Kleßheim Palace near Salzburg in 1943 / Source Walter Frentz Collection. Kleßheim Castle is located four kilometres west of the city centre of the provincial capital Salzburg in the area of ​​the neighbouring municipality of Wals-Siezenheim.

Usual suspects.

#History #WW2

It is surrounded by a large castle park and the Mühlbach. There is also a golf course in the historic park of the pleasure palace. The well-known Salzburg Tourism Schools are located below the edge of the terrace behind the castle.

2/

From 1938, Adolf Hitler used the palace for state receptions and work meetings when he was staying on his private estate, the Berghof on Obersalzberg. For this purpose, the fenced-in area was provided with entrance portals in the style of the 1930s.

3/

Hitler received Benito Mussolini, Miklós Horthy, Ion Antonescu and others here. An assassination attempt by General Hellmuth Stieff planned there did not materialize. Kleßheim Palace was the scene of gun shows and parades.

4/

At the end of the war, the presidential administration stranded here on the way to the Alpine fortress. In 1945 Kleßheim Palace was the scene of the Allies' victory celebrations, then the seat of the American military administration.

5/

How many of the usual suspects can you spot? Let's start with an easy one. Presumably Frentz had to use a wide-angled lens.

6/

Here's possibly the most useless military commander of all time. Well, one of them.

7/

Small prize if you can identify the chap in the left. Standing on the balcony at the front of the palace.

8/

Another spectacular loser on the left here. Nice view, though.

9/

Adolf is here. Happily not a flag or person you see any more.

10/

And, finally, this is how the schloss looks today. Pics from me in October 2018. It's now a casino. A rather more honest use of the undoubtedly impressive premises.