Südkaserne (South Barracks), Nuremberg

Nuremberg is a cultural icon with beautiful architecture and a long history of traditional crafts. However, it is infamous as the site of Nazi meetings.

The South Barracks is an austere building built with red brick and stone and was designed by Heinrich Himmler. The South Barracks housed the SS Signals School during WWII and was considered the most important barrack in the Third Reich. The facility was officially called accommodations and not referred to as barracks.

The main building had 1,000 rooms. The main entrance featured a large eagle, and the ceilings were decorated with mosaics. The ballroom features mosaics representing swastikas.

The facility also had many additional buildings. There was a kitchen building, a casino, garages, and horse stables.

In 1945, the US Army occupied the building and renamed it the Merrell Barracks. Today, it houses the German Ministry for Refugees. Another part of the facility is used as Nuremberg's customs offices. Finally, the Z-Bau part of the facility is a cultural center that features lively concerts.