Stöberhai

The Stöberhai is a mountain the Harz highlands in Central Germany, immediately south of the Oder Dam and northwest of Wieda.

A guide of the climatic health resort of Wieda in 1931 still recognises an "Upper Hai" on the mountain with a view of Hohegeiss.

Attempts were made by the former master forester (Forstmeister) of Wieda, Stein, to prove the existence of a charcoal burner called Stöber, based on old documents and researching the neighbouring Prussian forestry departments, were unsuccessful.

In the winter of 1943/44 the German Wehrmacht troops seized it for use as a ski training centre and in the following summer it was made available for those blinded in both world wars together with their families.

A small refuge hut was also built on the edge of the summit plateau - with views of Sankt Andreasberg, the Oder valley and the mountains of Achtermann, Wurmberg and Brocken.

The Stöberhai gained a degree of fame as a result of the electronic surveillance tower built as a NATO listening post.

This signals intelligence facility was used during the Cold War to listen into military radio traffic in East Germany.

With the completion of the 75 metres (246 ft) high concrete tower in 1967 the complex was formally transferred to the Luftwaffe's Communication Sector C (Fernmeldesektor C).

The tower was linked to other buildings and an underground nuclear bomb shelter with alternate command post by a tunnel, which prevented observation as well as icing.

Considerably easier for bicycles is the long, slow path along the Steina, a stream that rises on the southern side of the summit.

The old listening post in 2004