HITLER'S FORGOTTEN CASTLE - Finishing School for Nazis to Become Museum

DER SPIEGEL ^ | July 24, 2007 | David Crossland

[Atlantic Bridge]

A forgotten monument to Hitler's ideology has emerged from a 70-year time warp -- a castle built in the 1930s to train a new Nazi elite. Vacated by the Belgian army last year, it sheds light on the systematic brainwashing that churned out a generation of fanatics. Now it's being spruced up to teach visitors about the perils of indoctrination.

Deep in the Eifel region of western Germany, a stone-clad reminder of Hitler's racist ideology towers above the surrounding wooded hills -- the remains of a training college for aspiring Nazi leaders that was built in the style of a medieval castle.

"NS-Ordensburg Vogelsang" (Vogelsang National Socialist Castle) is a dour arrangement of barracks, community halls and sports arenas hugging a steep slope down to a scenic reservoir. It was built between 1934 and 1936 to give selected Nazi party members aged between 25 and 30 a solid grounding in the superiority of the German race and its need for "Lebensraum" in the east.

Overlooking the Eifel hills near Germany's border with Belgium, Vogelsang college was built to resemble a medieval castle with a high tower that contained a narrow "Cult Chamber" where the students worshipped fallen heroes of the Nazi party.

[Atlantic Bridge]

I think it is a good idea to keep it as a museum. Other places of the nazis have been demolished (i.e. the Obersalzberg - parts of it even in the late 90ties). Original sites are for sure better than artificial places of rememberance. While i.e. some of the former conentration camps in Germany fall into ruins the gouvernment erects unproportional and ugly monuments in Berlin. Such only helps the neo-nazis since the kids that have to be educated realize that it is indeed something artificial they are confronted with. Not very convincing.

[americanophile]

It definately should be kept a museum. BTW, the Belgian Army...I honestly didn’t know there were Belgian troops stationed within Germany in 2007 - the long legacy of WWII.

[DuncanWaring]

Quagmire!

[Liberty Valance]

Finishing School for Nazis ...

ROFLMAO!!!

[fieldmarshaldj]

Oh, great, now I’m gonna have that song in my head for the rest of the night.

[null and void]

Durmstrang?

[fieldmarshaldj]

All they have to do is turn it over to the Mohammadans, and Hitler’s intended purpose for the school will continue.

[Liberty Valance]

LOL - sorry about that. I couldn’t help it ... ;o)

[fieldmarshaldj]

I wonder if they taught them how to shoot za JOOOOOOOOS with one hand and how to drink tea laced with Schnappes with their pinkies pointed up with the other hand at the same time. It was finishing school, after all.

[starbase]

Old Hitler, the gift that keeps on giving! //sarc

[suffering_fools]

The Producers?

[suffering_fools]

Springtime?

[Liberty Valance]

Yes!

[suffering_fools]

The Zero movie version was the only one I ever saw.

A cardboard belt!

[iowamark]

What an eerie place.

[tutstar]

this looks like one of the Medal of Honor maps*

[JCG]

All they have to do is turn it over to the Mohammadans, and Hitler’s intended purpose for the school will continue.

Der Reichsmosque?

[bannie]

We lived in the officers’ quarters at Schwaebisch Hall (Dolan Barracks). It was strange to know the history of the place...but we love snickering at Hitler over it. His swastikas were chipped out of the walls around the base, and the gaping holes were left.

[wolfinator]

My grandpa was a GI in WWII and I’ve seen photos of him standing in front of that place at the end of the war.

[dfwgator]