SS Vault, or die Gruft, in basement of North Tower at Wewelsburg Castle  In the center of the room, as shown in the two photos above, is a bowl with a gas pipe embedded in the floor, where an eternal flame was to be. There are 12 pedestals with wall niches where the ashes of the 12 top SS generals were to be placed when they died.  On the ceiling of the vault is a swastika, or Hakenkreutz in German. To the Nazis, the Hakenkreuz was "das Symbol des schaffenden, wirkenden Lebens" or "the symbol of the creating, acting life" in English. The Hakenkruetz was called the "Rasseabzeichen des Germanentums," or the "race emblem of Germanism" in English. Today, the Hakenkreutz is banned in Germany. More about SS VaultWitches DungeonNiederhagen Concentration CampDistrict MuseumCastleNorth TowerBack to Wewelsburg indexHomeThis page was created on July 16, 2008 |