Fire Guts Hitler's Eagle's Nest Retreat in Bavaria, Suspect Detained
A fire tore through the Kehlsteinhaus, the mountaintop retreat in Bavaria better known as Hitler's Eagle's Nest, on Friday evening, leaving the historic building largely destroyed and police holding a 33-year-old suspect. The alarm sounded at about 9:15 p.m. local time on October 23, and firefighters arriving at the remote site found the building engulfed in flames.
Around 200 emergency personnel battled the blaze through the night at 1,834 metres above sea level, where steep roads and rough terrain made access difficult and crews needed breathing apparatus. The fire was still burning on Saturday morning, and local media reported the site largely destroyed. No one was inside when crews arrived and no injuries have been reported.
Police said a man came to investigators' attention shortly after the fire began and was detained; German media reported he was stopped riding a motorcycle near the scene. Prosecutor Rainer Vietze said a psychiatric assessment found signs of a possible mental disorder, and a political motive has not been ruled out, though police stressed the investigation is at an early stage and it is not yet established whether the detained man is connected to the blaze. The Kehlsteinhaus was completed in 1938 as a guest house for senior Nazi officials, though Hitler himself rarely visited. It survived the Second World War and has run as a restaurant and tourist attraction since 1952, drawing about 350,000 visitors a year. Bavaria's interior minister Joachim Herrmann has vowed to rebuild it, saying the state will not leave a ruin there.
Source: read more
Comments
Post a Comment