This work, Obersalzberg flag raising ceremony commemorates 80th anniversary of Rock of the Marne liberation, by CPT Leanne Demboski, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright This work, Obersalzberg flag raising ceremony commemorates 80th anniversary of Rock of the Marne liberation [Image 12 of 12], by CPT Leanne Demboski, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright Obersalzberg flag raising ceremony commemorates 80th anniversary of Rock of the Marne liberation HomeDestinationsInterestsTop Places to Travel by MonthSearchMenuBest time to go to Bavaria A Christmas tradition that captivates with its vibrant atmosphere wild creatures dressed in fur and straw with bells march through Berchtesgaden and its surroundings locals and town visitors can watch Saint Nicholas with his Buttnmandln and angels as they move from the mountain infantry barracks to Berchtesgaden the creatures walk along the Gebirgsjägerstraße and the Gmundberg to the market of Berchtesgaden Kramperln and Buttnmandl ring and rattle large bells to disband winter on the three holy Rauhnächten (on December 24 and 3 and on January 5) The Buttnmandln also bless the farmers' fields to avert serious natural disasters that could damage the harvest The Buttnmandl and Ganggerl (with much smaller bells) are bound in long This personage also wears fur masks and ties large bells around the waist to complete the frightening display leads the group of Buttmandl and conveys St Both the Buttmandl and Kramperl carry a "rod of life," which they use to tap the audience on their legs The vibrant festivities can be seen in many other communities and neighborhoods throughout the Berchtesgadener Land region from dusk onward Only men aged 16 and older who have never been married are allowed to participate in this tradition with the exception of a few "angels" who occasionally lead the procession The Buttmandl greets with "Praise be to Jesus Christ," after which the master of the house sprinkles St who enters the room with one or two Buttmandl and greets with "Praise be to Jesus Christ." Children sing songs and recite prayers for St and then comes the moment of excitement and surprise-the gift-giving "naughty" adults are sometimes dragged out of the room and thrown into the snow A unique blend of culture and nature draws people from all over the world to Berchtesgaden the center of a distinctive wellness region Visitors to Berchtesgaden can stroll through the historic market and enjoy shopping and dining at local cafés They can also explore the town’s rich art and culture as well as opportunities for sports and wellness Krampus in Germany remains a popular tradition not only among locals but also among visitors from all over the world This event gathers spectators who are thirsty for a spooky experience during the Christmas season 21 February 1970: A piece nominally about Hitler’s leftovers at Berchtesgaden, but essentially about writer Geoffrey Moorhouse’s personal hangup on Germany and the Germans It is now a quarter of a century since we stopped fighting them and I cannot even claim that I suffered in the war I can remember reading Tarka the Otter by the light of the Manchester blitz and I can recall wetting my pants as I dived under the bed as a flying-bomb cut out above our house Otherwise my war was completely secondhand It stands to sense that no German under the age of 55 can even be accused of merely standing by and doing nothing to prevent the Nazis from happening; a German might just as well look sideways at me for what we did to Dresden One knows in one’s skull bones that Hitler had a degree of rectitude on his side in his haul to the top because the French (if only the French) were demonstrably bent on bleeding the Germans white after Versailles I can’t even plead that I know the people well enough to half-support my feelings; this is only my second brief visit to the blasted country I have known only three Germans beyond nodding acquaintance One was the only teacher for whom I had wholehearted admiration the second was one of the most principled and engaging colleagues I have ever worked with the third is the only great public figure in whom I have not yet found a blemish Yet there is this awful something of suspicion and mentally-raking-up-the-past that comes between me and German(y) whenever either word is mentioned A lad in his twenties was standing alongside me at Munich airport the other day and because he had a crewcut and a rather military-looking leather belt round the middle of his sweater Soon after that an inner sneer at the sight of all that beer being poured down apparently bottomless Bavarian throats (is it coincidence that beer is my least favourite booze that it can usually be relied upon to make me throw up after more than a pint?) It is where he brought a lot of men (Daladier and Mussolini were two others) whom he wanted to impress with his power and with the purity of race and clear mountain air that lay mixed-up somewhere at the base of his philosophy that Hitler planned a fanatical last stand of his followers if he should ever be pushed to that point Berchtesgaden itself sprawls along a valley with an old town high on one of its terrace roads It looks like a pretty prosperous country centre with good shopping and plenty of last year’s cars There seem to be (and this will be because the place is small where such things are noticeable) a lot of elderly men with limps and occasional amputations; war-wounded I get off to a bad start in the railway restaurant over breakfast A train pulls out with a row of children waving and hanging their heads from a carriage window They start to chant something which