In 1940 the German Army started with a huge bunker complex, Wolfsschanze (Wolf's Lair), in the dark woods, east of Rastenburg (now Ketrzyn). Finally the whole complex measured 2.5 km from West to East and 1.5 km from North to South, which makes for a surface of about 3.5 square km, or in other words a complex of 350 ha.
We have projected the plan of this complex on a 1 : 25 000 map from 1938. The squares on the map are 1 x 1 km. The biggest bunker (see black arrow) was the bunker where Hitler spent most of his time from September 1941 till November 20, 1944.
In one of the smaller buildings Claus Graf Schenk von Stauffenberg tried to assassinate Hitler with a time-triggered bomb on July 20, 1944. Hitler survived and Colonel Von Stauffenberg and accomplices were executed that same day in Berlin.
During the German retreat in January 1945, they attempted to blow up the bunkers, however the concrete was so strong that even today there is still a lot to be seen on the site.
Map extracts from Messtischblatt 1994 and 1995.
© Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie 2006.
In the following table we have entered the latitudes and longitudes (WGS84) of some interesting places (not all on the map).
Google Earth
Unfortunately we are not allowed to reproduce how this area looks like in Google Earth. Despite the low resolution image, we can recommend you to launch the program anyway, as most points on the above map can clearly be distinguished in Google Earth.
Important Remark
Long time after we finished this page we found out that it is much easier to enter the co-ordinates of a point in the "Fly to" box in Google Earth. Enter "54 04 54 N, 21 30 08 E" (without the quotes) for this spot and zoom out far enough to see the whole picture.
Original text
Start Google Earth. In "Layers" do not check "Google Earth Community". Only select "i Google Earth Community (unranked)". In the upper left box "Fly to" type "Ketrzyn Poland" (without the quotes). This is the former Rastenburg. With the wheel on your mouse choose an "Eye Alt" (lower right corner of the screen) of about 12 mi. Right from Ketrzyn you see two lakes and a dark forest. Drag the forest to the center of your screen. You will also see an "i" icon and the word "Wolfsschanze". Click on the icon, then "Click here for the post". In the lower screen half click on "Open this placement". Close the lower screen half window. The biggest bunker with the number "13" was Hitler's bunker.
Where was it?
On the following map we have situated the Wolfsschanze (Wolf's Lair) in relation to Stalag 1A and Stalag 1B. In the upper left corner of the map was situated Stalag 1A ("1A"). In the utmost lower left corner Stalag 1B ("1B"). The "W" on the map indicates were the Wolfsschanze was.
Map extract from Polen, Planen & Touren, Übersichtskarte 1 : 1 000 000.
© Höfer Verlag 2006.
Wolfsschanze today
Even today the Wolfsschanze (Wolf's Lair) is such an important tourist attraction, complete with crowded car parks, souvenir stands, beer stalls and amber merchants, that it is indicated on actual maps of the region.
Map extract from Polen, Südliches Ostpreussen, Mazuren 1 : 200 000.
© Höfer Verlag 2006.
How huge was it?
We have projected the complex on the actual map of the region and it can be seen that it was about half the surface of the actual Ketrzyn, a town with a population of 31 000.
Map extract from Polen, Südliches Ostpreussen, Mazuren 1 : 200 000.
© Höfer Verlag 2006.
