Hitler’s Bunker, Then and Now
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Hitler’s Bunker, Wilhelmstrasse, Then & Now
Hitler committed suicide 27 feet below this spot on 30 April 1945 as the Red Army closed in, taking the city street by street.
The bunker was destroyed and later the spot became a car park serving these East German blocks of flats.
The cube to the left is the bunker exit, while the structure on the right is the ventilation / guard tower. It is a scene which features heavily in the 2004 film “Downfall”. The ruins beyond are the remains of the Reich Chancellery (for clarity this layer is less opaque than the rest of the old photo used in the composite).
The old photo is from wikipedia commons and was taken in 1947.
The spot where Hitler’s body was burned is just about where this man is walking across the road.
A scene from the very accurate movie ‘Downfall’ where Hitler’s body is burned outside the bunker exit.
Image used with Creative Commons Licence from Chicago Center for Literature and Photography
Brilliant work.!!!
Ian, I think this is an awesome composite!! This really puts the area in perspective, I didn’t know what happened to Hitler when he died so this is an interesting photo to me and I think many other people!!:-)
Nice work, interesting composite – did you use the building in left hand background as a fix for the site?
Captivating work!
Thanks guys.
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/31728747@N04]
No I used google maps and a diagram showing the outline of the bunker in relation to the streets as they are now. Also took this old photo with me to try to line it up as best I could. But I think (need to check) that building you mention is the Hotel Adlon which has been rebuilt exactly as it was before the war, but it wasn’t visible in the original shot, was itself in ruins by then.
You must spend hours researching Ian ?
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Mrs D B would agree with you there…
Been an absolutely belting series Ian
Wow Ian, this is pretty fantastic!
More interesting stuff, Ian.
Your mention of Downfall reminded me of this
fascinating stuff Ian, Berlin looks well worth a visit
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/7717915@N02]
Excellent. I love those things.
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/11563376@N03]
Go. It’s a fascinating place.
looks a great place ian berlin
!!! fantastic transition between times !!!
Some great work here again mate.
Father Ted: "Funny how you get more right-wing as you get older"
This is a really excellent series Ian… Was Lucy OK with you tramping around the old sites 🙂 You know I think you might be in the wrong job! You have all the makings of a hostorical research author… There might be a book somewhere in there…
Cheers Ian.. thanks for the recent comments etc.. appreciated as always.
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/31878512@N06]
Brilliant!
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/7749921@N04]
Thanks Richard. But keeping it as a hobby means I enjoy it. Might get sick of it if it was my dayjob.
I like it. Think it’s clever and you have obviously put a lot of effort into researching the information. Good Work.
I was wondering what gave you the idea of these shots Ian – I have not seen anything like them before and they do make a visual mark. Having said that, I guess some of your blitz shots tried to do a similar thing. Anyway, great work!
Fantastic image – so clever! :~}
Fascinating as always…
Your last works are very very interesting, dear Ian:
the world around us is changing but some wickedness remains…
excellent Ian , really am gonna have to visit Berlin one day !
Fantastic photo work Ian and a interesting narrative to go along with the photo.
Love the ‘then-and-now’images – really clever and informative
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/16407758@N02] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/55833562@N00] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/32431958@N07] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/35914070@N02] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/15421769@N05] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/13073759@N04] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/38839471@N07]
Thank you very much!
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/25514319@N02]
Thanks Bryan
The main inspiration for these photos was this excellent composite of Soviet officers on the steps of the Reichstag in 1945, sharing it with tourists 65 years later. Follow the link to the source of this photo – there are a few more similar images there.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/08/07/ghostly-wart...
Good work put together 🙂
Nice work and very interesting…
Excellent again Ian!!!
Janwillem
great work showing how it looked. Downfall was a great film
Great work Ian.
The time and effort you put in to these well researched shoots certainly isn’t wasted.
Another fantastic and fascinating Montage Ian! Love this one too! Such a great idea! %-)
Ha , a self prophetic statement I made 11 months ago !
A real good job.