? A vivid insight into the strategies and secret communication technologies involved in the clash between the Eastern and Western blocs Hidden in a small patch of forest between Rostock and Greifswald is one of the most secret bunkers of the entire Cold War: The underground Tropospheric Station 302. It was part of a highly confidential Warsaw Pact communication system impervious to eavesdropping which was intended to continue functioning even after a nuclear attack. Up until shortly before the demise of the German Democratic Republic, the highly modern station swallowed up an investment of over 40 million Marks, only to be rendered useless a mere matter of months after going into full-scale operation in 1990. After thorough inspection by the West German Bundeswehr, the complex was sealed shut and left to its own fate. In 2004 the 42 acre complex was purchased by a private party and has been converted into a military museum. It provides a vivid insight into the strategies and secret communication technologies involved in the clash between the Eastern and Western blocs. Combining original documents, maps and architectural drawings as well as a large number of photos from the period of its reconstruction, the history of the complex is rendered transparent and easy to understand for a widely diverse audience. ILLUSTRATIONS: 100 b/w
