The Obersalzberg (1935-45)

 In 1981 my (now) wife and I took a trip down to Salzburg in Austria to visit sites associated with what was (and still is!) one our favourite films - The Sound of Music. Forty years later we revisited the same places at the end of a wonderful car journey following Germany's 'Romantic Road'. This second time around, we decided to include the Obersalzberg on our itinerary. 

The area, despite its' breathtaking beauty, has a very dark history. It was designated a secure military zone in 1935. The local population were bought out or forced to move and the area was taken over by the Nazi leadership, supported by sophisticated infrastructure and a huge number of personnel - mostly SS. Hitler's house 'The Berghof' was surrounded by properties built for other Nazi luminaries and the mountain on which the buildings stood were criss-crossed by deep tunnels allowing protection from air raids and facilitating discreet movement - particularly between the Berghof and the Platterhof (both destroyed post-war, the latter in 2001). 

The view from the site of the Berghof

Almost all of the wartime buildings have been destroyed but some interesting features remain - notably the Tea House on Kehlstein Mountain (The Eagle's Nest) which was built for Hitler under the direction of his private secretary Martin Bormann. The construction was a major feat of engineering. A road to the summit of the mountain had to be blasted our of the rock. From the parking area at the top of the road a ten-foot high tunnel runs 150 yards into the mountain. A lift then took visitors (still does!) up 350 feet into the interior of the tea house. The cost of RM 30 million included an independent generator, a hot air heating system. copper and bronze doors and a lift with brass fittings. The nine rooms of the tea house were lined with stone or pine. Cararic marble was used in the lounge, with a fireplace marked out with bronze tiles.

The access tunnel - Eagle's Nest

The Eagle's Nest - on a cloudy day

Hitler only visited the Tea House five times, and it was used more by Bormann. Nowadays it is a popular visitor attraction and on the day we visited the terrace was full, though we had the interior to ourselves and were able to take a few 'then and now' comparison shots, some of which can be viewed here. 

Upon his release from the Landsberg Prison, Hitler took refuge in the Obersalzberg - staying in a small cottage called the Kampfhaus (of which there is no trace today). With the royalties from his book 'Mein Kampf' Hitler was able to buy to buy the nearby Haus Wachenfeld which was renamed 'The Berghof' and was substantially remodelled and extended over the subsequent few years. 

The Berghof became a place of pilgrimage in the late 1930s, though this was somewhat curtailed once the country went to war in 1939. From then on, the house and the surrounding area were subject to strict access controls by the Reich State Security Service. Bormann was clear that 'a uniform is no authorisation to pass the gates'. The house was used extensively by Hitler until July 1944 after which his time was spent in East Prussia, and latterly in the bunker under the Reich Chancellery, Berlin. 

The Obersalzberg was bombed heavily by the RAF on 25 April 1945 and most of the buildings, including the Berghof, were severely damaged. Most of those that remained were methodically destroyed in in 1952 on the orders of the Free State of Bavaria. The Hotel Zum Turken (just below the Berghof) and the Platterhof survived, though - as mentioned above - the latter was demolished in 2001 having enjoyed a post war life as the 'Hotel General Walker'. 

On our visit, I spent some considerable time exploring the site of the Berghof. The access path remains but the house has gone. All that remains is the backwall of the garage and spots of asphalt for parking at the front of the property (photos here). I did find strips of green camouflage scrim of the sort I'd also found at the site of the Wolf's Lair in Poland (more info here).

Path to the Berghof

Admirers queuing for a glimpse of the Fuhrer

During the post war destruction many of the tunnels Branch to the Left - Site of Berghof the Obersalzberg were blocked off but it is possible to explore some of the underground passages and rooms today. The first and most easily accessed are via an entrance at the foot of the mountain. These have been modified for safe use and recently interpreted through the Dokumentationszentrum Obersalzberg organisation. I particularly liked the way in which glass panels are used to provide information about the site. The example below shows the layout of part of the tunnel network using a map which I'm pretty sure was created from information gathered by the US Engineering Section, Berchtesgaden Recreation Area in March 1964 (After the Battle, Volume 9). 

Tunnel and Mapped Layout - Obersalzberg

The second access point is underneath the Hotel Zum Tuerken which is reached from a side road about one hundred metres below the site of the Berghof. This building was commandeered from the Schuster family in 1933 and was used by the RSD Criminal Police until 1945. The tunnels are accessed via a circular staircase within the hotel. Unlike the 'officially' accessible tunnels these are virtually untouched since 1945 and care is therefore required in navigating the various underground spaces. Visitors are met by machine gun ports guarding the main entrance, and there is severe damage to the internal blast walls caused by bazooka fire during the final assault on what some called Hitler's 'Alpine Redoubt'. The capture of Berchtesgaden was assigned to the U.S. 101st Airborne Division, but it was the 7th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division who pipped the paratroopers to the post on 4 May 1945.

