Location: Avenue de la Gare 3
Today: The building is still there.
On May 17, 1940 Hitler flew from Feldfluplatz Odendorf, near the FHQ Felsennest, to Bastogne to meet Von Rundstedt (Heeresgruppe A). He left Odendorf at 13.00 hours. He returned at 18.15 hours.
Bastogne, Avenue de la Gare, Friday, May 17, 1940 (picture: Hoffmann)
In front of the Army Headquarters with von Rundstedt (picture: Hoffmann)
Hitler leaves the army command post to go back to his plane in Bizory, near Bastogne. (picture: Hoffmann)
Most of the pictures shown here come from a helpfull source in Bastogne. He also send us these two pictures of Rundstedts Headquarters in 1940 (left) and today (right).
Location: Rue de Neuchateau
Today: This location has changed a lot.
On the picture below Hitler is in Bastogne. He is on his way to the army headquarters.
Location: a few hundred meters away from the Mardasson monument, past the Bastogne Historical Centre on the Route de Bizory, going towards Bizory, the airfield was near the first farm on the left
Today: open field
When the meeting was over, Hitler was brought back to his plane at an airfield near Bizory, a place near Bastogne.
Location: about 50 km. northwest of Sedan, near Couvin. In Couvin it’s in the direction of Cul-
In June 1940, when German troops had invated France, Hitler was here in to coördinate the troops. The Germans took over the small village. They built barracks and a bunker for the führer in the woods. The barracks were taken down but two of the three barracks were rebuilt.
(picture: Heinrich Hoffmann)
(picture: Heinrich Hoffmann)
(picture: Heinrich Hoffmann)
Middle: The same church today
(picture: The Hitler Pages)
Left: Hitler and his staff
coming from the barracks,
walking into the village (picture: Heinrich Hoffmann)
Middle: The school was used by the Wehrmacht. Here Hitler walks on the other side of the house (picture: Heinrich Hoffmann)
In the middle: the inside of the bunker
Right: the entrance in close-
Middle: a similar scene in 2007. (picture: The Hitler Pages)
Right: Two pictures of Hitler in Wolsschlucht 1 (picture: Heinrich Hoffmann)
Brûly-
Location: near Charleville-
Today: there still is an airfield in the area, but I have no proof that it’s the right one
After a tour through the north of France Hitler flew from Niergnies to Charleville to meet Von Rundstedt.
Calais, Dunkerque, Boulogne etc.
From 21 December 1940 Hitlers Sonderzug travels in the westcoast-
French Westcoast (France)
Location: The museum is 11 km to the north of Lyon on the D 433, Saône, 20 minutes from the centre: 645 rue du Musée
69270 Rochetaillée-
Today: Hitlers Mercedes is still there
A 1941 armored Mercedes of Adolf Hitler is in this Museum. The front seat next to the driver is raised. Hitler always sat next to the driver.
Lyon (France)
Village on the border between France and Spain
On October 23, 1940 Hitler met Franco here. The meeting wasn’t very succesfull. Spain remaint more or less neutral.
Below: Hitlers Sonderzug
Hendaye (France)
Gros-
Location: Le Gros Caillou, Regniowez, France, about 13 kilometers south of Bruly-
Today: there’s stil an airport at this location
On June 18, 1940 Hitler left the FHQ Wolfschlucht (1) to go to FHQ Tannenberg. He
departed by air from landing field Gros-
Le Gros Cailou -
Location: Rue du Fort 40
Today: ruïns of the fort are still there
It is said that Hitler visited the fortress of Eben Amael after the Germans took it in 1940. He decorated some of his paratroopers there. It is said that Hitler talked to his troops from a bunker that has been destroyed. I found no real prove of this event, though. The decorations also took place at the Felsennest in Rodert, Belgium. The pictures of the decoration could be from both places. Send us an e-
Eben Emael (Belgium)
The left and central picture are said to be pictures from Eben Emael. The right one was taken at the Felsennest. It seems like all three pictures have been taken at the exact same location, namely at the Felsennest. The roops that were decorated were the troops that took Eben Emael, so much is true.
Location: Avenue George Corneau
Today: Charleville is called Charleville-
Charleville (France)
Locations: exact locations unknown
Hitler came by train to the region of Calais on December 23, 1940, to visit Fernkampfbatterien, the Kriegsmarine in Boulogne and other army groups in the region. He also met admiral Darlan, a representative of the French government. Hitler stayed in the region untill December 25.
