When planning my WWII-centered road trip around Poland, I knew I wanted to visit Hitler’s Wolf’s Lair, even if it was far out of the way. I’ve always been fascinated by Operation Valkyrie and thought it would be an interesting place to visit. As it turns out, “interesting” is an understatement.
Visiting Hitler’s Wolf’s Lair ended up being one of the biggest highlights of my entire time in Poland, but also one of the creepiest and most puzzling. My friend and I still talk about our visit here all the time. Read on for everything you might like to know about Hitler’s Wolf’s Lair before you go.
What exactly was Hitler’s Wolf’s Lair?
What we know as the “Wolf’s Lair” was a large complex of bunkers in the Polish woods that served as Hitler’s military headquarters from 1941-1944. At its peak, more than 2,000 people lived and worked here, including Hitler himself.
He actually spent more time here during the war than he did anywhere else. He first arrived in June of 1941, just after the start of Operation Barbarossa–Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union. And he left for the last time on November 20, 1944 as the Red Army closed in on the area.
The Wolf’s Lair contained living and guest quarters for people like Hermann Göring, Heinrich Himmler, Joseph Goebbels, Martin Bormann, Fritz Todt, Albert Speer, Wilhelm Keitel, and Hitler himself obviously. In other words, all the most senior Nazi officials.
It also contained air raid shelters, administrative offices, meeting barracks, communications centers, a tea house and cinema, war command centers, garages, and much more.
The Wolf’s Lair is also commonly referred to by its German name: Wolfsschanze. Or in Polish: Wilczy Szaniec.
July 20, 1944 assassination plot
But you may know the Wolf’s Lair as the site of the July 20th, 1944 assassination attempt on Hitler–definitely the most well-known event to happen here. This was also known as Operation Valkyrie, even though it was just one part of the overall plan to overthrow the government.
On (you guessed it) July 20th, 1944, a group of Hitler’s own Wehrmacht officers, led by Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, planted a bomb inside the conference room where Hitler was meeting with military officials.
The bomb exploded as planned, but the heavy conference table the men were standing over shielded them from the full brunt of the blast. Several people in the room were injured and one person did die, but Hitler suffered only minor wounds.
Long story short, Stauffenberg and his co-conspirators were quickly hunted down and executed that same night in Berlin.
The story of Operation Valkyrie is much more involved (and interesting) than my brief summary, so if you want to learn more, check out the suggested reading (and viewing) section at the bottom of this post.
After Valkyrie
Hitler remained at the Wolf’s Lair after the assassination attempt, undeterred and actually emboldened by his survival. However, as the Soviet army inched closer and closer to the nearby border, Hitler fled and ordered the entire complex to be destroyed.
A couple months later (January 1945), Hitler’s minions used several tons of explosives to blow up the bunkers at the Wolf’s Lair. But given that the purpose of the complex was to be bomb-proof essentially, most of the structures were only slightly damaged, which is why we’re able to see so much today.
The Red Army captured the site a few days later and began clearing the area of land mines, a process that took more than a decade. All said done, the teams involved cleared the area of more than 54,000 mines. Afterwards, Poland’s new Communist government left the site to rot. It wasn’t until the fall of Communism (1989) that the area was then turned into a tourist attraction. And yes, “tourist attraction” is the right term to use here; you’ll see.
What is the Wolf’s Lair now?
Today, the Wolf’s Lair is very much the same as it was in 1945 – a massive complex of mostly destroyed concrete bunkers in the woods. There’s a proper walking path through the site and a few different routes you can take.
You can visit all the structures close up and even go inside some. A couple of them have museum exhibits inside, including a multimedia recreation of the assassination attempt. Most structures though include warning signs not to go in, though not everyone heeds these warnings.
But what’s weird is that the site is also very “tourist attraction”-like. There’s a hotel and restaurant inside one of the former bunkers, a family-friendly campsite, a snack bar and beer garden, a truly disturbing gift shop, and even the opportunity to stage photo sessions here and ride around on an armored vehicle. I told you this place was interesting.
Where is Hitler’s Wolf’s Lair?
