Kehlsteinhaus

The Kehlsteinhaus (Eagle's Nest) is a building situated atop the Kehlstein, a rocky promontory above Obersalzberg near Berchtesgaden, in southeastern Germany. Completed in 1938, it was commissioned by the Nazi Party for official and social functions and was visited by Adolf Hitler on at least fourteen documented occasions. Today, the Kehlsteinhaus operates seasonally as a restaurant, beer garden, and tourist destination. Construction The Kehlsteinhaus sits on a ridge atop the Kehlstein, a 1,834 m (6,017 ft) subpeak of the Hoher Göll that rises above the town of Berchtesgaden. It was commissioned by Martin Bormann in the summer of 1937. Paid for by the Nazi Party, it was completed in 13 months. Twelve workers died during its construction. A 4 m (13 ft) wide approach road climbs 800 m (2,600 ft) over 6.5 km (4.0 mi); it includes five tunnels and one hairpin turn. It cost 30 million ℛ︁ℳ︁ to build (about $247 million USD, inflation-adjusted for 2022). Hitler's birthday in April 1939 was considered a deadline for the project's completion, so work continued throughout the winter of 1938, even at night with the worksite lit by searchlights. From a large car park, a 124 m (407 ft) entry tunnel leads to an ornate elevator that ascends the final 124 m (407 ft) to the building. The tunnel is lined with marble and was originally heated with warm air from an adjoining service tunnel. However, it was normal for visiting high officials to be driven through the tunnel to the elevator. Their driver would then have to reverse the car for the entire length of the tunnel as there was no space to turn. The inside of the large elevator is surfaced with polished brass, Venetian mirrors, and green leather. The building's main reception room is dominated by a fireplace of red Italian marble presented by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, which was damaged by Allied soldiers chipping off pieces to take home as souvenirs. The building had a completely electric appliance kitchen, which was unusual in 1937, but was never used to cook meals; instead meals were prepared in town and taken to the kitchen on the mountain top to be reheated. The building also has heated floors, with heating required for at least two days before visitors arrived. A MAN submarine diesel engine and an electrical generator were installed in an underground chamber close to the main entrance, to provide back-up power. Much of the furniture was designed by Paul László, who ironically was Jewish. Use Hitler first visited on 16 September 1938 and returned to inaugurate it on 20 April 1939, his 50th birthday, though it was not intended as a birthday gift. There are two ways to approach and enter the building: the road and the Kehlsteinhaus elevator. Hitler did not trust the elevator, continually expressed his reservations of its safety, and disliked using it; his biggest fear was that the elevator's winch mechanism on the roof would attract a lightning strike. Bormann took great pains never to mention the two serious lightning strikes that occurred during construction. The Kehlsteinhaus lies several hundred metres away from the Berghof, Hitler's summer home. In a rare diplomatic engagement, Hitler received departing French ambassador André François-Poncet on 18 October 1938, here. It was he who coined the name "Eagle's Nest" for the building while later describing the experience; this has since become a commonly used name for the Kehlsteinhaus. A wedding reception for Eva Braun's sister Gretl was held there following her marriage to Hermann Fegelein on 3 June 1944. While Hitler more often than not left the entertaining duties to others, he believed the house presented an excellent opportunity to entertain important and impressionable guests. Referred to as the "D-Haus", short for "Diplomatic Reception House", the Kehlsteinhaus is often conflated with the teahouse on Mooslahnerkopf Hill near the Berghof, which Hitler walked to daily after lunch. The teahouse was demolished by the Bavarian government after the war, due to its connection to Hitler. Allied capture The Kehlsteinhaus was a target during the 25 April 1945 bombing of Obersalzberg, an operation conducted by the Royal Air Force’s No. 1, No. 5, No. 8, and No. 617 Squadron. However, the small building was not directly hit. Instead, the raid’s 359 Avro Lancasters and 16 de Havilland Mosquitoes caused severe damage to the Berghof area. There is uncertainty regarding which Allied unit was the first to reach the Kehlsteinhaus. Popular accounts often confuse the capture of the building with that of the town of Berchtesgaden, which was entered by elements of the French 2e Division Blindée (notably the "La Nueve" company of Spanish Republicans) on 4 May, as well as by the U.S. 7th Infantry Regiment. Some reports state that members of the U.S. 7th Infantry reached as far as the elevator to the Kehlsteinhaus. At least one account claims that two soldiers, Herman Louis Finnell and his ammunition carrier, were the first to enter the building and its underground passages, describing rooms filled with destroyed paintings, evening gowns, medical equipment, and a wine cellar. In later interviews, Finnell stated that his regiment entered the Berghof, not the Kehlsteinhaus. The 101st Airborne Division has also claimed it was first to both Berchtesgaden and the Kehlsteinhaus. Meanwhile, troops of the 2e Division Blindée—including Laurent Touyeras, Georges Buis, and Paul Répiton-Préneuf—were present during the night of 4–5 May, collecting personal items and taking photographs before American forces arrived. The French troops left on 10 May at the request of U.S. command. Numerous Spanish veterans who participated with them have provided corroborating testimony. The Kehlsteinhaus was not damaged in the April bombing raid. It was later used by the Allies as a military command post until 1960, when it was returned to the State of Bavaria. Today Today the building is owned by a charitable trust, and operates as a restaurant offering indoor dining and an outdoor beer garden. It is a popular tourist attraction due to its historical significance. The road has been closed to private vehicles since 1952 because it is too narrow for two-way travel. The house can be reached on foot (in two hours) from Obersalzberg, or by bus from the Documentation Centre. The Documentation Centre directs visitors to the coach station where tickets are purchased. The bus ticket serves as an entry ticket, as it permits the holder entry to the building's elevator. The buses are specially modified to ascend the steep road leading to the peak. In 2023 the shuttle buses were converted to fully electric. The Kehlsteinhaus interior offers little information about its past. Photos displayed and described along the wall of the sun terrace document the pre-construction location and later history. Informal tours of the Kehlsteinhaus can be booked through the website. Due to concern about neo-Nazis and post-war Nazi sympathisers, no external guides are permitted to conduct tours. 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. The red Italian marble fireplace remains damaged by Allied souvenir hunters, though this was later halted by signage posted that the building was U.S. government property, and damage to it was cause for disciplinary action. Hitler's small study is now a storeroom for the cafeteria. A trail leads above the Kehlsteinhaus towards the Mannlgrat ridge reaching from the Kehlstein to the summit of the Hoher Göll. The route, which is served by a Klettersteig, is regarded as the easiest to the top. Gallery References Informational notes Citations External links Official website Official website. "Das Kehlsteinhaus". Kehlsteinhaus.com. Historical Overview and Guide. "Das Kehlsteinhaus". The Third Reich in Ruins. "Eagle's Nest". studiosevenum.nl. Archived from the original on March 18, 2015. 360° Virtual Tour of Kehlsteinhaus. "Kehlsteinhaus". Berchtesgaden. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved January 24, 2010. "Kehlsteinhaus - Hitler's Eagles Nest". August 9, 2017. Pictures (in German)