History

Some History

The history of my German hometown Bad Windsheim goes back to the year 741 and is quite older then the history of a close forest in the surrounding area. When I was back in Germany for some days vacation in the hot summer of July 2006 I thought to 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 southeastern 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 base with ammunition. Priority was the production for the 8,8cm Flak ammunition what was also used for 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 workers people or familys.

Military wise is also the location of 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's and the UH-60 Black Hawk's.

On one hill site 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 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