Calais (France)
Beauvais (Oise, Picardi), speeches for soldiers
Location: unknown
Hitler held two speeches for soldiers in Beauvais. One on December 24,1940 for two
Jagdgeschwader of the Luftwaffe and one on December 25, 1940 for soldiers of a Kampf-
Beauvais (France)
Schloss Acoz
Location: Rue de Moncheret 34
Today: still there
On June 16, 1940 Hitler met the Spanish General Vignon, chief of the General Staff here. The next morning the French asked for armistice terms through Spanish channels.
The castle of Acoz today
(picture: Jean-
Acoz (Belgium)
Location: north of Margival; outside the village is the Rue de Laon; take this road and keep on driving alongside the railroadtrack; in the middle of the small forrest the FHQ was located
Today: There’s still a lot to see here. The Führerbunker is still there and so are a lot of other bunkers. Most of them are open. The Führerbunker is closed of.
The FHQ is located in the forests of 'Les Gostins' and 'Les Poltons' in an area that was an important World War I battlefield. Hitler was here in WW1 just a few kilometers from the place that became his headquarters in World War 2. Wolfsschlucht 2 was built to be the location from wich the Operation Seelowe (the invasion of England) was to be coördinated. The complex is about 5 kilometers long and 2 kilometer wide. There was a special Führerbunker there, with an extension that had a large hall with a fireplace, some offices, a kitchen, a sleeping room and a bathroom.
The only time Hitler was at this FHQ was on June 17, 1944. He had a meeting there to talk about the situation on the western front. Because there were enemy planes in the area they had to move from the large hall to the bunker. Ian Kershaw says that Hitler met Rundstedt and Rommel in a bombfree railroad tunnel in the area and that they had lunch inside the bunker. There is still a railroad track running through the former FHQ. The railway tunnel is on the northside of Wolfsschlucht 2. The website www.bunkerfotos.nl also gives a good idea of what the area looks like today.
The map of Wolfsschlucht 2
1. Führerbunker 2. OKW Bunker Keitl/Jodl 3. Telephone/Telex Bunker
4. Cinema 5. Adjudantur 6. Guest Bunker 7. Wehrmachtfuhrungsstab
The area around this complex is filled with all kinds of defense bunkers.
Klick here to find a website with a good map of the defense bunkers.
Above: Wolfsschlucht 2, late 1942. The platform for the arriving trains is in the centre of the picture. On the hill behind it you can see the Teehaus, where Hitler had lunch in 1944. The Führerbunker was not there yet. It was built below the Teehaus (on this picture a little bit to the left of it, one level below the Teehaus). The trees that cover the entire area today were not there yet.
Above: The house at the entrance of Wolsschlucht 2 (near number 7 on the map). There’s a small jail inside it. Like the rest of the complex, the house is in a very bad shape.
(picture: The Hitlerpages, 2009)
Above: A warning sign. It’s not allowed to go inside the bunkers and the portal buildings, because the state they are in. If you decide to do it anyway, you’ll absolutely need proper lighting.
(picture: The Hitlerpages, 2009)
BUILDING NUMBER 7 (ON THE MAP): Wehrmachtfuhrungsstab
All buildings at Wolsschlucht 2 look alike. There’s a portal building (left and centre), with, for instance, offices inside, and there’s the bunker (right), most of the time hidden behind the portal buildings. Here the two are seperated, and that makes it possible to have a good look at the actual bunker. (pictures: The Hitlerpages, 2009)
A look inside. On the left you see the hallway in the office building. The picture in the middle shows the inside of the bunker. You can see why it’s dangerous to go inside: the floors have been removed. (pictures: The Hitlerpages, 2009)
BUILDING NUMBER 6: Guest Bunker
The Guest Bunker has a front building and a bunker behind it. The black wall on top of the building (with the grass on it) seems to be the roof. It’s actually the bunker behind the portal building. The picture on the right was taken from the roof of the bunker. (pictures: The Hitlerpages, 2009)
BUILDING NUMBER 5: Adjudantur
A similar bunker is the Adjudantur Bunker. It lies around the corner from the Führerbunker.
Above it are the swimming pool and the Teehaus-
The front building with the three door entrance. You can see the top of the bunker behind it. All doors and windows are closed. (picture: The Hitlerpages, 2009)
The side of the bunker with the two windows and the window that was turned into a doorway. (Look at the map.) (picture: The Hitlerpages, 2009)
The fireplace after the building
was set to fire.
