Germany: Mayors urge renovation of bunkers
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Transcript
00:00During the Second World War, this Berlin underground station could accommodate up to 6,000 people.
00:08We are in a kind of spare space, converted into an air raid shelter during the Second
00:13World War.
00:14The association, which manages underground bunkers in the German capital, organizes daily
00:19guided tours.
00:21Behind this door is another era, the Cold War.
00:25Frozen in time, it's a nuclear fallout shelter with hundreds of bunk beds.
00:30It's one of the shelters that could be returned to service by the German government.
00:36Given the current level of threat, it would be a good idea to think about it and refurbish
00:40at least part of this bunker, especially as it could also be used in the event of a natural
00:44disaster, for example.
00:47Around 600 defunct air raid shelters could be renovated to protect the population in
00:52the event of an attack.
00:53It would cost 10 billion euros over 10 years.
00:58Those who can afford it are taking the lead.
01:00Just across the border from Germany, in Poland, the production of private bunkers has never
01:05been so lucrative.
01:06This luxury model is the pride and joy of designer Dawid Rybicki.
01:13So we just came downstairs.
01:15The bunker is nine and a half meters down.
01:18We just cross one decontamination area, close the door.
01:21This is NBC filtration system.
01:23Designer shower and comfortable bedroom.
01:26The company delivers shelters that need no further fittings.
01:29Prices range from 50 to 150,000 euros.
01:33And since the start of the war in Ukraine, orders have been pouring in from Germany,
01:38France and Belgium, all countries that have abandoned public shelters.
01:42Only Swiss and Finland and Sweden, they are prepared.
01:47So everyone right now is waking up that the war is coming from one side.
01:52Right now we have a conflict in Israel, there can be a conflict in China with Taiwan.
01:58So right now everything is erupting and people are waking up.
02:01There's room for no more than 500,000 people in existing functional public bunkers in Germany.
02:07Experts are also recommending that cellars be converted to air raid shelters.