The Taylor Barracks in Mannheim-Vogelstang are one of those locations that are not really abandoned, but have the looks and feel of a deserted place. Cleared by the US Army on August 30th 2011 the Taylor Barracks are now under the administration of the BImA (Bundesanstalt für Immobilienaufgaben / Institute for Federal Real Estate), which has to decide what will happen to this former military base.
The Taylor Barracks, named after Private 1st Class Cecil V. Taylor who died in the last days of World War II and who posthumously received a Silver Star for courage in the face of the enemy, were built in 1939/40 by Nazi Germany’s Wehrmacht as Scheinwerfer-Kaserne (Searchlight Barracks) – most likely because it was home to the Flakscheinwerfer-Abteilung 299 (299th Anti-aircraft Searchlight Detachment) to defend Mannheim from bombings. From April 1948 on many, many US Army units were stationed at the Taylor Barracks; way too many to name them all. In the early years most of them were Ordnance Companies and Engineer Companies, later on a lot of supply and service battalions found their homes in Mannheim-Vogelstang.
(Fun fact: When I told my dad, a musician basically all of his life, that I had a look at the Taylor Barracks he told me that he played there on the opening night of a military club. When he asked for a whiskey coke the bartender handed him half a gallon of Jim Beam! The 70s must have been an interesting time…)
In the summer of 2012 the Taylor Barracks stood there waiting for a new purpose. Most of the buildings were in pristine condition, only some metal started to rust here and there. Also in pristine condition was the fence around the 46ha big premises – about 2.5 meters high and secured by barbed wire there was no way to enter the closed base. In areas considered a special security risk, like fence sections with streetlights, additional rolls of razor tape were installed on top of the fence and / or on the ground. And so the exploration I hoped for turned into nothing more than just quite a long walk…
Addendum 2013-09-09: It turns out that the good people at the BImA are great sports – instead of going after me for taking photos they link to Abandoned Kansai on their official page about the Taylor Barracks! 🙂 They also link to newspapers, the official homepage of the city of Mannheim and several others… but Abandoned Kansai is first! You can *have a look here*, but be aware that their website is in German…)
(If you don’t want to miss the latest article you can *follow Abandoned Kansai on Twitter* and *like this blog on Facebook* – and of course there is the *video channel on Youtube*…)
Amazing. Thank you for posting this. It brings tears to my eyes. I was stationed at Taylor Barracks in the mid-80s and this is like seeing my old home again. The guard post at the entrance is especially emotional for me as two of my closest friends when in German worked there – Peter and Dieter, two German-service guards who taught me German. Thanks again.
You are welcome! I wish I would have been able to enter the premises for a closer look, but you guys did a great job preventing people from getting in, even years after the place was closed… 🙂
I was there 83-85 next door to the 272 building
84 -87 Taylor Bks …. I lived in the room right above the 272MP entrance …. 2nd Sig Bldg ….
Peter Frohwerk …. My friend also in those days. Saw him at home years later in downtown MA.
I lived in the room right above the 272MP entrance …. 2nd Sig Bldg …. The one with the wooden outer stairs.
I WAS IN THE AIR FORCE AND WAS STATIONED AT TAYLOR 1961-1962.IT WAS WEIRD AS WE ONLY HAD ABOUT 250 AIRMEN IN MY SQUADRON AROUND THOSANDS OF 7TH ARMY PEOPLE. IFANY OF YOU ARMY GUYS REMEMBER PLEASE SEND ME A LINE.
I was stationed at Funari Barracks and shortly after moved to Taylor Barracks. HHD Signal Group 22 Stratcom. June 73 to Jun 74. I loved it. Miss the canteen! Thanks for posting and glad I found this site!
You’re welcome! My articles about the *Cambrai-Fritsch-Kaserne* in Darmstadt and the *Pioneer-Kaserne* in Hanau are quite popular by now. Maybe one day this one will be used by people to reconnect, too…
I was station at Taylor Barracks 1983 to 1986. So sad about it closing.
I was there to 83-85 42nd customs. Lived next door to 272.
Spec 4 Tom McLaughlin 42nd Customs illustrator. My biggest work accomplishment was repainting the company Jeep. 1983-1985, lots of unit sports basketball, volleyball, softball, even flag football, played on the company softball team. Drank .25 cent Heineken from the coke machine downstairs, listened to crap cover bands at the barracks bar, bowled and went to movies over in front of Sullivan barracks. Grabbed a hot bologna sandwich at the train stop and went to downtown Mannheim most weekends. Saw the Pretenders, U2, Dio, Samantha Fox, even Nena and her 99 balloons in the Rosengarten concert hall. Oh to go back in time.
