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When lunching with General Keyes, in command of the Salz-
burg area, he told us the population in the Salzburg area was
around a million and a half and that there were some 400,000
Poles who refused to go home. Rumanians who did not like
Tito's politics were also staying on.
Hitler's Hideaway
Then came an important visit-to Hitler's mountain retreat.
After lunch we motored to Berchtesgaden. Driving up the moun-
tainside to Obersalzburg, Hitler's headquarters, we saw his home,
which was demolished. The hotel where the Nazis stayed when
visiting Hitler, and Goering's and Hitler's homes were in sham-
bles. This Nazi center took a terrific beating.
We then motored up from Obersalzburg to Hitler's aerie,
winding around the mountain through the most beautiful scenery
I have ever seen. Arriving at a place 400 feet from the top of the
mountain, we walked through a tunnel, 400 feet long and 10 feet
wide, carved out of solid rock. It led to the entrance of a passage
and we saw two solid bronze doors 10 feet wide. We entered a
huge solid brass elevator and ascended through a shaft cut
through solid rock 400 feet to the Nazi "Eagle's Nest."
The "Eagle's Nest" consists of a 60-foot semi-oval reception
room. In the center is a huge table. Here Hitler laid out his maps
and planned his campaigns.
To the left of the large reception room was a long beam-
ceiling conference room with an immense table and 28 chairs
where the staff assembled.
Adjacent was a breakfast room and toilets, and a kitchen with
all modern equipment. A veranda ran around the entire house.
A large fireplace in the conference room, 15 feet wide, was done
in beautiful marble. In front of the fireplace was a large sofa and
many armchairs. To the left, down 8 feet, we entered a "pickled
pine" library about 25 x 20 feet, containing a sofa with 7 soft
chairs.
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