For the military enthusiast, the small Munster in the Heidekreis of Lower Saxony is the place for you, comprising some eight villages and municipalities.
More than 50% of the town is reserved for military use (including officer training), preserving its rural feel since industry here is regulated. Located on the River Oertze in the windy Lüneburg Heath, Munster is home to a German Army Garrison and because of it, it’s quite easy to get here with rail service from Hanover and Hamburg.
Long before the days of being an army installation, it was just a simple rural medieval village. It has a couple of medieval churches like the Urbani Church built in the 14th century. There’s also the Parish Church St. Martin, once an old sheep stable.
Besides, Munster has the privilege of boasting the only military church in all of Germany, the Parish Church Stefan (it is a United States military church).
No army town would be complete without a military museum, right? This town is no different. It’s got the Deutsches Panzermuseum (German Tank Museum) with exhibits on military helmets and one of two existing Sturmtiger (or Storm Tiger), a World War II German assault gun built on the Tiger VI tank.
Here’s where you’ll find exhibits on the history of German troops since 1917, including a replica of the A7V, the only German tank manufactured by Germany during the War. You’ll also see tanks from the Red Army, the British, and the United States from the days of the Second World War.
For some other kind of sightseeing you’ll find a few old Jewish cemeteries and cultural monuments of Jewish life in the region prior to the 1930’s.
Also a trip to the nearby Flüggenhofsee recreational lake (with beaches!) makes for a great sunny day.