Was stationed there in 84-87. One of the buildings you photographed was my worksite: Mannheim Telecommunications Center. Loved being stationed there. I see lots of people here were there when I was there. Top memories:
1). The Beer Machine in Barracks
2). Rabbits Inbreeding near Chow Hall
3). The Incredibly Precise Shaking Blade of the old barber
4). The Day we Had Lobster at Chow
5). The Pirates Cove
The Balcony over the 272nd door was Larry’s and I room at barracks.
Great days!!!!
I was stationed here 1953-1954……Emaculete barracks……built to last a lifetime. When I arrived, I was in HQ. Company of the 109th Engineer Battalion which changed to the 37th Engineer Battalion early 1954 (?)…. Loved the duty here……We bridged the Rhine during my tour and bivouacked during all Army maneuvers in the mountains……Loved being close to Heidelberg……rode the trolley to Heidelberg…..Mannheim was just really starting reconstruction since it was 85% bombed destroyed in WWII….Anyone still out there from 1953-1954?? I am still in touch with Louie Marino from C Company 37th Engineer Battalion. My name James (Jim) Steele
Mannheim was a great place to be stationed. Taylor was my old home away from home from ’95-’97 at the 272d MP Co, interrupted by a trip to the Former Yugoslavia. Taylor Barracks will always hold fond memories for me and I hope that the BImA finds/found a good use for it. Even former my unit doesn’t exist anymore, having been deactivated. I’d hate to see the place destroyed to build a shopping center or something trivial.
I also was station at Taylor from 1972-75. 71st HAD GREAT TIME STATION THERE. I was looking into a trip to see Taylor Barracks . SAD.
Me too, 72,74 Many fond and foggy memories. I was a gate guard with security battery, I think,,,,,long time ago and I was just a kid
This was great thank you! I was there from 90 to 93.
We must have chewed some of the same dirt. I had a company commander at Ft Lewis who said that to me when he realized that over the years we had served at many of the same places. I got there at the end of May 92, and left at the end of May 94. It was HQ 42 MP Group – Customs when I got there. After a while we re flagged as HQ 14th MP Brigade. In 93 the army decided that either us, or 18th MP Brigade would deactivate as part of the draw down of forces. We lost the coin toss. I spent most of my last nine month at Taylor Barracks doing miles and miles of paper work and disassembling our equipment and turning it in. It all had to go. Taylor Barracks was my home for two years. I cherish the memories. I got around allot, so all of Mannheim was, and still is a very special place for me.
Wish I could make contact with those stationed here in1953-1955…..109th Engineering Battalion.
Good luck, I hope the people you are looking for will make contact! (It worked with other closed military bases that I explored…)
I was stationed there from 83-86 574th S&S company I worked in the motor pool but became the Cornals driver so I got to see a lot of Germany and Europe.
I found out once I got home I was going to be a father 🙂
My Lovely daughter Selina.
I just decided to move permanently to Germany and now live in Heddesheim
I Love it 😁😁
My grandpa was a Radio Op for 7th Army HQ, He was there from 54-55 Do you know Angelo Pappalardo?
Max Sicher
I was assigned to the 584th in Dec 1947. In early 1948 we merged with the 547th and moved into Taylor Barracks and became the7859th Ordnance Co. It was good duty and I learned a lot. I left in early 1949 when I was sent to Munich.
A bit of trivia. The two ladies who ran the post service club, Mary Buckner and Ruth Luecke have both passed away. Mary was the daughter of General Simeon Bolivar Buckner Jr who was the highest ranking Officer killed in combat in WW2. He commanded the 10th Army in the battle of Okinawa.
What memories. I was stationed at Taylor Barracks from 1966to 1968. 552nd Bridge Company 11th Engineer Group 7th Army. We also bridged the Rhine River. Many great memories. Often wonder what happened to some of the guys. Denny Fisk being one of them. The river was running pretty fast on one of our missions and we lost a 27 ft power boat because of the current. Many stories but the memory gets shorter. Thanks for the post.
