Germany. A Visit to Eagle’s Nest, Nazi Retreat in the Bavarian Alps
On a high mountaintop near the southeastern corner of Germany is a chalet once used by Adolph Hitler and other leaders of the National Socialist German Workers' Party (aka Nazi Party) during WWII. Constructed on an 1,834-meter peak near the Bavarian town of Berchtesgaden, a retreat the Nazis called Kehlsteinhaus is known today as Eagle’s Nest. Commissioned in 1937, Eagle’s Nest was constructed in 13 months by more than 3,000 workers. Before construction could begin, an approach road with five tunnels had to be blasted from the mountainside. Ascending 800 meters up the mountain, the road terminates at a parking lot located near a 124-meter-long tunnel that leads to an elevator.
Although not intended as a gift, the building’s completion was celebrated in April 1939 on the eve of German dictator Adolph Hitler’s 50th birthday. Featuring spectacular panoramic views, Eagle’s Nest was used for Nazi Party meetings, social gatherings, and at least a few conferences involving foreign diplomats. The German’s sometimes called the building “D House” meaning “diplomatic house.” French Ambassador André Francois-Poncet was first to call the chalet “Eagle Nest” after visiting in 1938.
Although targeted by British bombers, the chalet escaped damage during the war. It is believed that the first Allied forces to reach Eagle’s Nest were elements of the U.S. 101st Airborne Division. Subsequently, most of the building’s original furniture was removed. In an effort to prevent Berchtesgaden from becoming a pilgrimage site for Nazi sympathizers, Nazi buildings in the town were destroyed including the Berghof (Hitler’s summer residence). However, Bavaria District President Theodor Jakob lobbied to save Kehlsteinhaus. After several years as an Allied command post, the chalet was donated to the State of Bavaria. Today, it operates as a restaurant and beer garden that is open between mid-May and October. Visitors can purchase a bus ticket or follow a trail for the three-hour walk to the ridgetop.
We arrived at the ticket office during the late afternoon and moments before the last bus was scheduled to depart. Our bus hugged the hillside as it climbed upwards to the parking lot. Looking closely at two massive metal doors that flank the tunnel entrance, it’s still possible to read graffiti left by American soldiers. The tunnel was built to be wide enough for limousines that carried high ranking Nazis between the parking lot and elevator. Reaching the end of the tunnel, we waited by the elevator door which opened to reveal an ornate interior decorated with brass and mirrors. An electric motor moves the elevator car. In the event of a power failure, electricity is provided by the original MAN diesel generator which was also used in German U25 and U26 submarines. It took just 14 seconds to ascend 124 meters to the chalet. On exiting, we walked a short distance to the Great Room, now used as the restaurant’s main dining area. I tried to imagine the Great Room as it appeared in the late 1930s, with couches and chairs instead of tables for dining. At the room’s far end is a red marble fireplace that was damaged by America soldiers who chipped off pieces for souvenirs.
Adjacent to the Great Room is the chalet’s former dining room. I walked down a short flight of stairs to Scharitzhehl Room (aka Eva Braun’s Tea Room). Although Hitler visited Eagle’s Nest only 17 times, his future wife, Eva Braun, was a frequent visitor who often spent time in this wood-paneled room. Nearby, we wandered through the sun terrace where panels have been added that illustrate the building’s construction. Outside of these displays, there is no explanation or interpretation of the building’s dark past. Crossing the patio on the back of the building (now a beer garden), we walked up a trail along the ridgetop.
Driving to my hotel in Salzburg, I reflected on what I saw. This serene place perched on a high rocky ridge offers breathtaking views of the Bavarian Alps. But how can anyone enjoy being here without also considering how this place served conversations and meetings about war and genocide?
