Fire destroys Hitler’s former tea house
The Kehlsteinhaus near Berchtesgaden caught fire on Friday evening; according to initial reports, there were no injuries.
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Adolf Hitler’s former tea house in the German Alps was hit by a major fire on Friday evening. The building, known as the Eagle’s Nest, was already ablaze when emergency services arrived, according to the emergency services; a suspect has been arrested, but the cause has not yet been established.
The first emergency responders arrived at the burning Kehlsteinhaus on the Obersalzberg near Berchtesgaden at around 9.52pm. NOS reports a fully developed fire; according to n-tv, firefighting operations were still under way.
According to the initial information, nobody was present in the building. No injuries have been reported so far. Police arrested a suspect shortly after the fire broke out, but have not said what role that person may have played in the fire.
The Kehlsteinhaus is said to stand on the Kehlstein at an altitude of around 1,834 metres. The building was completed in 1938 as a representative venue for the National Socialist power circle. NOS and n-tv describe the building as Hitler’s former tea house.
After the Second World War, the building was given a new purpose. Since 1952, it has housed a mountain restaurant and an exhibition about the history of the site. The building attracts many visitors each year because of its views over the Alps and its historical significance.
The fire comes at the end of the tourist season. According to information from the tourism organisation, the restaurant was due to remain open until 8 November this year. The extent of the damage to the building is not yet clear.
German police are investigating the fire and the possible involvement of the arrested person. As long as the investigation continues, it has not been established whether arson or another cause was involved.
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The article’s core is confirmed by NOS and a German news source. Unconfirmed details about the cause of the fire and the suspect’s role are explicitly presented as uncertain.
- confirmed The Kehlsteinhaus near Berchtesgaden was hit by a major fire on Friday evening. — NOS and n-tv report the fire and its location. source
- confirmed The first emergency responders arrived at around 9.52pm. — The German police report is cited by NOS and n-tv. source
- confirmed No injuries have been reported so far and there was probably nobody in the building. — The initial reports by NOS and n-tv explicitly mention this. source
- confirmed Police arrested a suspect. — NOS reports the arrest, but not that the suspect was responsible. source
- confirmed The building was completed in 1938 and has been a mountain restaurant since 1952. — The historical background is described by NOS and n-tv. source
Editor's note
The fire, the location, the time of the first response, the absence of reported injuries and the arrest are certain. The cause, the extent of the damage and the suspect’s role were still unknown.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- NOS — „brand duitsland”
- Het Parool — „brand duitsland”
- Trouw — „brand duitsland”