With the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, the military expansion of the North Sea coast began immediately. Fearing enemy invasions in the area of the Elbe estuary, the Imperial Navy built various fortress-like defenses in the Cuxhaven sector. These included the artillery batteries Kugelbake, Grimmershörn, Osterhörn and Groden. In the following years, the construction of these fortifications was completed and handed over, and other military projects were added. In March 1893, Kaiser Wilhelm ordered the Cuxhaven garrison to be set up and manned. With this order, the IV./ Sailors' Division Cuxhaven was also set up. The unit was put together from the soldiers already present on site, but also from men from other locations. However, as this contingent was not sufficient, the naval personnel had to be trained on site. In order to carry out this project, appropriate barracks and training areas were required. In addition, parts of the building were also used to accommodate the permanent staff of the various units. Training to become a marine infantryman/marine artilleryman took place in courses that were held at the Cuxhaven location from the very beginning. This applies to the time of the Imperial Navy and the Kriegsmarine in the Third Reich.

1. 1892 Seedeichkaserne (Im Volksmund seinerzeit `Bretterkaserne´) 
   
2. 1905 Kleine Wetternkaserne 
   
3. 1906 Große Wetternkaserne, `Minenwerferkaserne´ 
   
4. 1908 Grimmershörnkaserne 
5. Stabsgebäude
   
6. 1909 Kiautschou-Kaserne 
   
7. 1938 Kaserne im Minensucherhafen