sounds like “Heil (pause) Heil (pause) The local equivalent of “Ra-ra-ra” for sure but I can feel the opposite sides of my guts nodding at each other in confirmation stood what Hitler called and used as the Teehaus Poncet (French Ambassador and another distinguished visitor) dubbed “The Eagle’s Nest.” It is still standing maintained as a restaurant by the Bavarian Government which puts the profits into its school-building programme comparatively able-bodied men from concentration camps The Eagle’s Nest still stands partly because it was too small a target for the RAF bombers which flattened the Berghof in 1945 The concrete shells which survived that blitz were blown up by the Bavarian Government in 1952 the year after Mr Willi Frischauer had observed traders surreptitiously selling swastikas The Government announced that all traces of the Nazi mountain retreat would be wiped out and that forests would be planted there but traces will remain unless a further plantation is planned The Eagle’s Nest and that road built by the three thousand are good and solid for a start Then there is the Hintereck Café at the start of the road which displays and sells picture postcards of things as they used to be round there a quarter of a century ago including one with German troops marching into the forecourt of Hitler’s chalet At the bottom of these stairs you go down a steeply inclining tunnel which leads into more tunnels on level ground They are all whitewashed and at the end of each three armoured slits have been broken into the wall so that machine guns could cover the length of approach a chamber with a steel grille for guard dogs The walls are about three feet thick and there is graffiti in German on some of them though it is impossible to tell whether this was scratched by guards or visitors Geoffrey Moorhouse inspects bomb damage in one of the tunnels beneath the the Zum Turken Hotel Photograph: Frank Martin/The GuardianI don’t have much talk with my guide because I don’t have any German and he has only a few words of English But at one place where a tunnel looks as if it has been pierced by a mortar bomb he does say that during the Berghof blitz 3,000 soldiers and 300 children died The only time Hitler’s name passes between us Then we come to the place where the tunnel has been bricked up apparently lie the private apartments of Hitler which is said to stretch for five kilometres underground The hotel charges one mark per person for this mini-tour and has a signpost in its parking space to announce that it is on Down in Berchtesgaden the man in charge of the Tourist Bureau says that the Bavarian Government is on the lookout for any sign of resurgent National Socialism in its area He also says that the bunker tunnel was bricked up at the limit of the hotel’s property above ground; the Government just doesn’t think the proprietor should be able to profit from land which isn’t theirs He assures me that most of the 16,000 visitors to the Eagle’s Nest by Bavarian State bus last year were foreigners It is there when I discover that some Germans are still prepared to allow other Germans to make money out of the memory of that evil bastard of a man bustling cities and the majestic Alps coupled with a fascinating history make Bavaria one of Germany’s alluring states While many visitors flock to Munich’s Oktoberfest in the fall the ski slopes and hiking trails surrounding Garmisch-Partenkirchen or peruse one of the oldest Christmas markets in Nuremberg there is a hidden beauty just waiting to be discovered in Berchtesgaden Perched high in the Bavarian Alps approximately 30 kilometers south of Salzburg Berchtesgaden impresses with its stunning vistas and complex history Visitors can explore Germany’s oldest active salt mine at Salzbergwerk Berchtesgaden Wooden slides and a mine train take you 650 meters into the mountain where you learn about different types of salt and how it’s extracted One of the highlights of the tour includes a boat ride across a briny lake 130 meters below the surface A family restaurant now sits on Kehlsteinhaus | Photo by Amanda Palumbo a young Adolf Hitler was so enamored with the area that it quickly became one of his favorites as a retreat for himself and other high-ranking officials within the Third Reich the building has been transformed into a restaurant and Documentation Center Visitors can tour the grounds and different rooms with a guide Another less-visited relic is Hotel zum Türken the hotel took its current form beginning in 1911 it was frequented by many members of Hitler’s regime Beneath the foundation was a series of underground passages and hallways allowing senior leaders and their entourages to evade advancing forces Rebuilt to its former glory before the war visitors can stay and enjoy the crisp Alpine air and discover the bunkers which remained intact View from the top of Kehlsteinhaus | Photo by Amanda Palumbo The great outdoors One of Germany’s most stunning lakes is located just south of Berchtesgaden Königsee is the third deepest lake in the country Visitors can trawl the lake via electric-powered tour boats sheer rock walls lining the water’s edge create a unique medium for noise reverberation Tour boats often stop and a trumpeter will play The sound bounces off the cliffs up to seven times Berchtesgaden is a hotbed for winter sports Home to the International Luge Federation (IFL) world-class racers and athletes can be seen on the icy tracks in the area offers fantastic skiing and snowboarding options hiking trails crisscross the craggy landscape With an abundance of fascinating sites and lush landscapes the beauty of Berchtesgaden should not be missed The