Suspect detained as fire burns Hitler's Eagle's Nest retreat in Bavaria
Police arrested a person during a blaze at the Kehlsteinhaus, the Alpine mountain retreat once used by Adolf Hitler, with no injuries reported.
At a glance
- Police detained a suspect after a fire broke out at the Kehlsteinhaus, known as the Eagle's Nest, in Bavaria on Friday evening.
- About 200 emergency personnel are fighting the blaze in difficult terrain, with no injuries reported so far.
- Authorities are investigating whether the detained person is connected to the fire at the historic Nazi-era site.
Police in the southern German state of Bavaria detained a suspect on Friday evening after a fire broke out at the Kehlsteinhaus, the Alpine mountain retreat known as the Eagle's Nest. Dispatchers in Traunstein received the alarm at 21:15 local time (19:15 GMT) and firefighters arrived to find the building engulfed in flames.
Difficult terrain hampered efforts to extinguish the blaze, which was still burning early on Saturday. Around 200 emergency personnel were deployed to the site above the town of Berchtesgaden. Police said there were no reports of injuries.
The Kehlsteinhaus was used by Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler as a part‑time seat of government. He met commanders there in 1941 to plan the invasion of the Soviet Union. The site also served as a backdrop for propaganda films that portrayed Hitler as a lover of animals and nature.
A criminal investigation is under way to determine whether the detained suspect is connected to the fire. Authorities have not released further details about the individual or the possible cause of the blaze.
Source: BBC World.
Questions and answers
- What is the Eagle's Nest?
- The Eagle's Nest, or Kehlsteinhaus, is an Alpine mountain retreat in Bavaria that Adolf Hitler used as a part-time seat of government and for propaganda films.
- Was anyone injured in the fire?
- No injuries have been reported, according to police.
- Why was a suspect detained?
- Police detained a person during the fire and are investigating whether they are connected to the blaze.
