Old Nazi POW camp in Scotland which once held Hitler’s deputy Rudolf Hess is to be transformed into luxury hotel
Former high-secuity Cultybraggan Camp 21 in Comrie, Perthshire, is set to be turned into four-star self-catering accommodation for tourists and school groups
A FORMER Nazi prisoner of war camp which once housed Hitler’s deputy Rudolf Hess is set to be turned into a four-star luxury hotel.
Cultybraggan Camp 21 in Comrie, Perthshire, opened in 1941 as a high-security prison camp for 4,000 Nazi offenders.
The camp was said to once have been home to Rudolf Hess, Hitler’s deputy, and there were several escape attempts by prisoners, including once infamous incident where Sergeant Wolfgang Rostberg was murdered by his fellow Nazis for not being ‘fanatical enough’ about the cause.
But now the camp's 75-year-old Nissen huts will be turned into self-catering accommodation for tourists and school groups after it was decided that they needed to be given a use if they are to be preserved long-term.
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Work will start next year to allow guests to stay in the same huts as the former notorious inmates, which will be turned into six en-suite four-bed units, two-and-a-half en-suite two-bed units and storage and common room areas.
Historic Environment Scotland, SSE and the Heritage Lottery Fund have all pledged money to transform the Nissen Huts on the site, which is the last WWII high security POW camp in the UK and currently home to a range of community activities after it was bought by the Comrie Development Trust.
Thomas Knowles, Head of Grants at Historic Environment Scotland, said: "Cultybraggan has a fascinating, colourful, and sometimes dark history - operating as it did as one of the two maximum security POW camps in World War II.
"Since that time, large parts of the site have remained relatively unchanged, and are now considered as being of international significance.
"When the Comrie Development Trust approached us with their proposals, we were happy to confirm our support for the project, in recognition of the appropriate, sensitive, and sustainable reuse being proposed for the buildings.
"As well as preserving that heritage, we were encouraged by the educational opportunities and economic benefits to the local community that the project provides."
Historic Environment Scotland has pledged £100,000 to pay for 40 per cent of the repair work needed.
SSE have also awarded the project £36, 350 from its Sustainable Development Fund to connect the huts to the heating system and provide mains electricity and the Heritage Lottery Fund has provided £638,000 towards the work.
It was revealed earlier this month that Heinrich Steinmeyer had left £384,000 to the village.
He was a former Waffen SS soldier who was captured in France in 1944 and held at the camp.
He died in 2014, aged 90, and his ashes were scattered in the hills above the camp.
Thanks to his lasting friendships made in Comrie - which he often visited - he chose to leave his life savings to the villagers.
But none of the money will go towards the new development, and instead will be used to improve services for older people.
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