British two-man ration, 1980s

[housil]

Thanks for the offer, Housil. You can start by translating this site for me:
http://www.lostplaces.de/cms/content/view/135/33/
... only joking of course!
From what I can understand, it's about 'preparations to cut off German highways' in the event of war. While it's interesting, it's also pretty scary. (Apologies to Kman for going OT.)

I know this "manhole covers" very well. Almost everybody thought, it´s a drain channel under the street


not an explosives chamber to blow up streets in case of approaching russian army.

Also every bridge has this chambers in a pillar:



As kids, we were rowing with inflatable rafts on our river called "Main" and climbing up at the explosive chambers. Very exciting for us...

Did you read the part about the emergency runways on highways?!
http://www.lostplaces.de/cms/content/view/113/33/

See:


This seems like 3000mtrs ordenary German highway/interstate. But if you take a closer look (this place is just 30mins far from us) you will see a very straight piece of highway with NO green stripe between both directions. Also a parking/resting place at each end, bigger than usualy.

They just have to remove the guardrail to have a runway. The resting places were big enough for a Tornado (or any other jet) to U-turn.

I/we (jubifahrer, mreheater72) grew up with this "lost places" and they have been very normal for us.



If do you want, let´s open a new thread about to prevent getting to much OT

[Stef]

On an old steel bridge near my former house, there was a metal boxe (just like a mail box) on every steel beam corner. The old timers told me they were supposed to be filled up with explosive during the next invasion.
Thanks God, it didn't happen and after the Cold War the bridge was painted back, repaired and the boxes removed.