European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 28, 1978, Darmstadt, Hesse                                New York times Istvan Bajzatt tourist in ruins of Bunker for troops protecting Hitler compound at Obe Salzberg. Berghof chalet was Slewing from air attack when gis captured it in 1945 Hitler sought Solitude above chalet in Eagle s nest photo before rebuilding. Page new York times Istvan Bajzatt Eagle s nest is tearoom now where visitors buy Obe Salzberg Hitler Memorabilia. The stars and stripes by Susan Anderson new York times ome 25 years ago the bavarian giant blew up the elaborate stronghold to Elf Hitler had built above the Alpine Tounch Tes Gaden Germany. But the ghost of Eljer still lingers and has become la growth  year some 220,000 tourists flock to the Jyz Berg the area above Berchtesgaden visiting it s nest and the ruins of nearby structures once Thya Gant summer residences of Hitler Bor Manning and Goebbels. They spend an estimated $1.5 annually to take the bus to the foot of Kehl Steinlin and the elevator to the Eagle s nest. While both the bus and elevator Are run by Linal government tourist office Small businessmen  of Hitler s and Goebbels speeches alis play alongside discs by Pink Floyd and plastic i. German Laws forbid the glorification of hit they do not prevent shopkeepers from Helliw cards bearing pictures of his House interim exteriors along with views of the houses Bels and Goering. The pilgrimage to Berchtesgaden is the edit of collecting nazi helmets and Iron crosses one american observer who has made several lire lured by the fascination of its macabre history. Glossy picture books show Hitler and Eva eld ing hands Coily at the Eagle s nest and Mem the family visiting the Berghof Hitler s opulent resin Hitler first went there in 1924 after his idiom Landsberg prison. He rented a Small Cabin Lipf Haus where he completed mein kampf. By 1928 Hitler was living in what was then is Wachenfeld later transformed in name and i r to the Berghof. His faithful soon arrived on the in building elaborate Homes with swimming poo Slid basements and secret tunnels. They were Caid to surpass Hitler s House which boasted a Bow Ley movie projection room storeroom for Art Trei and gifts and a 14-foot-High window that Slid Dov ithe Wall like a train window and framed the majesties Bert Mountain. The entire Hill was protected by platoons men and police dogs and heavy artillery 8 self supporting with greenhouses and pigs ties and its own Telephone and radio systems. Only in the perspective of Spandau do i fully realize How relaxed How familial the atmosphere there was More like the summer residence of a prosperous industrialist than the Mountain Castle of the inaccessible Fuhrer " writes Albert Speer in his prison diaries. The Obe Salzberg is a sparsely populated area about 15 minutes drive straight up into the mountains from Berchtesgaden. From a plateau on the Obe Salzberg one must then take a Post office bus to the Eagle s nest an other 20 minutes drive along a breathtaking Road blasted out of the Mountain. At the War s end the Hill was heavily bombed and Many of the buildings were badly damaged. After occupying the Obe Salzberg following the War the american authorities returned it to the bavarian government on the condition that All remaining traces of Hitler s buildings be destroyed. But the Eagle s nest was spared and is a dramatic reminder of the Power of the Man. It perches some 8,000 feet above sea level on Kelstein Mountain. The Road up is an impressive engineering feat four Miles of hairpin turns and spectacular views terminating at the foot of the Mountain. From there a Tunnel All remaining traces of Hitler s buildings except Eagle s nest were destroyed after War. 407 feet Long blasted into the Mountain leads to a brass elevator that holds 46 persons and whisks them another 400 feet straight up to the Eagle s nest now a popular restaurant run by a private company. Today s visitors they include Many americans vacationing at the arc resorts Are about 50 percent German and austrian and judging from a recent week end of the generation that remembers the War. What draws them there is a mixture of curiosity and nostalgia. I wanted to see where my ideals had once been Heine bal Stein said with a touch of irony. Dressed in Typ ical Alpine gear he said he also came for the scenery. Why should t i say i came for Hitler demanded Martha Poschel who was celebrating her 85th birthday at the Eagle s nest. Hitler built some fantastic things. They should t have destroyed his  while the Eagle s nest is a spectacular sight even without the Hitler connection the ruins of the nazi stronghold and the debris of War offer another sort of at traction. Armed with homemade maps sold in the Village enterprising tourists struggle through the vegetation to find traces of Hitler s and Goebbels Homes. The key to this part of the Obe Salzberg is the Gasthoff Zum Turken a hotel that was confiscated by the nazis and turned into the is Headquarters that protected the Hill. Located directly above Hitler s Berghof the Gas thou which was returned to the original owners after the War is now the Only entry to an elaborate Catacomb of bunkers and tunnels that ran under the Hill to Hitler s House and held weapons men and dogs in Case of  the air raids on the Obe Salzberg some 3.500 locals sought Refuge there and Only six were killed. The tunnels some 246 feet underground were an elaborate madness built in 1943 when the German army was already in Retreat. Eventually 9,000 feet of tunnels wore constructed leading to lavish rooms underground with inlaid floors and chandeliers. Eva Braun demanded her own bathroom. Bormann s Bunker had a dining room. Bormann and Goering who loathed each other and lived on opposite sides of the Street refused to have their tunnels connected to the main system. With a whole new generation curious about the past and the renewed interest abroad in the relics of nazism the future of Berchtesgaden s Hitler Industry looks Bright. Thursday ser 28, 1978 the stars and stripes Page