A Lot of Flak - Sepia Saturday

Back in 1941 when young Gunter approached his local station I doubt that he would have seen a sight like that in this week's prompt.

After all he would catch a train from Berlin-Humboldthain and it probably did not look as peaceful as in 2010.

Berlin - Gesundbrunnen S Bahnhof, Humboldthain
(14 Nov 2010 - Peter Kuley - CC BY-SA 3.0)

Nor would the platforms have been as empty as this.

Berlin-S Bahnhof, Humboldthain 
(9 Oct 2012 - IngolfBLN - CC BY-SA 2.0)

On his way from Müller Strasse to the station he would not have had such a picturesque view of the park as this.

Berlin - Humboldthain Aussichtspunkte Bunker
(Andreas Praefcke - CC By-SA 3.0)

Back in 1941 the Observation Point Bunkers had a more sinister use. They formed one of the three blockhouse towers in Berlin for antiaircraft guns ordered to be built by Hitler in 1940 and used by the Luftwaffe to defend the city against the Allies air raids.

Flak Assistant - Berlin Gesundbrunnen Flak Tower, Humboldthain with two heavy flak guns - 1943
(Norbert Radtke Family Archive - by Henry Radtke)

At he end of the war the tower was partly demolished. Today it is inside Humboldthain Park.

I just wonder whether Gunter was as close as this to the towers when he took his train journeys.

Partly Demolished Flak Towers, Humboldthain
(Unknown date - source; Dario J Lagana, www.norte.it - CC Commons)

Gunter was a young man in 1941 and could travel by train at half fare third class between Berlin - Humboldthain and Berlin - Karow.

Gunter  and his permit for fare reduction 1941

Unfortunately I cannot make out his surname; he lived at Müller Strasse 1 and apparently was a gardener (Kleingärtner).

I hope he survived the war and that the Flak Tower protected him.

All aboard for more trains and train journeys at Sepia-Saturday-232.