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No one knows the main purpose or the true size of the tunnels, as the complex was never completed. More than nine kilometers were excavated, but only a small portion was reinforced with steel and concrete before the Nazi Germans were defeated by the Soviet Red Army. Some say the tunnels were intended to house the Führer's headquarters, while others believe it would have been an underground weapons factory.
Photo: Przykuta
Photo: Przykuta
The tunnels were constructed starting in 1943 to counter the Allied increased bombing of Nazi Germany. A German source indicated they intended to transform the site into a vast underground bunker spanning over 35 square kilometers, with Führer Adolf Hitler's residence located at its center. Furthermore, it was also planned to serve as a refuge for key members of the military and a safe haven for certain industrial facilities.
Photo: Planet Pawska
The Owl Mountains were chosen because their rugged and harsh terrain would provide additional protection against Allied air raids. However, this also slowed down the tunnel construction. Thousands of forced laborers from camps across the Soviet Union and Poland were brought in to build the tunnels. They worked in horrific conditions, many exhausted from fatigue and hunger. The death rate was high due to disease, malnutrition, and the dangerous working conditions. Approximately 5,000 enslaved laborers died there.
Photo: French Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Photo: French Ministry of Foreign Affairs
To date, seven shelter and cave systems make up Project Riese in the Owl Mountains. They all share a similar design, mirroring the layout of the other headquarters. And the word Riese in German means "giant".
Ngoc Anh (According to AmusingPlanet)