International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF) Youth World Cup season continued with its third stage at Jennerstier in the German alpine resort of Berchtesgaden In the lead up to the Torino 2025 FISU World University Games Winter this event also included a FISU endorsed International University Championship for university students as part of the vertical race staged on 17 February This was the first FISU related event for ski mountaineering that became a recognized sport by the FISU Executive Committee in the summer of 2023 Fog and rain greeted competitors in the mountains of Berchtesgaden located in the southwest corner of Germany near the Austrian border and approximately 30km from Salzburg Louise Trincaz of France (pictured in middle of header photo) won the U20 vertical event and as a university student also claimed the International University Championship She finished in a time of 27:31.87 for the 2.5 km course and took her third gold medal of the Youth World Cup season Her French teammate Loanne Roussillon (on left in header photo) finished 38 seconds back and took silver in the U20 event and the university competition Coming in third in this FISU endorsed competition was German Luisa Paller (pictured on right) Trincaz currently leads the U20 Youth World Cup rankings with 463 points For the men’s International University Championship it was two Germans in Felix Gramelsberger and Finn Hösch who finished 1-2 Gramelsberger crossed the finish line in 21:53.00 the best time among university students with Hösch behind by a mere 10.71 seconds These times also placed them 4th and 5th in the senior category Finishing the 2.5 km course as the third fastest student-athlete was Frenchman Jules Raybaud His time of 21:55.64 was 2.64 seconds back of Hösch and was also good enough for 2nd place among U20 competitors With the first FISU endorsed event in the books ski mountaineering university athletes can now look forward to 2025 when sprint and vertical races will be held as part of the Torino 2025 FISU Games from 13-23 January © International University Sports Federation This work, Ceremony commemorates 79th anniversary of the liberation of Berchtesgaden, by SSG Noah Sladek, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. Meanwhile the number of people who have lost thier lives in the flooding in Belgium and western Germany has increased to over 180 the district of Berchtesgadener Land in the state of Bavaria declared a disaster in response to flooding on 17 July flash flooding and several small rivers to break their banks Berchtesgaden recorded 89.8 mm of rain in 24 hours to 18 July Deutscher Wetterdienst said some areas saw more than 130 mm The district government said emergency services responded to 400 interventions including 135 people in Schönau am Königssee The hardest hit areas include Bischofswiesen Marktschellenberg and Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden Officials said 2 people have died but as of 18 July only one fatality could be confirmed as a result of flooding Several roads in the area have been closed The rail connection between Bad Reichenhall and Berchtesgaden is currently suspended Further heavy rain is expected and officials said people living along the Königsseer Ache river should prepare to evacuate damaging floods swept through areas along the Salzach River and its tributaries in the state of Salzburg late on 17 July 2021 The town of Hallein was particularly badly affected Images and videos shared on Social Media showed muddy water racing through streets in the town jumped from around 2 metres to 3.77 metres in the space of a few hours late on 17 July As of 18 July there were no reports of casualties with flash flooding affecting the town Kufstein in the province of Tyrol where the highest alert level (Alarmstufe 2) is 5 metres Meanwhile the number of people who have lost their lives in the recent floods in western Germany and Belgium has increased to 183 Officials in Belgium confirmed 27 fatalities as of 18 July 2021 In North Rhine-Westphalia state in Germany In the neighbouring state of Rhineland-Palatinate 110 fatalities were confirmed #hallein pic.twitter.com/47IxmAiekt — Netrus (@DatNetrus) July 17, 2021 — DWD (@DWD_presse) July 18, 2021 @MartinHaven In case you don't know yet, the Königssee track got badly damaged by the weather last night pic.twitter.com/Q4e5m2j6t1 — Isadora (@Isa_Yolina) July 18, 2021 Richard Davies is the founder of floodlist.com and reports on flooding news Cookies | Privacy | Contacts © Copyright 2025 FloodList "those loved by God are brought here" - a sentiment easy to understand as the Bavarian Alps near Berchtesgaden are a true nature paradise HofmannA regal viewFrom August 2018 a new cable car will take visitors up the 1,800 meter high Jenner mountain A short walk up to the summit is rewarded with a breathtaking view of the Berchtesgaden National Park - which was founded in 1978 to ensure that nature would be able to develop unimpeded From the Jenner summit you can see the National Park's landmark Watzmann mountain and at its foot the Königsee lake The history of Berchtesgaden dates back to the founding of an Augustine abbey The settlement grew because of the flourishing trade from the local salt and metal mines In 1810 the abbey came under Bavarian rule and to this day it still serves as a residence for the descendants of the Bavarian royal family Part of the abbey building is also open to the public In the National Park Center "Haus der Berge" you can experience the park with all senses and stuffed animals can be touched and patted A path leads up from the Königsee lake to the summit of the Watzmann mountain