, Romania

Romania

Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...

) is a Romanian-born German

Germans of Romania

The Germans of Romania or Rumäniendeutsche were 760,000 strong in 1930. They are not a single group; thus, to understand their language, culture, and history, one must view them as independent groups:...

 who generated publicity and controversy when he announced plans to open a memorial to 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...

 in Walworth County, Wisconsin

Walworth County, Wisconsin

Walworth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2010, the population was 102,228. Its county seat is Elkhorn.-Geography:According to the U.S...

, near Millard, Wisconsin

Millard, Wisconsin

Millard is an unincorporated community located in the town of Sugar Creek, Walworth County, Wisconsin, United States....

.

Junker had planned to hold a grand opening for the memorial on June 25, 2006. Officials of Walworth County asked him to cancel those plans, citing threats of retaliation, the lack of parking at the site, and Junker's lack of necessary permits, according to an Associated Press

Associated Press

The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...

 report. Junker voluntarily agreed to not open the site.

Junker's plans were first reported in a story by Donna Lenz Wright published in The Walworth County Week on June 11, 2006. (http://www.theweekextra.com/news/hitler061106/) followed by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times and newspapers throughout Europe.

Junker told her, however, that he would still allow individuals to visit the shrine. "On your property, you can invite anybody you want," he told the Tribune.

Junker had built the shrine in the side of a hill on his property, according to Wright. The top of the building features a marble memorial honoring the Germans killed (both women and children) by the allies in pow camps set up by the U.S. and Russia during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. Ironically incongruous tributes to Hitler and to the First Amendment

First Amendment to the United States Constitution

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...

 of the U.S. Constitution have been assembled on the walls. The interior contains a National Socialist flag, a United States flag, and two portraits of Hitler, according to Wright's report. He feels he is spreading truth from that period of history and has lived with it for many years.

Junker told Wright he spent $350,000 on the shrine.

Wright describes the shrine as a white concrete structure built into the side of a hill, reachable down a narrow dirt path that is nearly a mile from the nearest road. It is on a beautiful section of land with a pond and many trees. The building is built into the side of a hill and has a set of stairs taking you up to a landing on the roof. Atop is the monument to all of the Axis forces. Inside the building are large bookshelves and a large conference table, along with the pictures of Adolf Hitler.

Junker told The Week he volunteered for the Waffen-SS

Waffen-SS

The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...

 in 1940 and served on the Russian front

Eastern Front (World War II)

The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...

. He emigrated from Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 to the United States in 1955 and initially worked in Chicago as a janitor. In 1963 he bought a 120 acre (0.4856232 km²) farm in Walworth County.

Junker's Farm

Mr. Junker (along with his wife and parents) also operated a summer camp for children on his farm. Many children from the Chicago area and Southern Wisconsin would live on the farm for one-week periods. The children's schedule looked like the following:

• 7:00 – 8:00 Breakfast, usually cereal and breads (pancakes on Sunday)
• 9:00 – 10:00 1/2 hour German lessons, usually singing folk songs
• 10:00 – 12:00 games and athletic competitions
• 12:00 – 1:00 the big meal of the day
• 1:00 – 2:00 nap/quiet time
• 2:00 – 3:00 Swimming at a waterhole about 1 km from the house down a tractor trail (This may be the site of the current Hitler Memorial)
• 3:00 – 3:30 Snack time
• 5:00 – 5:30 Small meal, usually sandwiches
• 5:30 – 7:30 Evening activities (every room presented a play on Thursdays, Wednesdays might be the (Mr. & Miss Junker) beauty pageant, one night a group would "camp" at the swimming hole in a wood cabin on the hill, Fridays would be the "award" ceremony for the plays and competitions)
• 7:30 – 8:30 Card games, social time and a candy bar