Bavarian Interior Minister Vows to Rebuild Hitler's Kehlsteinhaus After Fire
A 33-year-old man was detained after a blaze destroyed the mountaintop retreat, prompting officials to promise the site will not remain a ruin.
By Thabo Hoffmann ·
Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann stated that the Kehlsteinhaus, commonly known as the Eagle's Nest, will not remain a ruin following a destructive fire. The minister made the declaration via broadcaster BR24, emphasizing the need to preserve the site for historical remembrance.
The structure stood at an elevation of 1,800 meters above the town of Berchtesgaden. Firefighters responded to the scene on Friday at 21:15 local time after dispatchers in Traunstein received an alarm. Upon arrival, crews found the building fully engulfed in flames. Local media reported that the site was largely destroyed, though no injuries were confirmed.
Police detained a 33-year-old German man near the scene. Officers apprehended him while he was on a motorcycle. A criminal investigation is currently underway, with authorities examining a possible motive. Local police official Gerhart Holzinger told a press conference that there is no current evidence of other suspects.
Approximately 200 emergency personnel were deployed to the area. The difficult mountain terrain complicated efforts to control the blaze. Authorities urged the public to stay away from the vicinity during the operation.
The Kehlsteinhaus was completed by the Nazis in 1938. Adolf Hitler and his entourage used the building during World War Two. The site served as part of a complex that included the nearby Berghof residence, where senior officials planned the 1941 invasion of the USSR. The retreat also appeared in propaganda films.
The building survived the war and later operated as a mountain inn. It became a popular tourist destination. The official website described the location as a cautionary reminder of the Nazi dictatorship.
This incident follows recent decisions regarding other Hitler-linked sites. In June, Berlin authorities announced plans to demolish a bunker described as the power center of Nazi Germany. Critics argued the bunker had historical value and should have become a museum. In July, Austrian authorities refurbished the house in Braunau am Inn where Hitler was born, converting it into a police station.
Source: BBC News
