Deep in the Masurian woods about 8 km from the small East Prussian town of Rastenburg, lies the ruins of Adolf Hitler’s most secretive bunker, one that he called Wolfsschanze or the Wolf’s Lair. This top secret, high-security bunker, whose name is derived from the self-adopted nickname of Hitler, was hidden deep in the forest far from any serviceable roads and urban areas. It was Hitler’s key military headquarters during the war, in which he spent more than 800 days planning the German army’s move eastwards.

Special care was taken in its construction and security. Buildings within the complex were camouflaged with bushes and artificial trees, and heavily guarded by multiple barriers of anti-aircraft guns, tanks, and land mines. Some of the walls of the bunkers were 2 meters thick. So paranoid was Hitler that he employed some fifteen or so women whose job was to eat Hitler's food before he ate it to make sure it wasn’t poisoned.

Photo credit: tomasz przechlewski/Flickr