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The Field Marshal Rommel Barracks, Augustdorf (, often abbreviated to ''GFM-Rommel-Kaserne'') is a
The barracks houses around 4,300 soldiers. It is located adjacent to the Von der Leyen besucht Augustdorfer Kaserne
, ''NW'', 17 July 2014 The Field Marshal Rommel Barracks is also known for the triannual Augustdorf Soldier's Day ( or ''AST''), a military exhibition which has been the largest annual public event of the German Army several times, with tens of thousands of visitors.
German Army
The German Army (, 'army') is the land component of the armed forces of Federal Republic of Germany, Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German together with the German Navy, ''Marine'' (G ...
military base
A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. A military base always provides accommodations for ...
located in Augustdorf
Augustdorf is a municipality in the Lippe district of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the ...
in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia or North-Rhine/Westphalia, commonly shortened to NRW, is a States of Germany, state () in Old states of Germany, Western Germany. With more than 18 million inhabitants, it is the List of German states by population, most ...
, Germany, and the largest base of the German Army. The brigade staff and most of the units of the 21st Panzer Brigade are located there. Around 4,300 soldiers serve on the base.
The base is located on the southern edge of the Teutoburg Forest
The Teutoburg Forest ( ; ) is a range of low, forested hills in the German states of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. Until the 17th century, the official name of the hill ridge was Osning. It was first renamed the ''Teutoburg Forest'' ...
, and directly adjacent to the Sennelager Training Area
The Sennelager Training Area () is a military training area in Germany, under the control of British Forces based in Paderborn Garrison. It covers an area of , and belongs to the German Government, which discharges its responsibility through i ...
where German soldiers train together with British soldiers and other NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
partners.
Named in honour of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel
Johannes Erwin Eugen Rommel (; 15 November 1891 – 14 October 1944), popularly known as The Desert Fox (, ), was a German '' Generalfeldmarschall'' (field marshal) during World War II. He served in the ''Wehrmacht'' (armed forces) of ...
, the street address of the base is Gfm.-Rommel-Straße 1 (1 Field Marshal Rommel Street). The base shares its name with the Rommel Barracks, Dornstadt; a similarly named base, the Field Marshal Rommel Barracks, Osterode, closed down in 2004.
History
The base was established in 1937. It was originally known as ''Nordlager'' ("Northern Camp") from 1937. Following rearmament, the old buildings were demolished and replaced with new buildings in the 1950s, and the base was known as ''Neues Lager'' ("New Camp") for a few years. Since 1961 the base has been named Field Marshal Rommel Barracks in honour of Field MarshalErwin Rommel
Johannes Erwin Eugen Rommel (; 15 November 1891 – 14 October 1944), popularly known as The Desert Fox (, ), was a German '' Generalfeldmarschall'' (field marshal) during World War II. He served in the ''Wehrmacht'' (armed forces) of ...
. Rommel's widow Lucie Rommel and son Manfred Rommel
Manfred Rommel (24 December 1928 – 7 November 2013) was a German politician belonging to the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), who served as mayor of Stuttgart from 1974 until 1996. Rommel's policies were described as tolerant and liberal, an ...
were guests of honour at the dedication.Uwe Walter, ''Die Strukturen und Verbände des deutschen Heeres'', vol. 1, 2017
The Rommel Barracks today
The barracks houses around 4,300 soldiers. It is located adjacent to the Sennelager Training Area
The Sennelager Training Area () is a military training area in Germany, under the control of British Forces based in Paderborn Garrison. It covers an area of , and belongs to the German Government, which discharges its responsibility through i ...
, where the soldiers train together with soldiers of other NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
countries, mainly British soldiers. Then Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen
Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen (; ; born 8 October 1958) is a German politician, serving as president of the European Commission since 2019. She served in the Cabinet of Germany, German federal government between 2005 and 2019, holding position ...
described the Rommel Barracks as one of the most important installations of the German military., ''NW'', 17 July 2014 The Field Marshal Rommel Barracks is also known for the triannual Augustdorf Soldier's Day ( or ''AST''), a military exhibition which has been the largest annual public event of the German Army several times, with tens of thousands of visitors.
References
External links
{{Erwin Rommel Buildings and structures in Lippe Bundeswehr training areas German Army 1937 establishments in Germany Erwin Rommel Bundeswehr barracks