The message of the exhibition clearly states: see nature's beauty - now protect and preserve it Majestically it towers over the Berchtesgaden area - the Watzmann mountain is the landmark for this region The 2,700 meter (8,858 ft) mountain is known for its unusual shape According to legend evil king Watze once terrorized this region To punish him god turned him to stone (peak on the right) along with his wife (peak on the left) and his children (the small peaks in the middle) The lake is located between impressive mountain walls in the Berchtesgaden National Park The fjord-like lake is eight kilometers long and nearly 200 meters deep - which makes it very cold Every few minutes environmentally friendly electronically powered boats ferry visitors across the lake About half way across the lake the captain stops the boat created by the sound bouncing off the mountain cliffs In the past small canon were fired - the sound of which would reverberate as many as seven times But due to the fire hazard these posed on the boats the preferred choice today is a trombone or flugelhorn After about half an hour the electronically powered boats reach the Hirschau peninsula below the east wall of the Watzmann mountain It is known for the 17th century baroque pilgrimage church of St Bartholomew with its red roof and onion domes Near the chapel lies the old royal hunting lodge of the same name which today serves as a restaurant and beer garden Water loudly cascades through the Wimbach Gorge near the village of Ramsau Leading through the ravine there are bridges and walkways taking you past 200 meters of steep cliffs Particularly beautiful is the deep blue color of the Wildbach brought about by sunlight being broken by the calcium particles in the water An hour's hike into the mountains from here leads to the Wimbach Castle The 51 meter suspension bridge crosses the Klausbach River and valley This popular hiking destination in the Berchtesgaden National Park is also known as the valley of eagles - with a bit of luck visitors might be able to watch golden eagles soar There are numerous mountain pastures in the Klausbachtal valley It is easy to reach by foot or with the pasture adventure bus Cattle can only be found grazing on the mountain pastures during the summer In the autumn farmers drive them back down into the valley a bovine breed that is so rare that it is on the Red List of endangered species At night they are allowed out onto the expansive mountain pastures Mountain farmers use their milk to make cheese which they sell along with a glass of milk and a slice of bread the American 1st Battalion of the 506th Infantry Regiment arrived in Berchtesgaden The 3rd Battalion of the 506th came into the town by a different route and suffered casualties in a skirmish with crews operating two German 8mm guns This unit took over guarding the place from the U.S 3rd Infantry Division and the French 2nd Armored Division a film crew arrived to record the happenings for those at home Watch the footage of the 101st Airborne Division Screaming Eagles in Hitler’s mountain retreat These are soldiers who fought their way there crossing the beaches at Normandy and the Third Reich itself are exploring the Obersaltzberg The only place Hitler said he felt at home soldiers explore the bomb-gutted ruins of the Berghof which the SS set on fire to deny the Allies the spoils of the war Watch as they uncover a significant quantity of Hermann Goering’s stolen art collection that had been hidden in tunnels and bunkers dug throughout the mountainside https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cja6O2fJSZA Joris Nieuwint is a battlefield guide for the Operation Market Garden area His primary focus is on the Allied operations from September 17th Having lived in the Market Garden area for 25 years he has been studying the events for nearly as long He has a deep understanding of the history and a passion for sharing the stories of the men who are no longer with us @joris1944 facebook.com/joris.nieuwint An act of random violence has spurred the villagers of Berchtesgaden to take a stand against Germany’s far right at 11.30pm on 24 August was the start of it all Three men wearing Division Deutschland T-shirts had walked up behind him as he was enjoying a drink with friends at a beer table outside the Kuckucksnest bar in the Bavarian alpine town of Berchtesgaden Brandner – who has been learning-disabled since being hit by a car at the age of 17 – was sucker-punched to the ground “Wankers!” screamed his tattooed assailant Brandner’s two friends, including the owner of the bar, Jakob Palm, 33, hurriedly picked him up and took him inside. Two of the attackers were found later by police. The men, in their 20s and 30s, were visiting from northern Germany The slow wheels of justice continue to grind the sort of random violence not experienced in this quiet conservative community of 8,000 people for many years but it was also a moment of epiphany for Palm and others A video of Palm describing what happened has been viewed 15,000 times on Instagram A meeting of about 40 concerned people was held at the Kuckucksnest and a resolution was made “I think it’s very important to say: ‘You don’t get this village back – this historical spot is gone for you forever,’” said Palm a father of a four-year-old son and two-year-old twin daughters speaking of the birth that day of a citizens’ initiative known as Berchtesgaden Against the Right The punch of 24 August burst “the bubble” of Berchtesgaden’s complacency The Obersalzberg Documentation exhibition in Berchtesgaden Photograph: Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket/Getty Images“The fact that