The Tarnewitz test site () was a

Luftwaffe The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...

weapons testing facility and

airfield An aerodrome, airfield, or airstrip is a location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve air cargo, passengers, or neither, and regardless of whether it is for public or private use. Aerodromes in ...

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...

. It was built on an artificial peninsula at Boltenhagen on the coast of the

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...

, as one of the four ''Erprobungsstellen'' stations of the system of Luftwaffe test establishments headquartered at Rechlin. Construction of the Tarnewitz site commenced in September 1935; on completion the whole peninsula, about 1 kilometre across, was surfaced with asphalt. It was used throughout the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

for testing armaments such as machine guns,

autocannon An autocannon, automatic cannon or machine cannon is a automatic firearm, fully automatic gun that is capable of rapid-firing large-caliber ( or more) armour-piercing, explosive or incendiary ammunition, incendiary shell (projectile), shells, ...

and rockets, and their installation on aircraft. (in German) Firing was conducted over the sea between the test site and Poel Island. After the start of the

, the site became more involved in the development of experimental ''Sonderbewaffnung'' or "special armaments" such as smoke cylinders and airborne mortars. Heavy-calibre (for aerial use) ''Bordkanone''-series autoloading cannon, from 37mm through 50mm and on up to 75mm in calibre were tested for use against

armoured fighting vehicles An armoured fighting vehicle (British English) or armored fighting vehicle (American English) (AFV) is an armed combat vehicle protected by vehicle armour, armour, generally combining operational mobility with Offensive (military), offensive a ...

and bomber aircraft. Final tasks included assessment of the weapons of the new generation of point defence fighters, such as the

Bachem Ba 349 The Bachem Ba 349 Natter () is a World War II German point-defence rocket-powered interceptor aircraft, interceptor, which was to be used in a very similar way to a manned surface-to-air missile. After a vertical take-off, which eliminated the n ...

and the Heinkel P.1077.Griehl, Manfred (2012)
''X-Planes: German Luftwaffe Prototypes 1930-1945''
Frontline Books, (pp. 167-168) Tarnewitz escaped heavy bombing raids but was attacked by US

fighter-bomber A fighter-bomber is a fighter aircraft that has been modified, or used primarily, as a light bomber or attack aircraft. It differs from bomber and attack aircraft primarily in its origins, as a fighter that has been adapted into other roles, wh ...

s from May 1944. In May 1945, the site briefly came under US control before being handed over to Soviet forces. It continued in use by various East German military and

paramilitary A paramilitary is a military that is not a part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. The Oxford English Dictionary traces the use of the term "paramilitary" as far back as 1934. Overview Though a paramilitary is, by definiti ...

forces until 1990. A

marina A marina (from Spanish , Portuguese and Italian : "related to the sea") is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats. A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo ...

and hotel complex have since been constructed on part of the site.

References

1935 establishments in Germany Research and development in Nazi Germany World War II sites in Germany World War II airfields in Germany Military of East Germany Cold War sites in Germany Weapons test sites {{Germany-WWII-stub

See also

References