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General Walker Hotel

Armed Forces Recreation CentersBuildings and structures demolished in 2000Buildings and structures in BavariaDefunct hotels in GermanyDemolished buildings and structures in Germany
Nazi architecture

The General Walker Hotel was a hotel for US troops after World War II in the mountain (Alpine) retreat of Obersalzberg, Germany. The former Pension Moritz boarding house, boasting opulent accommodations and sweeping views of the Bavarian countryside and Alpine scenery, had been opened in 1878 and renamed Platterhof in 1928. After the Nazi seizure of power, it became a "people's" hostel for visitors to the extended containment area around Hitler's headquarters at the nearby Berghof residence. It was subsequently rebuilt into a luxury hotel for visiting dignitaries and in 1943 was converted into a military hospital.Following World War II, the damaged building was restored as a United States Armed Forces Recreation Center (AFRC), and again renamed after US Army General Walton Walker (1889–1950), killed in action in the Korean War. The complex was demolished in 2001.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article General Walker Hotel (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors).

General Walker Hotel
Salzbergstraße,

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N 47.6305 ° E 13.0413 °
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Salzbergstraße
83471
Bavaria, Germany
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Bombing of Obersalzberg
Bombing of Obersalzberg

The bombing of Obersalzberg was an air raid carried out by the Royal Air Force's Bomber Command on 25 April 1945 during the last days of World War II in Europe. The operation targeted Obersalzberg, a complex of residences and bunkers in Bavaria which had been built for Adolf Hitler and other key members of Germany's leadership. Many buildings in the complex were destroyed, though Hitler's residence and the bunker network were only slightly damaged. Two Allied bombers were shot down with the loss of four airmen, and 31 Germans were killed. Historians have identified several motives for the attack on Obersalzberg. These include supporting Allied ground forces, demonstrating the effectiveness of the British heavy bomber force, convincing die-hard Germans that the war was lost and obscuring the memory of pre-war appeasement policies. The attack was conducted by a large force of 359 heavy bombers in an attempt to destroy the bunkers located below Obersalzberg, from which the Allies feared that senior members of the German Government would command an Alpine Fortress. After difficulties locating and marking the targets were overcome, the bombers attacked in two waves. The approximately 3,000 people at Obersalzberg sheltered in bunkers, and the nearby town of Berchtesgaden was undamaged. Hitler was in Berlin at the time of the attack and Hermann Göring, the only senior Nazi at Obersalzberg, survived. While the raid on Obersalzberg was celebrated at the time, it is little remembered today. Most of the Allied personnel involved in the operation took satisfaction from attacking Hitler's residence, and it received extensive media coverage. As the Alpine Fortress proved to be a myth, most post-war histories made little mention of the operation.

Kehlstein
Kehlstein

The Kehlstein [ˈkeːl.ʃtaɪn] is a 1,881 m (6,171 ft) subpeak of the Göll massif, a 2,522-metre-high (8,274 ft) mountain in the Berchtesgaden Alps. The rocky promontory is located west of the Hoher Göll main summit, high above the Obersalzberg mountain retreat near Berchtesgaden. It is chiefly known for the Kehlsteinhaus (Eagle's Nest) mountain inn built in 1937–1938, which is a major tourist destination. While other parts of the restricted Obersalzberg area around the former Berghof headquarters were turned into a US Armed Forces Recreation Center, the Kehlstein peak was made accessible to the public already in 1952. The motor road up to the Kehlsteinhaus, running 6.5 km (4.0 mi) uphill through several tunnels, was closed for traffic; nevertheless, DB Regio bus service is provided in summer. From the upper turning place, a steep footpath leads to the restaurant. Guests may also use the 124-metre-high (407 ft) Kehlsteinlift elevator running through the rocks directly to the reception area. The Kehlstein spur offers a panoramic view over the Berchtesgaden Alps, including the Hoher Göll, Watzmann, Hochkalter and Untersberg peaks, as well as to the Königssee lake and to the city of Salzburg. From here a mountaineering trail leads up to the Mannlgrat, an east-facing ridge of the Hoher Göll. Served by a grade B Klettersteig, this route is regarded as the easiest to the main peak's summit. Near the Kehlsteinhaus is a small botanical garden containing a variety of Alpine flora.