European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 8, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                 German fighter planet lop photo wore assembled at Tempelhof during world warn commercial aircraft Tempe Lhotan 19ss, far left. Manfred Schwanke. Toft by Joe Mapother staff writer russian soldiers blew open Ifie steel Eta to the film storage Hunker beneath temporal Central Airport in the closing Days of world War ii. The result my lire destroyed everything ins do and it is nol known whether the connecting escape Linnet was Ever used. The contents of the Bunker and what exactly happened during the last Days of Tempe Thor arc a Noraj the few mysteries surrounding the former main  of Berlin said Manfred Schwanke. An employee at the Airport since 1954. We never had any underground flooded areas with dead nazis or russians floating about Schwanke said refuting a popular Rumor about temp Chol s basement. We never had any underground  what the Airport had then and still has Loday Are in. Miles of underground Utility channels and the capability to generate its own neat and water. Four 180-feet deep Wells Supply water to Tempelhof that is purified at an Airport Plant that continues to rely almost wholly on original equipment dating Bach nearly so years. The Airport has a 267,000 gallon water storage capacity Schwanke said. The closest thing to an underground hangar was a railway Tunnel used to assemble the powerful and versatile Focke Wulf 190 considered nazi Germany s Best All around tighter plane. Schwanke talked As he expertly moved Down stairwells along tunnels on three Levels that occasionally Ted into larger areas such As the heating Plant. Missing from the Subler Ranegan Eer iness was the flickering Light of torches off the Concrete Walls. Electric lights provided illum Malion in the surprisingly clean tunnels if you re not familiar Wil h the Tunnel area you could a i lost pretty Quick  said. Tours Are sometimes conducted through parts of the underground network generally the tunnels m e Dowd to the Public. The civilian population living near the Airport during the latter stages of the was became familiar Wilh underground Tempelhof is a place to seek shelter from air raids. Schwanke said the a unnels were not used As shelters because of the danger in placing people next to steam pipes and elect no wires. However numerous baseman a rooms were equipped Wilh toilets and benches where people could while away the hours in safety As bombs cascaded Down on the City above. Today they the shelters probably would not meet the safety codes Schwanke said advances in weaponry and five decades of Wear and tear to Airport buildings probably have decreased the safety of the underground shelters he said. The Nama Tempelhof probably stemmed from the monastery established on the she by the knights of Templar during the 12h Century but it was the Airport design of Ernest Sagebiel that put the District on the world map. Sagebiel was commissioned in 1934 to draw up plans for the biggest building in the world. The building was to resemble the shape of an Eagle from the air and the grounds were tailor made for the huge spectacles beloved by Adolf Hitler s nationalist socialist fascist regime. The Oval Airfield was designed to accommodate one million air show visitors another 65.000 could be fit onto the 8-10 mile Long hangar roof the Pilch of rite roof could to adjusted to compensate Lor the weight of the  was to be an Airport Hal would make Berlin the air Lunny rotation Hub of Europe the final construction phase was begun about the same time that Germany attacked Poland in August 1939 four years later construction was halted and material diverted Inlo the Var Ellort alter the russians look the Airport in april. 1945. They destroyed Largo portions of the Airport although historical accounts Difei As to what actually happened during Hose Early postwar Days. American forces took Over Tempelhof in july. 1945, and there has been an american military presence at the Airport Ever since Steps were begun in 1950 to Lum part of Tempelhof Back to civilian hands and for years american and British airliners landed there. In 1975. The expanded Tegel Airport in the French sector until then used just by air France became West Berlin s main civilian Airport. Schwanke emerged from the film Bunker and walked into the nearly deserted main departure Hall of the Airport. Looking at the quiet hangar area he said. When you realize the design was made in 1934 or 1936 and that aircraft from 1986 still fit underneath the hangar it s amazing Hal the architect had that much  one thing however thai Sagebiel did nol foresee was Hal the . Air Force would become a mainstay tenant at temp Chol and that another one of the architect s designs the former German air Force District Headquarters in Dehlendorf would serve As the Headquarters compound Lor the . Command. Berlin. Friday. Augusts 1986 the stars and stripes Page 13