Entrance stairs to the Tuerken tunnel complex

Blocked entrance to the Berkhof cellars and bunkers

Whilst many of the tunnels are available for exploration, some of been blocked off. The photo directly above shows the closed off entry to Hitler's private quarters. The text on the wall to the right reads 'Behind bricked wall - access to Hitler's House and private rooms. Rooms not accessible - risk of accident'. There are similar bricked off entrances, some of which are marked with clues as to where they might lead (photos here). 

Whilst many Nazi leaders kept elaborate houses in proximity to the Berghof, Heinrich Himmler based himself in nearby Salzburg at the Villa Von Trapp. As immortalised in the film The Sound of Music, Georg Von Trapp, a staunch opponent of a union between Austria and Nazi Germany, fled the family home in 1938 along with his wife Marie, and their nine children. Von Trapp had gifted the property to the Catholic Missionary of the First Blood, but the SS took it over thus providing Himmler with suitable accommodation when visiting the Obersalzberg just a few miles away.

Entrance to air raid shelter - Villa Von Trapp, Salzburg

The only evidence of Himmler's occupation of this lovely building are the high white wall that was build around the perimeter for security in 1938, and an underground bunker (or air raid shelter). The latter can be found in the rear garden, but without a decent torch and not wishing to distract my wife from the Sound of Music connections, I did not venture down the steps. 

For my photo album covering Berchtesgaden, click here. 

The Rock of Gibraltar (1704-Present)

 Most visitors to the Rock's many attractions, take the cable car from the Almeda Gardens (previously the Royal Navy Parade Ground) up to the Top Station. After a stroll along the Skywalk and a visit to the spectacular St Michael's Cave, many will walk back to town via the steep descent or use the cable car again. For reasons which are less obvious now than they were at the time, I decided to walk up via the Moorish Castle on the northern end and then continue on foot to the southern end. After over 20,000 steps, I'd covered the ground I wanted to, and in doing so had treated myself to a seriously impressive cardio-workout! There is much of interest - with extensive military fortifications and installations peppered on every peak, not to mention the extensive network of tunnels below. 

The Rock of Gibraltar - From the South

To access the Gibraltar Nature Reserve, (which covers most of The Rock) it is necessary to buy a day-ticket. I bought mine at the entrance to the Moorish Castle. Parts of the castle date back to 1160  and over the ensuing six centuries the fortifications were extended and strengthened. The army of Queen Isabella of Spain kicked the Moors off the Rock in 1501. In 1704, during the War of the Spanish Succession, an Anglo-Dutch force captured Gibraltar and despite Spanish attempts to regain the territory, it has remained British ever since. There is not much of the Moorish Castle left now, a lot of what did remain, was destroyed during the 'Great Siege' (1779-1783) when the British successfully defended the territory against a series of ferocious attacks. Of the structures, hardware and fortifications still extant on The Rock most relates to the Great Siege or another, later, time of great jeopardy - the Second World War.

Replica Spitfire Mk.11a P8394, 'Gibraltar'

Princess Caroline's Battery, Gibraltar

I had hoped to visit what the tourist brochures describe as 'World War II Tunnels', however I only got as far as the first cavern before being told that the attraction was closed for major refurbishment work. It seems that a substantial revamp is underway and judging by the full-size replica Spitfire that has already been installed, the finished article should be impressive.  No matter - there was plenty more to see and to be honest, I sort of prefer raw uninterpreted historic military installations! 

Continuing up the the track which leads from Willis's Road, one comes across the Princess Caroline's Battery and Military Heritage Centre. The battery saw action during the Great Siege of Gibraltar but the current layout dates from 1905 when a 6-inch Mk VII gun was installed. In the armoury and accommodation blocks below there is a small museum containing various relics dating from the eighteenth century to the present day.

Koehler Depressing Carriage in Casement Square

The so-called 'Great Siege Tunnel' are astonishing. Part of this extensive network is open to the public and as one walks through the passageways a series of information panels tells of the drama of those four years. There are dozens of 19th Century era RML (Rifled Muzzle Loading) guns placed in the original gun positions, all pointing through apertures overlooking what is now Gibraltar Airport and the Spanish border beyond. Because of the angle of attack, a way had to be found of depressing the elevation of the guns on The Rock. The answer was 'the Koehler Depressing Carriage' - the example pictured above is surrounded by revellers at the 2024 Christmas Lights 'switch-on'.

Beyond the main gallery of the main 19th Century gallery, there is a long tunnel leading to a gun position in the cliff on the eastern side of the Rock. This is the Holyland Tunnel which was built by 34 Pioneer co. Royal Engineers in 1940. The video below gives a sense of the length. The position at the end of the tunnel was home to 4x3 Inch Mortars, 1x 2 Inch Mortar and 2 Bren Guns until 1944. 

Watch out for the Apes!

Having explored the tunnels, a one and half hour walk (mostly uphill) leads to the Cable Car Top Station the skywalk and then on to the Rock's highest peak - O'Hara's battery at 426m. The battery was built on the site of an old watchtower in 1890 and is named after the (then) Governor of Gibraltar Charles O'Hara. The battery and the one nearby (Lord Airey's Battery) saw action during the Second World War and the massive 9.2 Inch Mark X BL (Breech Loading) Gun which is still there, was last fired during a training exercise in 1976. Part of the area is still in use by the military but it is possible to explore the chamber underneath, which houses an ammunition store and the mechanism for traversing the gun. 