many people from relevant rightwing circles are making pilgrimages to Obersalzberg again today is a thorn in the side of many in the Berchtesgaden valley basin,” a website set up by the initiative says “Our goal is to take a clear stand for a democratic and cosmopolitan society in times of rightwing extremist activities and attacks.” It is inevitable that Berchtesgaden, the chocolate-box pretty town high in the German alps, will be for ever associated with Adolf Hitler a modest chalet that would be steadily expanded as his power grew was the German Führer’s second seat of power after Berlin amid a complex of private and government buildings where he spent a quarter of his time as chancellor Adolf Hitler signs autographs at the Berghof Photograph: ullstein bild Dtl./ullstein bild/Getty ImagesHitler’s closest acolytes It was at the Berghof that Hitler hosted Lloyd George Neville Chamberlain and the former King Edward VIII and his wife Education officer Lena Thurnhausstatter at the entrance to the new permanent exhibition Photograph: Leonhard SimonFrom its “great room” overlooking the snow-capped Untersberg massif Hitler launched the invasion of Poland in September 1939 plotted Operation Barbarossa against the Soviet Union and executed the siege of Leningrad at the cost of the lives of 800,000 of its inhabitants is buried in Berchtesgaden’s cemetery but little else remains of that dark chapter in history The Berghof was damaged in a British air raid on 25 April 1945 and burned down by the Obersalzberg SS a few days later The postwar US military government ordered the ruins to be blown up in 1952 to avoid it becoming a shrine A foundation wall is all that remains today always been a place of pilgrimage for some – and the numbers appear to be on the rise reopened in October after a €30m expansion with the express intent of contrasting the idyllic surroundings to the crimes ordered here one visitor scrawled in the visitors book: “Das ist das wahre Deutschland stolz national’“ (This is the real Germany A map of Obersalzberg is displayed on a multimedia table in the new museum Photograph: Leonhard SimonLena Thurnhausstatter said it was not a daily occurrence but that she had collected Post-it notes in the last few days daubed with antisemitic comments They had been stuck to the museum’s “participation wall” Some of them referenced the war between Israel and Hamas All this comes at a time when far-right views are on the ascendancy across Germany with the anti-immigration Alternative für Deutschland party boasting continued electoral success Local centre-right parties have also played with extremist language The accommodation of asylum seekers in local hotels has provoked concerns “It has never been broken,” said Norbert Egger of the hold of far-right views on some parts of German society The old prejudices were never far from the surface noting that the golf club near the Berghof of which Egger has been chair in recent years had been established in 1955 on 20 April – the day of Hitler’s birthday The remains of the retaining wall of the Berghof in the forest near the museum Photograph: Leonhard SimonA protest rally was organised by the initiative in September About 300 people marched through Berchtesgaden’s cobbled streets and were addressed in solidarity by the mayor of the centre-right Christian Social Union party (CSU) A night-time vigil was held in November for victims of the 1938 Kristallnacht pogroms Further events were planned for Hitler’s birthday including “a human chain” of people holding hands from one end of the town to the other a first step will be made to rename Von Hindenburg Allee a central street in Berchtesgaden named in 1933 after the-then German president in honour of his decision to make Hitler chancellor Palm’s great-grandfather was the mayor responsible for making Paul von Hindenburg and Hitler “honoured citizens” “As a family we all want that decision denounced [by the regional parliament] and for the street to be renamed” That it remains as it is is seen as evidence of a dangerous ambivalence Anna Stangassinger: ‘We are late but it is never too late to fight for democracy.’ Photograph: Leonhard Simon“We are late but it is never too late to fight for democracy,” said Anna Stangassinger The purpose is not only to dissuade unwelcome visitors but to ask all those who hold what may be unpalatable views to some to draw a line at violence Palm said: “The answer to the country’s problems isn’t going back to nazism – it doesn’t get better with iPhones.” a retired businessman who served in the air force in the late 1970s “with the old Nazis as commanders and the young Nazis as colleagues” said the cross-party effort offered hope that Germany could reject the poison of the past all democrats have to work together against fascists” “We missed that in Germany 90 years ago but we shouldn’t make the same mistake again.” ZF is a global technology company supplying advanced mobility products and systems for passenger cars commercial vehicles and industrial technology Its comprehensive product range is primarily aimed at vehicle manufacturers mobility providers and start-up companies in the fields of transportation and mobility ZF electrifies a wide range of vehicle types the company contributes to reducing emissions protecting the climate as well as enhancing safe mobility We want to actively shape the future of technology for mobility and industry Our aim is to convert today’s potential into tomorrow’s competitive advantages We supply mobility systems for passenger cars ZF offers comprehensive product and software solutions for established vehicle manufacturers and newly emerging transport and mobility