• Wilczy Szaniec | Wolfsschanze | Wolf's Lair

Wolf’s Lair tourist attractions

Visiting the Wolf’s Lair – what is worth knowing?

If you are going to Adolf Hitler’s Former War Headquarters in Gierłoż near Ketrzyn, you should learn some basic information that will help you make the most of this time. Two zones of visiting the Wolf’s Lair is currently divided into 2 key areas, once “safety zones” that tourists visit today.

Historically, there were 3 zones, but today it is worth going to the so-called “1st Zone” – where Hitler and his entourage lived (entrance is paid), and to “2nd Zone”, where there is no organized sightseeing and you can go on your own on foot (you can also use one great local attractions and visit the plase by some armourded vehicles – check out more at www.sztabowoz.pl).

Wolfsschanze sightseeing

The biggest and most important structures are located in a fenced area, in front of the entrance to which the payment must be made at the ticket office (the entrance gate). It is also recommended to hire one of many local tourst guides (available right behind the gate), that will help you better understand the place, gaining some unique and interesting knowledge about history, architecture and decisions made in Wolf’s Lair.

Wolf’s Lair sightseeing ticket prices

Current price list for visiting the QH from the official website of the Polish State Forests:

High season (April 1 – October 31):

  • Normal admission ticket – PLN 25
  • Reduced admission ticket* – PLN 20
  • Children up to 6 years old – free admission
  • Big Family Card* – PLN 20
  • Disabled person* – PLN 20
  • Caregiver of a disabled person* – PLN 20
  • Caregiver of school groups over 15 people – admission free
  • Guide ticket – PLN 20

Low season (01/11 – 31/03):

  • Normal admission ticket – PLN 20
  • Reduced admission ticket* – PLN 15
  • Children up to 6 years old – free admission
  • Big Family Card* – PLN 15
  • Disabled persons* – PLN 15
  • Caregiver of a disabled person* – PLN 15
  • Caregiver of a group of over 15 people – admission free
  • Guide ticket – PLN 20

Wolf’s Lair parking prices:

  • Coach – PLN 35
  • Camper, bus – PLN 20
  • Passenger car – PLN 15
  • Motorcycle – PLN 10
  • Bike – free of charge
  • 100% electric car – free of charge
  • Vehicles for transporting disabled people – free of charge
  • 2 hours of electric car charging – PLN 80

* Reduced tickets are available, upon presentation of a valid document entitling them to a discount: school students up to 18 years of age, students up to 26 years of age, holders of the Large Family Card, disabled people, guardian of a disabled person.

 

For sightseeing and parking, cash or card payment is collected at the ticket office (Drive through).

Visiting is not limited in time in any way, and the ticket entitles you to stay in the Wolfsschanze from its opening – until closing.

If you’re looking for accommodation, check Wolf’s Lair Hotel and Camping place.

 

Audio guides available on the spot

It is possible to rent audio guides. For about 2 hours, the lector will guide you through the entire route of visiting A. Hitler’s Former War Headquarters, telling you about its history. It is an ideal form of sightseeing for people of all ages.

Available languages:

POLISH
ENGLISH
GERMAN
UKRAINIAN
LITHUANIAN

Price for renting the device:
PLN 10 each / PLN 8 each* (kids, students, disable person, caregiver for disable person)

Things you should keep in mind while visiting the Hitler’s HQ:

  • This is mainly forest. It is usually wet and full of mosquitos – be prepared.
  • Bunkers and ruins are dangerous – please be aware of limited entrance, holes in the ground and sharp edges.
  • Take some flashlight with you – some places are dark and still worth looking inside.
  • Prepare for a: 1 hour speed visit, 1,5h regular visit and 2-3 hours of intense and detailed, complex visit.
  • Please take your trash with you – don’t litter, don’t do graffiti and any kind of stupidity that unfortunately happens.
  • Buy a map or a book – it is very helpful to have a map of the place.
  • Consider a tour guide – those are very experienced and multilingual.
  • Think about history and human fate, when some bad decisions are made…

Food and drinks

There is a restaurant and a small bar on the spot. You will find there, accordingly, polish, local cuisine and some snacks to go as well.

Wolf’s Lair Plan:

1. Office and living spaces of Hitler’s bodyguard (German: Führer Begleit Battalion, FBB)
2. Building of the body guard and Reich security service (German: Reichssicherheitsdienst, RSD)
3. Emergency power generator
4. Bunker
5. Buildings of the head of the press: Dr. Otto Dietrich
6. Speer‘s barrack, map shop, place of the failed assassination attempt on Hitler of July 20, 1944
7. Reich security service
8. Guest shelter
9. Hitler’s side guard
10. Building of stenographic services
11. Security Service, Rattenhuber Security Service Commander, Head of Abt.I / RSD Högl, Post Office
12. Communication node, teletype and telephone exchanges
13. Garages
14. Driver quarters
15. Cinema
16. Boiler room
17. Representatives at the headquarters: Bodenschatz, Hewel, Voss, Wolff, Fegelein, Dr Morell
18. Food storage
19. House of Martin Bormann, Hitler’s personal secretary
20. Bormann’s anti-aircraft shelter

21. Personal adjutant of Hitler and the Wehrmacht Supreme Command, personnel office of the Wehrmacht Supreme Command
22. Casino II
23. Gen. Alfred Jodl, Chief of Staff (WFA / WFSt) of the Wehrmacht Supreme Command
24. Fire pool
25. Offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs representation
26. Dr. Fritz Todt, and after his death – Albert Speer
27. Hitler’s bodyguard hotel
28. General-purpose anti-aircraft shelter with anti-aircraft guns and machine guns on the roof
29. Casino I
30. New tea room
31. Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel – Head of the Wehrmacht General Command
32. Old tearoom
33. House of Hermann Göring, Marshal of the Reich
34. Göring anti-aircraft shelter with anti-aircraft gun positions, machine guns and headlights
35. Representation of the Luftwaffe supreme command
36. Representation of the main navy command
37. Hitler’s bunker, with anti-aircraft gun positions
38. Kętrzyn – Węgorzewo railway line

NOTE: The numbering used in this plan (as used in Wolfsschanze and in guidebooks) does not match the original numbering used by the Germans.

plan wilczego szanca