| Berchtesgaden along with Obersalzburg is well worth visiting.The area as a Nazi political centre was largely the work of Martin Bormann who bullied and harassed residents off the mountain village in the 1930s under "compulsory purchase"
Obersalzburg now houses The Document Centre which records the rise and history of the Nazi regime and has been opened recently.
The Eagles Nest, ie the teahouse that Bormann had built for Hitler for his Hitler's 50th birthday still stands and can be visited by taking the specially adapted mountain bus that runs frequently from the bus station in Obersalzburg.For reasons of safety, cars are not allowed to use the mountain road. .A car may be driven the the short distance from Berchtesgaden to the car park at the Obersalzburg level car park or alternatively take the bus that runs frequently from Berchtesgaden railway station.
The Eagle's Nest which was the name given to the teahouse by visiting Italian WW1 veterans or rather to give its Bavarian name as it is known,Kehlsteinhaus, is situated on the Kehlstein Mountain and is accessed from the upper car park by tunnel and lift,both in excellent condition,a tribute to German engineering.The road from Obersalzburg to the Kehlsteinhaus tunnel and lift was constructed by Austrian road engineers who had devised and constructed the mountain road that scaled Grossknockner in 1935.
Kehlsteinhaus is now a restaurant, the original reception room being used as a dining room along with the SS guardroom.On a clear day it is possible to faintly pick out the past sites of the homes of Hitler's inner circle. All were destroyed apart from Speer's studio.
Hitler's Berghof was completely levelled by the Bavarian State authorities in 1952 but it's site can be easily picked out by the location of the adjacent Hotel Turken which was compulsory purchased as a SS Officers mess and guardhouse.
One of the last raids of the war on 25 April 1945 was directed at Obersalzburg with over 300 Lancasters when it was thought that it was the location of an Alpine Nazi Redoubt.Widespread destruction was caused on the ground including severe damage to the Berghof but casualties were very light owing to the extensive air raid shelters and bunker system constructed to protect Hitler's inner circle.
At the Obersalzburg level, the Platterhoff (which was the SS barracks) and which became the Hotel General Walker, a leave centre for US forces has been raised to the ground after US forces left.In its place a luxury hotel,the Inter Continental Resort has been constructed which has given rise to some adverse comment from the locals.
Both Berchtesgaden town and the nearby lakeside holiday centre,Konigssee are interesting places to visit.Konigssee is a particularly good family resort.
Regarding information on the Obersalzburg during the Nazi era it is far better to visit the Berchtesgaden railway station bookshop which has a good selection of books in English and not at the price of those at the Obersalzburg level. |