About 200 Firefighters Deploy as Blaze Engulfs Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest Mountain Retreat in Bavaria

Fire at remote retreat

Police said they were alerted on Friday evening after a smoke detector set off an alarm at about 9.50pm. The fire was at the Kehlsteinhaus, on the peak of Obersalzberg in southern Germany.

About 200 firefighters were sent to the site. As they arrived, flames were visible high in the air, and police said the building was completely ablaze. Snow fell on the Alpine peak while a weather camera showed the Eagle’s Nest still burning in the early hours of Saturday. An AFP photographer reported that officers had blocked the road leading to the retreat.

Suspect held as inquiry continues

Police said a person considered suspicious was taken into temporary custody, and confirmed no one was injured. Firefighters found nobody inside the building. Police spokesperson Lisa Maier said the site’s location at 1,834 metres made firefighting difficult. She said access required heavy breathing apparatus.

Authorities did not give a possible cause of the fire. German media reported that investigators suspected arson, while tabloid Bild said authorities had arrested a motorcyclist encountered on the way to the scene. Police said the investigation was ongoing and planned a news conference later on Saturday.

A site tied to Nazi history

The complex was designed as a monument to Hitler’s rule, though he rarely visited it. It survived the second world war undamaged. Since 1952, the building has housed an exhibition about its Nazi history as well as a restaurant.