Tom I was also in the 552 ( 1961-1962 ). I was acrew chief on the ferry ramp. It was like a fun camping trip to go to field duty.
Danny Ticer
Tom ;I was there 1963 to 1966
not much of a talker.
was this Fisk from Minnesota?
I was a 27ft boat operator.
Do you remember any other people from there. there was a Clarence VanBrune, from North Dakota. when I was there.
Tom :
its me again not to great with a type writer or computer
must have hit a wrong button.
not sure what happened with first message?
If you want send a email at address.
Hi Arlie, the Fisk who was with us was Denny A Fisk from Rochester NY. I was a bridge Foreman until the accident in March 68 when one of the pontoons exploded from too much air. My lower leg was broken and my ankle was annihilated. I actually enjoyed my time in Germany, my wife was with me and we traveled as leave time permitted. I figured I might as well since the taxpayers were paying for me to be there.😁 I hope you are and have been virus free.
Hi TomLike I said I am not much of a talker but was just thinking it would be nice to talk about the old 552 with someone who was there.Donât know about word press?I use @gmail.com.
I spent a month there in November ‘85 going to an electronics (Trib) school. My class of three was housed on the 4th floor of the spur closest to the guard shack. No elevators, of course, meant lots of stairs, and if I recall correctly the metal banisters had large Nazi swastikas forged into all four sides of each corner post.
I returned to TB in June of ‘86 for temporary housing while down there for a change of command ceremony up in Worms. It was for General Child’s of the 5th Signal Command. I got gigged in a pre inspection by a SGM who said my ‘80s stash was over the edge of my lip.
Lastly, I saw something there that to this day I’ve never seen again; a drink machine that dispensed ice cold cans of beer. Beck’s, I believe.
I was there from late May 92 thru late May 94. I don’t remember seeing beer in the vending machines, but when I left Germany, I went to Seoul Korea, and we had beer in the vending machine in our barracks.
Oh my shite…. Yes the railings had swastikas and stamped 1939. The beer machine that took Pfennigs. The lady in the Kanteen that was in that first building with 2nd sig and 272d MP, would scream “Nachsta Bitte”. She was a rough lady.
I am sure the railings no longer exist. Probably cut out and melted down … more likely in someone’s house. Yeah, I think I remember the same lady in Thomas’ Kantina (across from the 272nd. She reminded of a Russian shotputer. The next cook (Varena) was much nicer. Cheers.
I was stationed there from 1970 to Dec 1973. 77HEMC detachment B. In spent the most of my time there working at Spinnelli barricks working on Reforged vehicles.
I was assigned to Border Operations Detachment, 42d MP Group (Customs) which was headquartered here from April ’76 to March ’79 with further duty at Field Office Schinnen, Limburg Province, The Netherlands. We were a 5 man office working on the Dutch/German & Belgian/German borders; main mission was the interdiction of narcotics & dangerous drugs being smuggled by US Forces personnel into West Germany. Great assignment; usually working in civilian clothing. We had the fun and CID got the blame! Sad to see Taylor shut down.
I was in Taylor Barack from August 1985 to April 1987 . There was contact club and pirates of candone club when I was there.
I was there from 84-87 at the 2nd Sig Bde barracks.
was with 535 engr. company. A great home away from home. Paul Welliver
Arrived at Taylor Barracks November 1969 left in 1970. Worked office of civil affairs public information and was artist on the Millrinder newspaper first issues.
Made Spec 5 while there. Great time!
Stationed there in 1967 to 1970. 150th trans co.
Really miss all the people I served with. Would love to to hear from any of the guys. Can’t believe i’am 71 now, feels like only yesterday we were driving all over Germany. I used to drive the mail run up to Brussels. Was in the 4th platoon up stairs in the big Bay . Please drop me a line when you can. I really miss my friends, Bernie, Dave Jones, Tony Graboskie, Gary Bird, Don Henry and all the rest of you. God Bless you all
I work at Taylor now, in the E-shaped building! They are turning it into office spaces and a hotel. Lots of more office spaces are yet to come – we are the first tenants and most of the surroundings are still just a big construction site… This ist what they want it to look like in the future: https://www.das-e.com/green-business-park-mannheim/
Greetings from Mannheim especially to those who have been stationed here 🙂
Hello Maike, I was stationed in Germany from 1966 to 1968 and resided at Taylor Barracks at the far end by the field. I was with the 552nd Float Bridge Co. I have many good memories of my time there. It makes me feel good that something positive and nice is being done with the property.
