Location: Margival, 10 km North- East of Soissons, Aisne department Map
Wolfsschlucht II (also known as W2 or Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschlucht 2, meaning "Wolf's Gorge/Canyon II") was one of Adolf Hitler's designated Western Front military headquarters during World War II, located near the villages of Margival and Laffaux, about 10 km northeast of Soissons in the Aisne department of northern France (coordinates approx. 49°26′48″N 3°24′28″E).
Background and Strategic Context
Hitler and the German high
command established multiple Führer Headquarters (FHQs) across Europe.
Many followed the "Wolf" naming theme, referencing Hitler's alias "Grey
Wolf" (Werwolf). Wolfsschlucht I was in Brûly-de-Pesche, Belgium (used
in 1940 during the Battle of France). Wolfsschlucht II in France was
planned as a major forward command center for potential operations
against Britain or later defenses in the West.
The site was chosen in
1940 due to its location near the front lines during the Battle of
France, proximity to Paris and the Channel coast, and especially the
existing 650-meter (about 2,130 ft) railway tunnel at
Vauxaillon/Margival. This tunnel, buried about 30 meters underground,
provided an ideal natural shelter for Hitler's armored special train
(Führersonderzug "Amerika"). The wooded, steep-sided valley offered
excellent camouflage.
Construction did not begin immediately in 1940
because France fell quickly. Serious work resumed in September 1942
under the Organisation Todt (OT), the Nazi paramilitary construction
group, and continued until 1944.
Construction and Scale
The
complex was enormous and resource-intensive—one of the largest FHQs
built. Around 22,000 workers (including forced labor) used roughly
250,000 m³ of concrete over about 18–24 months.
Core area: Spread
over several kilometers along the railway, with the main command bunkers
near the tunnel.
Total footprint: The protected zone extended across
~6 km radius, with supporting facilities covering up to 80–90 km².
Nearby villages (Laffaux, Margival, Neuville-sur-Margival, etc.) were
fortified.
Structures: Over 800 buildings total, including:
150+
defensive positions and heavy command bunkers.
230+ anti-aircraft and
searchlight positions.
Personnel shelters, offices, storage,
generator bunkers, and a swimming pool.
A "ring of fire" of defenses
surrounded the site.
Key features included blast doors on the
railway tunnel, ventilation, water supply, and heavy fortifications.
Many bunkers followed standard Regelbau designs (similar to the Atlantic
Wall). The site emphasized self-sufficiency with power stations,
communications, and air-raid protection.
Notable buildings (numbers
are original German designations):
Bunker 001 (Führerbunker):
Central meeting room, offices, private quarters, and attached air-raid
shelter. Featured a large fireplace with a Napoleon bas-relief. Designed
for grandeur but relatively lightly protected compared to others,
suggesting expected short stays.
Bunker 002 (OKW/High Command
bunker): Large command facility.
Bunker 005 ("Patricia"): Massive
108m-long communications center with duplicate systems, power stations,
and direct lines to Berlin—one of the largest of its kind.
Other
structures: Cinema, teleprinter exchange, hotel-like building for
guests, chalet (demolished later), and swimming pool (sometimes
mythically linked to Eva Braun, though unlikely she visited).
Hitler's Only Visit (June 16–17, 1944)
The site saw limited use until
after D-Day. Hitler visited only once, arriving around June 16–17, 1944,
for a critical meeting with Field Marshals Erwin Rommel and Gerd von
Rundstedt about the Normandy invasion.
Rommel pushed for realistic
assessments and reportedly advocated ending the war, enraging Hitler.
An Allied air raid occurred during the meeting, forcing everyone into a
bomb shelter.
A malfunctioning German V-1 flying bomb (launched from
nearby sites) crashed a few miles away, adding to the tension.
Hitler
left shortly afterward for Germany and never returned. He spent most of
the war focused on the Eastern Front.
Field Marshal Walter Model
later used the site briefly in August 1944 as his headquarters while
trying to stabilize the front.
Post-War Use and Legacy
The
complex was one of the first Hitler FHQs captured by the Allies (by U.S.
forces, including the 602nd Engineer Camouflage Battalion, in late
August 1944). It survived largely intact.
Used by the French military
until 1955.
Then became a NATO communications center (especially
important during the Cold War) until around 1967–1968, when France
withdrew from NATO's integrated command. This use preserved many
structures.
Returned to French control and gradually abandoned in the
post-Cold War era.