Hitler’s Wolf’s Lair (or the Wolfsschanze) is located deep in the Masurian woods near the town of Kętrzyn, in the far northeastern corner Poland. The Nazis chose this location due to its relative secrecy, its proximity to the border with the Soviet Union, and because the density of the Great Masurian lakes that surround it made for a natural obstacle to invasion.
As borders go today, the Wolf’s Lair is still just 25 miles from the border with Russia. Specifically, the Kaliningrad Oblast–that weird detached chunk of Russia that lies between Poland and Lithuania. It’s about a 3-hour drive east of Gdańsk, 3 hours northwest of Białystok, and 3.5 hours north of Warsaw.
How to get to the Wolf’s Lair
The easiest way to get to the Wolf’s Lair is to drive here yourself. If you haven’t rented a car yet, I recommend rentalcars.com (which I used to rent mine). It’s going to be a long drive from wherever you start and finish your day, but it’ll be worth it. The day I visited, I started my day in Warsaw and ended in Gdansk, also visiting the Treblinka extermination camp along the way.
If you follow in my footsteps (or tire tracks?), the drive is going to be long and mostly rural. Be sure to have plenty of gas in your car at all times, lots of snacks, and plenty of entertainment. Once here, the Wolf’s Lair has its own parking lot which costs 15PLN (about $4US) for regular passenger cars.
For more on what this drive is like, check out my post on driving in Poland.
Tours to the Wolf’s Lair
If you don’t feel comfortable driving here yourself, you can always join one of the many organized group tours that visit the Wolf’s Lair. Here are some popular options:
There are many more options and combinations available though. You can see all available Wolf’s Lair tours here on Viator and here on Get Your Guide.
Why visit Hitler’s Wolf’s Lair
At its most basic, this is an interesting historical site where you can see tons of Third Reich ruins and learn a bit about the Nazis’ operation here. Even though most of it is indeed ruins, there’s still a lot to see. Plus, what you can see is HUGE. I mean, I’ve seen plenty of WWII bunkers in my life but nothing on the scale of what you’ll see here. I was shocked at the size of these structures.
This is also a chance to visit one of the most consequential sites from the war, where Hitler spent a huge chunk of his time during the most critical years of the war. Add in the fact that it’s pretty remote and it feels like even more of an accomplishment. If you, too, are interested in Operation Valkyrie like I am, this place is a must.
Is the Wolf’s Lair worth visiting?
Given that it’s quite hard to get to, many people ask if visiting the Wolf’s Lair is even worth it. And personally, I would say hell yeah. I initially wanted to visit this place simply because of what it was. But what I saw and experienced here totally shocked me. I’m so glad I decided to go out of my way to visit.
What you can see at Hitler’s Wolf’s Lair
Here’s a little more about everything you can see here…
Lots of ruins
The photos you’ve already seen in this post reveal most of what you can see at the Wolf’s Lair: ruins. Lots of ruins. You have to really like ruins to come here. (And I do.) Most of the complex is indeed just ruined building after ruined building. For most people, I’d imagine that would get quite boring. For WWII nerds, it’s fascinating.
Some of the structures have informative signs next to them describing what purpose they served during the war; some don’t. The info is presented in English, Polish, German, and Russian. There’s also a map you can pick up and an audio guide you can follow through the site. Some structures have enlarged photos of what the building looked like before.
Some small museums
A few of the fully intact buildings now have small museums inside. One smaller one is filled with war-era weapons and other items excavated from the site. It also shows a video in here with both English and German subtitles.
Another has a much larger museum-style exhibit that covers more of the entire Third Reich’s history and crimes. And a third contains more informational displays and a recreation of the conference room where the attempted assassination took place, complete with eerily lifelike mannequins of both Stauffenberg and Hitler.
In Stuttgart, Germany you can visit the Stauffenberg Museum which covers more of his life and legacy.
The rest
In addition to those major aspects of it and really the only reason I think you should visit, there are a few more things I’ll go ahead and make you aware of. At Hitler’s Wolf’s Lair, there’s also:
- A hotel in one of the former bunkers that also has a restaurant
- A campsite for both campers/RVs or tent camping
- The chance to ride around in the “Sztabowoz”–a historical armored vehicle
- A gift shop
- Snack bar and beer garden
Note that most of these are recent developments. Previously, there weren’t any informative panels at the site and visiting without a guide was utterly pointless. Beginning in 2019, the site worked to add more displays, historical context, and generally revamp the entire site with the intended purpose of turning it into a tourist attraction.
