The Story of Hitler’s Photo in Front of the Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower has been one of the world’s most recognizable structures, ever since its inauguration as the entrance to Paris’ 1889 World Fair. It was initially planned as a temporary structure, to be torn down and sold for scrap after twenty years. Early on, many criticized it as an eyesore, and could not wait until the twenty years were up. However, the tower grew on people, and twenty years came and went without it getting torn down. Eventually, the Eiffel Tower became the City of Light’s most popular attraction, and a beloved fixture of the Parisian skyline that only a philistine would dislike.
The Germans overran Western Europe in 1940, in a devastating blitzkrieg campaign that crushed all opposition, and led to France’s collapse within 40 days. The French government fled its capital, and the French military evacuated Paris, declaring it an open city. On June 14th, 1940, the triumphant Germans marched into and seized the City of Lights. Hitler wanted to savor his conquest from atop the Eiffel Tower. As seen below, he was thwarted by workers who sabotaged the tower to deny the Fuhrer the pleasure of gloating over the captive city.
