Führer Headquarters
Encyclopedia
The Führer Headquarters (Führerhauptquartiere in German
), abbreviated FHQ, is a common name for a number of official headquarters used by the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler
and various German commanders and officials throughout Europe during World War II
. Perhaps the most widely known headquarters was the Führerbunker
in Berlin
, Germany
, where Hitler committed suicide
on April 30, 1945. Other notable headquarters are the Wolfsschanze
(Wolf's Lair) in East Prussia
, where Claus von Stauffenberg
in league with other conspirators failed in an attempt to assassinate Hitler
on July 20, 1944, and Hitler's private home, the Berghof
, at Obersalzberg
near Berchtesgaden
, where he frequently met with prominent foreign and domestic officials.
there were no permanent headquarters constructed for the German supreme leader, the Führer
. Hitler visited the frontlines by using either airplane or his special train, the Führersonderzug; thus, the Führersonderzug can be considered as the first of his field headquarters. The first permanent installation which became a Führer Headquarters was the Felsennest
, which was used by Hitler during the Battle of France
in May, 1940. Hitler actually spent very little time in Berlin during the war, and the most frequently used dwellings of his were without comparison the Berghof
and the Wolfsschanze
, spending more than 800 days at the latter.
The Führer Headquarters were especially designed to work as command facilities for the Führer, which meant all necessary demands were taken into consideration; communications, conference rooms, safety measures, bunkers, guard facilities etc. were prepared accordingly. Even Berghof and the Obersalzberg complex were modified and extended with considerable defense facilities (bunkers, guard posts etc.). The Wehrmachtbericht
, a daily report on the situation at the front, was also broadcast from the Führer Headquarters.
The Führer Headquarters can not be considered as strict military headquarters; the Wehrmacht
had their own, distinctly located in other places, yet often in the vicinity of the FHQ:s. Nevertheless, since Hitler very frequently intervened in the military command structure, the FHQ:s more than often became de facto military headquarters. In reality, the Führer Headquarters consisted of Adolf Hitler and his entourage, including the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
(OKW) (directly controlled by Hitler), liaison officers and adjutants.
, Austria, during the Balkans Campaign in the spring of 1941. The train was named Führersonderzug "Amerika" in 1940, and later, Führersonderzug "Brandenburg". After the Balkans Campaign the train was never again used as a Führer Headquarters, but Hitler used it throughout the war when he travelled between Berlin, Berchtesgaden, Munich and other headquarters.
The exact components of the Führersonderzug are not known, but some details were revealed by the departure information "Bln 2009", when the train departed the Anhalter Bahnhof station in Berlin on 23 June 1941, arriving at Wolfsschanze
on 24 June 1941;
The individual 17 components (locomotives and cars) in order were:
Otto Dietrich
indicates that the Flakwagen never had to be used when Hitler was travelling. The "Pressewagen" was not for journalists to come along, but to receive and release press reports.
There were other special trains (Sonderzug in German) as well, used by prominent German officials;
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
), abbreviated FHQ, is a common name for a number of official headquarters used by the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and various German commanders and officials throughout Europe during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Perhaps the most widely known headquarters was the Führerbunker
Führerbunker
The Führerbunker was located beneath Hitler's New Reich Chancellery in Berlin, Germany. It was part of a subterranean bunker complex which was constructed in two major phases, one part in 1936 and the other in 1943...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, where Hitler committed suicide
Death of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler committed suicide by gunshot on Monday, 30 April 1945 in his Führerbunker in Berlin. His wife Eva , committed suicide with him by ingesting cyanide...
on April 30, 1945. Other notable headquarters are the Wolfsschanze
Wolfsschanze
Wolf's Lair is the standard English name for Wolfsschanze, Adolf Hitler's first World War II Eastern Front military headquarters, one of several Führerhauptquartier or FHQs located in various parts of Europe...
