Castle Wolfenstein (German: Schloss Wolfenstein) is the setting of Castle Wolfenstein, Wolfenstein 3D, Return to Castle Wolfenstein and Wolfenstein: The Old Blood. The game series is named after it. It does not appear in the 2009 Wolfenstein, though the city of Isenstadt has a Castle of its own.
Castle Wolfenstein[]
The first appearance of Castle Wolfenstein is in the game of the same name. There are several different versions of the game, and different artwork portrayals of the exterial of the castle both from artwork and ingame images. In Beyond Castle Wolfenstein, the Allied Soldier moved onto Berlin, an an attempt to kill Adolf Hitler.
Wolfenstein 3D[]
Wolfenstein 3D (Dos)/3rd Encounter[]
The first episode in the game, Escape from Wolfenstein, starts out with B.J. Blazkowicz in Castle Wolfenstein, and the first episode is all about making his escape. The end boss for the episode is Hans Grösse, a large, dual Chain Gun wielding opponent. Upon defeating Grösse, B.J. may exit the castle and win the episode.
Original Encounter/2nd Encounter[]
Original Encounter Scenario on 3D0 Wolfenstein selection screen.
The 6th mission of Mac Family games has B.J. traveling to Castle Wolfenstein to attempt assassination on Hitler. His 'original encounter' with the Fuhrer.
After the blows the allies have dealt to his plans over the previous month (most recently at Castle Heidenheim), Hitler waged desperate, brutal war upon the allies. He began attacking civilian targets, and had to be stopped. He had fallen back to his last stand, in the legendary Nazi keep known as Wolfenstein. B.J. was ordered to seek him out and stop his destruction. He was ordered to terminate Hitler, because millions of lives lay in the balance (while it seemed initially successful Hitler was not killed and started his next operations to spread the Nazi across europe). To later be fought in Episode 3 of Wolfenstein 3D/3rd Encounter (Mac Family).
Spear of Destiny[]
The back box art of Spear of Destiny states that the Spear is "secured in the impregnable Castle Wolfenstein". This appears to be merely a mistake, as numerous other sources name Castle Nuremberg as the setting.
Return to Castle Wolfenstein[]
The castle at the start of the game.
A map of Castle Wolfenstein
Castle Wolfenstein is located in the Harz mountains of Northern Germany, and is the property of Heinrich Himmler. Wolfenstein was used by the Nazis as a base as they searched for the burial site of Heinrich I. It was also a prison facility and featured its own torture room for interrogating prisoners. The castle was only accessible by a tram station that connected it to the nearby village of Wulfburg. The castle looms on a mountain above both Wulfburg and the other nearby village of Paderborn.
The castle's newly designed prison/dungeons were believed to be escape-proof until OSA agent B.J. Blazkowicz escaped from his cell and fought his way to the tram station before escaping the castle itself (according to the RTCW strategy guide B.J. had escaped the prison at least once before during the events of Wolfenstein 3.D., and this was his second time infiltrating the castle, see Operation Return to Castle Wolfenstein). Many Nazi guards and officers were killed during the skirmish which led to the base being reinforced.
By the time Blazkowicz returns, the castle had been invaded by zombies, presumably as a side effect of the ceremony designed to resurrect Heinrich. The original garrison had either fled or were killed during the attack. A large number of Black Guards and Elite Guards were attempting to clear the castle of the undead. Heinrich Himmler may have been in the castle at the start of the attack but escaped and was able to witness Heinrich's resurrection. Blazkowicz was forced to fight his way through both the invading undead and the high-level Nazis on his way to the Dig Site to sabotage their operation and kill Heinrich I.
Wolfenstein: The Old Blood[]
Castle Wolfenstein as it appears in The Old Blood
Castle Wolfenstein returns reimagined to The Old Blood, the prequel to The New Order.
It is located in the German Alps and is the property of Helga von Schabbs.
As a nod to RtCW, and Where Eagles Dare, it is still accessed via a hanging tram line across a deep valley. The tram at this point goes only as far as a station high in the mountains, and is reached via a long road drive.
Like, RTCW, the castle is built above the nearby villages of Wulfburg and Paderborn.
At least one newspaper, letter, or note found in the castle makes reference to the castle being fortified with the new Nazi concrete. There is also a newspaper article that references an assassination attempt on Hitler after an escape from the Castle (perhaps in Berlin, or Castle Wolfenstein itself which is a reference to Wolfenstein 3D or the Mac Family versions, see Original Encounter (which are in turn nods to Castle Wolfenstein and Beyond Castle Wolfenstein respectfully)). The Escape in old Castle Wolfenstein (from Wolfenstein 3D/Wolfenstein 3D Classic/3rd Encounter) is portrayed during the Nightmare! levels leading up to the defeat of Hans Grösse. This is another nod to classic Wolfenstein 3D games, which the designers have said they are the games they have been the biggest fans of.
Much of the plot of The Old Blood makes several nods to the plot of RtCW and classic Wolfenstein 3D. With several characters who return or are nods to characters from RTCW and other games in the series, such as Agent One, Helga von Schabbs (a nod to Helga von Bulow from RTCW and Doctor Schabbs from Wolfenstein 3D).
Trivia.[]
- Castle Wolfenstein is inspired by Castle Wewelsburg, the castle of Heinrich Himmler which lies near Paderborn district in real life. It was a center for Nazi occultism.
- Castle Wolfenstein was likely inspired by castle Schloss Adler from Where Eagles Dare. The Schloss Adler was itself based off the Hohenwerfen Castle in Austria.