Joint Headquarters (JHQ) Rheindahlen – History, Lost Place and Future Plans

The Joint Headquarters (JHQ) Rheindahlen in Mönchengladbach is a historic site that once served as a strategic command center for NATO and British forces. Today, the area is a fascinating Lost Place that attracts both adventurers and history enthusiasts alike. In this article, you’ll learn all about its history, current condition, and possible future plans for the former headquarters.

JHQ Rheindahlen was established in 1954 as the headquarters of the British Army of the Rhine and also served as the NATO Northern Europe Command. With over 7,500 soldiers and civilians, it was one of the largest military administrative centers in Germany. The site included residential housing, schools, shopping centers, sports facilities, and even its own hospital.

With the end of the Cold War and NATO’s strategic realignment, Joint Headquarters (JHQ) Rheindahlen gradually lost its significance. In 2013, the British armed forces completed their withdrawal, and the site was largely left to its own devices.

After the withdrawal of the British troops, JHQ Rheindahlen was largely left to decay. Although the site is officially closed off, it continues to attract urban explorers, photographers, and fans of lost places. The abandoned buildings, overgrown roads, and former bunkers create a mysterious and eerie atmosphere.

• The old residential buildings and barracks — some still containing furniture and left-behind belongings.
• The sports facilities — an abandoned pool, football fields, and tennis courts right in the middle of nature.
• The former shopping center — once a bustling spot for the British community, now a ruin.
• Underground bunker facilities — relics from the Cold War era.

Anyone interested in Lost Places will find JHQ Rheindahlen a unique relic from the past. But beware: entering the site is prohibited, as it is a restricted area.

Discussions about possible reuse of JHQ Rheindahlen have been going on for years. Some of the current developments and plans include:

• Initial reception center for asylum seekers: Since 2016, part of the site has been used as an initial reception center for refugees. The capacity was increased to 1,500 places in 2018, with plans to expand up to 2,000 places.
• Police training center: An eastern section is used by the Polizei Nordrhein-Westfalen for realistic exercises. A long-term lease agreement has been signed for this purpose.
• Renaturation of the western area: This part is planned to be transformed into a forested area over the coming years. Existing roads and paths may be preserved to keep the area accessible as a recreational spot.
• Long-term perspective: Over the next 15 years, the JHQ is planned to be gradually renatured to create new leisure and recreational opportunities.

Closely connected to JHQ Rheindahlen was the RAF Hospital Mönchengladbach, which served as an important military hospital for the British forces. It was built alongside the JHQ and was a central medical facility for British soldiers and their families for decades.

The hospital was modernly equipped and had various specialized departments, including surgery, internal medicine, and an emergency room. With the withdrawal of British troops from Germany, the RAF Hospital Mönchengladbach was closed in 1996. Since then, the building has been vacant and increasingly falling into disrepair.

Today, the former military hospital is one of the most well-known Lost Places in the region. Urban explorers and photographers are fascinated by the atmosphere of the abandoned operating rooms, hospital corridors, and patient rooms. But just like at the JHQ, entering the site is strictly prohibited.

The future of RAF Hospital Mönchengladbach remains uncertain. Various investors have shown interest in repurposing the site, but so far, no concrete plans have been made. Whether the former hospital will be demolished or renovated is still undecided.

The state of Nordrhein-Westfalen plans to build a new accommodation facility for people obligated to leave the country on the site of the former Joint Headquarters (JHQ) Rheindahlen in Mönchengladbach. This facility is designed to accommodate up to 140 people and serves the enforcement of deportation detention.

JHQ Rheindahlen was chosen as the location due to its size and proximity to Düsseldorf Airport. The site already hosts a state initial reception center for refugees as well as a police training center. Until 2013, various units of the British forces and NATO were stationed there.

A new building will be required for the planned accommodation facility The costs for construction and operation of the facility are borne by the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen. The facility’s future operation will be managed by the Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf.

So far, there is only one deportation detention center in Nordrhein-Westfalen, located in Büren in the district of Paderborn, with 175 detention places. The new facility in Mönchengladbach is intended to expand capacity in order to enforce the deportation obligation for people without a residence perspective more effectively.

The Joint Headquarters (JHQ) Rheindahlen in Mönchengladbach-Hardt is a historic site with a turbulent past. While it once served as a strategic command center, today it is a lost place with an uncertain future. However, current developments show that the site is gradually being repurposed—whether as an initial reception center, a training facility, or a renatured recreational area.

Whether JHQ Rheindahlen will continue to decay in the coming years or start a new chapter through the planned transformations remains to be seen. Until then, it remains a fascinating testament to the past—and a mysterious site that keeps its stories hidden in the shadows of the trees of Hardt.

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