(Wolf's Lair) in East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
, where Claus von Stauffenberg
Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg
Claus Philipp Maria Justinian Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg commonly referred to as Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg was a German army officer and Catholic aristocrat who was one of the leading members of the failed 20 July plot of 1944 to assassinate Adolf Hitler and remove the Nazi Party from...
in league with other conspirators failed in an attempt to assassinate Hitler
July 20 Plot
On 20 July 1944, an attempt was made to assassinate Adolf Hitler, Führer of the Third Reich, inside his Wolf's Lair field headquarters near Rastenburg, East Prussia. The plot was the culmination of the efforts of several groups in the German Resistance to overthrow the Nazi-led German government...
on July 20, 1944, and Hitler's private home, the Berghof
Berghof (Hitler)
The Berghof was Adolf Hitler's home in the Obersalzberg of the Bavarian Alps near Berchtesgaden, Bavaria, Germany. Other than the Wolfsschanze in East Prussia, Hitler spent more time at the Berghof than anywhere else during World War II. It was also one of the most widely known of Hitler's...
, at Obersalzberg
Obersalzberg
Obersalzberg is a mountainside retreat situated above the market town of Berchtesgaden in Bavaria, Germany, located about southeast of Munich, close to the border with Austria...
near Berchtesgaden
Berchtesgaden
Berchtesgaden is a municipality in the German Bavarian Alps. It is located in the south district of Berchtesgadener Land in Bavaria, near the border with Austria, some 30 km south of Salzburg and 180 km southeast of Munich...
, where he frequently met with prominent foreign and domestic officials.
Introduction
At the beginning of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
there were no permanent headquarters constructed for the German supreme leader, the Führer
Führer
Führer , alternatively spelled Fuehrer in both English and German when the umlaut is not available, is a German title meaning leader or guide now most associated with Adolf Hitler, who modelled it on Benito Mussolini's title il Duce, as well as with Georg von Schönerer, whose followers also...
. Hitler visited the frontlines by using either airplane or his special train, the Führersonderzug; thus, the Führersonderzug can be considered as the first of his field headquarters. The first permanent installation which became a Führer Headquarters was the Felsennest
Felsennest
At the start of the Western European campaign of 1940, the Felsennest was the codename for one of Hitler's Führer Headquarters near Bad Münstereifel, Germany. It was much more cramped than Adolf Hitler's other field bunkers, having only four rooms...
, which was used by Hitler during the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
in May, 1940. Hitler actually spent very little time in Berlin during the war, and the most frequently used dwellings of his were without comparison the Berghof
Berghof (Hitler)
The Berghof was Adolf Hitler's home in the Obersalzberg of the Bavarian Alps near Berchtesgaden, Bavaria, Germany. Other than the Wolfsschanze in East Prussia, Hitler spent more time at the Berghof than anywhere else during World War II. It was also one of the most widely known of Hitler's...
and the Wolfsschanze
Wolfsschanze
Wolf's Lair is the standard English name for Wolfsschanze, Adolf Hitler's first World War II Eastern Front military headquarters, one of several Führerhauptquartier or FHQs located in various parts of Europe...
, spending more than 800 days at the latter.
The Führer Headquarters were especially designed to work as command facilities for the Führer, which meant all necessary demands were taken into consideration; communications, conference rooms, safety measures, bunkers, guard facilities etc. were prepared accordingly. Even Berghof and the Obersalzberg complex were modified and extended with considerable defense facilities (bunkers, guard posts etc.). The Wehrmachtbericht
Wehrmachtbericht
The Wehrmachtbericht was a daily radio report on the Großdeutscher Rundfunk of Nazi Germany, published by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht regarding the military situation on all fronts of World War II....
, a daily report on the situation at the front, was also broadcast from the Führer Headquarters.
The Führer Headquarters can not be considered as strict military headquarters; the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
had their own, distinctly located in other places, yet often in the vicinity of the FHQ:s. Nevertheless, since Hitler very frequently intervened in the military command structure, the FHQ:s more than often became de facto military headquarters. In reality, the Führer Headquarters consisted of Adolf Hitler and his entourage, including the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht was part of the command structure of the armed forces of Nazi Germany during World War II.- Genesis :...
