Wolfsschanze Poland. `The Wolf’s Lair. A cold darkening afternoon for a late autumn walk

Constructed in 1941 in the deep and dense Masurian woods a few miles from the polish town of Rastenberg, The Wolf’s Lair was Adolf Hitler’s headquarters on the Eastern Front.

It consisted of a series of heavily fortified concrete bunkers and buildings over an area of 2, 1/2 sq miles.

Protective personnel for the fuhrer was provided by both specialised SS guards and armoured brigades of the Wehrmacht.

A walking tour of this fantastic historical site was taken and I learnt so much. One is never too old to increase ones knowledge. It was damn cold though, and by the time it ended the gift shop was closed, so alas I didn’t get the tee shirt.

Our guide was quite insistent the group stayed together

On 20th July 1944, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg was able to smuggle a bomb in a briefcase into a meeting room hoping the explosion would be a successful assassination.

Fates conspired against him, 4 of The Fuhrer’s staff were killed, he himself only slightly wounded. Stauffenberg, made good his exit from the camp and flew back to Berlin, however by nightfall he, his adjutant and several co-conspirators had been captured and executed.

This act had though compromised The Wolf’s Lair, Hitler did not return. The following year with the ever nearing Russian forces on their victorious path towards Berlin the Nazis destroyed the base with explosives as they retreated west.

Source: unknown uncredited photographer.

Stauffenberg, greeted by Hitler at the lair, a few days before his attempt, and a memorial tablet to honour is name

It was starting to get to me all these bits I wanted to get into, it didn’t quite come to being physically restrained but I just couldn’t break away and do my own thing. Some folk have no sense of adventure.

Probably nowt to see anyways, so I put my toys back in the pram and just enjoyed the big old lumps from outside, these were built to last big thick walls, now being reclaimed by nature

I enjoyed my time here. Thank you for walking with me