Some History

The history of my German hometown city Bad Windsheim goes back to the year 741 and is quite older then the history to a close forest in the surrounding area. When I was back in Germany for some days vacation in the hot summer July 2006 I thought I take my camera and my bike and take some pictures from the area where I always went with my uncle when I was a young kid. At home we always said, “we go to the Muna”.

The word “Muna” comes from the word Munasiedlung what is a district from the village Marktbergel in the south east from Bavaria and is located on the so called Frankehöhe. The Frankenhöhe is a nature symbol for a hill side that surrounds the whole county Bad Windsheim/Neustadt an der Aisch.

The “Muna” was the largest Luftwaffe Ammunition factory in south Germany and was official named as “Lufthauptmunitionsanstalt 1/XIII Oberdachstetten”. Partly around 3000 people where working there incl. civil workers, soldiers, conscripted people (example schoolgirls) and foreign workers. With full production one full loaded freight train went out on a daily basis with ammunition. Priority was the production for the 8,8cm Flak ammunition what was also used in the heavy tanks like the Tiger I or the Panther. In the “Muna” existed ones some canteens, some schools, and one Kindergarten for the children of the working people.

Military wise is the also the location Illesheim interesting where the German Luftwaffe was stationed since 1936 (10. and 11. Staffel (IV. Gruppe) des JG 3 "Udet") , already in 1945 the US took it then over. Over the years in Illesheim where different US Divisions stationed, like infantry and tanks. But since around 1981 the US Helicopters are stationed here with the largest Helicopter contingent outside of the US with their AH-64 Apache and the UH-60 Black Hawks.

On one hill close to the so called “Petersberg” in the “Muna” area is the so called US under ground rocket launcher station. Nobody knows exactly what is there, but I think with our thoughts about it we are not wrong. This hill is totally underground constructed like the surrounding area from the ones existing WW2 underground ammunition production the so called “Muna”.

Area map:

(this Area is also nice to see with Google Earth)

one of the view swastika shaped buildings in Germany is also there located:

Some pictured forest impressions:

Following one ID Card (Dienstausweis) from the Fliegerhorst Illesheim:

The Fliegerhorst Illesheim these days: