page_title: Kehlsteinhaus
section_title: Use
hierarchical_section_title: Kehlsteinhaus / Use
caption_attribution_description: Map of Adolf Hitler's Headquarters (Führer Headquarters) in Europe 1933-1945. Legend: Red locations indicate headquarters that were used by Hitler. Grey locations indicate headquarters that were not used by Hitler (but intended to); they were however used by other military officials. The locations are given in parenthesis (). Borders are at the height of Axis domination (1942), and dotted borders are present (2007) borders. Some regions have German designations (e.g. "Ostland"), with the present country name denoted in uppercase letters in parenthesis below the German designation (e.g. "(AUSTRIA)"), or without any German designation (e.g. "(ESTONIA)"). Countries that were part of the Axis/annexed by Axis are colored dark green (Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania &amp; Italy etc). Countries that were occupied by the Axis are colored light green, except "Vichy France", colored light green but marked as "unoccupied". Countries that were part of the Allies are colored blue (United Kingdom) and red (Soviet Union). Neutral countries are colored grey (Switzerland &amp; Sweden). For more information, please see "References" and "Notes on the individual headquarters" below.
context_page_description: The Kehlsteinhaus is a Third Reich–era building erected atop the summit of the Kehlstein, a rocky outcrop that rises above the Obersalzberg near the town of Berchtesgaden. It was used exclusively by members of the Nazi Party for government and social meetings. It was visited on 14 documented instances by Adolf Hitler, who disliked the location due to his fear of heights, the risk of bad weather, and the thin mountain air. Today it is open seasonally as a restaurant, beer garden, and tourist site.
context_section_description: Hitler first visited on September 16, 1938, and returned to inaugurate it on April 20, 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 to never mention the two serious lightning strikes that occurred during construction.)
  The Kehlsteinhaus lies several miles directly above the Berghof. In a rare diplomatic engagement, Hitler received departing French ambassador André François-Poncet on October 18, 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 June 3, 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 Haus", the Kehlsteinhaus is often conflated with the tea house on Mooslahnerkopf hill near the Berghof, Hitler's summer home, which Hitler walked to daily after lunch. The teahouse was demolished by the Bavarian government after the war, due to its connection to Hitler.
caption: Map showing the location of the Kehlsteinhaus (labelled "Eagle's Nest") and Führer Headquarters throughout occupied Europe
exif: {}