(OKW) (directly controlled by Hitler), liaison officers and adjutants.
Headquarters locations
There were about 14 known completed Führer Headquarters (of about 20 planned):Name | Alternative designations | Location | Build started | Completed | Usage as Führer Headquarters |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adlerhorst Adlerhorst Adlerhorst was a World War II bunker complex in Germany, located within Kransberg Castle , Wetterau in the Taunus mountains in the province of Hesse... |
Mühle (OT) Bauvorhaben Z Lager K Bauvorhaben C |
Bad Nauheim Bad Nauheim Bad Nauheim is a town in the Wetteraukreis district of Hesse state of Germany. , Bad Nauheim has a population of 30,365. The town is located approximately 35 kilometers north of Frankfurt am Main, on the east edge of the Taunus mountain range. It is a world-famous resort, noted for its salt... , Germany |
1 Sep 1939 | yes | yes - used by Hitler during the Ardennes offensive Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and... |
Anlage Mitte | Askania Mitte | Tomaszów Mazowiecki Tomaszów Mazowiecki Tomaszów Mazowiecki is a town in central Poland with 67,159 inhabitants . Situated in the Łódź Voivodeship , it was previously part of Piotrków Trybunalski Voivodeship... , Poland |
1 Dec 1940 | yes | no - only industry |
Anlage Riese Project Riese File:Project Riese - map.PNG|thumb|right|495px|Project Riese. Click on the locations to see details.rect 81 48 88 55 rect 171 248 178 255 rect 241 219 248 226 rect 235 235 242 242 rect 204 247 211 254 rect 260 241 267 248 rect 234 271 241 278... |
none | Wałbrzych, Poland (Waldenburg) | Oct 1943 | no | no |
Anlage Süd Anlage Süd Anlage Sud was one of headquarters of Adolf Hitler, where the leader of the German Third Reich stayed only for a few days, in late August 1941, meeting with Benito Mussolini. It was constructed in Nazi-occupied part of Poland, between 1940 and 1941, along the secondary-importance railroad line... |
Askania Süd | Strzyżów Strzyzów Strzyżów is a town in Strzyżów County, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, Poland with 8,709 inhabitants . Strzyżów is one of the towns within the Strzyżowsko-Dynowskie Foothill, located 160 km south-east of Kraków. Its building arrangement extends in the river of Wisłok valley, chained together with... , Poland |
1 Oct 1940 | yes | yes, Hitler met with Mussolini Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism.... here on 27–28 August 1941 |
Berghof Berghof (Hitler) The Berghof was Adolf Hitler's home in the Obersalzberg of the Bavarian Alps near Berchtesgaden, Bavaria, Germany. Other than the Wolfsschanze in East Prussia, Hitler spent more time at the Berghof than anywhere else during World War II. It was also one of the most widely known of Hitler's... /"Eagle's Nest" Kehlsteinhaus The Kehlsteinhaus is a chalet-style structure erected on a subpeak of the Hoher Göll known as the Kehlstein. It was built as an extension of the Obersalzberg complex erected in the mountains above Berchtesgaden... |
none | Obersalzberg Obersalzberg Obersalzberg is a mountainside retreat situated above the market town of Berchtesgaden in Bavaria, Germany, located about southeast of Munich, close to the border with Austria... , Berchtesgaden Berchtesgaden Berchtesgaden is a municipality in the German Bavarian Alps. It is located in the south district of Berchtesgadener Land in Bavaria, near the border with Austria, some 30 km south of Salzburg and 180 km southeast of Munich... , Germany |
? | yes | yes-also thought by the Allies Allies of World War II The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states... to be within a conceivable Alpenfestung "last stand" territory of the Third Reich |
Bärenhöhle | none | Smolensk Smolensk Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River. Situated west-southwest of Moscow, this walled city was destroyed several times throughout its long history since it was on the invasion routes of both Napoleon and Hitler. Today, Smolensk... , Russia |
