The Wolf's Lair - “Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze”

staging, Hitler leans over the conference table, a briefcase with a bomb stands on the floor next to it, an assassin leaves the room — The reconstructed meeting room where the assassination attempt on Hitler was carried out. The Wolf's Lair. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

The remains of many huge bunkers, barracks, warehouses and even teahouses. Not only for war fans. A unique testimony of the past that even tons of TNT couldn't wipe out. If you have the opportunity, be sure to visit this place. This is an exceptional place on the map of Europe (to be honest, having traveled a lot, I haven't come across another place like this, that is available to tourists who want to visit it on their own, with a guide or audio guide).

destroyed building with no windows — Barracks for stenographers. The Wolf's Lair. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

The headquarters of Adolf Hitler and the Wehrmacht command, was one of the few and at the same time their largest base. The location of the headquarters near Gierłoż had a strategic location, firstly, the troops commanded their units very close to the border with the USSR. Secondly, the place itself was difficult to access, and the bunkers could be carefully hidden in the thicket of the forest. Even local residents did not know about its existence.

a paved path with a camouflage net spread over it — The paths were protected with camouflage nets, and trees and shrubs were planted on the bunkers in the Wolf's Lair. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

Below heavy, general purpose air-raid bunker of size 36x23 metres called Bormann's bunker due to its close proximity to the house of the head of the NSDAP chancellery, Martin Bormann.

a woman stands in front of a huge wall (part of bunker) — Bormann's bunker in the Wolf's Lair. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

This is how the Wolf's Lair welcomes tourists.

a group of tourists on a path leading next to the bunker — We start our trip at the Wolf's Lair. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

All information is also in English, even the legend on the information board.

Information board with legend in Polish, German and English — Information board presenting safety zones, buildings in Wolf's Lair, other Hitler's war headquarters. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

3 old war cars — Information board presenting safety zones, buildings in Wolf's Lair, other Hitler's war headquarters. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

The staff meeting barrack, where the assassination attempt on Hitler took place, stood at this exact spot.

ruins of barrack — This is all that remains of the barrack where the Hilter assassination attempt took place. The Wolf's Lair. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

There are also barracks with various found objects, multimedia films and a special exhibition entitled “The Age of Terror 1939-1945” (in a huge separate barrack).

personal belongings found after World War II — Small items found at the Wolf's Lair. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

a room stylized as a room after a bomb explosion, with scattered boards on the floor, and a screen displaying archival photos on the wall — Small items found at the Wolf's Lair. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

Something terrible lurks in this place. Maybe it's because of the weight of history, maybe it's because of another failed assassination attempt that failed to kill Hitler, or maybe it's because of the tons of walls that, despite all the attempts, still stand.

ruins of a barrack next to which there is a vertical photo of NSDAP officers — Another part of the barrack where the assassination attempt on Hitler took place. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

a boy is standing under the huge leaning wall — With these sticks, of course, is a joke. Many of the Wolf's Lair bunker walls did not collapse, despite the use of tons of TNT. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

The photo below shows Hitler's bunker. It took about 8 tons of TNT to blow it up. The detonation caused the ice on nearby lakes to crack. Hitler used it for only 12 days. He moved in on November 8, 1944, and on November 20, because of the approaching Red Army, he had to leave the Wolf's Lair.

a wall that is a remnant of a shelter — Hitler's bunker in the Wolf's Lair was the most massive structure in Zone I. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

a woman standing on the ruins of a shelter — Look how many steel rods come out of the ruins. The Wolf's Lair. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

There is also an exhibition dedicated to the heroic fight of Poles during the Warsaw Uprising.

The insurgent "Chwat" (pictured below) was a German self-propelled armored gun that was a tank destroyer in the Warsaw Uprising (produced in the Škoda in Czechoslovakia). The “Chwat” that is in the Wolf's Lair had been stuck in the sea since the war, near the beach in Jurata. After many adventures, it was restored and sent to the Wolf's Lair.

a tank with a mannequin sitting next to it, representing an insurgent — One entire barrack is intended for an exhibition dedicated to the heroic fight of the insurgents in the Warsaw Uprising. The Wolf's Lair. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

two boys standing next to the exhibition from the Warsaw Uprising — For children, it is also an important history lesson that is worth saving from oblivion. The Wolf's Lair. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

The Wolf's Lair is an extraordinary history lesson. This complex is really worth seeing!

There is a large car park at the Wolf's Lair complex (registrations were from numerous countries: Germany, the Czech Republic, Belgium, Ukraine, France and even Italy), a souvenir shop, toilets, a small hotel and a restaurant (both facilities are currently undergoing renovation, which is to be completed at the turn of 2024/2025).

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Small items found at the Wolf's Lair. Photo by A. Rybczyńska	A film showing the barrack just after the assassination attempt on Hitler. The Wolf's Lair. Photo by A. Rybczyńska
Nazi symbol belt. The Wolf's Lair. Photo by A. Rybczyńska	The exhibition entitled “Age of Terror 1939-1945”. The Wolf's Lair. Photo by A. Rybczyńska