Germans wrestle with what to do with Hitler's destroyed Eagle's Nest retreat
Summary
A fire on 23 October largely destroyed the Eagle’s Nest, a former Nazi retreat in the Bavarian Alps that had operated as a tourist restaurant. The blaze has renewed debate over whether to clear the ruins, rebuild the site, or preserve it in some form as a place to address Germany’s Nazi past.Key Facts
- The Kehlsteinhaus, known as the Eagle’s Nest, was built by the Nazis in 1938 and used by Adolf Hitler and other senior Nazis and their guests.
- The site was classified as a historical monument after World War Two and later became a popular tourist attraction owned by the state of Bavaria.
- Police say the fire largely destroyed the building; the nearby Obersalzberg Documentation Centre survived.
- A 33-year-old man with a history of mental illness has been detained in a secure psychiatric hospital on suspicion of arson.
- Some experts have called for the rubble to be removed and the mountain returned to its natural state.
- Others support rebuilding some or all of the site, while warning that it could become a pilgrimage destination for neo-Nazis.
- A museum about the Nazi era opened near the site in the 1990s, and a photo exhibit about the Kehlsteinhaus opened inside it around 15 years ago.
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