Douglas Mossman

Writing a book about the Eagle's Nest was a challenge in a sense of where to look for historical stories and documented events. Located above Berchtesgaden on the Kehlstein Mtn overlooking Germany and Austria the still preserved and functioning $100,000,000 pavilion invited me to explore its untold and secret history.

It was in Washington DC in our U.S. Archives and in the Library of Congress where I found hidden away in various shoe box like boxes containing the captured German photo albums and film reels some taken by Eva Braun--of the Eagle's Nest being built and some rare glimpses of Hitler showing up with international diplomats to negotiate and some down-time of Eva Braun's mountain top parties. Oddly, Hitler never wore his military uniform here, he alwasy appeared in a suit and tie to appear more like a business man or even a head of state. On occasion he was photographed by his inner circle and at those times let his guard down: he's photographed slouching, falling asleep, laughing, pouring tea for guests. Here "escaped into the clouds" to hold court with civilians, British journalists (Ward Price) and the wives of his inner circle henchmen. He only made 13 recorded trips to this luxurious-expensive eyrie, that last one being in 1940.

Five years later Eisenhower, Bradley, and even JFK showed up to see where the dictator plotted war. They had first dibs too at tapestries, "AH" monogrammed silver ware, custom made furniture and carpets and some personal effects left there by the defunct dictator. A big brass lion shaped door handle was unbolted and given to Ike to take away.

I bumped into Brig Gen John Eisenhower once in my condo building -- we had a great conversation about the Eagle's Nest and what his father the Supreme Commander Gen Dwight Eisenhower thought of it, his reflections are in my book. This is a thrilling untold story about diplomacy as a prelude to World War II.