service providers ZF is looking for exceptional people at all levels – from experienced specialists to inquisitive apprentices Learn more about how you can join us today Learn more about ZF’s global technology — including its board You can also find the latest financial figures here Our sustainability ambitions require holistic thinking We are convinced that cooperation is the key to successful sustainable development Alongside the automotive sector – passenger cars and commercial vehicles – ZF also serves market segments such as construction and agricultural machinery ZF reported sales of €41.4 billion in fiscal year 2024 The company operates 161 production locations in 30 countries Inga Starbatty was practically born with a love of anything with an engine and as a child her dream job was to be one too These were ideal prerequisites for the FutureStarter Innovative driveline and chassis technology as well as components and technology for safety systems ZF’s sustainable solutions for commercial vehicles in logistics and public transport ZF also provides mobility for off-road applications This is the fifth year in running for us at Speedhunters. While browsing older stories to see how far we’ve come, I came across two car features we did back in 2009 of the BMW M5 and the 135i This was the first time I’d met our fearless leader Rod as well as Dino in the idyllic town of Berchtesgaden close to the Austrian border I vaguely remembered the locals mentioning some amazing ‘Deutsche Alpenstrasse’ or German alpine road when we inquired about driving roads in the region for the dynamic shots that we needed back then Since I was working in Salzburg this weekend and since Berchtesgaden is just a half hour drive from the Salzburg airport I used the chance to revisit the town once again and drive a small section of the 400km (approx 280 mile) long Deutsche Alpenstrasse which starts at the Lake Constance and after finding its way through the winding German landscape The car I had for this journey was a Renault Megane RS with the Cup chassis packing 265 horsepower and a healthy 360Nm of twist Among the other differences to its sister Sport chassis model this one comes with a limited slip differential as well as slightly different gear ratios and a stiffer chassis set-up I drove from Salzburg to Berchtesgaden, and decided to drive the route in the reverse direction, touching the towns of Ramsau, Inzell, Ruhpolding, Reit am Winkl, exit the Alpenstrasse and then head via Übersee over to the A8 and make my last stop at Chiemsee. This roughly 94km (58 mile) drive would take about an hour and half to drive without any breaks Having filled the car up with juicy 100 octane gasoline and myself with chocolate filled croissants Since I didn’t have anyone to assist me with any driving this would be my first solo Dream Drive shoot The roads were surprisingly empty on this day despite me being warned by the man at the gas station about hordes of bikers I guess the imminent threat of rain indicated by the heavy clouds kept most of the motorcyclists at home Each time the roads opened up slightly I got a glimpse of mountains kissing the clouds as well as several fields full of grazing cows and sheep the first few droplets of water already started appearing on the windshield which caused a slight bit of concern as I’ve heard stories about just how tail-happy this car is Turn fast enough into a corner under braking and you can instantly feel the rear end move about Luckily it was just a false alarm as the clouds parted soon thereafter on warm summer days I’m told that these roads are heavily populated with enthusiast drivers alike This is one of those roads that doesn’t necessarily need to be taken flat out while screaming I caught myself enjoying the view – the mountains it pops and bangs ever so gently upon overrun This makes my inner 12-year old very happy indeed you’d have to work quite hard to not get distracted by the view Often the roadside opens up completely to a majestic panorama view like this and you’d have to really force yourself to not get carried away too much After a couple of such sections I decided to stop and gaze in peace At several spots on this route there are viewing points and rest stops so that riders and drivers alike could take a break from the relentless dash of corners The weather report forecast rain on this day but the strong winds and the valleys meant that the weather could change very quickly There were a few spots on the road where there was construction work going on usually one lane is blocked and the traffic is regulated using traffic lights This meant that the roads were often occupied in bunches of cars Since I often ended up being at the front of the pack I always had an empty stretch of road in front of me Parts of the Alpenstrasse were cut along rocky mountainsides and often you will find signs for falling rocks on the roadside ground water seeps through the rock and presents the drivers on the road with impromptu waterfalls This is one of the many rest stops that operate on this route and is built right on the edge of a rocky cliff with a balcony extending out into the open overlooking the valley below you can still catch a glimpse of the last bits of snow melting away on the mountainsides entire sections of this road are sometimes closed off due to snow The Mégane is a properly exciting hot hatch When I initially heard about its front limited slip differential I scratched my head wondering how much of a difference it would make – doubts which disappeared immediately after driving it You can get back on the throttle much earlier exiting corners and the front end just hooks and goes