ah, ah, ah, ah, staying alive, staying alive...
August 2, 2008 8:09 AM Subscribe
Remember Dr. Strangelove's brilliant plan for the survival of the human race? Well, ol' Erich Honecker, leader of the former East Germany, had a little something kinda like that, for himself and about, oh, 400 of his dearest friends, deep underground, just north of Berlin. And now you can see it!
That's pretty cool, but this makes me sad:
Also, "Mein Führer! I can walk!" used to be my error message sound on an old Windows machine.
posted by danb at 8:45 AM on August 2, 2008
The bunker, north of Berlin, will be open for three months.I woulda liked to take a look someday.
The Berlin city authorities say they will seal it with concrete afterwards.
Also, "Mein Führer! I can walk!" used to be my error message sound on an old Windows machine.
posted by danb at 8:45 AM on August 2, 2008
The Berlin city authorities say they will seal it with concrete afterwards.
Awesome! Then all you have to do is build a secret tunnel, spend a couple of weeks chipping into the structure, then ouila, a free castle to call your own.
posted by crapmatic at 8:50 AM on August 2, 2008 [1 favorite]
Awesome! Then all you have to do is build a secret tunnel, spend a couple of weeks chipping into the structure, then ouila, a free castle to call your own.
posted by crapmatic at 8:50 AM on August 2, 2008 [1 favorite]
At least they didn't have a mine shaft gap.
posted by Afroblanco at 8:51 AM on August 2, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Afroblanco at 8:51 AM on August 2, 2008 [1 favorite]
They are missing a huge opportunity to lease this out as a movie set......
posted by HuronBob at 9:03 AM on August 2, 2008
posted by HuronBob at 9:03 AM on August 2, 2008
And I bet they wouldn't have been into denying the women their essence, either.
posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit at 9:09 AM on August 2, 2008
posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit at 9:09 AM on August 2, 2008
Found the US Congress version, Project Greek Island, in the Greenbrier Resort (West Virginia). Yes, you can tour it.
posted by MrGuilt at 9:20 AM on August 2, 2008
posted by MrGuilt at 9:20 AM on August 2, 2008
General "Buck" Turgidson: Doctor, you mentioned the ratio of ten women to each man. Now, wouldn't that necessitate the abandonment of the so-called monogamous sexual relationship, I mean, as far as men were concerned?
Dr. Strangelove: Regrettably, yes. But it is, you know, a sacrifice required for the future of the human race. I hasten to add that since each man will be required to do prodigious... service along these lines, the women will have to be selected for their sexual characteristics which will have to be of a highly stimulating nature.
Ambassador de Sadesky: I must confess, you have an astonishingly good idea there, Doctor.
posted by furtive at 9:39 AM on August 2, 2008
Dr. Strangelove: Regrettably, yes. But it is, you know, a sacrifice required for the future of the human race. I hasten to add that since each man will be required to do prodigious... service along these lines, the women will have to be selected for their sexual characteristics which will have to be of a highly stimulating nature.
Ambassador de Sadesky: I must confess, you have an astonishingly good idea there, Doctor.
posted by furtive at 9:39 AM on August 2, 2008
It's a lot less stylish than the Swedish 1970s one. Armageddon has never been groovier.
posted by TheophileEscargot at 9:59 AM on August 2, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by TheophileEscargot at 9:59 AM on August 2, 2008 [2 favorites]
The Central Emergency Government Headquarters, or Diefenbunker (mentioned in the first comment), is Canada's version, and the most fascinating museum I've ever visited. The size of the place is astonishing, for something that was supposed to be constructed in secret. It included food and sleep facilities, of course, but also a miniature CBC studio and an enormous vault to store all the gold reserves from the Bank of Canada.
There's no doubting, however, that life in the bunker would have been extremely miserable. The Governor General's suite, by far the most luxurious of the personal accommodations, is probably around a hundred square feet.
My grandfather, a government-employed doctor in Ottawa, had a spot reserved for him in the bunker. He would have been responsible for tending to the medical needs of the MPs and other occupants. Of course, there was no room for his (my) family to come with him.
posted by Clandestine Outlawry at 10:10 AM on August 2, 2008 [1 favorite]
There's no doubting, however, that life in the bunker would have been extremely miserable. The Governor General's suite, by far the most luxurious of the personal accommodations, is probably around a hundred square feet.
My grandfather, a government-employed doctor in Ottawa, had a spot reserved for him in the bunker. He would have been responsible for tending to the medical needs of the MPs and other occupants. Of course, there was no room for his (my) family to come with him.
posted by Clandestine Outlawry at 10:10 AM on August 2, 2008 [1 favorite]
I sure hope they stocked up on water chips.
posted by Pope Guilty at 10:31 AM on August 2, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Pope Guilty at 10:31 AM on August 2, 2008 [1 favorite]
Du sagst, "bunker," ich sage, "TOMB!"
posted by not_on_display at 10:34 AM on August 2, 2008
posted by not_on_display at 10:34 AM on August 2, 2008
So why would it be so great to survive in a crappy, depressing bunker as opposed to a quick fry-up topside?
posted by maxwelton at 11:13 AM on August 2, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by maxwelton at 11:13 AM on August 2, 2008 [1 favorite]
So, maxwelton, you'd be interested in trading me your spot in the bunker?
posted by Pope Guilty at 11:34 AM on August 2, 2008
posted by Pope Guilty at 11:34 AM on August 2, 2008
Pope Guilty, let me see how many hotties show up. I've sent out all the invites. Problem is, all the hotties I know now are friend's daughters, which makes this whole thing kind of awkward.
posted by maxwelton at 12:35 PM on August 2, 2008
posted by maxwelton at 12:35 PM on August 2, 2008
Incredible. Thanks for posting this.
posted by autodidact at 2:33 PM on August 2, 2008
posted by autodidact at 2:33 PM on August 2, 2008
Awesome! Then all you have to do is build a secret tunnel, spend a couple of weeks chipping into the structure, then ouila, a free castle to call your own.
posted by crapmatic at 8:50 AM on August 2
The problem is all that pesky reinforced concrete, very hard to chip through 4 ft thick of concrete that is crisscrossed by multiple layers of 3 inch rebars.
posted by Vindaloo at 5:23 PM on August 2, 2008
posted by crapmatic at 8:50 AM on August 2
The problem is all that pesky reinforced concrete, very hard to chip through 4 ft thick of concrete that is crisscrossed by multiple layers of 3 inch rebars.
posted by Vindaloo at 5:23 PM on August 2, 2008
Vindaloo: As with all problems in life, the answer is LASERS
posted by blasdelf at 6:44 PM on August 2, 2008
posted by blasdelf at 6:44 PM on August 2, 2008
Can any readers more perceptive than me figure out how one can rsvp? I'd love to have a chance to see this. Thanks for any tips!
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 7:19 PM on August 2, 2008
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 7:19 PM on August 2, 2008
foxy_hedgehog,
Did you try this web page or the UK phone number listed there? Sounds like the Tough Guy Tour for 100 euros is the ticket to go for.
posted by lukemeister at 7:37 AM on August 3, 2008
Did you try this web page or the UK phone number listed there? Sounds like the Tough Guy Tour for 100 euros is the ticket to go for.
posted by lukemeister at 7:37 AM on August 3, 2008
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It seems like the sort of thing where government officials will get to play house for a few
yearsmonths, then...well, Aunty Entity??posted by MrGuilt at 8:39 AM on August 2, 2008