Federal Fortress Ulm-Wilhelmsburg

The Federal Fortress of Ulm, which includes the Wilhelmsburg, was constructed between 1842 and 1859. It was one of the few realized projects of the German Confederation to secure member states after the Napoleonic Wars. The complex was designed by the Prussian fortress construction director Moritz Karl Ernst von Prittwitz und Gaffron. The Wilhelmsburg itself was built from 1842 to 1849 under the direction of the Württemberg Major von Erhardt. Conceived as a defensive barracks, it could accommodate nearly 7,000 soldiers. After its completion, it served various military units, including Austrian and Württemberg troops, the Reichswehr, and the Wehrmacht. During World War II, it was used by Telefunken for production, employing forced laborers.