The truth about visiting Hitler’s Wolf’s Lair
So now that I’ve told you what all there is to see here at the Wolf’s Lair, lemme tell you a little bit about what it’s like here.
Neo-Nazi Disneyland
While most WWII sites I’ve visited (which is a lot) work to either downplay their connection to the Third Reich or keep the atmosphere solemn, the Wolf’s Lair fully embraces it. This place steers dangerously close to theme park territory where the theme is “Woohoo Hitler!”
Don’t get me wrong–the information presented in the museums and on the panels are all pretty austere and do address the gravity of the Third Reich’s crimes. But the overall vibe is just… off.
From the gift shop, to the many visitors I saw posing for goofy pictures, to the images of people riding around the place on the armored vehicle like a hayride or a choo-choo train through an amusement park, and even more of people cosplaying as Nazis in the woods – it’s weird here. There’s also a shooting range in one of the bunkers if you want to try your hand at shooting some bottles. (At least there was prior to the renovations; I’m not sure if it’s still open.)
The park’s announcement that it intended to revamp the site into a tourist attraction understandably drew controversy. Critics feared the site would become a ‘neo-Nazi Disneyland’ of sorts. Even though those in charge promised to make every effort to maintain the historical integrity of the site, it still feels theme-park-esque, complete with neo-Nazis and all. (Some of whom I saw exiting the woods with a shovel. Make of that what you will.)
They can say all they want about trying to maintain the historical significance of the site, but it all feels enthusiastically commercial. I read through some of the reviews of this place and found several that echoed the same feelings.
The gift shop
My friend and I popped into the gift shop right after parking since it’s pretty much the first stop when you arrive, and located next to the restrooms. This definitely set the tone for the rest of our visit. You’ll understand what I mean by “enthusiastically commercial” when you visit the gift shop.
You’ll find tons of items that bear the Wolfsschanze name and an image of a ruined bunker. This motif shows up on bath towels, children’s toys and stuffed animals, umbrellas, coffee mugs, t-shirts, and all kinds of home décor. And you can even press your own coin as a keepsake of your visit.
Do I even need to explain how inappropriate and problematic this stuff is? Although I do feel the need to ask why anyone would want to fill their home with décor that depicts Hitler’s war bunker, where he orchestrated the murder of millions. Those might as well be swastika coffee mugs with how eagerly this imagery is being promoted. Not only that, most of these items feature the Polish name.
German-dominant
Upon arriving to the site, the first person we came into contact with was the parking attendant. I rolled down my window and he immediately began speaking to me in German. I was completely taken aback because…I was in Poland. And I’d heard nothing but Polish up to that point.
From then on, I noticed the site was very German-dominant, in language and in visitors. It’s obviously not lost on me that this place might not be the first choice of attraction for Poles, who were disproportionately targeted and murdered by the Nazi regime. But still, for everyone who worked there to mechanically assume I was also German tells me some things.
Given how remote this site is, and how it’s almost as far away from Germany as you can get in Poland, I still assumed the vast majority of visitors would be Polish. The fact that this appears to be a predominantly German getaway spot is curious indeed. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t also a little unnerving.
The mosquitos
Another thing you should mentally and physically prepare for before your visit are the mosquitos. This area of Poland (the Masurian Lakes district) is densely forested and incredibly… moist. As such, the area is absolutely filled with mosquitos. Like, the most mosquitos you’ve ever encountered. After a while, it becomes unbearable.
And it’s always been that way. Read through some historical documents about Hitler’s Wolf’s Lair and you’ll surely see mention of the mosquitos.
The bats
I noticed the bat houses on the trees before I noticed the signage that talks about the bats that live here. (Because of course this creepy place is full of bats.) But I love bats! And it makes sense, all these abandoned structures are perfect for bats.
The only problem is that these are Barbastella Barbastellus bats. And the problem with Barbastelle bats is that they almost exclusively eat one thing–tympanate moths. Not mosquitos; moths.