1 Oct 1941 | yes | no - used only by Heeresgruppe Mitte |
Felsennest Felsennest At the start of the Western European campaign of 1940, the Felsennest was the codename for one of Hitler's Führer Headquarters near Bad Münstereifel, Germany. It was much more cramped than Adolf Hitler's other field bunkers, having only four rooms... |
none | Rodert, Bad Münstereifel Bad Münstereifel Bad Münstereifel is a historical spa town in the district of Euskirchen, Germany, with about 19,000 inhabitants, situated in the far south of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia... , Germany |
1940 | yes | yes, used by Hitler during the Battle of France Battle of France In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and... in May, 1940 |
Führerbunker Führerbunker The Führerbunker was located beneath Hitler's New Reich Chancellery in Berlin, Germany. It was part of a subterranean bunker complex which was constructed in two major phases, one part in 1936 and the other in 1943... |
none | Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... , Germany |
1943 | yes | yes, Hitler committed suicide here Death of Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler committed suicide by gunshot on Monday, 30 April 1945 in his Führerbunker in Berlin. His wife Eva , committed suicide with him by ingesting cyanide... in 1945 |
Führersonderzug | (a special train) "Amerika", "Brandenburg" |
various (movable) | 1939? | yes | yes |
Olga | none | 200 km north of Minsk Minsk - Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened... , Belarus |
1 July 1943 | no | no |
S III | Wolfsturm, Olga etc. | Ohrdruf Ohrdruf Ohrdruf is a small town in the German federal state of Thuringia. It lies some 30 km southwest of Erfurt.-Medieval settling:Ohrdruf was founded in 724–726 by Saint Boniface, as the site of the first monastery in Thuringia, dedicated to Saint Michael. It was the first of several religious... , Germany |
Autumn 1944 (?) | no | no |
Siegfried | none | Pullach Pullach Pullach, officially Pullach i. Isartal, is a municipality in the district of Munich in Bavaria in Germany. It is serviced by the S 7 line of the Munich S-Bahn, at the Großhesselohe Isartalbahnhof, Pullach and Höllriegelskreuth railway stations.... , Germany |
? | ? | ? |
Tannenberg | none | Freudenstadt Freudenstadt Freudenstadt is a town in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is capital of the district Freudenstadt. The closest population centres are Offenburg to the west and Tübingen to the east .... /Kniebis, Germany |
1 Oct 1939 | yes | yes (27 June - 5 July 1940) |
W3 | none | Saint-Rimay by Vendôme Vendôme Vendôme is a commune in the Centre region of France.-Administration:Vendôme is the capital of the arrondissement of Vendôme in the Loir-et-Cher department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. It has a tribunal of first instance.-Geography:... , France |
1 May 1942 | no | no |
Waldwiese | none | Glan-Münchweiler Glan-Münchweiler Glan-Münchweiler is a municipality in the district of Kusel, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the river Glan, approx. 8 km south-east of Kusel, and 25 km west of Kaiserslautern.... , Germany |
1 Oct 1939 | yes | no |
Wasserburg | none | Pskow (Pleskau), Russia | 1 Nov 1942 | yes | no (assigned to Heeresgruppe Nord) |
Werwolf | Eichenhain | Vinnytsia Vinnytsia Vinnytsia is a city located on the banks of the Southern Bug, in central Ukraine. It is the administrative center of Vinnytsia Oblast.-Names:... , Ukraine |
1 Nov 1941 | yes | yes |
Wolfsschanze Wolfsschanze Wolf's Lair is the standard English name for Wolfsschanze, Adolf Hitler's first World War II Eastern Front military headquarters, one of several Führerhauptquartier or FHQs located in various parts of Europe... |
Askania Nord, "Wolf's Lair" | Kętrzyn Ketrzyn Kętrzyn , is a town in northeastern Poland with 28,351 inhabitants . Situated in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship , Kętrzyn was previously in Olsztyn Voivodeship . It is the capital of Kętrzyn County... , Poland (Rastenburg) |
