Brunhilde
In early 1944, the Germans began planning a third Führer headquarters (FHQ) on French occupied land. The previous two were Wolfsschlucht II and III, and this third was planned just about ten kilometres northwest of Thionville in eastern France. It probably arose as a result that the Germans could not rule out an allied invasion at Pas-De-Calais in northeastern France. The headquarters was named Brunhilde, but the name Zigeuner also appears. On the site there were already tunnels and air defense systems that had previously been part of the French Maginot line. The only thing the Germans needed to do was to restore and adapt existing tunnels and supplement with wooden barracks and two bunkers, one of them the Führerbunker. This design actually followed the same structure as other FHQs built around German-controlled Europe. The relative proximity to Metz, about fourty kilometres south, also contributed because there were airfields and a railway tunnel well suited as shelter for Hitler’s special train.
In connection with the Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, the construction of Brunhilde was accelerated. Telecommunications were drawn and barracks for OKH (the military command) and Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler were accelerated and the plan was that Brunhilde would be completed by the end of August. But Hitler never used Brunhilde. The only FHQ on French soil he visited was Wolfsschlucht II outside Margival, which he visited on June 17 to discuss the military situation with the field marshals Rommel and Rundstedt. The military development and the total air supremacy of the Allies made both Wolfsschlucht II and Brunhilde unfit as permanent FHQ. Above all, there was concern that the bunkers would not withstand the largest and most powerful bombs. The construction of Brunhilde continued until September, when it was no longer necessary for Hitler to place a headquarters on French soil. The extent to which Hitler knew of Brunhilde is unknown.
Current status: Partly preserved/demolished (2022).
Location: 49°24' 09.27" N 06°03' 46.66" E
Get there: Car.
Follow up in books: Seidler, Franz W. & Zeigert, Dieter: Hitler’s secret headquarters (2004).
The Main bunker (Hitler’s bunker) is well hidden among trees about 600 meters from the D58 road and the easiest way is to park by the road and walk to the bunker. In fact, it can be difficult to see the bunker among all the trees and greenery surrounding it, despite its size. Actually, it is military area, but it was probably a long time since someone cared about the warning signs that are around the bunker, let alone someone who patrolled the area. The Bunker is surrounded by fences but there is a huge gap where one can easily slip in. The bunker itself is well preserved, albeit abandoned. I do not know exactly what the French army has used the bunker for. There are few more bunkers in its vicinity with unknown purposes.