The Eagle's Nest in the post-war years

The Eagle's Nest in the post-war years

The Eagle's Nest, or Kehlsteinhaus, is one of the most visited attractions in Germany. Every year, Hitler's mountain house, built-in 1938 on a rock with a height of 1834 meters, is visited by up to 500,000 people (open from May to the end of October).

And in the early 1950s, the American administration planned to blow up the Kelsteinhaus, as other buildings on the Obersalzberg were blown up, or rather what was left of them after the bombing. But due to the great interest of the American and British military in such an unusual mountain object and the frequent visits of high-ranking officials, the demolition never took place. Instead of disbanding their military base in Berchtesgaden, the Americans instructed the local and regional administration to get rid of the estate of the former dictator independently.

By the end of the 1950s, the Eagle's Nest was beginning to attract tourists, and the number of visitors increased, with the demolition date being postponed several times. But the demands for the demolition of the building belonging to fascist functionaries remained in force. The competent policy of the Berchtesgaden authorities saved the Eagle's Nest.

They convinced the German government and the American administration that the Kelsteinhaus should be preserved for the benefit of society and that the funds generated by the use of the mountain house could be used effectively for social projects and to help people affected by the war. To this day, the Kelsteinhaus, which once belonged to Hitler, stands in its place, and 50% of the proceeds from ticket sales go to social needs.

I offer you a tour from Salzburg to the Bavarian Alps and the Eagle's Nest! E-mail me your inquiry. The tour is available from May to the end of October.