Shelters are missing in Germany: Which room in the house is the safest?

Created: 05/09/2022Updated: 05/09/2022 10:21 am

In Germany there is a lack of shelters that offer shelter to the population in the event of an attack.

But there are also safe places in residential buildings.

Since the war of aggression against the Ukraine, voices have repeatedly been

.

The functional preservation of these rooms has been gradually discontinued since the end of the Cold War in the 1990s.

In times of peace, there was no need for such civil defense bunkers, of which only around 600 have survived.

Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser wants to change that now in view of the new military threats, but many people are worried about where they could find refuge in the event of an attack.

In an emergency, is it enough to stay at home?

And which is the

?

The mayor of the municipality of Saterland pried open a heavy door to the decommissioned shelters in the basement of the town hall.

If you don't have a shelter nearby, you can also find safe places inside your home.

© Sina Schuldt/dpa

Shelters in Germany: Underground rooms are the safest in the event of an attack

"Today, the Federal Republic of Germany has a very

across the board ," says the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance.

"Under certain conditions, this structure can provide basic protection against the use of weapons of war." According to the Federal Office, should an emergency occur,

• subway stations

• Underground car parks (especially in urban areas) as well

• Basement rooms in solid construction

the best basic protection as they are

.

They withstand pressure waves from explosions particularly well and also protect against flying debris or splinters.

They also offer some

- but only to a limited extent.

"This protection is all the better, the more massive and thicker the building material is" and "the more massive and thicker the soil that surrounds the building material," the Federal Office informs on its website.

Safest room in the house: basement, stairwells or interior rooms without windows

If you don't have a suitable basement or underground car park in your home, you can use the

or the

of the apartment to flee in an emergency.

However, it is important that they do not have any openings to the outside such as windows or glass fronts in order to protect themselves as best as possible.

Incidentally, if you are in a hurry, you should have a packed emergency backpack ready, in which the most important documents, clothing and other useful items are stowed.

You can also keep all important documents in a document folder, ready to hand.

Also, remember to have essential medication and bandages on hand in case of emergencies.