Tuttlingen Tours & Beyond
WORLD WAR 2 TOURS, IN TUTTLINGEN, ROTTWEIL & OBERNDORF, BLACK FOREST, ULM, KEHL BUNKERS, THE RHEIN & THE COLMAR POCKET (ALSACE)
Guided Private World War 2 Historical Tours, for individuals, couples, or for a max of 4 persons, showing you important locations, in and around Tuttlingen, Schramberg, Rottweil, Black Forest, Kehl by the Rhein, Ulm, Alsace (The Colmar Pocket), which are associated with the events of World War 2.
Including bomber crash sites, allied bomb crators, war production factories, concentration camps, huge bunkers, a weapons museum, anti-aircraft Flak positions (flak stellung), Luftwaffe airfields, locations where German troops were attacked by the French as they retreated, locations where actual combat took place.
French resistance fighter memorials, German war memorials, prisons, Rommel’s execution site and grave & secret forest factories, where Messerschmitt ME262 jets were assembled
You will also see some beautiful & stunning scenery, along the way, such as ancient mountain top castle ruins, waterfalls, huge viaducts, steam locomotives, fast flowing streams and rivers, inc the Kinzig, Rhein & Neckar.
Wonderful half-timbered houses and farms, incredibly steep pine forested terrain, crystal clear lakes & of course the famous cuckoo clocks, manufactured in this region
During your BLACK FOREST TOUR – We will have lunch in the beautiful old town of Schilltach
TUTTLINGEN TOUR (SWABIAN ALPS)
Meeting point: The Markplatz Tuttlingen
Duration: Half day or full day, walking & driving tour
I am an English, World War 2 Historian, researcher & professional Tour Guide. Why not book a thrilling History tour in this beautiful area, only 30 minutes drive from the stunning Black Forest (Schwarzwald) & 30 minutes drive from the Bodensee on the Swiss border !
Below is a list of locations that you can choose to see, depending on your personal preferences
THE RUINS OF HONBERG CASTLE – The beautiful Honberg Castle ruins, overlooking the city. (Observation post as the French tanks approached Tuttlingen)
DANUBE WALK (DONAU) & FORMER P.O.W CAMP – A short walk along the Donau River (Danube) to Lager Muhlau – Former location of a huge P.O.W camp, that once held 300,000 German Wehrmacht soldiers. including a look at the Kommandant’s Villa, the location of the former entrance gate, a restaurant that once supplied all the food for the inmates and the unloading ramp location, from the trains
TUTTLINGEN WAR FACTORIES – A look at 3 large factories, that once made leather goods (some still do) and during World War 2 – they produced boots, uniforms and weapons etc for the German army (Aesculap, Chiron & Bollmann)
Former location of ADOLF HITLER PLATZ & where a tree planting ceremony was held when Hitler became chancellor in 1933
Former restaurant where nazi meetings were held in the town
The old bridge across the Danube, that was wired to explode, as the first French troops approached the centre of town
The exact place where 50 Waffen S.S troops were sent, to defend the town against the approaching French troops & armour
TUTTLINGEN Bahnhof – 5 allied air-raids were directed on this railway station. The old locomotive sheds still have evidence of strafing on the outside wall (see photo above). I will show you where the bombs fell, including the locations of where some houses & a hotel were destroyed. I can also show you an original bomb crator in the forest (optional)
A line of original WW2 German locomotives. These locomotives carried troops, armaments & prisoners all over Germany
“THEN & NOW” – I will show you many old wartime photos of Tuttlingen and show you the exact locations today
We then take a short drive out of town, to a former LUFTWAFFE airfield. Here i will show you 5 superb, exploded, former ammunition bunkers, that were camouflaged in the forest, plus a huge crash crator, from where a “pathfinder” Lancaster bomber was shot down (ND409) by a Messerschmitt BF110 night fighter bomber. A little memorial can be seen nearby, to the crew, who sadly all died here, on their return from a large scale attack on Friedrichshafen. The next day the pilot of the BF110 (Martin Becker), visited the crashsite. This Luftwaffe airfield was also used by the Hitler Youth for training.
On a clear day, you can see the Swiss Alps from this airfield !
Then, after a short drive, i will show you the crashsite of a MESSERSCHMITT BF110 night fighter. The pilot was killed in this crash
SOUTHERN BLACK FOREST TOUR
Meeting point: Your hotel in the Black Forest, or in the Tuttlingen area
Duration: 1 or 2 day tour. A unique Black Forest Tour with a twist !
