Kehlsteinhaus
Encyclopedia
The Kehlsteinhaus is a chalet
-style structure erected on a subpeak of the Hoher Göll
known as the Kehlstein. It was built as an extension of the Obersalzberg
complex erected in the mountains above Berchtesgaden
. The Kehlsteinhaus was intended as a 50th birthday
present for Adolf Hitler
to serve as a retreat, and a place for him to entertain visiting dignitaries.
, with construction proceeding over a 13-month period. It was completed in the summer of 1938, prior to its formal presentation to Hitler on his 50th birthday on April 20, 1939. It is situated on a ridge at the top of the Kehlstein
mountain 1834 m (6,017.1 ft), reached by a 6.5 km (4 mi) long and 4 m (13.1 ft) wide road that cost 30 million RM
s to build (about 150 million euros in 2007, adjusted in line with inflation). It includes five tunnels but only one hairpin turn
and climbs 800 m (2,624.7 ft).
The last 124 m (406.8 ft) up to the Kehlsteinhaus are reached by an elevator bored straight down through the mountain and linked via a tunnel through the granite below that is 124 m (406.8 ft) long. The inside of the large elevator car is surfaced with polished brass
, Venetian mirrors and green leather (the elevator is still used daily). Construction of the mountain elevator system cost the lives of 12 construction workers. The main reception room is dominated by a fireplace of red Italian
marble, presented by Mussolini
, which was damaged by Allied soldiers chipping off pieces to take home as souvenirs. Much of the furniture was designed by Paul László
.
A significant event held at the Kehlsteinhaus was the wedding reception that followed the marriage of Eva Braun
's sister Gretl
to Hermann Fegelein
on June 3, 1944. The event was filmed and amongst others Martin Bormann can be seen there. The building is often mistakenly referred to as a "tea house", a corruption of its abbreviated name, "D-Haus", short for "Diplomatic Reception Haus". As a result it is frequently confused with the actual tea house at Hitler's Berghof
, the Mooslahnerkopf Teehaus, he visited daily after lunch.
Although the site is on the same mountain as the Berghof, Hitler rarely visited the property. It has been suggested he only visited the Kehlsteinhaus around 10 times, and most times for no more than 30 minutes. However he did receive André François-Poncet
(the departing French ambassador to Germany) there on October 18, 1938. As a result of the lack of close association with Hitler the property was saved from demolition at the end of the war.
, Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe and later President of the United States, wrote that the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division was the first to take the Eagle's Nest. In his interview with the Library of Congress, Herman Louis Finnell of the 3rd Division, 7th Regiment, Company I, stated that he and his ammo carrier, Pfc. Fungerburg, were the first to enter the Eagle's Nest, as well as the secret passages below the structure. Finnell stated that the hallway below the structure had rooms on either side filled with destroyed paintings, evening gowns, as well as destroyed medical equipment and a wine cellar. General Maxwell D. Taylor
, former Commanding General of the 101st Airborne Division
, stated the same. Photographs and newsreel
footage show 3rd Infantry soldiers relaxing on the Eagle's Nest patio, "drinking Hitler's wine", affirming that they were present at the house in May 1945.
Other groups claiming to be first there include Easy Company of the 2nd Battalion 506th Regiment
, US 101st Airborne Division and the French 9th Armoured Company. The Kehlsteinhaus's museum states that it was captured by a member unit of the US 101st Airborne Division and includes a picture of the unit's shoulder sleeve insignia.
French general Georges Buis claimed two free French officers of the 2nd Armoured Division, himself and Paul Repiton-Preneuf, were the first to arrive at the Kehlsteinhaus. He said the two arrived early in the morning and left the place shortly thereafter when they saw both French and American troops arriving.
The Kehlsteinhaus was to be the aiming point of an Royal Air Force
bombing raid on April 25, 1945. However the small house proved an elusive target and the Berghof area was targeted instead and severely damaged. Several anti-aircraft positions, the base plate of one of which is still discernible, were present about 100 m (328.1 ft) further up the ridge behind the Kehlsteinhaus.