Today, much of the site remains in the woods and
fields. The Association ASW2 (or similar local groups) offers guided
tours. Many bunkers are derelict or partially restored, with post-war
modifications (e.g., climbing walls for training). Outer bunkers are on
private land. It is a stark example of Nazi over-engineering and
resource waste for a facility Hitler barely used.
Construction and Scale
Construction began in September 1942 under
the Organisation Todt and continued until 1944. It involved roughly
22,000 workers (including forced and slave labor) and consumed an
estimated 250,000 cubic meters of concrete. The entire complex sprawled
across 80–90 km², with a core inner site of several kilometers and an
outer defensive ring extending up to 6 km. In total, there were over 860
reinforced concrete structures, including:
Over 150 defensive
positions
230+ anti-aircraft and searchlight posts
Personnel
shelters, storage bunkers, office buildings, generator facilities, and
heavy command bunkers
The site incorporated a pre-existing
~647-meter-long railway tunnel (buried ~30 meters deep) on the
Laon-Paris line, which could shelter Hitler’s armored special train
(Führersonderzug, e.g., “Amerika”) behind armored doors.
Many outer
defenses used standard Atlantic Wall designs (e.g., various Regelbau
types like R501, R622, etc.), reflecting the same engineering office.
The complex featured a “ring of fire” with AA guns and fortified
villages around it.
Architectural Style and Construction
Techniques
The architecture was a mix of heavy fortified bunkers and
more conventional office/admin buildings, optimized for bomb resistance,
camouflage, and functionality:
Heavy Core Bunkers: Central reinforced
concrete “cores” with walls and roofs up to 3.5 meters thick
(steel-reinforced). These provided the primary blast- and bomb-proof
protection. Many were partially buried or built into hillsides for added
protection and camouflage.
Partially Armored Design: Common in larger
buildings — the side facing the road or more exposed areas used lighter
materials (e.g., brick or thinner concrete), while the rear/hillside
side was heavily reinforced concrete. This saved resources while
maintaining protection from the most likely attack directions.
Camouflage: Roofs were covered with earth, grass, and vegetation.
Camouflage netting and artificial trees helped the site blend into the
forest from the air.
Self-Sufficiency: Many bunkers had independent
power (generators), central heating, running water, sewage systems, and
large telephone/communications setups.
Entrances and Layout: Multiple
heavy doors, often with annexes leading into the protected core.
Buildings were aligned along roads and the railway for logistics.
The complex was numbered (e.g., Building 001) during construction;
post-war NATO/French use added names like “Haut-le-Wastia,” “Zucarello,”
etc.
Key Structures — In-Depth
Building 001 — Führer Bunker
(Hitler’s Personal HQ):
Overall dimensions: ~50m long × 23m wide.
Central core: 23m × 17m with 3.5m thick walls/roof.
Outer section:
Brick/concrete offices and annexes surrounding the core.
Three large
entrance doorways led into a main reception hall. Annexes on left/right
(one used for the key June 17, 1944 meeting).
Inner protected bunker
accessible via the annexes. This was the most heavily fortified personal
shelter.
Building 002 — OKW (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht) Bunker:
One of the largest: Inner core 60m × 18.5m, overall ~72.5m × 25.5m with
surrounding offices.
Similar heavy-core design for high command
operations.
Building 005 — Main Telephone/Communications Bunker:
Massive: ~108m long × 25m wide (possibly the longest such bunker in
Europe).
Featured extensive offices, underground generator/fuel
rooms, and over 600 telephone lines (including direct to Berlin). Highly
self-sufficient.
Other Notable Features:
Cinema Bunker
(Building 003): Lighter structure across the tracks for troop/staff use.
Guest/Visitor Bunkers: Large structures (e.g., one ~69m long) for
high-ranking visitors.
Swimming Pool: Built for staff (reportedly a
“gift” for Eva Braun, though unused by Hitler or her). Still retains
original tiles; post-war modifications exist.
Railway Tunnel: Key
protective element for the command train.
Defensive Perimeter: Dozens
of types of bunkers (Tobrouks, MG stands, Pak bunkers, etc.), AA
positions, and underground quarries for storage.
Interiors and
Functionality
Interiors of heavy bunkers followed Atlantic Wall
patterns: thick concrete walls, ventilation systems, minimalistic
military fittings, and compartmentalized rooms for living, working, and
command. Larger annexes provided office space, meeting rooms, kitchens,
baths, etc. Many had blast doors and emergency exits. Post-war use
(French military/NATO) preserved many structures but led to some
modifications and dereliction in others.