Secret Hideouts of Famous Dictators and Villains

Adolf Hitler

Wolf’s Lair (Wolfsschanze)

Who Was He: Remembered less as the decorated veteran of World War1 and more as the dictator of Nazi Germany, Hitler eliminated all powers to rule as sole leader of Germany and became infamously famous for fanatical nationalism and deep hatred of the Jews. The concentration and extermination camps termed as ‘Factories for murdering Jews’ wiped away a large part of the Jewish community.

His Hideout:The Wolf’s Lair, was Hitler's main headquarters between 1941 and 1944. Hitler’s henchmen built this huge bombproof bunker which could hold up to 2,000 members of staff and security personal.

This bunker had multiple quarters including a casino and cinema located in the central part of the compound. It is said that this bunker was so sophisticatedly built that it had its own electric power generator, railway station and an air strip. Although retreating German forces blew up and destroyed most of the bunkers in November 1944, their shattered shells and remains in Poland became tourist attraction, drawing up to 200,000 visitors a year.

How he was killed:Hitler attempted "Pistol-and-Poison Method" of combining a dose of cyanide with a gunshot to the head and killed himself on April 30, 1945 just days before Germany accepted defeat and surrendered unconditionally.Hitler killed his dogs before he committed suicide with his mistress Eva Braun to avoid capture by the Red Army, and their corpses were later burnt.