Volksmarine Sassnitz

The Volksmarine (People’s Navy), was an integral part of the Nationalen Volksarmee (National People’s Army), serving as the naval force of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) from 1960 to 1990. The principal mission of the Volksmarine was coastal defense and ensuring open maritime routes across the Baltic Sea for the Soviet Union in times of crisis. By the 1970s, the Volksmarine had expanded to include a force of 18,000 personnel. Following the reunification of Germany, the Nationalen Volksarmee, along with the Volksmarine, was formally dissolved on 2 October 1990. Stationed in Sassnitz, on the island of Rügen, was the Marine Pioneer Battalion (MPiB-18) of the Volksmarine.

The battalion's base was situated on the grounds of Dwasieden Castle, originally constructed between 1873 and 1877 by Adolph von Hansemann. His grandson, Gert von Oertzen, sold the estate in the 1930s to the municipality of Sassnitz. In 1935, the property passed into the hands of the German Kriegsmarine. Following World War II, the castle met its end in 1948 when it was demolished, leaving only the ruins of the Marstall (the stable block) standing as a testament to its former grandeur.

Today, the former naval complex in Sassnitz stands abandoned and largely open to the public. The structures have fallen into severe disrepair, with the grounds increasingly treated as an unofficial dumping site. Yet, as nature slowly reclaims the land, with forest encroaching on the crumbling buildings, the site takes on a hauntingly picturesque appearance.