1 Dec 1940 | yes | yes, site of the failed July 20 plot July 20 Plot On 20 July 1944, an attempt was made to assassinate Adolf Hitler, Führer of the Third Reich, inside his Wolf's Lair field headquarters near Rastenburg, East Prussia. The plot was the culmination of the efforts of several groups in the German Resistance to overthrow the Nazi-led German government... on Hitler's life |
Wolfsschlucht I Wolfsschlucht I Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschluct I was the codename for one of Adolf Hitler's military headquarters, located in a farmhouse of the Belgian village of Brûly-de-Pesche, in the municipality of Couvin, close to the French border. It was occupied by Hitler between 6–24 June 1940 while awaiting the... |
none | Brûly-de-Pesche near Couvin Couvin Couvin is a Walloon municipality and town located in Belgium in the province of Namur.On 1 January 2006 the municipality had 13,476 inhabitants. Couvin is the second largest municipality of Belgium by surface area, after Tournai... , Belgium |
1 May 1940 | yes | yes |
Wolfsschlucht II Wolfsschlucht II Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschlucht II or W2 was the codename used for one of Adolf Hitler's World War II Western Front military headquarters located in Margival, 10 km northeast of Soissons in the department of Aisne in France... |
W2 | Margival Margival Margival is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.It is located northeast of Soissons.-History:During World War II, the Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschlucht II, one of the Adolf Hitler's Western Front military headquarters, was built there.-References:*... , France |
1 Sep 1942 | yes | yes |
Zigeuner | Brunhilde | Thionville Thionville Thionville , is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. The city is located on the left bank of the river Moselle, opposite its suburb Yutz.-Demographics:... , France |
1 Apr 1944 | no | no |
The Special Train (Führersonderzug)
The Führers Special Train (Führersonderzug in German) was a train which was frequently used by Hitler to travel between various headquarters throughout Europe. It also served as headquarters itself; it was called FHQu Frühlingssturm (Spring Storm) when it was located at MönichkirchenMönichkirchen
Mönichkirchen is a town in the district of Neunkirchen in the Austrian state of Lower Austria.-References:...
, Austria, during the Balkans Campaign in the spring of 1941. The train was named Führersonderzug "Amerika" in 1940, and later, Führersonderzug "Brandenburg". After the Balkans Campaign the train was never again used as a Führer Headquarters, but Hitler used it throughout the war when he travelled between Berlin, Berchtesgaden, Munich and other headquarters.
The exact components of the Führersonderzug are not known, but some details were revealed by the departure information "Bln 2009", when the train departed the Anhalter Bahnhof station in Berlin on 23 June 1941, arriving at Wolfsschanze
Wolfsschanze
Wolf's Lair is the standard English name for Wolfsschanze, Adolf Hitler's first World War II Eastern Front military headquarters, one of several Führerhauptquartier or FHQs located in various parts of Europe...
on 24 June 1941;
The individual 17 components (locomotives and cars) in order were:
- Two locomotives in tandem, behind them were:
- a special Flakwagen (armoured anti-aircraft train flatbed car), armed with 2 anti-aircraft guns, most often a pair of Flakvierling cannon batteries, one at each end of the car
- a baggage car
- the Führerwagen, which Hitler personally used
- a Befehlswagen (Command car), including a conference room and a communications center
- a Begleitkommandowagen, for the accompanying ReichssicherheitsdienstReichssicherheitsdienstThe Reichssicherheitsdienst was an SS security force of Nazi Germany. Originally the personal bodyguards of Adolf Hitler, it later provided men for the protection of other high-ranking leaders of the Nazi regime...
