The Nazi Party (NSDAP) was originally organized in the Sterneckerbräu brewery at Tal 54, on 24 February 1920 (the address is now Tal 38). That same evening, Hitler outlined the Party program to the public in the famous Hofbräuhaus.  (National Archives, RG 242-HB)

After the Nazi rise to power, the Sterneckerbräu was turned into a shrine, particularly this corner, with pictures of the "first seven battling guards, who here laid the cornerstone of the German Freedom movement."  (period postcard)

Hitler's first office in the Sterneckerbräu (author's collection)

Interior of the Sterneckerbräu during its period as Nazi Party headquarters.  (National Archives, RG 242-HB)

Following the Nazi rise to power, the Party occupied new offices in the remodeled Palais Barlow. This came to be called simply the "Braune Haus."  (author's collection)

Hitler seen leaving the Braune Haus - note the ornamental iron swastikas on the door.  (from Heinrich Hoffmann, "Hitler wie ihn keiner kennt" (Hitler as No-one Knows Him), 1935, author's collection)

The "spiritual" center of Nazism was the Feldherrnhalle on the Odeonsplatz. Here, at the side of this memorial to fallen German military leaders, the Nazi putsch of 9 November 1923 came to an end when Bavarian police fired on the marchers.  (left - author's collection; right - courtesy Guy Dartois)

The scene was considerably embellished by a Nazi artist named Schmitt, who showed Hitler heroically leading the charge in the center of the front rank. In reality, Hitler was thrown to the ground by his guards as soon as the firing started, then quickly spirited to safety.  (U.S. Army collections) 

This modern photo shows a similar view down Residenzstraße. After the Nazi rise to power, all pedestrians who passed this site were required to render the "Hitler Gruß" salute, in honor of the dead putschists.  (courtesy Guy Dartois)

The Odeonsplatz in front of the Feldherrnhalle served as a parade field for the SS, who often staged nighttime rallies here. New SS recruits took their oath of loyalty to Hitler during these formations.  (National Archives, RG 242-HB)

A memorial to the fallen putschists was erected on the east side of the Feldherrnhalle, opposite the spot in the street where the dead had fallen and the putsch had been halted. Here Hitler is shown honoring the dead, in one of the many memorial ceremonies to be held at the site. The memorial was guarded perpetually by SS guards.  (postcards in author's collection - the title "Und Ihr habt doch gesiegt!" (which can be translated in several different ways, normally "Yet Victory Was Yours!") was from a speech by Adolf Hitler)

Another view of the SS guards.   (author's collection)

This period color photo shows the normal appearance of the guards, not during a memorial ceremony.  (National Archives, RG 242-HB)

Another site holding almost as much significance was the burial place of the sixteen Nazis who had been killed in the putsch on 9 November 1923. Following the Nazi rise to power, special "Temples of Honor" were built on the Königsplatz, and the sixteen dead were interred there.  (author's collection)

This site was also guarded by the SS, although it was also considered to be watched over by the Ewige Wache, the "Eternal Guard" of the souls of the dead putschists.  (National Archives, RG 242-HB)

The sarcophagi were arranged in the open Ehrentempel, eight in each Tempel.  (author's collection)

This color photo is from 16mm movie film taken in 1945 by American George Stevens, showing the graves of Claus von Pape and Johann Rickmers, two of the dead putschists.  (from "Victory in Europe" by Max Hastings and George Stevens, 1985)

This view shows how Hitler had King Ludwig's Königsplatz paved, with the Ehrentempel erected on either side of the center. To either side of the Ehrentempel were built Nazi Party buildings designed by architect Paul Ludwig Troost. Behind the Ehrentempel seen in the left of this view can be seen the Braune Haus. The modern view shows how grass was restored to most of the Königsplatz after the war; the Ehrentempel foundations still exist in the wooded areas on either side of the street in this photo.  (period postcard in author's collection; modern view courtesy Ralf Hornberger)

The Party building at Arcisstrasse 12 was built as an office building for Hitler himself, called the Führerbau. In this view, the Führerbau is decorated with French and British flags, for the signing of the Munich Accords in September 1938.   (National Archives, RG 242-HB; modern photo courtesy Ralf Hornberger)

The Munich Accords were signed in a meeting room above the south entrance to the building (today's main entrance). The room is now a practice room for the music school that occupies the building today (Room 105 - not open to the public). The room itself is remarkably unchanged, down to the original ceiling light fixtures.

