Hitlers flat: Prinzregentenplatz 16

[Antikoerper]

Hello everyone!
I searched the forums for more information on Hitlers flat at Prinzregentenplatz 16 in Munich, but I only found some rather short information on it and so I decided to start a seperate thread, because I´m very curious about it.

I spent my summer holidays in Berchtesgaden and Munich and also went to Prinzregentplatz (photos see below) and the first thing that I mentioned was the ugly blue sign of a police department, which is now situated there. Maybe anyone knows since when they´re in there? Unfortunately, I have to say, that we german people are sometimes a little bit very complicated, belonging our history...This huge rooms would have given a perfect museum or something like that, but still another building belonging to the Reich is lost and nobody who don´t knows its history will ever learn...Well, thats just something to think over and not my particular question!

To my shame I have to admit that I nearly don´t know anything detailed to the flat. Things like, when he moved in there, who lived with him (Ok, there´s a lot more knowledge, but could we make a list? ), how did he lived there and such things like furniture, what rooms and so on and so on. I know, there´s always someone who knows something, that the others don´t know What I can remember is, that he rented the second floor, two flats with 9 rooms each(?).

My personal wish would be to take a look in there, but I don´t think, that the policemen would let me take a look over their shoulders, who know´s what they´re doing in there...Has anyone ever been INSIDE the flat? And another question that´s bothering me for so long: what happened after his death? What happened to all his clothes, his furniture and how was it used?

You see, a lot of questions! I really hope we could start a little discussion here, bring together the things we know and maybe reveal new ones?





So long,
Antikoerper

[Geoff Walden]

Hallo Antikoerper,

Welcome to the forum!

This is a very good subject for a thread. You can find a little more information and some period photos at
http://thirdreichruins.com/munich.htm (near the bottom of the page).

I have not been inside the building myself - the police turned down my request to visit. But I believe at least one person on this forum HAS been inside the building. Also, the apartment has been shown on German TV (on Spiegel-TV, if I remember right). The Polizei allowed a camera crew to film what the apartment looks like today. The room in which Geli Raubal (Hitler's niece) committed suicide is now used for record storage.

Near the end of April 1945, Hitler's adjutant Julius Schaub was sent out of Berlin, on a mission to Munich and the Obersalzberg, to destroy Hitler's personal papers and other records in those locations. That's probably what happened to most of Hitler's personal records and possessions that were in the Prinzregentenplatz apartment. After the US Army took over in 1945, most of the remaining original furnishings probably disappeared that way. I have seen a couple items that came from the apartment, for sale in internet auctions in the past few years.

The housekeeper at the Prinzregentenplatz apartment was Frau Anni Winter. After the war, when they were both interned by the US Army. Frau Winter gave a lot of information to Frau Christa Schroeder, who was one of Hitler's personal secretaries. Frau Schroeder relates this information in her memoirs Er war mein Chef. There is also some general information about the apartment in Heinrich Hoffmann's book Hitler Was My Friend (1955).

Gruß,

Geoff Walden

[Halfdan S.]

I've posted a few photos more on this thread: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 7&start=15

Best
Halfdan S.

[palaisfan]

I had just read Christa Schroeder's and Heinz Linge's memoirs which were recently published in english. I can't remember which one, but one of them said that Hitler had nine rooms of that floor at Prinzregentenplatz. Has anyone ever seen a plan of that section? Its hard to visualize, but looks almost like it continues around a bend, a corner, in the complex? Did Hitler have the proverbial corner office --- it doesn't look that way in the few pictures. I would have thought that since part of the Munich Conference in 1938 took place there, there might at least be a more detailed description of the room arrangements.

