During the guided Underworld: “Dark Worlds” tour on 27 November 2025, we had the opportunity to engage with the historical context of one of Berlin’s famous bunker hidden beneath the city’s subway structures. Countless bunkers were constructed across Berlin during World War II, and sections of the subway system were converted into air-raid shelters. At Gesundbrunnen station, multi-level underground refuges were built to protect both travelers and local residents. the scene evokes just how uncomfortable it must have been to be confined in these cramped spaces, with the constant hum of ventilation systems and the distant roar of bombers overhead. Artifacts from bunkers in the former government district are now on view, alongside war debris and other remnants of the World War II.
 
After the war, the air-raid shelter was left untouched by the Allies’ demilitarization program, as demolishing it would have risked damaging the subway tunnel. Consequently, the facility fell into a long “Sleeping Beauty” slumber until its rediscovery in 1998 by the Berlin Underworlds Association.

The group event wrapped up with a pleasant gathering, sharing refreshments at a Turkish restaurant.