Führerhauptquartier "Wolfsschanze"
("Sperrkreis I")

Location:

The "Sperrkreis" of the Führerhauptquartier (FHQu or Headquarter of Hitler) Wolfsschanze was he most inner part of the complex were Hitler and his staff had there quarters. The FHQu Wolfsschanze was near a small place called Görlitz (Gierloz in Polish) in Ostpreussen. It was near a larger town called Rastenburg (Ketrzyn in Polish).

History:

The Germans started building the new FHQu in the summer of 1940. It consisted of two parts, "Sperrkreis I" and "Sperrkreis II". Sperrkreis II was the complete complex with a surface of 2,5 square kilometers. The most innerpart was called "Sperrkreis I". This was the part were Hitler and his staff had there quarters. These quarters consisted mostly of large concrete constructions.

In the area around the "Wolfsschanze" there were a number of headquarters:

• `Robinson', Headquarters of the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (OKL). Near Goldap in the Rominentenforrest, 65km NO of the Wolfsschanze.
• `Mauerwald', Headquarters of the Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH). Near Angerburg en Lötzen, 20kn NNO of theWolfsschanze.
• `Hochwald', Headquarters of the SS. Near the railroad between grossgarten and Schwenten, 25km NO of theWolfsschanze.

		Most important buildings: a, Briefing hut b, Guest bunker c, Reichs Press Chef d, Garages e, Reichs Sicherheits Dienst + SS Begleitkommando f, Reichs Sicherheits Dienst g, SS Begleitkommando h, Typists i, Reichs Sicherheits Dienst j, Liaisons officers k, Cinema l, Drivers o, General shelter r, Flak bunker s, Water reservoir t, House Hermann Göring u, Bunker Hermann Göring 8, Führer adjutants 11, Führer bunker 12, Bormann bunker 16, Communication bunker
A Map of "Sperrkreis I" of the FHQu Wolfsschanze. Of the Red buildings are pictures given below. Just click on the red building to see the pictures. The green building marks the one were Stauffenberg attempted to assassin Hitler.

The FHQu was mainly used between June 1942 and November 1944. On July 20th, 1944, Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg attempted to assassin Hitler. He put a bomb near Hitler in the Lagebesprechungsraum (The green building on the map, marked with "a"). The bomb didn't kill Hitler, but made the regime react even more heavier to opponents.

On the 20th of November 1944 the FHQu was blown up under codename "Unternehmen Inselsprung" by the German Wehrmacht..

Current status:

Most of the buildings still exist (but blown up) in the Sperrkreis I of the FHQu Wolfsschanze. The Wolfsschanze today is a major tourist attraction in that area. When we visited the place in July 1992, the description of the bunkers and places was very poor. Maybe this has changed know.

If you visit the place, take a copy of the "After the Battle" magazine number 19 with you! It has a very good maps that guide you through the area. Also be aware of mosquito's. Germans during W.W.II already complained about mosquito's in the Wolfsschanze.

		Bunker of Hermann Göring ("U" on the map)
		Bunker of Adolf Hitler, Führer bunker ("11" on the map)
		Water reservoir for firefighting ("S" on the map)
		Flak bunker ("r" on the map)
		General shelter ("o" on the map)
		Typists housing ("h" on the map). On the foreground a shelter or supply store.
		Guest bunker ("b" on the map)
		Communication bunker ("16" on the map)
All picture were taken in July 1992.

References:

• Toen en Nu 19, page 28-47.
• Wolfsschanze in Gierloz
• Stauffenberg und das Attentat vom 20. Juli 1944 (German)