20th century Langeleben

1 20th century

1.1 british intercept station
1.2 castle ruins
1.3 friedwald-cemetery

20th century

monument

in 1926 district council of helmstedt erected children s recovery home in langeleben. today building old people s home. community of langeleben dissolved on 1 april 1936, low number of inhabitants made self governance unviable. resident staff of local pub , children s home staff geoverned nearby village of lelm (today part of königslutter elm). time last of forestry workers houses pulled down.

in closing days of second world war there tragic event. on 11 april 1945, 1 day before allies took area, american low level attack aircraft flew on langeleben. destroyed building of local pub , children s home. within few minutes 53 people dead, among these 35 small children (between 4 , 6 years of age) , 2 nurses. children had been evacuated orphan s home in brunswick safe location protect them allied bombing. remaining dead civilians had been brought safe location brunswick police day before. trying avoid being caught between advancing american forces , retreating german forces.

the civilian victims of fateful day, 11 april, buried in langeleben , in 1953 monument , small garden erected remember them.

in 1951 german social youth movement opened falk home youth recovery , in 1959 opened building accommodate growing numbers.

british intercept station

entrance decaying camp before demolition



formal blessing , unveiling of memorial stone 13 june 2009



memorial stone intercept station langeleben 13 june 2009

after second world war , subsequent division of germany, british set static listening post @ langeleben intercept , analyse radio traffic of eastern block , monitor movements of warsaw pact military forces. location ideal, being few kilometres iron curtain border. @ first (in 1951) temporary location set using specialised qlr vehicles , tents , 9 members of 101st wireless troop royal signals. @ first considered temporary facility, became clear division of east , west germany possibly last long time, , so, staffing levels grew, wooden huts erected. building of berlin wall in august 1961, clear need bigger , better permanent facility @ location became apparent , in 1963/64 camp totally rebuilt.

royal signals residents 1951 1992

members of intelligence corps stationed @ langleben throughout period.

the military camp officially known anderson barracks , fall of wall in 1989, , reunification, need listening post in middle of newly merged germany became superfluous. in 1992 camp closed , occupants absorbed various other units @ diverse locations. unused buildings vandalised.

since demolition in 2008 buildings have gone leaving roads , concrete foundations remaining show once stood there. fence, gates , other scrap metal have been removed , nature taking on site ~ has done many times before during preceding centuries.

on 13 june 2009 members of langeleben reunion, association of former royal signals , intelligence corps soldiers had been posted langeleben, on parade , after marching down demolished camp nearby clearing paraded close memorial stone has been erected commemorate service there between 1951 , 1992. stone carved paul ellis, son of former langeleben serviceman , uk stonemason of repute stonemason in lincoln cathedral. offered services @ cost , these paid members officially blessed , unveiled.

castle ruins

of medieval moated castle destroyed in 1626 (see picture @ top) part of end wall of once 36-foot (11 m) high building left; other material having been taken build various buildings came , went on years. 7 hundred fuder (a medieval unit of 15 hl volume) of large worked , shaped stones taken build part of 1689 hunting lodge. later erected church tower 2 bells built, shape of foundations on ground gives physical evidence of existence.

the details (foundations or debris) of former hamlet cannot located , these exist in old records.

friedwald-cemetery

since 2005 parts of forest around langeleben have been made peaceful woods (friedwald) alternative conventional cemetery type burials. cremated ashes of deceased person used fertilise roots of newly planted tree (at location agreed forester). tree carries nameplate usual details on gravestone , protected being felled 99-year lease. tree serves living memory of deceased contribution restoring nature.