Fliegerhorst Köthen
Fliegerhorst Köthen is an old military airport and military town, built in 1938 and abandoned in 1992. It was used by the German Luftwaffe and, after the war, by the Red Army. With the construction of the barracks, Köthen became a garrison town.
The story of the Köthen airfield begins in the 1920s. In 1928, a small grass runway opened near the town. A local group from the Köthen University of Applied Sciences used it for early aviation research.
In 1937, things changed. The German army moved in. A special unit, the Luftnachrichten-Lehr- und Versuchsregiment, took over the site. They trained radio operators for planes and ground stations. Engineers also tested new radio and radar equipment for the Luftwaffe.
Secret missions
During the Second World War, Köthen became a base for Kampfgruppe 100. This unit flew with Heinkel He-111 bombers and Junkers Ju-52 transport planes. They carried out many secret missions from here.
On April 14, 1945, American fighter-bombers attacked the airfield. Soon after, US ground troops captured the area. But they did not stay long. In July 1945, the Soviet army took control.
MiG jets
From 1951, the Soviet 73rd Guards Fighter Regiment was based at Köthen. They flew MiG jets. Later, in the 1980s, Soviet helicopters like the Mil Mi-8 and Mi-24 also arrived. Other aircraft, like Yak-28 bombers, came for short missions. Even the East German NVA used the airfield for a few years.
During the Cold War, Köthen was a key site. Planes flew regular patrols between the Baltic Sea and Hungary. In May 1991, all flights stopped. By August, the last Soviet soldiers had left.
Since then, the airfield has fallen quiet. A local flying club now uses a small part of the area. Only light sport planes take off in summer. The old main runway is gone, it was in poor condition and had to be removed.
Today, the old barracks have new lives. Some became government offices. Others turned into homes. But many parts of the base are still empty. Silent buildings and cracked concrete remind us of Köthen’s long and complex history.
