Führer Headquarters The " Führer " Headquarters ( " Führerhauptquartiere " in German ) , abbreviated FHQ , is a common name for a number of official headquarters used by the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and various German commanders and officials throughout Europe during World War II . Perhaps the most widely known headquarters was the " Führerbunker " in Berlin , Germany , where Hitler committed suicide on 30 April 1945 . Other notable headquarters are the " Wolfsschanze " ( Wolf ' s Lair ) in East Prussia , where Claus von Stauffenberg in league with other conspirators attempted to assassinate Hitler on 20 July 1944 , and Hitler ' s private home , the " Berghof " , at Obersalzberg near Berchtesgaden , where he frequently met with prominent foreign and domestic officials . Introduction . At the beginning of World War II there were no permanent headquarters constructed for the German supreme leader , the " Führer " . Hitler visited the frontlines by using either aeroplane or his special train , the " Führersonderzug " ; thus , the " Führersonderzug " can be considered as the first of his field headquarters . The first permanent installation which became a Führer Headquarters was the Felsennest , which was used by Hitler during the Battle of France in May , 1940 . Hitler actually spent very little time in Berlin during the war , and the most frequently used of his dwellings were without comparison the " Berghof " and the " Wolfsschanze " , spending more than 800 days at the latter . The " Führer " Headquarters were especially designed to work as command facilities for the " Führer " , which meant all necessary demands were taken into consideration ; communications , conference rooms , safety measures , bunkers , guard facilities etc . were prepared accordingly . Even " Berghof " and the Obersalzberg complex were modified and extended with considerable defense facilities ( bunkers , guard posts etc . ) . The " Wehrmachtbericht " , a daily report on the situation at the front , was also broadcast from the " Führer " Headquarters . The " Führer " Headquarters can not be considered as strict military headquarters ; the " Wehrmacht " had their own , distinctly located in other places , yet often in the vicinity of the FHQs . Nevertheless , since Hitler very frequently intervened in the military command structure , the FHQs more than often became de facto military headquarters . In reality , the " Führer Headquarters " consisted of Adolf Hitler and his entourage , including the " Oberkommando der Wehrmacht ( OKW ) " ( directly controlled by Hitler ) , liaison officers and adjutants . Notes on the term . Every place Hitler ever stayed at cannot be considered as " Führer " Headquarters , and he did not stay at every official FHQ . Furthermore , some sources may not refer to the " Berghof " and the " Führerbunker " strictly as official German " Führerhauptquartiere " at that time in history , but both of them became " de facto " " Führer " Headquarters ; thus , they are historically often referred to as such . The " Berghof " was modified in much the same way as other FHQs , and Hitler had daily conferences on military matters here at the latter part of the war . The " Eagle ' s Nest " , i . e . the " Kehlsteinhaus " , was rarely used and may not be considered a FHQ as such alone ; however it was associated with the " Berghof " and part of the Obersalzberg military complex . The " Führerbunker " was located about 8 . 2 metres ( 26 . 9 feet ) beneath the garden of the old " Reich Chancellery " building ( at Wilhelmstraße 77 ) , about 120 metres ( 131 yards ) north of Hitler ' s new " Reich Chancellery " building , ( at Voßstraße 6 ) in Berlin . It became a de facto " Führer " Headquarters during the Battle of Berlin , and ultimately , the last one of his headquarters . Headquarters locations . There were about 14 known completed " Führer " Headquarters ( of about 20 planned ) : Special Train ( " Führersonderzug " ) . The " Führer " s Special Train ( " Führersonderzug " in German ) was used frequently by Hitler to travel between various headquarters throughout Europe . It also served as headquarters , called " FHQu Frühlingssturm " ( Spring Storm ) , at Mönichkirchen , Austria , during the Balkans Campaign in early 1941 . The train was ironically named " Führersonderzug " Amerika " " in 1940 , and later " Führersonderzug " Brandenburg " " . After the Balkans Campaign the train was not used as a Führer Headquarters , but Hitler used it throughout the war when he travelled between Berlin , Berchtesgaden , Munich and other headquarters . The exact of the train is not known , but some details were revealed by the departure information " " Bln 2009 " " , when the train departed the " Anhalter Bahnhof " in Berlin on 23 June 1941 , arriving at Wolfsschanze on 24 June 1941 ; The individual 17 components ( locomotives and cars ) in order were : Otto Dietrich indicates that the " Flakwagen " never had to be used when Hitler was travelling . The " Pressewagen " was to receive and release press reports , not for journalists . There were other special trains ( " Sonderzüge " in German ) used by prominent German officials ;