The Kehlsteinhaus was subsequently used by the Allies
as a military command post until 1960, when it was handed back to the State of Bavaria
. After the return of the Kehlsteinhaus to German hands, an information centre was built on the foot of the hill to remind the public of Hitler and his regime. The Kehlsteinhaus itself does not mention much about its past.
, and serves as a restaurant
. The restaurant features an indoor dining area and an outdoor beer garden. It is a popular tourist attraction, particularly for Britons, Canadians and Americans attracted by the historical significance of the "Eagle's Nest". The house can be reached on foot (two hours of walking) or by bus from Obersalzberg
, the road having been closed to private vehicles since 1952.
Informal tours of the Kehlsteinhaus are offered by a local guide to foreigners arriving by local bus at the lower elevator station. The tour is not offered in German, apparently a requirement due to previous trouble with neo-Nazi
s and post-war Nazi sympathisers. Similarly, the tourist trade towards Kehlsteinhaus has been accused of vindicating Nazism.
The lower rooms are not part of the restaurant but can be visited with a guide. They offer views of the building's past through plate-glass windows. Graffiti left by Allied troops is still clearly visible in the surrounding woodwork. A large fireplace in the restaurant itself shows severe damage along its lower edges where soldiers have smashed off small shards of marble as souvenirs. Hitler's small study is now a store room for the cafeteria.
A trail leads above the Kehlsteinhaus towards the Mannlgrat
ridge reaching from the Kehlstein to the summit of the Hoher Goll. The route, which is served by a Klettersteig, is regarded as the easiest to the top.
Chalet
A chalet , also called Swiss chalet, is a type of building or house, native to the Alpine region, made of wood, with a heavy, gently sloping roof with wide, well-supported eaves set at right angles to the front of the house.-Definition and origin:...
-style structure erected on a subpeak of the Hoher Göll
Hoher Göll
Hoher Göll is a 2,522 m mountain in the Bavarian Alps which stradles the border between Bavaria, Germany and Salzburg, Austria. Rising above Obersalzberg near Berchtesgaden, the mountain is situated east of the Königsee, opposite the Watzmann....
known as the Kehlstein. It was built as an extension of the Obersalzberg
Obersalzberg
Obersalzberg is a mountainside retreat situated above the market town of Berchtesgaden in Bavaria, Germany, located about southeast of Munich, close to the border with Austria...
complex erected in the mountains above Berchtesgaden
Berchtesgaden
Berchtesgaden is a municipality in the German Bavarian Alps. It is located in the south district of Berchtesgadener Land in Bavaria, near the border with Austria, some 30 km south of Salzburg and 180 km southeast of Munich...
. The Kehlsteinhaus was intended as a 50th birthday
Adolf Hitler's 50th birthday
Adolf Hitler's 50th birthday on April 20, 1939 was a national holiday in Nazi Germany. On that day, the largest military parade in the history of the Third Reich was held in Berlin.-Celebrations:...
present for Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
to serve as a retreat, and a place for him to entertain visiting dignitaries.
Construction and usage
The Kehlsteinhaus was commissioned by Martin BormannMartin Bormann
Martin Ludwig Bormann was a prominent Nazi official. He became head of the Party Chancellery and private secretary to Adolf Hitler...
, with construction proceeding over a 13-month period. It was completed in the summer of 1938, prior to its formal presentation to Hitler on his 50th birthday on April 20, 1939. It is situated on a ridge at the top of the Kehlstein
Kehlstein
The Kehlstein is a 1,834 m subpeak of the Hoher Göll, a 2,522 m mountain in the Bavarian Alps above Obersalzberg near Berchtesgaden. It is the location of the famous Kehlsteinhaus ....
mountain 1834 m (6,017.1 ft), reached by a 6.5 km (4 mi) long and 4 m (13.1 ft) wide road that cost 30 million RM
German reichsmark
The Reichsmark was the currency in Germany from 1924 until June 20, 1948. The Reichsmark was subdivided into 100 Reichspfennig.-History:...
s to build (about 150 million euros in 2007, adjusted in line with inflation). It includes five tunnels but only one hairpin turn
Hairpin turn
A hairpin turn , named for its resemblance to a hairpin/bobby pin, is a bend in a road with a very acute inner angle, making it necessary for an oncoming vehicle to turn almost 180° to continue on the road. Such turns in ramps and trails may be called switchbacks in American English, by analogy...
and climbs 800 m (2,624.7 ft).
