Berchtesgaden, Eagle's Nest & Königssee

We are headed to Berchtesgaden next. Known for being "idyllic and atrocious" in the same breath, it has some of the most gorgeous Alpine views in Germany... and was also home to one of the main seats of Nazi power in the 1930s and '40s.

We stayed just across from the Hauptbahnhof in a very pretty Alpine-style hotel called Hotel Grünberger. It's definitely a tourist town, attracting both nature and history enthusiasts. On our first night, we explored the town of Berchtesgaden and luckily came upon "Musik Montag" (Music Monday), where various musicians were performing throughout the town centre.

We grabbed Turkish dürüms (döner for T and falafel for me) and a bench to listen to a beautiful singer perform soft versions of English songs like "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "Mamma Mia." We wandered through the town centre with ice cream later and were treated to a big brass oompah band playing in the market square. Traditionally dressed band members came around selling shots of schnapps, and we donated a few euros for the sweet treat and to support the musicians.

Eagle's Nest / Kehlsteinhaus

Kehlsteinhaus, also known by its English name, the Eagle's Nest, is located 1,834 metres high in the Berchtesgaden Alps. On a clear day, you can even see Salzburg, Austria!

First, you take a city bus from the Berchtesgaden Bahnhof (free with the visitor's pass you get by staying at a hotel in the region!). Then you pay for a ticket (ideally in advance, although you can alter your time to a later bus if needed) and take a special coach up a 6.5 km mountain road, about a 15-minute ride.

You enter a long tunnel, go up a golden brass lift and enter... the Eagle's Nest. The view is absolutely amazing. The historical significance... horrifying.

From 1933–45, the Obersalzberg area was the second most important centre of power for the Nazi regime after Berlin. Hitler had his Berghof residence here and spent a significant amount of time in the area, where he and other high-ranking Nazis made decisions about war, persecution and genocide.

The Eagle's Nest itself was built in 1937–38 as a prestigious reception building high above the Obersalzberg. Interestingly, Hitler didn't actually spend that much time up here and visited relatively rarely. It was used more often by members of his inner circle and to impress diplomatic guests. He entertained Mussolini here (the fireplace is rumored to be a gift from him). Eva Braun suntanned while Goebbels and Goering drank on the terraces. 

It's an absolutely beautiful and stunning view. It's surreal to be in this place as a historical tourist, 81 years later.

We took a teeny hike a bit farther up to get a really beautiful view of Lake Königssee and the mountains surrounding us. We had a beer and radler on the patio of the now-functioning restaurant before heading back down.

Afterwards, we went to the Dokumentation Obersalzberg, an incredibly interesting museum that highlights the history of Obersalzberg (the area above Berchtesgaden). It was laid out incredibly well, with an English (and other languages) audio guide showcasing how the area went from a small farming village and holiday destination to Hitler's heavily guarded, off-limits compound, and then eventually back to a recreational and holiday getaway.

Three artifacts in particular were of significant interest to me:

● A "Cigarette Photo Collection Book" from 1936. Adults used to collect these photos from cigarette packages and pass them on to their children to put into albums, and people would trade them. Think Spice Girls bubble gum stickers from the late '90s, but with Nazis. 😬 This was a highly effective propaganda tool, with millions of these albums produced.

● A map showcasing the battle on the Eastern Front (Russia). The one they had on display showed November 21, 1942, when Hitler gave the order from Obersalzberg that forbade the 6th Army to retreat from Stalingrad, which proved to be fatal for German troops.

● A baby "gas mask" cot. Germany developed these awkward machines to protect babies in case poison gas was used against German civilians. However, as the museum placard noted, "there were no Allied gas attacks and the cot remained unused. The only use of gas in World War II was by the Germans - to murder people in extermination facilities and camps." 😬

Afterwards, we explored remnants of the bunker system that existed beneath Obersalzberg. Upon defeat, the SS burned documents in these bunkers (you can still see one room darkened from soot) and the people living in the countryside ransacked the abandoned buildings for useful items.

I've seen the Churchill War Rooms in London, and now I've seen a similar kind of experience in Germany (bunkers, war maps, etc.). I am putting this history degree to good use.

Lake Königssee

To cleanse the palate from this dark history and enjoy the natural beauty of the region, we did a day trip to Lake Königssee. You can hike, take a boat tour, or ride a gondola up Jenner mountain. We opted for the boat tour.

A tip for those going in the future: book early! We booked the morning of, and the earliest boat we could get was 1:45 p.m. We subsequently had two hours to kill when we got there, so we explored the little lakeside attractions (overpriced food & souvenirs), snacked on a surprisingly fresh pretzel, and did a short mini-hike to the Malerwinkl lookout for a great shot of the lake.

We boarded our boat and floated leisurely across the lake. We passed an "Echo Wall," where the guide played a trumpet tune and the sound echoed back to us. In older times, they apparently used to shoot guns toward the wall to hear the echo.

The boat stopped at two locations: the Church of St. Bartholomä and the end of the lake at Salet. We skipped the church because we wanted to get to Salet and do a short hike to another lake for a swim.

Lake Obersee was a lot less busy, and we were so hot that a cool mountain-lake swim sounded perfect.

It really was.

We had a little swim and then headed back to Berchtesgaden by boat and bus in the evening. We totally missed the solar eclipse as we were getting ready for dinner, oops!, and enjoyed a delicious Indian dinner at Noor E Panjab, "the finest (and only) Indian Cuisine" in Berchtesgaden. 

That wrapped up our time in Berchtesgaden and we are off to Salzburg next!