Hitler was in different battles in Belgium and France during the first World War. The exact locations of battles can be found at sites like www.dean.usma.edu/history, a website that has a lot of maps of the battles in World War 1.
During the First World War Hitler was in or nearby: Yser, Ypern, Neuve-Chapelle, La Bassée, Arras, Artois, Fromelles, Somme, Beelitz, Le Bargur, Oberelsass, Ailette, Avre, Montdidier, Soissons, Reims, Oise and Marne, Aisne and Marne, Champagne, Monchy-Bapaume, La Montagne and Oudenaarde.
Some locations can be found back today. A couple of them are mentioned below. If you can provide us with more exact locations of Hitler-sites related to World War 1, we’d be very interested. Send us an e-mail.
Croonaertbos – Holle Weg
Wijtschate
Vierstraat to Properinge N 50° 47.605 E 002° 52.485
Today: The Holle Weg doesn’t exist anymore
Hitler drew a picture of the old road to Properinge near the Croonaartbos. Next to the current road, to the right of the former café de Croonaert is the bedding of the old road between Wijtschate and Properinge.
The old road to Poperinge inspired Hitler to draw this picture
A part of the old road is still visible
The Voormezelsestraat is a side-way of the Vierstraat. It runs through the small forrest. The sides of the road are higher than the road itself, just like on the drawing of Hitler
Meensepoort
Ieper (Ypern)
Meensestraat, the Meensepoort is one of the entrances to the centre of Ieper.
It’s on the road from Ieper to Menen.
Today: still there
The Meensepoort is a memorial for the fallen soldiers in the First World War. On the inside of the gate are the names of a lot of soldiers from different countries. Hitler was in this region during the First World War and he was back in Ieper in 1940, when the Germans had occupied Belgium. Still every day at 8 o’clock p.m. the last post is blown for the fallen soldiers.
Hitler walks through the Meensepoort in 1940, in
direction of the Meensestraat
The Meensepoort from the outside of the city-centre
Every day at 8 o’clock
the last post is blown
The Meensepoort from the
inside of the city
Hitler looking at an allied
memorial in 1940 in Ieper
(exact location not mentioned)
Church of Ardooie
Ardooie (Ardoye)
Near Roeselare, north of Kortrijk
Today: the church is still there
Hitler made a drawing of the village of Ardoye.
Above: Hitlers version of Ardoye
Right: the church of Ardoye now
Fieldlazaret Oudenaarde
Location: somewhere in Oudenaarde (a website mentions ‘t College)
When Hitler got woonded on the French Mountain in Wervicq-sud, he was treated in the 53e Fieldlazaret in Oudenaarde. After that he was transported to Pasewalk.
Betlehemhoeve (Bethleem Farm)
Mesen (Messines) (South of Ieper)
Rijsselstraat N 50° 45.588 E 002° 54.540
Today: still there
From December 1914 untill Februari 1915 Hitler stayed at the Betlehemhoeve in Mesen.
Left: The Bethlehemhoeve at the end of 1914
Centre and right: The Bethlehemhoeve today
Mesen, as seen from the Bethlehemhoeve. The church of St. Niklaas is in the centre
Above: A drawing Hitler made of the church in Mesen
Middle and right: the rebuilt church
St. Niklaaskerk
Mesen (Messines) (Belgium, northwest of Lille, near the border)
Korte Mooiestraat, N 50° 45.843 E 002° 53.929
Today: rebuilt
The St. Nikllaaschurch was destroyed during the Fisrt World War. It was rebuilt in 1928. Hitler has made a drawing of the destroyed church. In the crypte of the church was a fieldhospital were Hitler was treated.
French Mountain (Domain Dalle-Dumont)
Wervicq-sud (southeast from Ieper, northwest from Kortrijk, north of Lille)
Rue de Linselles N 50° 45.499 E 003° 02.540
Hitler was badly wounded during a gas attack on this hill in the night of October 13 to 14, 1918. After treatment in Oudenaarde he’s taken to the military hospital Pasewalk (near Berlin). There he hears about about the German capitulation.
The domain Dalle-Dumont is on the so called French Mountain. On the northflank of the mountain is the Wit Kasteel (White Castle). The castle was a fieldhospital for the German troops during the First World War. In the domain are a lot of traces of the Great War. There is a monument from 1915 for the fallen German soldiers, there are some remains of militairy hiding places and there is a German graveyard were 2500 German soldiers are burried.
The castle has had some different functions since than, but it houses the Centre d'Observation de l'Environnement today.
A German Memorial from 1915. It says: ‘Die Im den Tod im heiligen Kampfs fandt, ruht auch in fremdes Erd im Vaterland.’
House on aquarel Hitler
Haubourdin
Exact location: unknown
Hitler drew a picture entitled Houbardin during the First World War.
An aquarel of Adolf Hitler entitled Haubourdin
Regiment Building
Fournes en Weppes (Southwest of Lille), exact location: unknown
Today: still there
There are different pictures made of Hitler accompanied by fellow soldiers. Most of them are made in the garden of the regiment building in Fournes.