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
, Venetian mirrors and green leather (the elevator is still used daily). Construction of the mountain elevator system cost the lives of 12 construction workers. The main reception room is dominated by a fireplace of red Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
marble, presented by Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
, which was damaged by Allied soldiers chipping off pieces to take home as souvenirs. Much of the furniture was designed by Paul László
Paul László
Paul László or Paul Laszlo was a Hungarian-born modern architect and interior designer whose work spanned eight decades and many countries...
.
A significant event held at the Kehlsteinhaus was the wedding reception that followed the marriage of Eva Braun
Eva Braun
Eva Anna Paula Hitler was the longtime companion of Adolf Hitler and, for less than 40 hours, his wife. Braun met Hitler in Munich, when she was 17 years old, while working as an assistant and model for his personal photographer and began seeing him often about two years later...
's sister Gretl
Gretl Braun
Margarete “Gretl” Braun was one of the two sisters of Eva Braun. She was a member of the inner social circle of Adolf Hitler at the Berghof and became the sister-in-law of the Nazi dictator following his marriage to Eva hours before they committed suicide together.-Early life:Born in Munich,...
to Hermann Fegelein
Hermann Fegelein
SS-Obergruppenführer Hans Georg Otto Hermann Fegelein was a General of the Waffen-SS in Nazi Germany, a member of Adolf Hitler's entourage, brother-in-law to Eva Braun through his marriage to her sister, Gretl, and husband of the sister-in-law to Adolf Hitler through Hitler's marriage to Eva...
on June 3, 1944. The event was filmed and amongst others Martin Bormann can be seen there. The building is often mistakenly referred to as a "tea house", a corruption of its abbreviated name, "D-Haus", short for "Diplomatic Reception Haus". As a result it is frequently confused with the actual tea house at Hitler's Berghof
Berghof (Hitler)
The Berghof was Adolf Hitler's home in the Obersalzberg of the Bavarian Alps near Berchtesgaden, Bavaria, Germany. Other than the Wolfsschanze in East Prussia, Hitler spent more time at the Berghof than anywhere else during World War II. It was also one of the most widely known of Hitler's...
, the Mooslahnerkopf Teehaus, he visited daily after lunch.
Although the site is on the same mountain as the Berghof, Hitler rarely visited the property. It has been suggested he only visited the Kehlsteinhaus around 10 times, and most times for no more than 30 minutes. However he did receive André François-Poncet
André François-Poncet
André François-Poncet was a French politician and diplomat whose post as ambassador to Germany allowed him to witness first-hand the rise to power of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party, and the Nazi regime's preparations for war.François-Poncet was the son of a counselor of the Court of Appeals in...
(the departing French ambassador to Germany) there on October 18, 1938. As a result of the lack of close association with Hitler the property was saved from demolition at the end of the war.
Allied capture
Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
, Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe and later President of the United States, wrote that the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division was the first to take the Eagle's Nest. In his interview with the Library of Congress, Herman Louis Finnell of the 3rd Division, 7th Regiment, Company I, stated that he and his ammo carrier, Pfc. Fungerburg, were the first to enter the Eagle's Nest, as well as the secret passages below the structure. Finnell stated that the hallway below the structure had rooms on either side filled with destroyed paintings, evening gowns, as well as destroyed medical equipment and a wine cellar. General Maxwell D. Taylor
Maxwell D. Taylor
General Maxwell Davenport "Max" Taylor was an United States Army four star general and diplomat of the mid-20th century, who served as the fifth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff after having been appointed by the President of the United States John F...
, former Commanding General of the 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
, stated the same. Photographs and newsreel
Newsreel
A newsreel was a form of short documentary film prevalent in the first half of the 20th century, regularly released in a public presentation place and containing filmed news stories and items of topical interest. It was a source of news, current affairs and entertainment for millions of moviegoers...
footage show 3rd Infantry soldiers relaxing on the Eagle's Nest patio, "drinking Hitler's wine", affirming that they were present at the house in May 1945.
