Military technology

Between fascination and function 

From historical Soviet tanks to modern Bundeswehr vehicles and military space technology.

The collection includes an impressive variety of motorized and armoured vehicles, horse-drawn carriages and numerous individual pieces of equipment. It also addresses future technologies and the military use of space.

This section gathers and preserves objects such as equipment large and small, ammunition, as well as scale models and cutaway models. The collection from the East German NVA (National People’s Army) and other Warsaw Pact countries is particularly extensive. Since 1990, the collection has been expanded to include exhibits from the Bundeswehr, NATO, and German armies prior to 1945.

An important aim of this section is to close gaps in the collection – for example regarding the early years of the Bundeswehr, foreign missions, and the Bundeswehr’s current national and international activities.

Large equipment – technology on an impressive scale

Tanks, heavy artillery and helicopters: large equipment is impressive by virtue of its sheer size and technical sophistication. The inventory includes land, air and water vehicles, trailers, as well as various missiles and all kinds of other machinery. Preserving these imposing objects is a challenging task. It requires not only large storage spaces, but also skilled personnel to regularly carry out maintenance and repair.

Ammunition – history in detail 

The ammunition collection comprises more than 15,000 individual items. In addition to ammunition of all calibres and types, it also includes various types of packaging as well as objects resembling ammunition, such as replicas of propellant charges. 
Safety is ensured by a specially trained ordnance specialist. He is responsible for ensuring that the collection items are constantly monitored and remain safe and harmless.

Small equipment – everyday military technology

Military history can be found not only in weapons, but also in everyday items. The majority of the collection consists of equipment and materials used by military and paramilitary units. They include furnishings from barracks, installations, depots and field camps. Other examples are signage and objects from everyday military life, such as medical equipment and communications devices. They illustrate what shaped the everyday lives of soldiers beyond the battlefield.

Models and cutaway models – precision in miniature

From models of historical battles to metre-long ship models, this collection comprises over 10,000 detailed models corresponding to the originals down to the smallest detail. Cutaway models are also included in this collection. They provide fascinating insights into the inner workings of military technology. Originally developed for training and demonstration purposes, they range from small detonators for rifle cartridges to models of modern battle tanks.