Author Terry Lee Marzell recently took a field trip to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest, shown here. The site is located near the town of Berchtesgaden in the Bavaria region of Germany.

When teaching students about historical figures, it always helps to take a field trip to places associated with the figure in question. Visiting places connected to former Nazi leader Adolf Hitler is difficult, though, because so many of them have been destroyed since WWII. One site that still exists, and is open to the public, is Hitler’s famous Eagle’s Nest.

The Eagle’s Nest, known in German as the Kehlsteinhaus, was built in 1939. It is located near the town of Berchtesgaden in the Bavaria region of Germany. An impressive feet of engineering, it was built on the 6,000-foot summit of Kehlstein Mountain. The incline is so steep that the vehicles which transport visitors to the entrance must be specially equipped to handle the slant.

To access the house, Hitler was driven through an entry tunnel. Today’s visitor passes through the tunnel on foot. Next, Hitler used an elaborately-decorated elevator to ascend the 400-foot shaft that leads to the house. The elevator’s ornate design was intended to impress visitors, and it certainly impressed us, until we remembered that our feet were standing on the very same ground that former Nazis stood on. The elevator seemed spacious—large enough for about 20 people—but not large enough for Hitler, who was reportedly claustrophobic. He never fully trusted the device, and riding in it made him exceedingly nervous.

At right, the reception hall of Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest as it was during WWII.  Notice the grand red Italian marble fireplace gifted to Hitler by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. At left, Hitler (far right) and his guests admire the stunning views.

Once you have reached the top, we toured the rooms used by the Nazis for government meetings, receptions, and social events. In the main hall, the showpiece architectural element is the grand fireplace of red Italian marble, a gift from Italian dictator and Nazi ally Benito Mussolini. The unfurnished stone rooms were stark and cold, and seemed harsh in comparison to the spectacular views that could be seen through the windows. Even photographs from Hitler’s day showing the rooms in use, outfitted with thick carpets, overstuffed furniture pieces, and a blazing fire in the fireplace, do not make the room appear soft and warm. It’s almost as if the bleak interiors of the rooms mirror the interiors of the stony hearts of those who used them.

Author Terry Lee Marzell admires the spectacular views from Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest in Germany.

Ahh, but the views were breathtaking. The natural beauty of the vast landscape was wasted on Hitler, though, who was afraid of heights. For this reason, he visited the Nazi showcase only 14 times. But in my opinion, the views alone are worth the trek to the summit.

Of course, the best way for a teacher to share the experience this historical place with students is through a field trip, but since travelling to Germany with your class is unlikely, you and your students can learn more about Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest from a visit to the site’s official website at Kehlsteinhaus.