Other groups claiming to be first there include Easy Company of the 2nd Battalion 506th Regiment
E Company, 506th Infantry Regiment (United States)
Easy Company, 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, the "Screaming Eagles", is one of the most well-known companies in the United States Army. Their experiences in World War II are the subject of the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers based on the book...
, US 101st Airborne Division and the French 9th Armoured Company. The Kehlsteinhaus's museum states that it was captured by a member unit of the US 101st Airborne Division and includes a picture of the unit's shoulder sleeve insignia.
French general Georges Buis claimed two free French officers of the 2nd Armoured Division, himself and Paul Repiton-Preneuf, were the first to arrive at the Kehlsteinhaus. He said the two arrived early in the morning and left the place shortly thereafter when they saw both French and American troops arriving.
The Kehlsteinhaus was to be the aiming point of an Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
bombing raid on April 25, 1945. However the small house proved an elusive target and the Berghof area was targeted instead and severely damaged. Several anti-aircraft positions, the base plate of one of which is still discernible, were present about 100 m (328.1 ft) further up the ridge behind the Kehlsteinhaus.
The Kehlsteinhaus was subsequently used by the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
as a military command post until 1960, when it was handed back to the State of Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
. After the return of the Kehlsteinhaus to German hands, an information centre was built on the foot of the hill to remind the public of Hitler and his regime. The Kehlsteinhaus itself does not mention much about its past.
Today
Today the building is owned by a charitable trustCharitable trust
A charitable trust is an irrevocable trust established for charitable purposes, and is a more specific term than "charitable organization".-United States:...
, and serves as a restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
. The restaurant features an indoor dining area and an outdoor beer garden. It is a popular tourist attraction, particularly for Britons, Canadians and Americans attracted by the historical significance of the "Eagle's Nest". The house can be reached on foot (two hours of walking) or by bus from Obersalzberg
Obersalzberg
Obersalzberg is a mountainside retreat situated above the market town of Berchtesgaden in Bavaria, Germany, located about southeast of Munich, close to the border with Austria...
, the road having been closed to private vehicles since 1952.
Informal tours of the Kehlsteinhaus are offered by a local guide to foreigners arriving by local bus at the lower elevator station. The tour is not offered in German, apparently a requirement due to previous trouble with neo-Nazi
Neo-Nazism
Neo-Nazism consists of post-World War II social or political movements seeking to revive Nazism or some variant thereof.The term neo-Nazism can also refer to the ideology of these movements....
s and post-war Nazi sympathisers. Similarly, the tourist trade towards Kehlsteinhaus has been accused of vindicating Nazism.
The lower rooms are not part of the restaurant but can be visited with a guide. They offer views of the building's past through plate-glass windows. Graffiti left by Allied troops is still clearly visible in the surrounding woodwork. A large fireplace in the restaurant itself shows severe damage along its lower edges where soldiers have smashed off small shards of marble as souvenirs. Hitler's small study is now a store room for the cafeteria.
A trail leads above the Kehlsteinhaus towards the Mannlgrat
Mannlgrat
The Mannlgrat is an east-facing ridge on the Hoher Göll in the Bavarian Alps rising above Obersalzberg near Berchtesgaden.The ridge rises from a col separating it from a subpeak of the Hoher Göll, the Kehlstein, upon which the famous Kehlsteinhaus is located. Served by a Klettersteig , the...
ridge reaching from the Kehlstein to the summit of the Hoher Goll. The route, which is served by a Klettersteig, is regarded as the easiest to the top.
External links
- Kehlsteinhaus - Das Kehlsteinhaus - Historical Overview and Guide
- Das Kehlsteinhaus - The Third Reich in Ruins
- Eagle's Nest Tours website - The original and authoritative tour of the Eagle’s Nest, Obersalzberg and Bunker System (English version)
- Eagle's Nest Map and Photo Gallery
- Kehlsteinhaus - Eagles Nest Pictures
- Berchtesgaden Website