There are several tour companies, offering BLACK FOREST TOURS (Schwarzwald Tours)
However, none of them combine the wonderful scenery of the Black Forest & the Swabian Alps, with a tour of the former locations, associated with World War 2
As well as witnessing the stunning panoramic scenery, in this beautiful area and enjoying it’s fine cuisine, (including the delicious Black Forest Cake), you will also see hugely important old war production factories, such as the Mauserwerke factories at Oberndorf (on the Neckar River), with it’s superb Waffen museum, the Junghans clock factories at Schramberg and the Rottweil gunpowder factories, as well as WW2 bomber crash locations, German war memorials, huge exploded German bunkers (near the Rhein), memorial to French resistance fighters, a former German anti-aircraft position, a former prison, plus former concentration camps/slave labour secret camp ruin
As we meander through the incredibly steep, green, densely forested valleys of the Black Forest, you will see wonderful scenery, as well as picturesque towns such as Schiltach & Wolfach
The JUNGHANS factories in Schramberg manufactured components and timing devices for German U-Boats and fighters/bombers, as well as watches for Luftwaffe pilots
The beautiful RAVENNA BRUCKE railway viaduct, near Triberg – strafed by fighters & bombers many times and blown up by the retreating Wehrmacht (photo below)
LUFTWAFFE AIRFIELDS & CRASH SITES
LUFTWAFFE BASES – The former Luftwaffe Night Fighter Airfield at Neuhausen ob Eck, with it’s runway, former Luftwaffe ammunition bunkers and memorial to a crashed British Lancaster bomber, that was shot-down by a Messerschmitt BF110 Night Fighter. All the crew were sadly killed.
6 British Lancasters, 4 B24 Liberators & 2 BF110’s crashed in this area alone !
Oberleutnant Martin Becker (2.NJD 6), in his Messerchmitt BF110 Nightfighter, shot pathfinder Lancaster Bomber ND409 down, on it’s return from the Friedrichshafen raid, near Tuttlingen.
Sadly all the crew were tragically killed
R.I.P:
E.C Eaton
P. Wadsworth
L.H Glasspool
K.G Franklin
J.R Dodds
C.A Kidd
R.G Sharland
OPTIONAL VISIT – HAILFINGEN LUFTWAFFE AIRFIELD – former runway, memorial to the victims, repair hangar and nearby slave labour quarry
ROTTWEIL,SCHRAMBERG & OBERNDORF TOUR (SWABIAN ALPS)
ROTTWEIL – GUNPOWDER FACTORIES – The former huge World War 1 & 2 PULVERFABRIK gunpowder & ammunition factories at Rottweil and Rottweil Prison, where Stauffenberg’s mother was once imprisoned
HARDT – Location of where an American B24 Liberator “OLD GLORY” was shot down & where the only surviving crew member (Chester Strickler), was taken for questioning. 4 Liberators were shot down on this day, by fighters and by Flak positions. I will explain in detail what happened here. (I will also show you the location near Mariazell of a 2nd crashsite)
Below: Hitler’s favourite test pilot & famous WW2 aviator – Hanna Reitsch, trained glider pilots here, on the Klippeneck
THE HOLOCAUST – CONCENTRATION CAMPS & MEMORIALS
KZ ECKERWALD – Former Nazi Concentration Camp slave labour works and memorial site
KZ SPAICHINGEN– Former Nazi Concentration Camp, memorial & German ammunition bunkers in the forest
KZ SCHORZINGEN – Former Nazi Concentration Camp /slave labour camp & cemetery
KZ VULKAN – HASLACH memorial & unfinished Nazi tunnel project, deep in the Black Forest (Schwarzwald)
KZ BISINGEN ruins, slave labour quarry, Bahnhof & memorial & the stunning Schloss Hohenzollern (Near Schloss Hohenzollern)
BLUMBERG, ACHDORF & ZIMMERN (RETREAT ROUTE OF THE WEHRMACHT)
BLUMBERG – I will show you a beautiful, deep forested valley, near Blumberg, where on the 22nd to the 27th of April 1945, French planes and French troops pursued and attacked the retreating 19,000 German soldiers (89th Infanterie), as they desperately attempted to reach Lake Constance and the Swiss border. I will show you exact locations where the Germans counter-attacked and where they set up defensive positions, as well as command posts and bomb crators. These extremely tired and depleted soldiers, were remnants of several units of the Wehrmacht, Volksturm and Hitler Youth, grouped together and led by a determined group of S.S Officer’s, under the overall command of S.S General Georg Keppler
A MESSERSCHMITT BF110 night fighter crashed in this area !