The Haus der Deutschen Kunst (House of German Art) was built in 1933-37 to replace the Munich Art Gallery which had burned in 1931. Designed by architect Paul Ludwig Troost in the neo-classical Third Reich style, the building still serves Munich today as an art museum.  (period photo in author's collection)

Hitler and Himmler inspect ceremonial troops uniformed as Bavarian infantry, at the opening of the Haus der Deutschen Kunst on July 18, 1937.  (National Archives, RG 242-HB)

The world-famous Hofbräuhaus beer hall was the scene of several Nazi meetings and some of Hitler's most memorable speeches.  (author's collection; modern photo courtesy Guy Dartois)

   In this photo, GIs from the 45th Infantry Division tour the famous site. The marking on the pillar reads CP 157 INF 45 DIV, indicating the Command Post of the 157th Infantry Regiment of the 45th Division.

   (Life Magazine, 14 May 1945)

   Click here to see another good May 1945 photo.

The first mass meeting of the Deutsche Arbeiter Partei, which became the Nazi Party, took place in the Hofbräuhaus on 16 October 1919. This plaque commemorated Hitler's speech of 24 February 1920, in which he laid out the goals of the new Nazi Party. This speech took place in the Festsaal (Festival Hall) on the upper floor. The building was damaged considerably during the war, and the Festsaal was rebuilt somewhat differently from its 1920s-1930s appearance, but the plaque was located between two of the windows along the side of the hall.  (period postcard; right - courtesy Robert Newton)

The Kongressaal of the Deutsches Museum was the scene of a state funeral for Adolf Wagner, Nazi leader of Munich and Upper Bavaria, 17 April 1944.  (National Archives RG 242-HB)

A monument to the Bavarian "Unknown Soldier" was at the old Army Museum.  (author's collection)

Hitler's luxury apartment in Munich was located at Prinzregentenplatz 16. It was here that Hitler's niece Geli Raubal, whom some say was the only woman he ever loved, reportedly committed suicide in 1931. Hitler's apartment was on the second floor above the ground level (third floor, in American usage).  (National Archives, RG 242-HB; modern photo courtesy Guy Dartois)

Geli's successor was Eva Braun. Eva and her younger sister Gretl were provided with a house on Wasserburgerstraße by Hitler and Heinrich Hoffmann (the address today is Delpstraße 12 - the modern photo is taken from the street side of the house).  (National Archives, RG 242-EB-2-11A; modern photo courtesy Guy Dartois)

Destruction from bombing on the Karlsplatz, 1946. A photo taken by my father, U.S. Army Air Forces Lt. Delbert R. Walden.   (G.R. and G.A. Walden collection)

My father poses in front of Schloss Schleissheim, north of Munich. Oberschleissheim was the headquarters of the 344th Bomb Group.  (G.R. and G.A. Walden collection)

My father at the Dachau concentration camp, northwest of Munich. When this photo was taken, Dachau was being used by the U.S. Third Army to detain Nazi prisoners. The cylindrical structure to the left was a "Moll System" concrete bunker (used as guard positions at Dachau).  (G.R. and G.A. Walden collection)

Dachau was the scene of war crimes trials against those members of the camp administration and guard force who had been captured by the Allies, and later for the notorious "Malmedy Massacre" trial of 1st SS Panzer Division members.  (G.R. and G.A. Walden collection)
(MapQuest Map Link)

Gate building to Dachau, 1946 (the so-called Jourhaus Gate, entrance to the prisoner compound). The iron gate bears the infamous motto "Arbeit Macht Frei" (Work Makes You Free).  (G.R. and G.A. Walden collection)

This gate led into the Appellplatz, or roll call site, of the prisoner compound. The view on the left was taken on 3 May 1945 from the top of the Jourhaus gate building. The building on the right, which served as a kitchen, laundry, and shower building, now houses the Dachau museum.  (U.S. National Archives)

The original Dachau crematorium was a small Fachwerk (half-timbered) building with only one 2-chamber oven. My father took a picture of it in 1946 (left), and it has been preserved as part of the memorial.  (G.R. and G.A. Walden)

A larger crematorium was built in 1943, and has also been preserved.  (left - U.S. Army photo)

Dachau crematorium ovens as seen shortly after the liberation of the camp by the U.S. 42nd and 45th Infantry Divisions, on 29 April 1945, and the same view today.  (Dachau-Archiv)

Looking across the Würm river moat toward the camp. On the opposite bank is a concrete machinegun bunker, some of which can still be found at the site today.  (42nd "Rainbow" Infantry Division. Baton Rouge, LA, Army & Navy Publishing Co., 1946)

The Dachau Kommandantur (headquarters). The original building still stands, just outside the Dachau memorial site. The main building of the SS Kaserne can be seen in the left distance.  (Dachau-Archiv; thanks to Harold Marcuse for info)

The Kommandantur appears at center bottom of this aerial photo, with the SS Kaserne building at center top. At lower left is one of the buildings of the former munitions factory, taken over for the camp in 1933. Some of these former factory buildings still exist, as seen on the right.  (Dachau-Archiv)