Hitler's Bavarian Hideaway: Berghof, The Eagle's Nest

Adolf Hitler's retreat in the mountains of Bavaria was called the Berghof. It was located in the Obersalzberg, a scenic mountainside spot above the town of Berchtesgaden. The Berghof was Hitler's holiday home and acted as the Third Reich's second seat of command. It was here that Hitler planned the invasions of Poland, France and Russia.

Hitler's holiday home in the Obersalzberg of the Bavarian Alps was called the Berghof

The house began as a small chalet called Haus Wachenfeld, built in 1916 or 1917 by businessman Otto Winter. In 1928, Winter's widow rented Haus Wachenfeld to Hitler, who later purchased the property in 1933 with funds from the sale of his political manifesto, Mein Kampf. Hitler then began renovating and expanding the building. The renovations were supervised by Martin Bormann and designed by Gerdy Troost and architect Alois Degano. The house was renamed the Berghof, or "Mountain Court" in English, and it became a centrepiece of Nazi propaganda.

The Berghof was a sprawling alpine-style residence with a large terrace, a dining room panelled with costly cembra pine, and a great hall furnished with expensive Teutonic furniture, a large globe, and a red marble fireplace mantel. Hitler's study had a telephone switchboard room, and the library contained books on history, painting, architecture, and music. The house was maintained by several housekeepers, gardeners, cooks, and other domestic workers.

The area surrounding the Berghof became a retreat for high-level Nazis, with residences for leaders such as Hermann Göring, Martin Bormann, and Albert Speer, as well as a cinema, a school, an SS barracks, and an underground shooting range. The Berghof became a German tourist attraction in the mid-1930s, with crowds of admirers gathering at the end of the driveway for a chance to greet Hitler. This led to the introduction of severe restrictions on access to the area and other security measures.

During the war, the Berghof served as one of the headquarters for the Nazi movement. Hitler spent much of August 1939 at the Berghof, making final plans for the invasion of Poland, and his last known visit was on 14 July 1944. The premises were heavily damaged by an Allied air raid on 25 April 1945, and on 4 May, retreating SS troops set fire to the villa as Hitler had previously ordered. The Bavarian government demolished what remained of the Berghof in 1952 to prevent the site from becoming a tourist attraction or a neo-Nazi shrine.

The Kehlsteinhaus, or Eagle's Nest, was a mountaintop chalet built for Hitler's 50th birthday

Hitler's mountaintop chalet, Kehlsteinhaus, or Eagle's Nest, was built for his 50th birthday. It was perched atop a mountain, overlooking the Bavarian resort town of Berchtesgaden. The Kehlsteinhaus was a gift from Hitler's inner circle, completed in 1939. The chalet was built at a cost of a small fortune, with precision stonework evocative of fascist obedience. Hitler, however, was afraid of heights and only visited the site 14 times.

The Kehlsteinhaus was part of a larger compound in Obersalzberg, a scenic mountainside area that Hitler chose as his official mountain retreat. The region, with its dramatic landscapes and steeped in legend, held a special place in Hitler's heart. It was here, in a rented cabin in the 1920s, that he finished writing his manifesto, Mein Kampf. The Nazi propagandists leveraged this connection to portray Hitler as a true German at heart.

Hitler had a modest chalet renovated into a grand alpine farmhouse, which he named the "Berghof". This became the centrepiece of Nazi propaganda, as it was used to craft a positive image of Hitler. The German media circulated photos of the Führer in Obersalzberg, surrounded by nature and interacting with adoring children and locals. This softened his image, presenting him as a man of culture, a dog lover, and a good neighbour.

The Obersalzberg compound included 80 buildings, fenced off from the public and connected by an extensive network of bunkers. It was in this compound that major decisions leading up to World War II were made. Hitler spent about a third of his time as chancellor at the Berghof, hosting world leaders and later preparing for his last stand.

In April 1945, the Royal Air Force bombed the Obersalzberg compound, including the Berghof. The Bavarian government later blew up most of what remained, aiming to prevent it from becoming a neo-Nazi pilgrimage site. Today, the Kehlsteinhaus is one of the few remaining structures from that era, now operating as a restaurant and tourist attraction. Visitors can still experience the dramatic tunnel, elevator, and mountain road that lead to the Eagle's Nest.

The Haus Wachenfeld was a small chalet rented and later purchased by Hitler

The Haus Wachenfeld was a small chalet built in 1916 or 1917 by businessman Kommerzienrat Otto Winter. In 1928, Winter's widow rented it to Adolf Hitler, who put his half-sister Angela Raubal in charge of the household. After becoming Chancellor of Germany in 1933, Hitler purchased the house with funds from the sale of his political manifesto Mein Kampf.

Hitler then began a series of renovations, including the addition of window shutters and a small office, a winter garden and stonework, and finally, the most extensive changes in 1935-36, when the chalet was transformed into a sprawling landhaus with a bowling alley in the cellar and a giant window that could be lowered to provide a panoramic view. The house was renamed The Berghof, or "Mountain Court" in English.

