Wolfsschanze

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• October 26, 2016
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Leaving the lakes we headed to Ketrzyn and The Wolf’s Lair, Hitlers headquarters for Operation Babarossa; the invasion of Russia. The base is buried deep in the dense forest of the Masurian Lakes and surrounded by swamps, providing maximum protection from land or air attack. Covering 2.5 square metres it was one of Hitler’s largest headquarters and almost a town in itself with two air fields, a power station, water and drainage systems, a railway station and even a sauna. In 1944 over 2000 military personal were stationed at the site.  Most of the bunkers and barracks had been destroyed by the Germans as they evacuated. With walls and ceilings over seven metres thick the remains resemble a mountain landslide. Despite the destruction, the extent of the camp, the size of the bunkers and immensity of the walls and ceilings remain evident.  It has an overwhelming claustrophobic atmosphere with the deep forest cover and

Site of the failed assasination attempt on 20th July 1944

low ceilings of the inside of the bunkers that remain. It was here that Colonel Stauffenberg made his failed attempt to assassinate Hitler in 1944. Although the building has been destroyed there is a plaque on the site of the explosion commemorating the event. Bizarrely amongst the old photos, taken immediately after the explosion of Hilter, Göring, and Himmler, were included pictures of Tom Cruise in SS uniform who played the Colonel in the film Valkyrie. Leaving Ketrzyn we headed away from the oppressive surroundings of the Wolf’s Lair towards the sunlight and Gdansk.