Geoff Walden
The
Third Reich in Ruins  ...  This
page presents photos of historical sites associated with Germany’s Third Reich
(1933-1945), both as they appeared while in use, and as the remains appear today. These
photos give a "then and now" perspective, in many cases, a virtual tour of the
sites. I was originally inspired to write this page by a collection of photos taken by my father,
U.S. Army Air Forces Lt. Delbert R. Walden, when he was stationed in Germany in 1945-46.
The Zeppelintrib黱e grandstand at
the Nazi Party Rally Grounds in N黵nberg, then and now. The U.S. Army blew up the large swastika on the top in 1945, and the columns
on either side were removed in the 1960s. (See the N黵nberg
Page for more photos.)  (period view from a 1938 postcard in
author's
collection)
What's New?    
The following sites are currently featured. Others will
likely be added later.  Click here to see UPDATES added since
20 July
2000 (latest update 21 October 2012).
Page Contents
Click here
to visit a detailed table of contents page, set up to allow
searching the entire site by keyword.
Note: Use the MapQuest or
Google Maps location links on the pages for zoomable maps of these locations. To view these sites in
Google Earth? go to the MapQuest or Google Maps map then enter the coordinates found there
in the Google Earth "Fly To" block.
Berchtesgaden and the Obersalzberg --
In the
1920s Adolf Hitler established a mountain retreat for himself on the Obersalzberg, above
Berchtesgaden, in the southeast corner of Bavaria. Later, the Nazi hierarchy turned the
Obersalzberg into a huge complex, with rustic (and not so rustic) homes for themselves,
military barracks, tunnel and bunker complexes, and even the famed Kehlsteinhaus, or
"Eagles Nest."
Berlin --
The
former Third Reich capital features many examples of Nazi architecture and
historical significance. Part 2 shows the area of the site of
Adolf Hitler's death and burial at
his F黨rerbunker, sites where his body was autopsied and later buried by the Russians,
the site of Martin Bormann's death and burial,
and Horst Wessel's grave. Includes subpages on the 1936  Olympic Games in
Berlin and the Olympic Village 
site, Tempelhof airport, Lichterfelde
SS Barracks, proving grounds and rocket test site at Kummersdorf,
and the Army Command bunkers at Zossen/W黱sdorf.
Munich -- Birthplace of the Nazi Party - features a subpage on the Nazi art
exhibits at the Haus der Deutschen Kunst.
N黵nberg -- Hitler turned the city into a sort of Nazi pilgrimage site, for the
annual Nazi Party Day rallies in the 1930s.
Schweinfurt -- This industrial city
and ball bearing manufacturing center was a key target for the U.S. 8th Air Force and
was heavily bombed during the final 18 months of the war; also features the Luftwaffe Munitions Depot at  Rottershausen.
W黵zburg  -- This Baroque city had many beautiful rococo buildings,
sites for Nazi rallies and severely bombed in 1945.
Weimar and
Dresden  --  These