Overgrown by woods, close to Ketrzyn are the ruins of Adolf Hitler’s most famous military headquarters known as Wolfschanze (The Wolf’s Lair). This most secret complex of around 200 buildings was built here in early autumn of 1940 and included 50 huge bunkers, shelters, barracks, two airports, an electric power station, a railway station and a waterworks. The main bunkers had several floors and no windows. The walls of Hitler’s bunker measured 8m thick after they were strengthened.

The Wolf’s Lair had an extremely complicated system of security. The whole area of the complex covered 250 hectares and was protected by walls with barbed wire and minefields, between 50m to 100m wide. The Soviet and Allied forces never discovered the location of this headquarters and the local population did not know what was hidden in the vast forests.

Here, in July 1944, was the famous attempt on Hitler’s life by Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg. The explosion did not kill the leader of the Third Reich – he only suffered minor burns. Towards the end of the war most of the complex was destroyed by the German army but it still is impressive by its sheer size.

Hitler’s headquarters in Gierloz (woj. Warminsko-Mazurskie)

www.wolfschanze.pl