9.2 Inch Mark X Gun - Lord Airey's Battery

When exploring the Rock be careful of the famous apes though. They lurk around the spots where tourists tend to congregate and will scavenge at every opportunity. Get too close and they will pinch food from your rucksack or even take your mobile phone - to be returned in exchange for half a sandwich. I kept my distance! Don't be put-off a visit though, stay clear of them and they won't bother you. 

This is the third and final Gibraltar battlefield walk. For 'Europa Point (1895-1945)' click here and for 'HMS Victory in Rosia Bay (28 September 1805)' click here.

For my full portfolio of Gibraltar photographs on Flickr, click here. 

Europa Point, Gibraltar (1859-1945)

 Europa Point is not the southernmost point of the Iberian Peninsula, but it might as well be. The Rif Mountains of Morocco are prominent on the horizon across the busy sea lanes of the Straits and it is immediately evident why, in military terms, Gibraltar is so strategically important.  The occupation of the Rock of Gibraltar means controlling access to the Mediterranean Sea. I travelled to Europa Point from the main Gibraltar bus station just a few miles distant, to the north of Casements Square. It is possible to walk anywhere in Gibraltar but a £6 rover ticket means one can cover more ground if time is short. It is worth the ride, there is plenty to see and explore.

Morocco from a WW2 Searchlight Bunker, Europa Point

Alighting from the bus, I headed for the cricket stadium recently built on flat ground in the shadow of the Rock. Glancing back one can just about make out O'Hara's Battery up on the hilltop way above the minaret of the Ibraham-al-Ibraham Mosque - one of two religious buildings at Europa Point, the other being the Roman Catholic Shrine of Our Lady of Europe. Following the path around the front of the cricket stadium, I noticed a number of pill-boxes which had been incorporated into modern sea defences. At the western end a gateway leads to a series of steps descending down to what was, until 1945, known as 'Wireless Beach'. The Royal Navy establishment at the bottom of the cliff is now a collection of holiday villas - some newly built, others having been established from repurposed military buildings. Just to the east of the complex is a pillbox built by 575 Army Troop Company of the Royal Engineers, with help from men from the Second Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry, in 1942.

Site of Royal Navy Wireless Station with Defensive Pillbox

Nowadays he Royal Navy, under the auspices of NATO, monitors sea and air traffic from the Windmill Hill Signal Station which is up on the Rock, about a third of a mile from Wireless Beach. With over 60,000 ships entering the Med through the Gibraltar Straits, there is plenty to keep an eye on! Retreading the path down, I climbed the stairs to the top of the cliff and explored some of the World War two era structures that are still extant. These include the searchlight post shown in the image above, and one can imagine observers using the powerful beams to spot the tell tale wake of a submarine periscope or to track German raiders banking around to attack the busy airfield on the northern side of the Rock.

Europa Point, Searchlight Post on the Right of Image

On the promenade above Wireless Beach there is a striking memorial to General Wladyslaw Sikorski, the first Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Army in Exile 1939-43. The General was killed on the 4th July 1943 when the B-24 in which he was travelling, crashed nearby with the loss of fifteen lives. The current memorial which includes the propeller from the crashed aeroplane was dedicated in a ceremony on the 4th Jult 2013, the 70th anniversary of the crash. It is the third such memorial and the only one to have been displayed at Europa Point - the others were located near Gibraltar Airport where lack of accessibility was proving to be an issue. A nearby display panel laments the fact that 'Poland paid for its participation in World War II, which had caused enormous human losses (almost 20% inhabitants), by losing half of its territory (as the only allied state to suffer this), as well as losing its sovereignty for the following 45 years.'

The Sikorski Memorial

Before jumping on a bus back into town, there was just enough time to explore whai is probably the most striking attraction at Europa Point. Harding's Battery (named after Sir George Harding, British Army Chief Engineer in 1844) originally mounted two 32-pounder cannon. The single 12.5 RML (Rifled Muzzle-Loading) gun on traversing carriage which can still be seen today was installed in 1878. A plan to replace the RML gun with a 9.2. Inch Coastal Defence Gun in 1904, was never implemented. The RML was temporarily removed at the start of World War II at which point a Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft gun was deployed at the battery.

The RML Gun at Harding's Battery

According to a Gibraltar Chronicle article dated 13th April 2014, Harding's Battery was abandoned and covered in a mound of sand after the Second World War, but was unearthed in March 2010 as part of a £4.4m refurbishment project for Europa Point. The magazine below the gun pit was converted into a visitor centre (which is well worth a short visit). The RML gun, which is identical to the original, was retrieved from elsewhere in Gibraltar and remounted on a replica carriage funded by the Gibraltar Heritage Trust.

This is the second of my three Gibraltar walks. The first covering the Nelson's time at Rosia Bay can be found here. The third, covering the tunnels and batteries up on the Rock of Gibraltar will be posted in a couple of weeks' time. My photographs of Europa Point can be found here.