Following its occupation by German forces, the beautiful city of Angers in west/central France became the location of some of the highest-level command headquarters outside of Berlin.
From mid-1940 onwards the area included, among others, the headquarters for Army Group B, the 7th Army, Luftwaffe Atlantic coast command, 11th Flak Division, and was the location for the Kriegsmarine’s main control and communications centre.
The central, inland location meant it could act as a hub for controlling Normandy, Brittany, and the Atlantic coast, without the fear of commando raids or regular bombing by Allied aircraft.
Many of the city’s larger chateau were commandeered and some very large bunkers were built both in the inner city and on the eastern and southern outskirts, some of which can still be seen today.
In Angers city centre itself there are three remaining bunkers – a R608 Battalion and Regimental HQ bunker, an air-raid shelter, and a special construction Nachrichtenstand.
The SK Nachrichtenstand in the east of the city centre forms the foundations to a large, private house and cannot be accessed without permission. The R608 is buried within the grounds of the University so photography is also impossible.
Only the SK air-raid bunker can be seen – albeit heavily covered in vegetation – on the edge of a small park between housing blocks. As with many of the bunkers in the Angers area, it stands proud of the ground rather than being buried.

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