Tom Vincent Sgt.
I was on the other end where the U shaped building ‘was.’ The Battalion offices, the bottom of the U, are still there however even if the barracks and unit offices were torn down. Glad to see that some portion will still remain. Many good, bad, and indifferent hours were spent there.
i was at taylor barracks 1966, 279th signal platoon
Hey Don, I was with the 552 Float Bridge Co. our Barracks was the one next to the field looking at the EM club.
I was in the 552 from 1958 to 1961.
Don, don’t know if you remember me Walt Latosh 279th, 1965-1967.
I was there from the end of May 1992 to end of May 1994. We started out as 42 MP Group, but reflagged as 14th MP Brigade after a few months. Then we got the word that either us or 18th MP Brigade would be going away. We lost the coin toss. My last eight or nine months there we were decommissioning the unit. We had stopped getting replacements for the soldiers that were leaving about six months before I left, since we were a draw down unit, and no longer had a mission. As far as I know, 18th was supposed to take over at Taylor within a few months of my leaving. I lost contact with all of my friends there due to an address snafu at my next unit. I had a great time there. Fell in Love with a local girl, almost got married. Traveled allot. I loved being there. I can’t believe the Army left the Mannheim area. We had very deep roots there, I miss it, and it’s sad that all that we had there is gone.
Is there a website we’re we can all meet up again. I’m looking for a friend, Randal Williams, was stationed there in 1972, lost where he went after, he got himself in a pickle and ended up locked up for some childish reason, I was moved and lost touch.
So if anyone remembers Randal Williams, let me know.
https://www.facebook.com/1stSupportBrigadeReunion/
Spc4 Tom McLaughlin 42nd MP Taylor barracks illustrator. 1983-1985. Painted the company Jeep. Played a lot of unit and company sports. Drank 25 cent Heineken for the downstairs coke machine. Saw crap cover bands in the barracks bar. Bowled and saw 4 month old movies in the theater in front of Sullivan barracks. Bought fried bologna sandwiches and rode the electric tram to downtown Mannheim most weekends. Saw U2, the Pretenders, Dio, Samantha Fox, even Nena and her 99 balloons at the Rosengarten concert hall. Saw Paris 3 times, skied the Austrian Alps twice and grew up more in those 2 years more than any two since. Oh to go back.
Bro!!! You are going to make me cry. I loved those Hot Bologna sandwiches from the stoic lady at the Kafertal Wald hut. It was a well kept secret that only culturally immersed GIs knew. I lived above the entrance of 272d MP. Wooden Balcony and all. That first building on the left when you entered.
Sgt Tom Vincent 552 Bridge Co. Well all you youngins – I was there from 66 to 68. We had an EM club at the end of the field and our beer and drinks were .25 cents then also. We would walk to Mannheim Kafertal and on the way stop by comrades’ house to buy a bottle of booze to get us to the Straus stop where we could get more at the kiosk. It was a fun ride into Mannheim for sure
I spent 3 years there with the 77th HEMC. 1970 to 1973. Most of my time was spent with detachment B at Spinnelli barricks. We has 30000 trucks, APC’s, motorized howitzers, tank recovery vehicles to get into running shape.
1983 -1985 574th S&S Co/51st Maintenance Battalion. Truly sad I ran across this video. Bring tears to my eyes.
I Was stationed there from Oct 1970 until I was released in Dec 1973. we were with the 77HEMC detachment B working at Spinnelli Barriacks. we had 30000 trucks, Howeters, armored personall carriers etc to get ready for Reforger operations. At first we worked 7 days a week, 12 hour shifts. then for the next 2 years it slowed down to 5 days a week, 8 hour days. Fun Times.
I don’t know why I’m leaving a reply. I am just an old mother of a son that was stationed there in 1978 and I was putting photos of my son, the base and Mannheim in Scrapbook albums for my family from the visit when I flew over there in 1978 when he had his son. While I was there he got sick and the army flew my son, Danny Collins, his wife, baby and me back to the states where he died 11 months later from leukemia. I was reminiscing and thought I’d see if the base was still there where our son was stationed. They had made a lot of friends while there. He had planned to make a career out of the Army. But of course that didn’t happen.
was there in 272 m.p. nbc room. Met my future wife. Who recently passed away. (83-84)