The renovated interiors were designed by Gerdy Troost and included a large terrace with colourful resort-style umbrellas, a dining room panelled with expensive cembra pine, a library containing books on history, painting, architecture and music, and a great hall furnished with Teutonic furniture, a large globe, and a red marble fireplace mantel. Hitler's bedroom was connected to that of his longtime companion, Eva Braun.

The Berghof became a centrepiece of Nazi propaganda, with the German-controlled press portraying Hitler in a positive light as a man of culture, a dog lover, and a good neighbour. The area became a German tourist attraction during the mid-1930s, with crowds of admirers gathering at the end of the driveway for a chance to greet the Führer.

The house was maintained like a small resort hotel by several housekeepers, gardeners, cooks, and other domestic workers. It was also heavily guarded, with a large contingent of the SS Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler housed in barracks adjacent to the Berghof, patrolling an extensive cordoned security zone.

The Berghof was damaged by British bombs in April 1945 and set on fire by retreating SS troops in May, before being looted by Allied troops. In 1952, the Bavarian government demolished what remained of the building to prevent it from becoming a tourist attraction or a neo-Nazi shrine.

The Platterhof Hotel was where Hitler first visited his friend and mentor, Dietrich Eckart

Adolf Hitler's retreat in the mountains of Bavaria, known as the Berghof, was one of the most important centres of government in the Third Reich. Hitler spent more time at the Berghof than in his Berlin office. It was in this oversized chalet that Hitler planned the invasions of Poland, France and Russia.

Hitler's first visits to the area were to see his friend and mentor, Dietrich Eckart, who was living at the Platterhof Hotel. Hitler travelled under the name of "Herr Wolf" and held meetings with supporters in local guesthouses. The Platterhof was a hostel for visitors to the area and was not destroyed after the war. It was turned into the General Walker Hotel for US troops and was demolished in 2001.

The Platterhof Hotel was located near the Pension Moritz, where Hitler stayed in 1922-23. By 1926, the family running the pension had left, and Hitler did not like the new owner. He moved first to the Marineheim and then to a hotel in Berchtesgaden, the Deutsches Haus, where he dictated the second volume of Mein Kampf in the summer of 1926.

Hitler became so fond of the area that by 1928, he began using his royalty income to rent a small chalet nearby called Haus Wachenfeld. He put his half-sister, Angela Raubal, in charge of the household, along with her daughter, Geli. In 1933, after becoming Chancellor of Germany, Hitler purchased the house with funds from the sale of Mein Kampf. He then began a series of renovations, including window shutters, a small office, a winter garden and stonework. The most extensive renovations took place in 1935-36, when the chalet was transformed into a sprawling landhaus with a series of extensions, a bowling alley in the cellar, and a giant window that could be lowered to provide a panoramic view. The house became known as the Berghof or Mountain Court in English.

The Berghof was Hitler's holiday residence for ten years, from 1935 to 1945. It was one of his most well-known headquarters and he spent more time there than anywhere else during his time as Führer of Nazi Germany. It was damaged by British bombs in April 1945 and set on fire by retreating SS troops in May. The Bavarian government demolished what remained of the building in 1952 to prevent it from becoming a tourist attraction.

The Hotel zum Türken was a hotel used by the SS and later occupied by Hitler's bodyguard

Hitler's holiday home in the Bavarian Alps was called the Berghof. It was located in the Obersalzberg, near Berchtesgaden, Bavaria, Germany. The Berghof was originally a much smaller chalet called Haus Wachenfeld, which Hitler rented in 1928 and later purchased in 1933.

The Hotel zum Türken was a neighbouring hotel to the Berghof. It was initially used by the SS and later occupied by Hitler's bodyguard. The hotel was rebuilt in 1950 and reopened as a hotel before Christmas. Visitors can explore the historic underground hallways and tunnels that were used by the Nazis.

The Hotel zum Türken was not the only building near the Berghof that was used by the Nazi regime. The area surrounding the Berghof became a retreat for high-level Nazis, with an SS barracks, a cinema, a school for young children, and an underground shooting range. The Obersalzberg area comprised three security zones, with the innermost zone shielding Hitler and his staff from public access.

The SS troops were housed in barracks adjacent to the Berghof and were under the command of Obersturmbannführer Bernhard Frank. They patrolled an extensive cordoned-off security zone that encompassed the nearby homes of other Nazi leaders, such as Hermann Göring, Martin Bormann, and Albert Speer.

The presence of the SS and other security measures were implemented in response to the Berghof becoming a tourist attraction during the mid-1930s. Crowds of admirers would gather at the end of the driveway, hoping to catch a glimpse of Hitler.

In addition to the SS troops, members of the Reichssicherheitsdienst (RSD) and Führerbegleitkommando (FBK) were also present whenever Hitler was in residence. While the RSD men patrolled the grounds, the FBK provided close security protection for Hitler. Several Wehrmacht mountain troop units were also housed nearby.

The Hotel zum Türken played a significant role in the security measures surrounding Hitler's retreat in Obersalzberg, providing accommodation for the SS and later for Hitler's bodyguard.

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