Hermann Goering's beach house 'up for grabs'

A luxurious seaside retreat once owned by Hermann Goering, Adolf Hitler’s deputy, has been listed for sale on Germany’s Sylt island.

Designed in 1937 by Munich architect Otto Heilmann at the request of Goering’s second wife, Emmy Sonnemann, the vacation home sits just steps from the North Sea. Nestled among coastal dunes with no immediate neighbors, the estate spans 7,755 square meters (83,477 square feet), featuring 200 square meters (2,153 square feet) of living space. The house boasts a traditional thatched roof, three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and terraces with sweeping ocean views.

After World War II, the property changed ownership several times. In 1958, the Birkenstock family, famed for their iconic sandal brand, purchased it for 60,000 German marks. Filmmaker Philip Birkenstock and his brother spent nearly 40 years vacationing there before selling it in 2019 for $12 million.

Over the past four years, the home has undergone extensive renovations, including new parquet flooring, a replaced fireplace, and a modernized basement with updated heating and infrastructure. Now fully restored, the property is being marketed by Sotheby’s International Realty, which highlights its “significant cultural and historical importance” and prime location “within a minute’s walk of the sea.”

Hermann Goering, one of the architects of the Nazi “Final Solution” and commander of the German air force, was notorious for his extravagant tastes and brutal legacy. Once seen as Hitler’s potential successor, he used the Sylt residence as a summer escape during the height of the Third Reich.

Israel Hayom contributed to this article.