THE EAGLES NEST
AND BERGHOF
DOWN SOUTH
TO
OBERSALZBURG AND BERCHTESGADEN
THE EAGLES NEST
We had visited Munich but I really wanted to go that extra distance down to Obersalzburg. So we drove to Berchtesgaden to see the Eagles Nest, the Hotel Turken and the remains of Hitlers Berghof......
What I found was fascinating and I relate the story below
As you can see above, the view is breath-taking and worth the visit. The Eagles Nest was a 50th birthday present from the NSDAP chief Martin Borman to his boss Adolf Hitler. It cost todays equivalent of 100 million dollars. Hitler was not enamoured of this austere concrete and stone building named the Kehlsteinhaus, which was plonked on the top of a mountain near Schonau on Konigsee. It took 3000 workers 13 months, day and night, to build.
The road up to the House is a masterpiece of road building is 4 miles long, winds through 5 tunnels and has a series of dangerous hairpin bends. Hitler entertained here but rarely, and would not travel up in the winter.It is now a cafe/restaurant which serves good food and on a clear day one may see for many miles through the thin air.
 
THE TUNNEL AND LIFT
This picture shows the tunnel which leads to the Otis/Flohr lift which transports people up through the living rock to the Eagles Nest. The journey in the lift only takes 45 seconds (see animated picture). The horizontal tunnel is the same length as the lift shaft (124 meters)
INSIDE THE LIFT
THE BERGHOF-THEN
The Haus Wachenfeld was commandeered by Rudolph Hess
and then Martin Borman remodelled the building
Here is the Berghof in its final phase
after being rebuilt to Hitlers requirements by the architect Delgano
THE BERGHOF-1945
After the bombing, the ruin was set on fire by the S.S.
So that it would not become a shrine, it was blown up on 30th April 1952 and what was left, levelled. The shrubbery was allowed to grow over the remains, but there are still some sections left if you know where to look. There are tunnels and locked doors. The Turken Hotel has been rebuilt and you can visit the bunkers. The Gutshof is now the Skytop Lodge. The rest is returning to nature. Hundreds of people still visit the area every year. The Eagles Nest is very popular
 
ME AT THE RUINS OF THE BERGHOF-1987
We found some of the ruins of the Berghof, the underground garage and skittle alley and some of the remains of the stone staircase up to the Berghof.
We met an old couple wandering around in the undergrowth who my young son thought were Eva and Adolf !!!
UNIQUE AERIAL PHOTO
TAKEN BY AN ALLIED AEROPLANE
BEFORE
THE BOMBING OF BERCHTESGADEN
AIR RAID No.GN3770
Drawn up 5 Oct 1944
TARGETS:
Eagles Nest
Wachenfels
Berchtesgaden
Can you find the Eagles Nest ?
Tip:
Look for the bus park
at about 4 o'clock
just off center
On 25th April 1945
318 Lancaster bombers dropped
1232 tons of bombs on the assigned targets
THERE WAS MUCH DAMAGE
On 4th May 1945 the 101st Airborne Division occupied the district of Berchtesgaden and General Dwight D.Eisenhower visited the Eagles Nest on 2nd September 1945
 
This is the recently opened Museum in Martin Bormans old Guest House in Berchtesgaden showing the involvement that this area had with Adolf Hitler. Click here if you wish to see more
SEE ALSO THIS INTERESTING WEBSITE BY A.H.MORSCHER
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