Kehlsteinhaus
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The Kehlsteinhaus was one of Adolf Hitler's homes in the German Alps near Berchtesgaden.
The Kehlsteinhaus, nicknamed Eagle's Nest was built as a 50th birthday present for Adolf Hitler from the Nazi Party; it was commissioned by Martin Bormann, with construction proceding over a 13-month period prior to its formal presentation to Hitler in 1939. It is situated on a ridge at the top of the Kehlstein mountain (1835 m), reached by a spectacular 6.5 km (3.9 mile) road from Obersalzberg, which cost 30 million Reichsmarks to build. The last 124 metres up to the Kehlsteinhaus are spanned by an elevator bored inside the mountain, reached via a granite tunnel; the elevator itself is surfaced with polished brass. The surprisingly plain main reception room is dominated by a fireplace of red Italian marble, presented by Mussolini.
Although the site is on the same mountain as the Berghof, Hitler rarely visited the property as he was afraid of heights. It was perhaps because of this lack of close association with Hitler, the property was saved from demolition at the end of the war. It was subsequently used by the Allies as a military command post until 1960, when it was handed back to the State of Bavaria. The building is now owned by a charitable trust. It is a popular tourist attraction, particularly for Britons and Americans attracted by the myth of the "Eagle's Nest."
Allied capture
The documentary war series Band of Brothers depicts the Berghof being taken by troops from E company of 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division without a shot being fired. As is often the case, the actual capture was more complicated and messy than the limitation of dramatic reconstruction allows. The first allied troops to arrive were U.S. 3rd Infantry Division who secured Berchtesgaden and the Berghof. They were followed four days later by the French 2nd Armoured Division who secured the Eagle's Nest, then 1st battalion of the 506th regiment, led by C company. The 3rd battalion of the 506th came into Berchtesgaden by a different route and lost men in a skirmish with the crews of two German 88mm guns.
External links
- Kehlsteinhaus official website (http://www.kehlsteinhaus.de/index2_e.htm)
- Kehlsteinhaus - The Third Reich in Ruins (http://thirdreichruins.com/kehlsteinhaus.htm)