Fire at Hitler's "Eagle's Nest" in Berchtesgaden – police suspect arson
The historic Kehlsteinhaus in Berchtesgaden caught fire on Friday evening. Police have arrested a motorcyclist and suspect arson.
Kehlsteinhaus ablaze – arrest made
Kehlsteinhaus in Berchtesgaden, better known as the Eagle's Nest, broke out in flames on Friday evening. According to B.T., police suspect the fire was deliberately set.
A police spokesman in the Bavarian town told German media outlet Bild that the building was fully engulfed in flames when officers and firefighters arrived. The report came in shortly after 21:00.
"Kehlsteinhaus is ablaze, and the fire service is conducting a major operation. There is suspicion of arson," the spokesman said.
On the way to the fire, police encountered a motorcyclist, who was subsequently arrested. It remains unclear whether the motorcyclist has any connection to the fire. The precise cause of the fire is also unknown. No persons were present in the building at the time of the fire.
Late Friday evening, the fire service continued efforts to extinguish the blaze, though it was unclear whether the historic building could be saved.
Kehlsteinhaus sits 1,834 metres above sea level and is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the Berchtesgaden area. The building was constructed in 1937–1938 as a tea house for Adolf Hitler on the occasion of his 50th birthday, although Hitler himself rarely stayed there.
The nearby Obersalzberg functioned from 1933 to 1945 as one of the Nazi regime's most important centres of power outside Berlin. Since 1952, Kehlsteinhaus has been operated as a mountain restaurant and today belongs to the state of Bavaria. An exhibition at the site documents the building's history under Nazi rule.
Source: B.T.