Shady Secrets of Hitler’s Mountain Eyrie and Ludwig’s Lair by Daphne Beames
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The liquid, turquoise beauty of the Bavarian lakes is breathtaking. Surrounded by the snow-clad, Alpine fringe of the Obersalzburg - Berchtesgaden clings to the south-eastern corner of Germany - its grand forests, towering peaks and glassy, inland seas combining to produce a stunning, natural canvas.
No-one who visits the Konigssee will forget the striking colour of these opalescent waters and those who gaze across the expanse of green valleys will view the idyllic haven that Adolf Hitler chose as a personal retreat - thereby tainting it with a sinister ring. (The town is still synonymous with the name of Hitler - and his sister, Paula, lies buried in Berchtesgaden’s Bergfriedhof Cemetery.)
But, this is an ancient community - for centuries the rural inhabitants of the ‘mountain garden’ peacefully pursued their daily lives and today the charming village - on its high plateau - offers splendid views, good restaurants and hearty Bavarian hospitality.
We checked into the centrally located Hotel Vierjahreszeiten a resort framed by a spectacular, mountain backdrop and surrounded by a National Park where colours change magically with the seasons.
Light raindrops were falling as we set out to explore the winding, village streets with their festive blue and white diamond-patterned flags, cobblestones and domed churches. There is a picture-book quality about the old town: boutiques are decorated with bows of coloured ribbon, flowers trail from hundreds of hanging baskets and many of the locals still wear lederhosen, embroidered braces, and traditional dress.
That evening we dined at the legendary Gasthaus Bier-Adam - the oldest restaurant in Berchtesgaden - located in the quaint centre at Markplatz 22. Try the crispy, roast pork knuckle with red cabbage and bread dumplings and you will not have room for a dessert. Finish the meal with the obligatory glass of Enzian, a type of Schnapps distilled locally from gentians (the national flower of Bavaria) and a good night’s sleep is assured!
Breakfast is included in the hotel rates, but leave space for coffee and rum-laced cake at the celebrated Café Forstner. This famous coffee house at Weihnachtsschutzenstr 1, affords great views from its attractive, first-floor setting above the arches of the ‘chocolate and cake shop’.
Be sure to time your visit between mid-May and October for an incredible experience awaits on the summit of a forested mountain. The tour departs from nearby Hintereck and the views seen from the bus - along the 6,4km journey up a steep slope with the Koningssee on the right - are truly awesome. (Private cars are not permitted to negotiate this landmark road – a pioneering feat of engineering constructed in the 1930’s - with just one nail-biting hairpin bend.)
You are bound for The Eagle’s Nest (also known as the Kehlstein House), planned by Martin Bormann and presented to Hitler on his 50th birthday - the only one of his homes to have survived destruction and the Allied bombing raid of 1945.
Excitement mounts as one alights in the Kehlstein Bus parking lot for you are about to relive moments in history. Tension builds on the walk along the 124m stone-lined tunnel – leading straight to the centre of the mountain. Here the original lift awaits.
It is elegantly lined with brass, Venetian mirror and green leather (green was employed as a de-stressing colour to soothe the Fuhrer who was claustrophobic and hated heights.) The elevator ascends 124m through the heart of the mountain and into the house itself - in just 41 seconds. The impossible building on the mountaintop, with its 1m-thick foundation walls is a typical example of austere National Socialist architecture – but the panoramic vista seen from the heights is infinite and unforgettable.
Inside you will find the huge, Carrara marble fireplace - a gift from Benito Mussolini – somewhat damaged by souvenir hunters who have scraped away slivers but still dominating the octagonal lounge. There is also the Eva Braun room – panelled in expensive stone-pine and with picture windows that command heart-stopping views; a long, conference room to impress visiting dignitaries and a modern, terrace restaurant in the original ‘colonnades’.
A gallery of monochrome photographs exists – depicting Count Ciano, Princess Mafalda of Savoy, Mr. Poncet (the French ambassador) and other celebrities at Kehlstein House. Unity Mitford was also a visitor. A souvenir guide book, sold at the house, hints at ‘secrets’: the possibility of hidden rooms concealed in the mountain below the house; the unexplained disappearance of Martin Bormann in 1945 and a suggestion that he could have been a Soviet agent. (While intriguing, this must all remain speculation until sealed archives are opened!)
