Insights into Everyday Bunker Life

The path led us further through the bunker. We saw the old workspaces, the central command room with its wonderfully analog instruments, and the communications center. The fully equipped commercial kitchen for the self-sufficient supply of the staff seemed particularly bizarre. The pots and pans still shine today as if they had just been unpacked – fortunately, they were never used.

It became truly depressing when we took a look into the sleeping quarters. Spartan, windowless, and incredibly cramped. To me, they actually looked more like prison cells. The thought of being cooped up here with the rest of the staff in an emergency, sleeping in shifts on narrow cots, and not knowing for 14 days whether the world on the surface still existed, sent a cold shiver down my spine.

When we finally stepped back into the daylight, I involuntarily took a deep breath. What an unforgettable experience to have uncovered such a secret.

Ready for Your Time Travel? How to Secure Your Tickets

A visit to the Bundesbank bunker in Cochem is an absolute must for anyone interested in German history, the Cold War, or simply extremely well-kept secrets. Since the guided tours are very popular and group sizes are strictly limited for space reasons, I recommend planning your visit well in advance.

Don’t miss out on this goosebump moment in front of the gigantic vault door and ideally book your tour online in advance!

Visitor Information

Address

Am Wald 35,
56812 Cochem

The tour and photography permit for the Bundesbank bunker in Cochem were made possible for us by the museum management.