LAST BATTLES at IMMENDINGEN & ZIMMERN – The route of retreat for more than 2,000 German soldiers, being pursued by French soldiers, to make a last stand at Zimmern, on the Donau (Danube). These were remnants of the 106th Infantry Division, 719th Infantry & 352nd Volksgrenadiers
THE LAKE BODENSEE AREA
RADOLFZELL – WAFFEN S.S shooting range, built by slave labourers from Dachau. The S.S soldiers that were trained here, became Concentration Camp guards. 3 pistol ranges and 3 rifle ranges, plus ruins of ammunition storage barrack
WAFFEN S.S TOTENKOPF Kaserne (Former barracks), with original sentry posts outside (see photos above & below)
Impressive WAR MEMORIAL RADOLFZELL
UBERLINGEN – Former secret tunnels for war production & cemetery for the victims of nazi brutality
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN – RADERACH – ruins of former, unfinished, secret V2 rocket production site, in the forest, allied bomb crators, former Kommandant’s house, location of slave labour camp and nearby Flak Kaserne (barracks for anti-aircraft units)
SECRET V2 ROCKET PRODUCTION -RADERACH, LAKE BODENSEE
HITLER’S SECRET HEADQUARTERS – TANNENBERG (SCHWARZWALD)
Here i will show you, 2 former flak positions, to protect this secret location, plus the ruins of Keitel & Jodl’s chalet, ruins of the huge command bunker, remnants of Hitler’s bunker, entrance barrier with guardpost and the former location of the Teehause
A VISIT TO OBERNDORF AM NECKAR:
OBERNDORF – The MAUSERWERKE A.G gun factories. These factories produced hundreds of thousands of Mauser K98 rifles and LUGER pistols, during WW1 & WW2
OBERNDORF – Fliegersperre – The German’s hung a massive steel cable barrier, over the Neckar valley, to protect the MAUSER factories, from allied air attacks
OBERNDORF AM NECKAR – Flak Stellung -ruins of huge former Flak positions (anti-aircraft gun positions), plus the location and remains of a fleigersperre (aircraft barrier).
This unique device was made up of huge steel cables, strung across the wide valley, to protect the vitally important Mauserwerke factories below, from allied bomber attacks
OBERNDORF WAFFEN Museum (subject to opening times). This wonderful museum, is housed in one of the former MAUSERWERKE factories and has a huge collection, of old & modern rifles, machine guns and pistols etc
I am currently researching (as of April/May 2020), for LANCASTER BOMBER ND557’s crashsite, near Wolterdingen, Baden Wurttemberg, which was shot down, AT 23.14 p.m, on the 15th of March 1944, by Oberleutnant Fritz Lau (4.NJD 1), in his MESSERSCHMITT BF110 Night fighter. The aircraft burst into flames and then crashed. It was on a mission to bomb Stuttgart.
Any additional information would be appreciated
Sadly all the crew were all killed on impact.
KEHL TOUR – THE RHEIN GERMAN BUNKERS
Ruins of 5 huge exploded German bunkers, trenches, anti-tank ditches & water filled anti-tank defences. Plus the visit to an intact camouflaged bunker, which is now a little museum (subject to opening times)
In Offenburg, i will show you a former prison, where many French resistance members were imprisoned and then take you to a location, in the forest, where 4 women were murdered by the Gestapo. Their is a memorial here to the victims of Nazi oppression.
If you wish, you can stay at this preserved prison, which has been convetered into a designer Hotel !
Also, you will see some bomb crators
B24 LIBERATOR CRASHSITES – SCHWARZWALD
We can visit the location in the Black Forest, where 2 American B24 bombers crashed, after being shot down, by flak and ME109’s. One was “OLD GLORY” Tragically, all but one of the “OLD GLORY” 10 man crew survived – (S. Sgt Chester Strickler). I will show you the place where he was taken for interrogation and the cemetery, where the crew were interred, as well as the crashsites of both B24’s
THE ULM TOUR
Meeting point: Ulm Hotel or Railway station or your Tuttlingen Hotel
Duration: One day
ULM – ERWIN ROMMEL & ME262 SECRET FACTORIES
A one day guided tour to the beautiful German city of Ulm and surrounding area
We will drive to this wonderful old city and visit the locations, associated with German Field Marshall – Erwin Rommel, such as his family home, the location where he was forced to commit suicide, the location in Ulm, where his funeral took place, his gravesite, plus 2 secret locations where Messerschmitt ME262 jets were assembled, a huge former Luftwaffe base and runway, a massive fort that was turned into a Concentration Camp, a German WW2 military cemetery, the old Bahnhof (railway station that was often a target for allied bombers), plus of course the beautiful old town of Ulm with it’s magnificent Dom (Cathedral) the narrow cobbled streets & ULM’s ancient chocolate box style, half-timbered houses
I will show you the ruins of a secret Messerschmitt ME262 jet assembly factory, hidden in the forest near Ulm. You will be standing where the photo below was taken, when U.S soldiers discovered these top secret locations
THE COLMAR POCKET TOUR (ALSACE, FRANCE)
Duration: 1 Day
Meeting place & drop-off point: Your Colmar Hotel
Tour Highlights:
An excellent WW2 Museum
The exact location where U.S First Lieutenant Audie L Murphy, heroically won his Medal of Honor
German Foxholes
4 original Tanks from the Battlefield & memorials
Lancaster Bomber crashsite & memorial
Bridge crossings & attacks on German positions
U.S & GERMAN Command posts
Several Maginot Line Forts & Stuka bombardment crators
A huge French fortress
The attacks on Holzwihr, Jebsheim, Ostheim, Bischwihr, Biesheim, Muntzenheim, Riedwihr, Houssen, Riquewihr, Kaysersberg & Illhausern
Plus some beautiful Alsace villages & towns on route, a trip to the Rhein and views of the Vosges mountains
