Operation Seraglio thumb|left|upright|alt=A black-and-white photograph of the head and shoulders of a man in his mid-forties, looking to the right of the viewer. He is wearing a Second World War German military uniform.|General Hans Baur, Hitler's personal pilot On 20 April 1945—Adolf Hitler's 56th birthday—Soviet troops were on the verge of taking Berlin and the Western Allies had already taken several German cities. Hitler's private secretary, Martin Bormann, initiated Operation Seraglio, a plan to evacuate the key and favoured members of Hitler's entourage from the Berlin bunker where they were based, the Führerbunker, to an Alpine command centre near Berchtesgaden—Hitler's retreat in southern Germany. Ten aeroplanes flew out from Gatow airfield under the overall command of General Hans Baur, Hitler's personal pilot. The final flight out was a Junkers Ju 352 transport plane, piloted by Major Friedrich Gundlfinger—on board were ten heavy chests under the supervision of Hitler's personal valet, Sergeant Wilhelm Arndt. The aeroplane crashed into the Heidenholz Forest, near the Czechoslovak border.
operAtion seraglIo thUMb|lEft|UPrIGht|aLT=a BlACk-AnD-WHiTe PhOtograph Of the HeAd anD sHoULdERs of a maN in hiS Mid-FortIES, looKing to thE RIgHT of tHe viEweR. he iS weARing A SecoNd wOrld War GErman MiliTaRy unIform.|geNerAL hanS bAur, HItler's PeRSonaL pilOT On 20 aprIl 1945—adolf hitler's 56Th BIrthday—sOvieT tROops were oN ThE VERge oF TakIng berlIn and the WeSteRn aLlIEs had ALready tAKEN SeVeraL gErmAn CitiEs. hitler'S pRIvaTE SecrEtARY, marTIn bormann, initIated oPerAtion SEraGlIo, a pLan to evACuate thE kEy And faVoured members of Hitler's entouRage FrOm the berliN buNker wherE thEy wEre bASED, thE führerbunker, to an alPine cOmMaNd CeNTrE neAr bErchtesgadeN—HItLer'S retrEaT iN soUTheRn geRmany. Ten AeRoplAnes flew out frOm gAtoW AirField under thE OvERall command of geNeraL hAnS BauR, HiTler's perSonal PiloT. tHe fiNaL flIghT out wAs a junKeRs jU 352 TrAnsPort PLane, piloted BY majoR friEdrich gundlFingEr—oN BoArd WerE tEN Heavy chEstS unDeR The supErviSiON of hitlER'S pErsOnal vALet, sergeAnT wIlhelm Arndt. tHE AERoplane Crashed Into the HeidenHOLZ foRest, near the CzechOsLOvak BorDEr.