Tiseler called for a national effort to identify and convert tunnels, subway stations, underground garages, parking lots and underground public buildings into shelters to “rapidly create space for a million people,” adding that his agency will present a comprehensive plan this summer.
Germany is drawing up an expanded plan for its bunker network amid fears that a Russian attack could occur within the next four years, the government’s top civil protection official said. Ralf Tiseler, head of the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief (BBK), said Europe’s largest economy was not adequately prepared and needed to wake up to the possibility of such an attack. “For a long time, there was a widespread belief in Germany that war was not a scenario we needed to prepare for. That has changed. We are concerned about the risk of a major war attack in Europe,” he told the Süddeutsche Zeitung news agency, according to The Guardian.
Tiseler called for a national effort to identify and convert tunnels, subway stations, underground garages, parking lots and underground public buildings into shelters to “rapidly create space for a million people,” adding that his agency will present a comprehensive plan this summer.
He emphasized that the design and construction of new shelters would take a long time, while the cost would be high, and therefore it would be useful to consider utilizing spaces that already exist and that could be made available for this purpose.
Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine has raised fears in other countries, particularly the Baltic states, but also in Poland and Germany, that Moscow could open new fronts in Europe, The Guardian reports. Of the roughly 2000 bunkers and shelters left over from the Cold War in Germany, only about 580 are functional, but most are in need of multi-million euro renovations. They were designed to accommodate around 480,000 people, just 0.5% of Germany’s population. By comparison, the BBK said Finland has 50,000 shelters, which corresponds to protecting 4.8 million people, or 85% of the country’s population.
Tiseler said efforts should also be made to improve information systems and applications so that citizens can refer to them for information on where to seek shelter. He called for improved warning sirens and better protection against hackers, while urging Friedrich Merz’s government to provide funding for the plans, as although they are considered necessary, official funds have not yet been allocated. Financing for the shelter plans is expected to come from billions of dollars freed up after Germany’s debt brake was lifted in March, allowing for huge spending on the military, vital infrastructure such as bridges and roads that allow them to transport tanks and supplies, and civil defense.
Tiseler estimated that at least 10 billion euros would be needed over the next four years to cover civil protection needs and at least 30 billion euros over the next decade. He also called for the creation of a mandatory or voluntary civil protection service and urged citizens to contribute themselves by stockpiling basic necessities, in case of possible water and electricity shortages. “Our appeal is: stockpile enough supplies to last you for 10 days, if possible,” he told the newspaper, citing similar appeals from other European governments.