- palaisfan

[Antikoerper]

As far as I know, those nine rooms where once two flats, and they were used together, but I think the theory, that they formed a whole floor is more reasonable. I can´t imagine that AH would be pleased to walk trough the staircase when going to the toilet
When thinking about the rooms, we could assume that there had to be an office, his bedroom, his private bathroom, a dining room, Gelis room, a kind of living room, a kitchen and maybe a bathroom for guests,..then there would be only one room missing.
I read in one thread, that one user actually was insided the flat, but to be honest, I can´t remember who was it, but it shouldn´t be a problem, to take a look at this thread again. If you should read this thread, please make a noise.
Can´t remember which Spiegel TV series it was on, but I actually saw it. But you really can´t imagine how the rooms where used, the camera work generally shows you the floor and the furniture of the police.

Regarding the persons who lived with him: there were Frau Maria Reichart(could also be Reichert, I´m not sure about), her mother and the Winter couple (Anni and her husband - I forgot his name...), of course Geli, she had a personal room on his floor while the others had rooms in the floor below.

So long,
Antikoerper

[Geoff Walden]

One of the members of this forum has (or had) a set of the floor layout blueprints, from the collection of Gerdy Troost. Perhaps he will read this thread and post same.

Geoff Walden

[Antikoerper]

After reading on, I´ve found out two or three facts, regarding the flat. Nothing special, but at least something to add

- Hitler moved in there in October 1929
- first he only was a lessee, then he became owner of the whole building
- financial supporters of the party payed the rent in the beginning (don´t know, if this true, maybe evidence?)
- the rooms of Geli and AH lay close together, maybe even adverse
- they used one bathroom together

[Geli]

I have not been inside the building myself...
But I believe at least one person on this forum HAS been inside the building.

I guess that would be me. I was given a tour of the building in August 2005. I saw the whole place, from the bunker up to the top floor. As you can guess from my screen name, I was always very interested in Geli's story, so I was very happy to be able to see the apartment.

[Geli]

I have a copy of the floorplan. But I'm writing late at night and don't want to stay up long enough to describe the layout. I remember that the bathroom was right between Hitler and Geli's bedrooms.

[Antikoerper]

I saw the whole place, from the bunker up to the top floor. As you can guess from my screen name, I was always very interested in Geli's story, so I was very happy to be able to see the apartment.

Yeah, I can imagine, that this was great. Since I´m interested in AH and his life, the "Geli - myth" was the one which fascinated and interested me most. It´s a shame, that there´s only one german book dealing at least a little bit with it, the rest of my literature I had to order from abroad...Well, enough off-topic.

@Geli :
I don´t want to pressure you with me nearly insatiable curiosity, but I´d found it great, if you could post a little account of what you´ve seen there or how the layout is.

[Geli]

Which book did you read in German? I may know of another title or two to add to the list. Some of what I read about Geli was translated into English.
I'll try to post a bit more. I haven't had much time to spend online lately.

[Antikoerper]

That´s great, thank you.
I haven´t read it yet, but it´s waiting in my shelf until I´ve finished the diary of Traudl Junge: it´s called "Des Führers bester Freund" in german and was written by Anna Maria Sigmund. The subtitle says something of a love triangle, so I thought it could be more about Geli inside. Then I´ve read "Hitlers Frauen", but there´s only a very short chapter about her and brings nothing new. Maybe I´ve been not good enough in searching, but it really seems, that there´s more english literature about her.

[Geli]

Yes, I have those. I'm afraid I don't have any titles to add. But maybe you can find Henny Hoffman (Henrietta Von Shirach's) autobiography. I know she wrote in German, and I've often seen her books quoted, but I never found an English version of them. She knew Geli, though I'm pretty sure she was a few years younger. I believe Henny & Baldur named their daughter after Geli.

[Annelie]

One must wonder how you managed to get yourself invited into 16 Prinzregentenplatz?
They don't allow just anyone to look around.

[Geli]

One must wonder how you managed to get yourself invited into 16 Prinzregentenplatz?
They don't allow just anyone to look around.

I had a friend in Germany with a close relative who had worked for the police. I wrote a letter and my friend got it to the right people for me. I know they turn a lot of these requests down, so I was pretty lucky. They do let people in, but you have to go through proper channels.

Before anyone asks...Sorry, I do not know whom he gave my letter to, nor do I have the name of the Public Relations person who gave me the tour.