There is no free-spinning inner wheel chaos here Having spent the better part of my life in Europe within the continental European drift scene I was hesitant to believe deep inside that front-wheel drive cars can be properly fun The agility with which Mégane RS tackles corners beggars belief but then have to you remember that it has already clocked the fastest time on the Nürburgring Nordschleife for a front-wheel drive production car I continued on the B305 towards Reit am Winkl This road cuts through some of the most beautiful landscape I have ever seen Natural preserves only allow designated vehicles to enter the area This meant that the Mégane had to wait outside the gate… … while on the other side I was treated to this! Due to the recent rains the water level had risen in this little lake. The water was ice cold and crystal clear, and reminded me a bit of the Lago di Livigno in Italy from our Stelvio story. Now this is a sign you don’t see very often and I continued on in the direction of Reit am Winkl I stopped at a little waterfall to look at the car that had got me here you can start to see the different design cues used The RS bodykit complements the general body shape so well its appears as if the car was designed this way from the very beginning look like they were designed in one swoosh of the pen and the roof spoiler an extension of the roof itself The 18-inch matte black wheels come as standard on the Cup chassis Mégane RS as well as the Dual X Brembo brakes with discs measuring 340mm at the front and 290mm at the rear The seats are brilliant Recaro units that are supportive as well as comfortable Extended side supports on the backrest as well as on the seat itself mean the driver is kept planted in place even under heavy lateral load The flared fenders and the aggressive side sills lend a very menacing character to the car as if the standard Mégane went on a bodybuilding craze A closed road due to construction work meant I had to join the autobahn further down the A8 It was starting to get late and I had to drop the car off so I headed towards Chiemsee the off ramp at Chiemsee takes you right to the water This place is packed with drivers taking a break from their long drives to relax at the water What iconic route in Germany would you like us to drive next More Dream Drive stories on Speedhunters I want to read about a roadtrip in a couple of exotic cars which goes via the Nurburgring Spa Francochamps and b-roads all over europe like Germany Thanks for this writeupIt gave me a nice idea of what to roughly expect when i did my drive just a week ago, but my weather was totally the opposite of yours, plenty of sunshine (and plenty of bikers!) Loved every moment!https://garage36.wordpress.com/2017/06/01/dream-drives-navigating-the-alpenstrasse-in-a-bmw-m140i/ Speedhunters is an international collective of photographers, writers and drivers with a shared passion for uncovering the world's most exciting car culture stories. 2024·Snowboard AlpineThe International Ski Federation (FIS) and Snowboard Germany have announced the unfortunate cancellation of the FIS Snowboard Alpine World Cup finals initially scheduled for March 16-17 in Berchtesgaden Despite comprehensive efforts from both organizations the event has been called off due to insufficient snow conditions in the region especially those who were eagerly anticipating the season's competition in the scenic Bavarian Alps The finals were set to feature exhilarating races in parallel slalom and parallel slalom team events "Despite our best efforts and the incredible support from Snowboard Germany the weather conditions have left us with no choice but to cancel the World Cup finals in Berchtesgaden but the lack of snow and the short notice made it impossible to find a suitable replacement venue." attention now turns to the upcoming events in Winterberg While Winterberg is set to host the next pair of parallel World Cup events the FIS is actively exploring options for another stop in the season ensuring that the competition calendar can be completed satisfactorily This proactive approach underscores the FIS's commitment to the sport and its athletes despite the challenges posed by changing climate conditions The FIS and Snowboard Germany wish to extend their gratitude to the athletes and fans for their understanding and continued support during these challenging times Both organizations are dedicated to ensuring a spectacular competition in Winterberg and are looking forward to celebrating the world's best snowboard alpine athletes' achievements This development highlights the ongoing challenges winter sports face due to climate variability the FIS is committed to adapting and finding innovative solutions to ensure the future of snow sports the FIS and Snowboard Germany invite fans to share in the excitement of the upcoming races supporting their favorite athletes as they compete for top honors in the overall standings Stay tuned for further updates and information on the snowboard alpine season as it progresses towards an exciting conclusion with the FIS actively seeking additional opportunities to extend the competitive season Please sign in with your Snow-Forecast account details below Create a free account to receive instant Snow-Alerts and save your favourite resorts on your personal MySnow page The Berchtesgaden snow report is: 0 out of 4 Lifts open Our Snow Report for Berchtesgaden brings daily updates on the snow conditions, snow depths, piste and offpiste conditions and the number of open ski lifts. The latest Berchtesgaden snow report shown below was updated on 2 May 2025. Snow Reports are provided regularly throughout the ski season