Cold War Briefings:US Army Merrell Barracks
- Joseph
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Briefing 6- 01/19/2026
Merrell Barracks, located in Nürnberg (Nuremberg), Germany, was a significant U.S. Army installation during the Cold War era, serving as the headquarters for the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment (2nd ACR) from 1952 to 1992. Originally constructed in the late 1930s as an SS Signal School and barracks complex integral to the Nazi Party rally grounds, the site was captured by U.S. forces in April 1945 and renamed in honor of Medal of Honor recipient Pvt. Joseph F. Merrell. It functioned as a key garrison supporting NATO deterrence missions, housing thousands of soldiers and their families while undergoing renovations to erase Nazi symbolism. Following the Cold War's end and U.S. force reductions, the barracks were returned to German control in 1992 and repurposed in the mid-1990s as the headquarters for the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). Today, it stands as a historic monument blending military history, remembrance of atrocities, and modern administrative functions.
Merrell Barracks occupied a 25-hectare site on Frankenstraße in southern Nürnberg, adjacent to the Nazi Party rally grounds, including the unfinished Congress Hall and Zeppelin Field. Spanning the Cold War, it exemplified U.S. military presence in West Germany under USAREUR (U.S. Army Europe), contributing to alliance defense and community integration. The installation's dual legacy—Nazi-era oppression and post-war redemption—highlights themes of remembrance and adaptation in post-unification Germany.
Historical Background
Nazi Era Construction and Use (1936–1945)
Planning for the barracks began in 1936 as part of Gauleiter Julius Streicher's vision to support the annual Nazi Party rallies, providing quarters for Waffen-SS troops on sentry duty. On December 12, 1936, SS leader Heinrich Himmler, architect Albert Speer, and others inspected the site, displacing local businesses and rail facilities at great expense. Adolf Hitler personally influenced the monumental design by architect Franz Ruff, incorporating neoclassical elements like an Arch of Honour topped with an eagle and swastika. Construction, costing approximately 25 million Reichsmarks (equivalent to €108 million today), completed in 1939, with capacity for 700 men, horses, vehicles, and a signals platoon.
Intended as the SS Signal School and Reserve Regiment barracks, it trained signalmen deployed across Europe. However, it never fully housed rally guards due to World War II. From May 12, 1941, it operated as a satellite concentration camp under Dachau (later Flossenbürg), holding 41–300 forced laborers in the H-block cellar for construction and bomb cleanup. Anti-aircraft units were also stationed there to defend against Allied raids. The site survived the war largely intact.
World War II Capture (1945)
On April 18, 1945, during the Siege of Nürnberg, the 45th Infantry Division of the U.S. Seventh Army captured the barracks with minimal damage. Pvt. Joseph F. Merrell of the 3rd Infantry Division (Company I, 15th Infantry Regiment) was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for single-handedly neutralizing a German machine-gun nest near the site that day. The installation was immediately renamed Merrell Barracks in his honor, initially housing liberated forced laborers under U.S. military administration.
US Army Occupation and Use (1945–1992)
Full U.S. occupation began in 1948 after brief municipal use. The Army removed Nazi symbols—such as SS runes from mosaics—and painted structures blue for hygiene and unit demarcation. The Arch of Honour was renovated in 1990, and the former Hall of Honour served as a banquet hall and chapel. Initially part of the Nuremberg Military Post, it became a focal point for armored cavalry operations amid Cold War tensions.
The barracks supported training, logistics, and family housing, fostering ties with local communities through events like joint exercises with the German Border Guard (Bundesgrenzschutz). Wartime strafing marks on the facade remained visible into the 1970s as historical reminders. By the 1980s, it housed over 2,000 personnel, with amenities including a motor pool, canteen, and disco in the Z-block (originally an SS officers' quarters).
Units Stationed and Operations
Merrell Barracks was predominantly associated with reconnaissance and armored units, serving as a forward-operating base for V Corps.
Unit | Period | Role |
2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment (2nd ACR, "Dragoons") | 1952–1992 | Primary tenant; border operation center and patrols, REFORGER exercises, Gulf War support (1991 deployment). |
45th Ordnance Company | Early 1980s | Maintenance and supply. |
182nd Light Equipment Maintenance (LEM) Company | 1968–1971 | Vehicle repair; relocated from Würzburg. |
71st Maintenance Battalion | 1970s–1980s | Ordnance support. |
2nd Support Command (2nd SUPCOM) | Various (post-1970s) | Logistics oversight. |
Operations emphasized mechanized training on nearby ranges, NATO interoperability, and rapid deployment readiness. The 2nd ACR's tenure included Desert Shield/Storm rotations in 1990–1991, with units returning to parades on the grounds.
Facilities
The complex featured:
- **Main Building**: Administrative and barracks; monumental facade with Arch of Honour.
- **H-Block**: Mess hall, gymnasium, and drill hall (demolished 2000)
- **Parade Field**: Used for ceremonies and exercises.
- **Motor Pool and Canteen**: Logistics and recreation.
- **Z-Block**: Officers' quarters, later a cultural center and disco.
- **Family Housing**: Quarters for dependents.
Aerial photos from the 1950s–1980s document expansions, including a bowling alley.
Closure and Legacy
Amid post-Cold War drawdowns, the 2nd ACR redeployed to Fort Polk, Louisiana, in July 1992, vacating the site by September. Returned to Germany, it was designated a historic monument in 1993 due to its Third Reich significance. Conversion began in 1996, transforming it into BAMF headquarters (2,000 employees handling asylum and migration). The west wing hosts the Central Customs Office (2000–present), with other tenants including federal IT and transport agencies. A 2007 memorial commemorates concentration camp victims. Artistic installations, like Manuel Franke's "Time Bracket" (1997), symbolize transitions from SS to U.S. to modern eras. Guided tours highlight its layered history.
Merrell Barracks endures as a testament to reconciliation, with veteran groups like the 2nd ACR Association preserving memories through reunions and a museum at nearby Rose Barracks.
References
1. Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). (n.d.). *Upheaval: The South Barracks through the ages*. Retrieved from https://www.bamf.de/SharedDocs/Anlagen/EN/Behoerde/flyer-gebaeudegeschichte.pdf
2. Nuremberg Military Community. (n.d.). *Merrell Barracks*. Retrieved from http://www.nbg-mil-com.de/Merrell/me.html
3. U.S. Army in Germany. (n.d.). *Nürnberg: Merrell Barracks*. Retrieved from https://www.usarmygermany.com/USAREUR_City_Nuernberg.htm
4. Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds. (n.d.). *Former SS Barracks*. Retrieved from https://museums.nuernberg.de/documentation-center/the-site/the-nazi-party-rally-grounds/information-system-rally-grounds/point-23
5. Wikipedia. (2023). *Joseph F. Merrell*. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_F._Merrell
6. US Army Barracks. (2021). *Merrell Barracks*. Retrieved from https://usarmybarracks.com/2021/11/21/merrell-barracks/
Written by Edward Kane
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