After the end of World War II, the Americans actually wanted to destroy the ammunition factories. But they changed their minds. Geretsried was born.
Geretsried - What a rapid development Geretsried has undertaken: From a small settlement in Wolfratshauser Forst, the municipality has developed into a modern city with 26,000 inhabitants within 70 years. But Geretsried was by no means created out of nothing. Important building blocks were the remains of two ammunition factories on which the city was built by displaced people.
Full house: Friedrich Schumacher from the Historisches Geretsried working group gave a lecture in the Protestant community center about the beginnings of Geretsried.
© Photo: Hermsdorf-Hiss
Explosives were produced in the ammunition factories of Dynamit Aktiengesellschaft (DAG) and Deutsches Sprengchemie (DSC) during the Second World War. There were a total of around 600 buildings, reported Friedrich Schumacher from the Historisches Geretsried working group at the spiral staircase meeting point on Thursday evening in the parish center of the Evangelical Petruskirche. Three power plants, which were located near the Isar, powered the machines with the electricity generated.
One month before the end of the war on May 8, 1944, 2,000 bombs fell on the well-camouflaged factories during an American air raid. They didn't do much harm. "Two bunker buildings were hit, a wax warehouse and a training center for workers," said Schumacher. But some lines were destroyed - that should make the power supply difficult later. Then the Americans occupied the armaments factories. "They wanted to razor the munitions factories," said Schumacher. "But soon their approach changed." The buildings were exposed, the facilities dismantled and 200 bunkers blown up.
The displaced people needed a roof over their heads
Among other things, four loading ramps have been preserved. The one on Haydnweg was converted into a residential building. A corner shop has been on the ground floor for decades. For Schumacher, one of the most beautiful buildings that has been preserved is the former DSC guest house on Adalbert-Stifter-Strasse. Children went to school there until 1962. It has been part of the St. Hedwig retirement home for 50 years. A warehouse was converted into a Catholic emergency church.
During the war, 23,000 people lived in what was then the Wolfratshausen district, and 45,000 after the war. Bombed-out Munich residents, refugees and local distributors sought refuge here. Schumacher: "It was obvious to use the ammunition factories." The first displaced persons from the Sudetenland reached Geretsried in April 1946. They were quartered in the run down barracks of the former workers. The first company that settled in the same year was the Rudolf Chemie company, which still exists today.
Makeshift: The first church in Geretsried was in a bunker. It stood not far from today's parish church Maria Hilf.
© Photo: City Archives
The route of the former factory railway still plays a major role today. The track system has been considerably decimated, Schumacher reported. But part of it is today's industrial track, which transports dangerous goods for two Geretsried companies - the Tyczka group of companies and Pulcra Chemicals. It is owned by the city, which bought it from the Landesanstalt für Aufaufinanzierung in 1974 for 150,000 marks.
The transport network was created from the former taxiways
A close-meshed network of concrete streets also ran through the factory premises at the time. "They were a good start," said the hobby historian. Today they reflect the road network. In 1952 the main streets were given a name. In 1961 there were also smaller streets. And: All buildings were given a house number. "Until then, the pensioner information was valid," said Schumacher with a smile. The older gentlemen knew exactly who lived where.
Also read: Why is the Geretsried road network so intertwined?
Almost all taxiways have now disappeared and replaced by decent streets. Only beyond Jeschkenstrasse in the state forest there are still some. Bunker remains can also be found there. In the meantime she has taken over nature and camouflaged it well again.