- a dining car
- two cars for guests
- a Badewagen (Bathing car)
- another dining car
- two sleeping cars for personnel
- a Pressewagen (car for the press)
- another baggage car
- and finally, another Flakwagen
Otto Dietrich
Otto Dietrich
Dr. Otto Dietrich was an SS-Obergruppenführer, the Third Reich's Press Chief, and a confidant of Adolf Hitler.-Biography:...
indicates that the Flakwagen never had to be used when Hitler was travelling. The "Pressewagen" was not for journalists to come along, but to receive and release press reports.
There were other special trains (Sonderzug in German) as well, used by prominent German officials;
- Ministerzug (Ministers' Train) was used by Joachim von RibbentropJoachim von RibbentropUlrich Friedrich Wilhelm Joachim von Ribbentrop was Foreign Minister of Germany from 1938 until 1945. He was later hanged for war crimes after the Nuremberg Trials.-Early life:...
and Heinrich HimmlerHeinrich HimmlerHeinrich Luitpold Himmler was Reichsführer of the SS, a military commander, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. As Chief of the German Police and the Minister of the Interior from 1943, Himmler oversaw all internal and external police and security forces, including the Gestapo... - Sonderzug "Afrika" (also called ""Braunschweig"), used by the chief of the Armed Forces High Command (Oberkommando der WehrmachtOberkommando der WehrmachtThe Oberkommando der Wehrmacht was part of the command structure of the armed forces of Nazi Germany during World War II.- Genesis :...
(OKW)) - Sonderzug "Asien" (also called "Pommern") was used by Hermann GöringHermann GöringHermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"...
- Sonderzug "Atlantik" (also called "Auerhahn"), used by the supreme commander of the Navy (KriegsmarineKriegsmarineThe Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
) - Sonderzug "Atlas" (also called "Franken"), a command train used by the Armed Forces Operations Staff (Wehrmachtführungsstabes)
- Sonderzug "Enzian", a command train used by the chief of the Intelligence branch of the LuftwaffeLuftwaffeLuftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
(Nachrichtenwesens der Luftwaffe) - Sonderzug "Ostpreußen" (also called "Sonderzug 4"), used by the Army General Staff (Oberkommando des HeeresOberkommando des HeeresThe Oberkommando des Heeres was Nazi Germany's High Command of the Army from 1936 to 1945. The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht commanded OKH only in theory...
(OKH)) - Sonderzug "Robinson 1", used by the chief of the Command Staff of the LuftwaffeLuftwaffeLuftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
- Sonderzug "Robinson 2", used by the chief of the General Staff of the LuftwaffeLuftwaffeLuftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
- Sonderzug "Steiermark" (also called "Heinrich" and "Transport 44") was used by Heinrich HimmlerHeinrich HimmlerHeinrich Luitpold Himmler was Reichsführer of the SS, a military commander, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. As Chief of the German Police and the Minister of the Interior from 1943, Himmler oversaw all internal and external police and security forces, including the Gestapo...
- Sonderzug "Westfalen", used by Joachim von RibbentropJoachim von RibbentropUlrich Friedrich Wilhelm Joachim von Ribbentrop was Foreign Minister of Germany from 1938 until 1945. He was later hanged for war crimes after the Nuremberg Trials.-Early life:...
- Sonderzug "Württemberg", used by the Army General Staff (Gen. St.d. H. - Generalstabs des Heeres)
See also
- Death of Adolf HitlerDeath of Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler committed suicide by gunshot on Monday, 30 April 1945 in his Führerbunker in Berlin. His wife Eva , committed suicide with him by ingesting cyanide...
- National Redoubt (the supposed Nazi "Alpenfestung" (Alpine Fortress))
- Nazi architectureNazi architectureNazi architecture was an architectural plan which played a role in the Nazi party's plans to create a cultural and spiritual rebirth in Germany as part of the Third Reich....
- VorbunkerVorbunkerThe Vorbunker or "forward bunker" was located behind the large reception hall that was added onto the old Reich Chancellery, in Berlin, Germany. It was meant to be a temporary air-raid shelter for Adolf Hitler, his guards, and servants...