(picture: The Hitlerpages, 2009)
The stairs to the bunker seem to go up, but they go down again, as can be seen on the map.
(picture: The Hitlerpages, 2009)
The room inside the bunker were the meeting of Hitler and his generals continued.
(picture: The Hitlerpages, 2009)
Right: The roof of the bunker.
(picture: The Hitlerpages, 2009)
The Führertoilet...
(picture: The Hitlerpages, 2009)
BUILDING NUMBER 1: Führer Bunker
Hitler used this Führer Bunker only once, on June 17, 1944. The meeting with Rommel and Rundstedt is said to have been taken place in the room with the fire place. Because of enemy planes in the area the meeting moved from the large hall to the bunker. Ian Kershaws version is a little different, though. He states that the meeting took place inside the train tunnel and that Hitler had lunch inside the bunker, because of a possible airstrike. It is also said that Hitler had lunch at the Teehaus.
The bunker was open, just like the other ones, but since it was set to fire, it is closed. We were able to get inside, but that is a bit dangerous. Even with light you can’t see where you’re going and the ceiling has come down... (all pictures but one: The Hitlerpages, 2009)
Teehaus and Swimming Pool
One level above the Führerbunker and right above the Adjudantur were a Teehaus and a swimming pool. It is said that Hitler had lunch at the Teehaus on the day he was here. The original Teehaus was replaced by a new one, years ago. But today the new Teehaus has also gone. On the first picture of Wolfsschlucht 2 shown above (the one made in 1942) only the Teehaus was ready. The Adjudantur and the Führerbunker were not ready yet. The swimming pool is still there. (pictures: The Hitlerpages, 2009)
BUILDING NUMBER 2: OKW Bunker
The OKW bunker looks just like the other ones. The building in front of it is a little different because of the shower rooms that are still there. The OKW buildings are in a bad shape, just like the other buildings of Wolfsschlucht 2. We also found some interesting plumbing inside... (pictures: The Hitlerpages, 2009)
The Train Tunnel
Hitlers Sonderzug was placed inside this tunnel when enemy planes where in the area. There was a platform for the passengers in front of the tunnel, near the Führer Bunker. (pictures: The Hitlerpages, 2009)
BUILDING NUMBER 3: Telephone Bunker
The Telephone Bunker is on the other side of the railroad track. The fastest way to reach it is by going over the tunnel. Just follow the path to find the Cinema and the Telephone Bunker. (pictures: The Hitlerpages, 2009)
BUILDING NUMBER 4: Cinema
The Cinema has been set to fire, just like the Führe Bunker. The small building (without a bunker) is still open, though. (pictures: The Hitlerpages, 2009)
Defense Bunkers in the Wolfsschlucht Area
The area around Wolffschlucht 2 is covered with all kinds of bunkers. They are located everywhere around Wolfsschlucht 2. Here we give a short impression of the area. (pictures: The Hitlerpages, 2009)
Location: unknown; the airfield of Metz today is called Frescaty and it’s location is near the Rue de l’Aérogare but there’s also an airfield outside Metz called Metz-
Hitler, Keitel and Jodl flew from Salzburg to Metz on June 16, 1944. The next morning they drove to Margival (Wolfsschlucht 2) to meet the generals Rommel and Rundstedt. Hitler was in Metz on December 26, 1940 too. He visited the Leibstandarte.
Metz (France)
Location: in the region Saarland, just behind the French border; in the area of the French vilage Spicheren
Today: there must be lots of things reminding of the war in the region; for instance the war graves in the village of Spicheren
Hitler was in this region, in between French and German lines, on the 24th of December 1939. He stayed in his train most of the time.
Spicherer Höhen (France)
Railway station
Before going to Hendaye to meet Franco, Hitlers Sonderzug stopped at the Montoire railway station to speak to Laval. On the way back from Hendaye to Aachen, Hitler met Petaine at the same station.
met Petain
Montoire (France)
Today: road is still there
There is a picture of Hitler on the Schluchtpaß. It must have been taken on June 29 or 30, 1940. The route Hitler drove on the 30st of June makes it most likely that he was there on June 30, 1940.
Vogesen (France)
In the Vogesen, somewhere on the Schluchtpaß