Haunting photo album showing the luxurious hideaway and stunning views Nazi leader enjoyed as he plotted to invade Europe goes up for auction in Kent
A unique photo album that captures the plush interior of Adolf Hitler's beloved mountain lair is going on sale.
The stunning black and white pictures show the breathtaking views the evil dictator enjoyed from the Berghof where he spent most of World War II.
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| Adolf Hitler bought the Bavarian mountainside retreat he named the Berghof, meaning mountain court, in 1933. He bought the property following the success of his book Mein Kampf and he went on to redesign the chalet, turning it into a grand retreat fit for a dictator |
Haunting images from the album going on sale in Kent also reveal the impressive interior of the lair 2,000 ft high in the Bavarian Alps in Germany where he plotted to take over Europe.
Entry to the lair could be gained through a tunnel in the side of the mountain nearby the famous Eagle's Nest.
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| The conference hall of the Berghof shows the grandeur of the property with vaulted ceilings, panelled walls, a grand piano and fine art adorning the room. Hitler's close friend Ernst Hanfstaengl would often play after-dinner concerts at the piano along with local violin and cello players |
Other images taken in the Bavarian Alps bolthole show where the Nazi leader would relax, unwind and enjoy cups of tea.
The bound memento contains 24 images believed to have all been taken between 1937 and 1946.
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| The photo album going on sale in Kent shows unique contemporary images of Hitler's mountain retreat. The Berghof's living room shows a more modest and cosy room with a lower ceiling and decorative rugs. Hitler oversaw the design and architecture of the whole property, carried out by Alois Degano |
Auctioneer Mark Jennings from Chaucer Covers is putting the album under the hammer on Friday in Kent.
He said: 'It is fairly unique as it is an old photo album that shows where Hitler lived, I'd like to know more about it.'
Little is known about the history of the album or who took the photographs.
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| The conference hall, with a marbled floor and expensive artworks hanging on the walls, was one of the centre pieces of the Berghof. The photo album, which features 24 images of the interior and exterior of the building between 1937 and 1946 goes under the hammer in Kent on Friday, is expected to sell for £600. |
Hitler's residence, which he named the Berghof meaning Mountain Court in English, is situated on the border with Hitler's native Austria.
He bought what was then a small chalet in 1933 thanks to the profits from his bestselling political manifesto Mein Kampf.
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| Adolf Hitler and companion Eva Braun spent much of their time at the Berghof during WWII. This picture, not featured in the album, shows the leader with his beloved German Shepherd Blondi in 1942 and he kept a number of dogs in kennels at the residence. It is believed Hitler and Eva Braun had separate adjoining bedrooms at the property with interconnecting doors |
The house was profiled by British magazine Homes and Gardens in November 1938, describing it as 'the only home in which Hitler can laugh and take his ease'.
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| Another view of the dining hall shows the more modest dining area with a stunning view over the mountains. It was said that the Berghof was where Hitler felt most at home after spending years renovating it thanks to the profits from his book Mein Kampf. He said: 'This place is mine. I have built it with money that I earned' |
The favourable review written by Ignatius Phayre said: 'The colour scheme throughout this bright, airy chalet is light jade green.
'The Führer is his own decorator, designer and furnisher, as well as architect.'
The German dictator said: 'This place is mine. I have built it with money that I earned.'
David Lloyd George, Neville Chamberlain and Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson were among the eminent guests who stayed with Hitler at the Berghof in the pre-war years.
Fellow fascist Benito Mussolini also visited the mountain retreat in 1941, during the middle of the conflicto.
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| The dictator enjoyed hosting at the Berghof and invited many world leaders and eminent guests to his residence. David Lloyd-George, Neville Chamberlain, King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson all visited at various times in the years leading up to the War. This photo, not featured in the new collection, shows Hitler's official photographer Heinrich Hoffmann alongside the leader and Eva Braun on the terrace of the property |
The bound album also shows the ruins of the mansion after it was destroyed by RAF Lancaster bombers in April 1945, believing Hitler was at the residence.
Just five days later, he committed suicide at an air raid shelter in Berlin on 30 April.
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| The photo album reveals Hitler's view from the large window in the conference hall. The Berghof overlooks the snowy peaks of the Bavarian Alps that lie on the border with Hitler's native Austria. The Nazi leader did much of his WWII plotting at the residence and it was one of the headquarters of the German war operation as he looked to take over Europe |
They feared the home could become a shrine for neo-Nazis.
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| The dining hall of the Berghof was panelled with very expensive cembra pine and parquet flooring, shown by the new photo collection. Hitler was a strict vegetarian and did not smoke or drink but he enjoyed fine food. Guests would be treated to expensive wines and cigars but the dictator would always abstain |
Now two signs, one in German and one in English, mark the location of the Berghof, and a nearby museum built in 1999 chronicles the evils committed at the residence.
But vandals often deface information signs with swastikas and lit candles are left by people wanting to honour Hitler at the site, according to The Guardian.
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| The tea room at the neighbouring Eagle's Nest shows Hitler's taste in design and architecture with exposed wooden beams and brick walls, an imposing fire place, a large decorative rug and many chairs for his many guests |
The mysterious collection of photographs of the famous retreat has emerged for sale in Kent more than 70 years after the end of the war.
It is believed that the album was created in the immediate aftermath of the war and features hand scrawled captions.
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| The Berghof was bombed by RAF Lancaster bombers in April 1945, believing Hitler had fled to the residence when he was actually in Berlin. He committed suicide five days later, signalling the end of the long conflict. This photo taken after the bombing shows how secluded the lair was and the destruction caused by the Lancaster Bombers |
Kent-based sellers Chaucer Covers have valued the photo album at £600.
Auctioneer Mark Jennings said: 'And it is even more unusual as you get to see the devastation after it was bombed.
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| The property was later ordered to be destroyed by the US so as to avoid it becoming a shrine for neo-Nazis and Bavarian authorities demolished it with explosives in 1952. This picture, probably taken in 1946, shows the effects of the first bombing. All that stands on the site now are two signs indicating it was where Hitler once lived |
'Obviously I have a very low opinion of the Nazis but it is undeniably interesting to see where the decisions were made and Hitler lived.
'The thing that I really like about it is the before and after pictures.
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| The photo album is being sold by Chaucer Covers in Kent. The album features annotations made at the time. The provenance of the collection is still unknown but it is believed it was made as a souvenir. Auctioneer Mark Jennings says it is a 'unique' object because of the history it reveals |
'You can really see the devastation where most of it was destroyed.
'I like the comparison between the grandeur of it in the beginning and the devastation of it at the end.'
The album goes under the hammer on Friday.