On route to yet another mountaintop castle, we took the scenic road via Ramsau, Inzell and Reit im Winkl. In parts the picturesque old Alpenstrasse is still cobbled. It winds dramatically around the towering, snow-capped Bavarian Alps and through rolling pastures where lazy, honey-and-white cows lie in fields of high grass. The green meadows are flecked with the distinctive sloping, red roofs of Bavarian homes – all with their bright shutters, painted window frames and colourful boxes of beautifully manicured geraniums.
Having done our homework we knew that long queues at Neuschwanstein, former seat of the Wittelsbach dynasty, could mean a four-hour wait and therefore at least two nights accommodation should be booked in the vicinity.
(The Castle is open from March to October.)
Our hotel of choice was the Alpenhof Murnau (a member of the Relais & Chateaux chain). Situated only 110 kms south of Munich - this flower sprinkled, refined and rustic hide-away is ideally situated for visits to Garmish-Partenkirchen, Neuschwanstein and Oberammergau - the famed venue of the Passion Play.
From a distance, as it towers over the forests, the fantasy Castle of Neuschwanstein looks surreal and not quite of this world – as was the man who designed it. Like an eagle the handsome and sensitive Ludwig II was unbridled and knew no boundaries. His imagination soared as he created the intricate, white turrets and the rich interiors for his ultimate, dream palace: a reproduction of an ancient, German Knight’s castle. Disney thought that it was a bit of alright, too, and faithfully copied it in theme parks as his signature backdrop to Main Street, USA!
An alluring, leafy track – artistically paved with stepping stones - leads up the mountainside towards the massive, crenellated gatehouse. Overhanging beeches and plane trees meet above an enchanting path - bordered by tangled foliage and fringed with ferns and fragrant, forest flowers. The shady walk takes about half an hour and adds a delightful dimension to the star-quality experience; but for the less athletic - sturdy horse-drawn carriages, their bells jingling, wait to carry passengers up the slope. We were expecting long delays in the castle courtyard but the entire wait-and-visit took only ninety minutes.
A magnificent, unpolished marble staircase - boasting a Romanesque, transverse vaulted ceiling - leads to the grand, third floor vestibule. This trapezoidal hall (built around a natural bend in the rock) opens into both the royal apartments and the Throne Room.
The Throne-hall - decorated in Byzantine style – is surrounded by huge, gilded murals and an ornate, mosaic floor depicting plants and animals from all over the world. The wide balcony offers a majestic view of the forests; the glittering Alpsee and the smaller Schwansee (watery graves of ancient glaciers) and the white peaks of the Bavarian Alps - straddling an infinite horizon.
The predominant colour in the neo-Gothic bedroom – envisaged by the lonely King as his retreat above the world – is light, Bavarian blue. This sumptuous room is decorated in rich brocade and furnished with running water and a flushing toilet. It leads to a private chapel and an enticing man-made grotto – inviting solitary meditation.
The young king loved music - particularly the secretive, dark and heavy strains of Wagnerian opera. Wall paintings adorning the Living Room represent scenes from Lohengrin, Wagner’s ‘Swan Knight’, and each year - during September - classical concerts are performed in the magnificent ‘Singer’s Hall’.
From the high windows the wildly-romantic Marienbrucke can be seen spanning the Pollat ravine. This bridge leads to the top of the Tegelberg (which can also be accessed by cable car). Here the intrepid will find the russet, ruins of a centuries-old Roman bath house; state-of-the-art, hang-gliding facilities and a panoramic restaurant.
Today, Neuschwanstein is known as a fairy-tale destination and is a huge tourist attraction and money-spinner. It is sad to think that the architect of this sensational eyrie - Ludwig, who became King of Bavaria at the age of only nineteen, was to live in the palace he created for a mere 171 days before his mysterious death in 1886.
(The events surrounding the tragedy are still shrouded in secrecy and, in the search for answers, yet another call to exhume his body was made on the Wittelsbach family as recently as 2007.)
The Alpine air and heath-clad hills of Bavaria – so praised by the master story-teller, Boris Pasternak - offer something for everyone and regally live up to their reputation as a dream destination.