Germans wrestle with what to do with Hitler's destroyed Eagle's Nest retreat

The Eagle’s Nest, a retreat built by the Nazis in the Bavarian Alps in 1938 and frequented by Adolf Hitler, was gutted by a fire on 23 October in a suspected arson attack. Owned by the state of Bavaria and long run as a restaurant and tourist attraction, the site is now at the centre of a debate over how to confront Germany’s Nazi past. Some want it demolished and returned to nature, while others favour rebuilding it, despite concerns it could become a pilgrimage site for neo-Nazis. Historian Isabel Heinemann says Germany has an enduring responsibility to address its Nazi past, but a complete reconstruction would restore highly ideological architecture.