Emsland 1945 #1 Der Luftschutzpfeil

[Eng]

Emsland 1945 # 1 The air raid arrow

...and unofficial TB Hotel for railway traveling with stay in Papenburg.

1945 -As the war came to the Emsland ...

 Already in the 1930s, the population of Germany was aware of the issue of air raid protection. Shortly after the seizure of power by the Nazis in 1933, the Reichsluftschutzbund was founded. It was initially dealt with the refinement of guidelines for the construction of shelters, which decreed that had new buildings "gas, debris and splinters Secure bomb shelters" are installed.
The far greater number of buildings were existing buildings for the above did not apply in the same way. However, it was required that air raid shelters had to be set up in a makeshift execution "in the buildings.

For the fitting-out of makeshift shelters the ceiling were reinforced with wooden beams and seating provided often in cellars. Basement windows had to be protected against the ingress of splinters. Widespread was the retrofitting of special shutters of steel. But there arose a massive protective collar in question.
Constructional was a protection against penetrating (poison) gas to create. These openings were provided with appropriate seals.
Cellars which have been developed for air defense, had to be marked on the outside of buildings with big white arrows. This should by bomb damage at the house rescue workers searching facilitate for trapped.

(Source: http://www.relikte.com/brm_ls_privat/index.htm)

Such a reference to an air raid shelter is still very well preserved here at Papenburg Train Station.
Especially in the last weeks of World War 2, these shelters were very commonly used. After the Polish 1st Armored Division from the south, had fought for the passage of the Coastal Canal on April 19 at 11 am, the hostilities extended rapidly to the north and it had to be expected air raids in northern Emsland anytime. Bombs and the onboard machine guns of the Allied aircraft were used.

Such a bomb attack on a meeting of the local "Volkssturm" in "Behnes Busch" between Aschendorf and Papenburg occurred, on the evening of 17 April. The Volkssturm men were men between 16 and 60 years who were actually "Wehr Disabled" or Hurt War, commanded by Kreisleiter Buscher in the "Behenes Busch". There Medal should be awarded and tobacco and cigarettes are distributed. Some British airmen had however noticed this crowd and threw their bombs in the forest. 10 people lost their lives.
After the aircraft had disappeared, district lyre Buscher called together the uninjured and led unmoved by the religious ceremonies.
That was the day in the final weeks of this long lost war.
(Source: Das Kriegsende 1945 in Aschendorf, Herbrum und Tunxdorf, Band II, by Dieter Simon 2010)


The Cache:

At the starting coordinates you see in the air raid arrow in the NW.

Now you have to count: How many rows of bricks arrow was painted? (from top to bottom)

The final coordinates are calculated as follows:

xx = number of rows of bricks +40
yy = number of rows of blocks -19

N 53 ° 05.3xx

E 007 ° 23.2yy

Detailed logs and photos are very welcome!
(Please, no photo from air protection arrow itself)