While Wolfsschanze was the Headquarters of the OberKommando der Wehrmacht (OKW) or Supreme Command of the Armed Forces, this place was the Headquarters of the Heere - the German Army.
Above left - It was not so difficult to go to the very tops of these bunkers, thanks to a stairway and lookout platforms.
Above right - MARY MYERS (7025-2005) emerges from one of the bunkers.
If you haven't noticed - the bunkers at this compound are intact! They are not destroyed like Wolfsschanze and all the others.
Swiss Rolf and U-Bootfahrer ERWIN BURDT (1328-1989) check out one of the buildings.
Above left - To the top of the bunker........not for the faint of heart!
Above right - But it's great when you get there..............
And why are these bunkers and this entire compound left undamaged?
You cannot blow up what you don't know. Apparently this entire compound remained quietly in the woods, undiscovered and unused by the Soviets when they were here, so they could not destroy it when they left. This was a great thing for preserving history.
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Above left - machine gun port. We are on the wrong side of it!
Above right - another machine gun port. There were a lot of them.
Above left - ERWIN BURDT (1328-1989) and his son Bernie, exploring another bunker.
Above right - the side of the machine gun port that mounts the gun. This is the better side to be on!
Above left - From the air, this looks just like the forest.
Above left - there is FRED CHANG (772-1988), CRAIG NANCE (6837-2004), RONAL HEUTON (7179-C-2007), MIGUEL GONZALES (3076-2005) and ERWIN BURDT (1328-1989) checking out more bunkers.
Above right and both below - this compound was right on the shores of this beautiful lake.
This lake and this specific place is where it is said that Field Marshal Erich von Manstein was swimming naked. His aide was somewhat shocked and the Field Marshal asked; "What's wrong? Have you never seen a naked man swimming?" And we are told that his aide replied; "A naked man, yes.........but never a naked Field Marshal." True story? Who knows?
Exploring more bunkers on the site.
They all came right down this very road! von Manstein, Keitel, Jodl and the other generals and field marshals of the OKH.
This bunker along the roadway was probably a security station.
Above left - This one goes down deep under the ground.
Above right - It appears there once was a wooden structure atop this bunker.
Above right - what is down those stairs?
Below left - HARRY COOPER (1-LIFE-1983) and Swiss Rolf check it out. (COOPER is taking the photo)
Above right - this is the last bunker we'll see in this complex.
Below - what is this boat coming and why do we care? Click on the picture and join us.
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