There are bound to be a large number of fascinating remnants still lying in the basements and attics of private households, in drawers and cupboards:  interesting objects and photos, diaries and photo albums, private correspondence, manuscripts and other similar material. Very few of these family mementos are likely to have found their way into archives or museums.  

We are always on the lookout for photos, private documents and objects that have stories to tell and that illustrate the period of Nazi rule. This includes not only found objects from or about Obersalzberg, but also photo albums and private documents such as diaries, postcards and letters from the front as well as objects of all kinds. They needn’t be unusual: even apparently trivial everyday objects can serve to explain and illustrate how people experienced the Nazi era and what their attitudes were. They might be objects that belonged to a citizen of Berchtesgaden or Salzburg, to a member of the mountain infantry regiment fighting at the front, or to someone persecuted by the regime. If possible, these documents or objects should have some kind of connection to the Berchtesgaden/Salzburg region, but even those that don’t are of interest. 

In addition, we are also looking for mementos and stories from the time pre-1933, when Hitler discovered Obersalzberg as a vacation residence, as well those from post-1945 that testify to the contacts between US soldiers and local people and that show how the approach to the legacy of the past has changed over the decades.