Fuhrerbunker

We stand now at a location that is, perhaps, the most striking example of historical 'erasure' in all of Berlin. To the casual observer, this is merely a nondescript parking lot surrounded by ordinary East German-era apartment…

We begin at the only physical marker of this site: the information board titled 'Mythos and Geschichte des Führerbunkers'—Myths and History of the Führerbunker. This board, installed in 2006, provides a vital schematic of what…

Moving slightly toward the northern edge of the parking lot, we are positioned above the area that was once the Vorbunker. This level was located directly beneath the large reception hall of the Old Reich Chancellery. …

We have now moved to the southern section of the parking lot, standing roughly above what was Hitler's private suite in the deeper Führerbunker. According to the mapping research in our sources, this spot is located slightly…

Walk toward the very edge of the parking area, near the trees. This area corresponds to the former Reich Chancellery Garden and the location of the bunker's emergency exit. …

Let us step back toward the street, looking east toward Wilhelmstrasse. This area was the epicenter of Nazi power. …

As we walk toward the corner of the apartment complex, consider the fate of the bunker after 1945. The Soviets made several attempts to blow up the structure in the late 1940s and early 50s, but the four-meter-thick concrete was…

We conclude our tour of the Führerbunker site where we began, at this unassuming junction. It is a place that challenges our expectations of historical sites. …