Above and right: Hitler and his fellow-soldiers in Fournes in April 1915
Above: Hitler is sitting on the left
Right: Hitler is standing on the right
Fournes, 1915, Hitler is the second one form the right
Fournes, Regiment Building 1916
Fournes, Regiment Building, date unknown, Hitler alone
Fournes, Regiment Building 1940
The Regiment building today. The picture on the right shows the garden, with the same wall as in ‘14-’18
Butchery Fournes
Fournes en Weppes (Southwest of Lille), Rue Faidherbe 966
Today: still there
This is another building were Hitler was stationed in 1916. During the second world war the butchery was guarded and there was a sign that said: ‘In diesem Quartier lag 1916 unser Fuehrer Adolf Hitler als Soldat des Bayr. JNF. RGT. List’.
Hitler visited the butchery in Fournes en Weppes again in 1940. The right picture shows
the guards in front of the house
The former butchery today
Farm where Hitler was stationed
Fromelles, exact location unknown
Today: still there
Hitler was stationed in a farm on the edge of Fromelles in WW1. In 1940 he visited the farm again, as you can see on the picture. We haven’t looked for it yet, but Fromelles is not that big, so it must not be so hard to find.
Hitler in Fromelles in 1940. The coloured picture shows the
exact same farm today
A drawing of Hitler of a farm in Fromelles, that was the ‘Verbandplatz’ of the regiment of Hitler in 1915
Two drawings of Hitler made near Fromelles
Left: The drawing ‘Unterstand’ (Shelter) was made in 1915
Right: The aquarel ‘Haus mit weissem Zaun’ is made northwest of Fromelles, near the ‘Roten Banke’, in 1915
Above: The entrance of the bunker
Right: in front of the bunker
Bunker
Fromelles (west of Lille)
At the end of Rue de la Biette (outside the village) is a soccerfield, behind it in the fields is a bunker
Today: still there
Another Hitlerbunker is on the Rue de la Biette. There’s a picture of Hitler visiting this bunker.
Left: Hitler visited this bunker in 1940
Right: The bunker today
Hitlerbunker
Fromelles/Aubers (west of Lille)
Road between Fromelles and Aubers (D141), just a few steps from the road
Today: still there
On the road between Fromelles and Aubers are a lot of bunkers. One of them is the so called Hitlerbunker, the bunker were Hitler was said to have been stationed in 1915. There is no prove that this is a bunker Hitler used to stay. There are also no pictures of Hitler visiting the bunker in 1940. Other sources state that the Hitlerbunker is on the Rue de la Biette (see below). A map of the region is found at www.pro-tourisme-nord.com
The Bunker on the road between Fromelles and Aubers
The WW1 Hitlerbunker
There is discussion about what the exact Hitlerbunker was in World War 1. There are (still) a lot of bunkers from that war in Belgium and France, and it’s obvious that Hitler has seen more than one. The fact that there are pictures of Hitler in front of such a bunker from 1940 is widespred on the internet. The pictures beneath show Hitler in front of a WW 1 bunker. It doesn’t look like it’s the same bunker as the most well-known bunkers in the Fromelles/Aubers region we show here.
25-26 June 1940, somewhere in Belgium or France.
The picture on the right shows Hitler, Ernst Schmidt and Max Amman from up close
Left: Hitler (first row, left) with his fellow-soldiers somewhere in Belgium or France in 1914
Right: Hitler (top row centre) in 1916 in a lazaret in Beelitz (Germany)
Oude Hondt
Geluveld, East of Ieper N 50° 50.034 E 002° 59.729
Today: still open field
The fields were Hitler and his division started their march towards Geluveld and Ieper are known as Oude Hondt (Old Dog). Hitler and his fellow soldiers see their first action in the battle of Geluveld on October 29, 1914.
A field full of grenade holes near Geluveld
Kasteel Keingiaert de Gheluvelt
Geluveld, Kasteelstraat
Today: destroyed in the first world war, but rebuilt
Hitler and his fellow soldiers saw their first action in the battle of Geluveld on October 29, 1914. In the fight about the castel of Geluveld, the comander of the regiment, List, gets killed.
Kemmelberg
Near village of Kemmel, southwest of Ieper, between Kemmel and the French border
Today: still recognizable
The Kemmelberg (mountain of Kemmel) is the highest point in the district. There’s been some heavy fighting in World War 1 on this mountain. In the spring offensive of 1918 the Germans took the mountain. Hitler visited the Kemmelberg in 1940.
Left: Hitlers motocade arrives at the Kemmelberg
Right: The same spot today, the part of the building with the dark stone is still the same as it was
Left: Hitler on the Kemmelberg
Right: The same spot today
House were Hitler was stationed
Ardooie (Ardoye)
Near Roeselare, north of Kortrijk, opposite to the church
Today: still there
Hitler was stationed here for a while in the first world war.
Some locations of the List regiment Hitler served in
Locations: exact locations unknown
Cambrai
The List regiment went to Cambrai in the middle of August 1918.
Champagne
The List regiment is in the Champagne region in April 1918.
Elzas
August 1917 List regiment goes to Elzas. Hitler went on a leave to Berlin at the end of September, where (amongst other things) he visited some museums.
