Every time I see the picture of Hitler below, it puts a knot in my stomach, but it's a reality, and a piece of history so I include it as such... Again, Wikipedia "Upon the German occupation of Paris in 1940, the lift cables were cut by the French so that Adolf Hitler would have to climb the steps to the summit. When visiting
Paris, Hitler chose to stay on the ground. A Frenchman scaled the tower during the German occupation to hang the French flag. In August 1944, when the Allies were nearing Paris, Hitler ordered General Dietrich von Choltitz, the military governor of Paris, to demolish the tower along with the rest of the city. Von Choltitz disobeyed the order. Some say Hitler was later persuaded to keep the tower intact so it could later be used for communications. The lifts of the Tower were working normally within hours of the Liberation of Paris."
A bit more Wikipedia info I found interesting: The Eiffel Tower is a 1889 tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris that has become global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. The tallest building in Paris, it is the most-visited paid monument in the world; millions of people per year. Named for its designer, engineer Gustave Eiffel, the tower was built in 1887 to 1889 as the entrance arch to the 1889 World's Fair marking the centennial celebration of the French Revolution.
The tower stands 324 metres (1,063 ft) tall, about the same height as an 81-storey building and it surpassed the Washington Monument to assume the title of tallest man-made structure in the world, a title it held for 41 years, until the Chrysler Building in New York City was built in 1930. The tower has become the most prominent symbol of both Paris and France, often in the establishing shot of films set in the city.
The photo of Hitler in front of the Eiffel Tower is from the National Archives and is a public domain image. The photo at top is by me, John Brody Photography :-)
