After its capture in early May 1945, the Eagle’s Nest was quickly plundered by French and US troops, eager to grab a prized souvenir of Hitler’s infamous teahouse. By May 8, just the furniture and fittings remained. Testament to that is this large chunk of the carpet or rug used in the main dining room – removed by a Captain in the 63rd Infantry Division. The exact pattern of the rug is visible in period photos, even down to the tassels. Accompanying the carpet piece is a signed letter by the veteran, along with a photo of him holding this exact piece. “We located the Eagle’s Nest which was Adolph (sic) Hitler’s retreat. The upper level of this structure had an elevator that was not functioning due to intensive bombing. My men and I made a precarious climb to the upper level to look around. The structure was in bad shape; partially burned and had been heavily looted before we got there. There wasn’t much worth taking except for the beautiful carpet in Hitler’s sitting room. I cut this piece of carpet using my trench knife as I figured it would make a nice souvenir of Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest” Interesting how he describes the Eagle’s Nest as being partially burned, as this was not the case. In fact, aside from looting, the building remained perfectly intact. While the carpet piece was certainly removed from the Eagle’s Nest, I suspect the veteran also visited the smouldering Berghof and, over the years, the memories faded into one.
