Bavarian Interior Minister Orders Rebuild After Kehlsteinhaus Fire
A 33-year-old man was arrested as a suspect in the arson of the historic structure on the Obersalzberg peak.
By Tyler Khalil ·
Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann announced that the state government will restore the Kehlsteinhaus after a fire largely destroyed the building on Friday night. The retreat, located on the peak of the Obersalzberg in southern Germany, served as Adolf Hitler's former mountain residence. Herrmann stated that authorities would not leave the site as a ruin and emphasized the need to continue the work of remembrance.
Police arrested a 33-year-old German citizen connected to the area, though he did not reside there. Investigators suspected arson, although no official cause had been released at the time of the arrest. Prosecutors indicated the suspect displayed signs of mental illness and was being transferred to a psychiatric facility after questioning. Police said they would examine a political motive but found no evidence of other involvement.
Approximately 200 firefighters responded to the blaze, which began at 9:15 pm when a smoke detector triggered an alert. Crews from six municipalities, the Bavarian Red Cross, and the local mountain rescue service arrived at the site around 9:50 pm. Police spokesperson Lisa Maier reported that the building was completely ablaze upon their arrival. No injuries were reported, and firefighters found no people inside the structure.
The location presented severe logistical challenges. The building sits at an altitude of 1,834 metres and required heavy breathing apparatus for access. Strong winds and rain, which later turned into the region's first snow, hampered the firefighting effort. Crews had to withdraw overnight after several hours of work.
Flames were still burning at 7:00 am on Saturday and appeared out later in the morning, though smoke continued to rise. A police spokesperson told the Bild newspaper that the house was damaged to a large extent and was unlikely to be saved. Officers closed the road leading to the retreat to manage the scene.
Constructed between 1937 and 1938, the site was inaugurated by Hitler on his birthday in 1939. It remained one of the few undamaged monuments from the era until the recent fire. Visitors access the location via a road cut into the mountain, a tunnel, and a 124-metre lift buried in the rock. Since 1952, the building has housed a restaurant and an exhibition by the Institute for Contemporary History regarding the Nazi past.
Herrmann indicated that restoration talks would proceed with local officials, historians, and conservators. Maier confirmed that a news conference would be held on Saturday to provide further details on the investigation and the restoration plans.
