The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1945-09-27
Sgt. Geo. Swank Visits
Munich Beer Hall
(Continned rom page Z

taonnnned from page i
is largely in the streets altho the
PWs are cleaning it up and hauling
it away. Pictures you have seen
are not exaggerated as to the
destruction.
Imagine seeing buildings with the
roofs gone, floors sticking out on
top, no windows; and then to find
store on the ao.t,r1 floor in one
small room but doing business.
People live in any rooms that are
halfway standing; with families put
ting up with ono room instead of
four or five. Many shacks like
woodsheds also have been built on
the city limits to house the homeless.
I'VE saw the arch where Hitler
made his speech that brought him
to power in 1888. Also TIE remains
of the Beer hall famous for the
Munich putsch. We also saw the
coffins of the Is who were slain
so Hitler could come into power.
early the next morning we were
up eating breakfast, and getting
ready to travel to Berchtesgaden.
The highway was built along a
mountain side, and the country was
very beautiful. We passed several
small lakes and couple of large
ones. At one lake we stopped to
cook our dinner, then hurried on.
"The approach to the city is most
beautiful. The town lies in the foot
hills of the Bavarian Alps, and as
we approached it we could see the
mountain tops covered with snow
and the water flowing down the
mountains into the streams below.
The mountains are high and NY ears
really rang.
ave found rooms in a wonderful
hotel with all the luxuries of life.
We visited Hitler's home. Goering's
home and all of the surrounding
homes there. Everything is built in
to the mountains. Both Hitler and
Goering's homes have been partially
destroyed by bombs, and incidentally
theirs are the only ones which were
bombed here.
Remember the very huge window
in Hitler's home overlooking the
mountainside. That is the largest
window | have ever seen in a home
and the sight out beyond is the most
elaborate of all natures surround
ings. You wonder how q person
with such home could ever start
such a war.
"The homes are enormous, built
high in the mountains, but still there
are other higher peaks in view
making the surroundings perfect.
Goering's art collection also is here,
but some G. is stole some things
so they put it off limits.
"The next morning we visited the
much-talked-of Eagles Nest. 1t is
4.8 miles up to the nest or home on
top of the mountain. You can ride
in a jeep almost to the top of the
mountain, and then you walk the
rest of the way. Hitler had large
parking space built on the side of
the mountain and from this space a
tunnel led into the mountain to
where an elevator took him up to
the house.
"The building at the top is un-
touched by war and very beautiful
1t is built of large marble stones.
How they got all of these to the top
don't know. The largest room is
about 60 feet long with huge table,
where Hitler held conferences.
"You can see for miles from the
mountain top and it's quite a sight.
Looking down you see Koenig lake
which is over four miles long and
lies between two mountains. The
mountain sides are straight up and
at the top there is snow. Sunrise
and sunset over these snow-capped
peaks really are something to see.
Later we took rowboats out on
the lake for several hours, and
really enjoyed ourselves. | did enjoy
myself here, and the time certainly
passed quickly"