The bats are only active at night, so unless you decide to camp here overnight, you don’t need to worry about them. I even specifically looked for them while I was here but never saw any. (They’re about the size of a house mouse.)
The secrets
Despite how long ago this place was used by the Nazi regime, and how much excavation and mine work was done, I imagine there are still so many secrets hidden here. (Maybe that’s what the shovel was for?)
Case in point: In February 2024 (just a few months before I visited), archaeologists discovered four human skeletons here, all missing their hands and feet. The bodies had been buried underneath what was once the Wolf’s Lair residence of Hermann Göring.
Due to “lack of evidence that any crime had occurred,” Polish authorities closed the investigation, without determining a cause of death or even so much as a general timeframe as to when they died. So, that’s weird, right? Bodies intentionally buried under a man’s house, all their hands and feet removed, does that only sound suspicious to me?
Tips for visiting Hitler’s Wolf’s Lair
When you’re ready to visit Hitler’s Wolf’s Lair, here are a few things to keep in mind:
1. Prepare for mosquitos
My #1 tip here is to prepare for all the mosquitos. Admittedly, they weren’t such a problem when I first arrived, but the later it got, the worse they got. I left shortly before sunset and by dusk they’d become unbearable.
Definitely wear some insect repellent and long sleeves and pants if you can. Also, I wish I’d brought my mosquito net hat that I took with me to the Peruvian Amazon a few months prior, but I didn’t. That would’ve been really helpful, even if I would’ve looked ridiculous.
2. Wear good outdoor shoes
There’s a new, very nice paved walkway throughout the place, but you won’t be on that the entire time. You’ll still have to walk on dirt and mud, grass, gravel, uneven concrete, over tree roots and rocks, etc. This is no place for flip-flops or nice shoes.
I personally wore my Sorel duck boots but any kind of sturdy outdoor shoe would be perfect. And if I’m not wearing these, I’m usually wearing my Merrell hiking shoes.
3. Do you need the audio guide?
Prior to their recent upgrades, getting the audio guide was necessary to learn anything about this place. Now, they have more signage and information around. My friend and I skipped the audio guide and still felt we were able to figure out what was what without it. Do some research on the Wolf’s Lair before your visit and you’ll already know a lot.
The bigger signs outside the buildings had information in four languages, English among them. The same goes for the displays inside the recreated conference room. The big museum exhibit (“Age of Terror”) had info in only Polish and English. The small museum of excavations had only Polish.
The Wolf’s Lair audio guide takes about 2 hours to complete and comes in 5 languages: Polish, English, German, Ukrainian, and Lithuanian. It costs 10PLN to rent (about $2.60US). It’s really up to you. It’s cheap enough that you could pick up an audio guide and, if you don’t like it, just don’t use it.
4. Give yourself enough time
The Wolf’s Lair is not a place you can really rush through. The site is massive and there’s tons to see. Give yourself at least two hours here, though you could probably spend longer.
5. Be careful; don’t be stupid
There are warning signs everywhere here. Most people heed the warnings, but not everyone does. Don’t be stupid. Just because these structures aren’t locked or physically blocked off doesn’t mean they’re safe at all. They all look like they could collapse at any minute. Not to mention all the other ways you could be injured, impaled, or crushed. Don’t go where the signs say not to.
However, there are some structures you are allowed to enter. You’ll know which ones they are, but still be careful doing so. Even if there isn’t a sign, I’d probably steer clear. Use your best judgement. Don’t be stupid.
Suggested reading & viewing
To prepare for your visit, here are a few related books and movies to consume beforehand (or even afterwards):
For more great books to read and movies to watch before visiting Poland, see my full list in that link.
More info for your visit to Poland
- Hotels: Find great places to stay on Booking.com (my go-to). Expedia and Hotels.com are worth checking too. VRBO is best for apartment rentals.
- Rental cars: Check out the best rental car deals here.
- For more local tours, check out all the options from Viator and Get Your Guide.
- Don’t forget a Poland guidebook and this must-have Poland customs and culture guide!
- Want more? See all my Poland posts here.
Like this post? Have questions about visiting Hitler’s Wolf’s Lair? Let me know in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
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