Disir
Platinum Member
- Sep 30, 2011
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Many paths lead to the small town of Traben-Trarbach, which is situated on Germany's Mosel River and famous for its much-visited "underworld" of wine cellars. Frankfurt-Hahn is located just 30 minutes away by car, a regional airport that was, at least until the arrival of the coronavirus, a budget airline hub. Situated on the southern bank of the river, the town is also dissected by Highway 53 to Trier and Highway 42 running between southwestern Germany and Belgium. Numerous other roads wind through the vineyards that line the river.
Walkers can reach Traben-Trarbach via stage 12 of the 365-kilometer Moselsteig hiking route, which takes them up to the flat summit of Mont Royal, a mountain that is rich in history and in histrionics.
Up there, belying the picturesque setting, the biggest traffic junction -- not only in Traben-Trabach, but in the whole world -- was to be found, at least until 650 police officers swept in to raid an old bunker referred to the by the press as the "Cyberbunker" a few months ago. Traffic there wasn't measured in kilometers per hour, but in bits per second. It gave a new meaning to the "underworld" moniker, because it tells the story of how a postcard-perfect old German town like Tranen-Trabach became a virtual metropolis of global crime.
It's a bit lengthy but it is interesting.
Walkers can reach Traben-Trarbach via stage 12 of the 365-kilometer Moselsteig hiking route, which takes them up to the flat summit of Mont Royal, a mountain that is rich in history and in histrionics.
Up there, belying the picturesque setting, the biggest traffic junction -- not only in Traben-Trabach, but in the whole world -- was to be found, at least until 650 police officers swept in to raid an old bunker referred to the by the press as the "Cyberbunker" a few months ago. Traffic there wasn't measured in kilometers per hour, but in bits per second. It gave a new meaning to the "underworld" moniker, because it tells the story of how a postcard-perfect old German town like Tranen-Trabach became a virtual metropolis of global crime.
Gate to the Underworld: The German Bunker that Became a Hub of International Crime
A former military facility in Germany’s Mosel region served as a hub for organized crime on the internet until 650 police shut it down in a raid. The bizarre story behind the bunker that is likely to produce countless criminal cases. By DER SPIEGEL Staff
www.spiegel.de
It's a bit lengthy but it is interesting.