The Legend of Celle Neues Rathaus, Pt. II

Now yesterday, I posted about Celle Neues Rathaus and the story about how three divers were brought in to explore the flooded basement area. But two of the divers failed to return, and the third was so traumatized by what he experienced that he was discharged from the military and the decision was made to seal off the flooded areas with concrete. Just to be clear, I never said this story was true and was only “A LEGEND.” One that was commonly shared among the British and later, West German Soldiers who were stationed there during the Cold War.

The Haunted Reputation

Since Celle was in the British Occupation Zone, the building was handed over to the British Forces and would become a part of the network of NATO bases in Western Europe. But it was not long before the base began to earn a reputation for being haunted. During its time as a barracks for NATO troops, many stories began to emerge about strange happenings at the Rathaus. One infantryman by the name of “Stephan Daily” said that on his first night, he could see what looked like figures moving about outside his window. At first, he just thought it to be other soldiers making their patrols for the night until he realized that his window was seven feet off the ground.

Other soldiers stationed there would report hearing German voices coming from empty rooms. One officer claims that he saw columns of WW2 German vehicles and Panzer Tanks pass him in complete silence. Others have claimed to have heard the sound of Jack Boots marching, even though no such exercises were taking place. One British Soldier got the scare of his life one night when he woke up to find that his bed was floating in the air with him still in it.

More Disturbing Incidents

Believe me, this is only the tip of the iceberg. As there are many more strange reports from other soldiers who were stationed there over the years. But probably one of the more disturbing facts about Celle Neues Rathaus is that there was a higher-than-average number of suicides among the troops. There was also an equally high rate of personnel being medically discharged from the base due to mental health issues.

Now while some of these stories may be just that, stories, there is no question that Celle Neues Rathaus and the surrounding region saw some of the worst atrocities committed by the Nazi Regime. The Bergen-Belsen concentration camp was relatively close by, and many of those who were sent there passed through Celle. In 1945, an Allied air raid destroyed an ammunition train, and many of the prisoners used this as a means to escape. What happened next would be known as the “Celle Massacre,” as the escaped prisoners were hunted down and executed by SS soldiers.