courtesy of our own network of ski resort managers and Skiresort Service International GmbH In addition to the current report on ski conditions we also provide webcams (including a 4 week cam archive) current live observations from nearby weather stations and also historical snow data for Berchtesgaden Light rain showers reported from Loferer Alm at 1625 metres elevation only 3 kms W of Lofer but it is forecast cold enough for snow at the ski area from Lofer Rain reported from Schmittenhoehe (automatic) at 1954 metres elevation 6 kms NW of Kaprun but it is forecast cold enough for snow at higher elevations in the ski area from Kaprun Several North American ski areas that are still open plan to celebrate the unofficial Star Wars Day tomorrow Recorded snow depths for the upper and lower slopes in Berchtesgaden 2024 - 2025 The long term average for the upper slopes is also shown for comparison Find the best conditions for skiing and snowboarding near Berchtesgaden using our Snowfinder page The snow report describes the piste and off-piste ski conditions at Berchtesgaden You can submit an updated snow report here Piste and off-piste are often different so we ask snow reporters to describe Berchtesgaden piste and off-piste conditions separately If these details are missing from the Berchtesgaden snow report you can predict off-piste conditions using the snow depth the date of the most recent snowfall at Berchtesgaden the Berchtesgaden weather report and the forecast Members can check the hindcast for a timeline of Berchtesgaden weather conditions This detailed weather log makes it easy to predict snow conditions at Berchtesgaden even when the snow report is too old to be useful The hindcast shows when our weather model last predicted snowfall at Berchtesgaden You will be able to predict whether to expect off-piste powder If you see a report of powder or fresh snow conditions several days after snow last fell off-piste new snow will be tracked out within hours of a fresh fall but wherever crowds are light in relation to the accessible terrain it will be possible to stay fresh much later strong winds sometimes redistribute powder snow enough to cover old tracks or it may simply be that the ski area was not fully open for some period after the snow fell so fresh snow that fell a while ago has remained un-tracked until this report Berchtesgaden snow conditions will change too so it is important to check the time and date of the Berchtesgaden snow report and to guess what effect the weather will have had on snow quality between then and now the Berchtesgaden snow report on Friday afternoon may indicate fresh powder but if Friday night is mild and rainy then ski conditions will be very poor on Saturday morning the same snow report can be valid for more than a week We advise that you check the Berchtesgaden snow forecast to see if conditions are likely to change before your visit Many skiers enjoy moguls and fast icy pistes but for off-piste skiers and free-ride snowboarders fresh snow starts to deteriorate from the moment it settles rain and periods of above-freezing temperature are the primary cause of the evolution from fresh powder to windslab High altitude slopes that are shaded from the sun and sheltered from the wind preserve powder stashes longer after fresh snowfall If the snow report mentions pockets of powder at Berchtesgaden study the Berchtesgaden piste map in relation to the wind direction to determine the most likely locations We stress the importance of checking the date on the Berchtesgaden snow report particularly around weekends the snow report for Berchtesgaden on Friday may indicate powder after recent snowfall but following a sunny and busy weekend when the locals hit the mountains en masse the ski conditions (at any resort) can deteriorate rapidly and late arrivals may see very different ski conditions Of course some people look for deteriorating conditions in the snow report for the likely development of mogul fields but for powder lovers and particularly snowboarders this can mean tracked out off-piste snow this doesn’t always happen quickly after fresh snowfall particularly at quiet North facing resorts at high altitude where genuine powder stashes may be found days or even weeks later It is worth checking the piste map for Berchtesgaden (found in menu above) for the location of favourable slopes that may be described in the "Berchtesgaden Snow Conditions" part of the snow report In addition to checking the Berchtesgaden snow report we recommend that you check the snow forecasts found in the menu at the top of the page along with our ski resort guide Donate Today held their Anzac Day parade at the Binbrook RAF station in Lincolnshire on 25 April 1945 they first had to await the return of the squadron’s 20 Lancasters that had taken part in one of the final raids by Bomber Command on Hitler’s Reich The last Bomber Command raid took place on an oil refinery in Norway that evening It had been involved in some of the largest raids on Berlin Losses for the squadron had been devastating: over 1,000 killed and approximately 180 aircraft lost on operations which survived 89 operations with the squadron holds pride of place in the Australian War Memorial’s Anzac Hall Not as well documented was the final raid carried out by the squadron given the high profile and notoriety of the target and that it took place on Anzac Day Coming as they did in the final days of the war in Europe Bomber Command’s last raids are less well known Adolf Hitler on the campaign trail at Berchtesgaden during a 1932 election high in the Bavarian Alps in the far south of Germany near the Austrian border but the nearby mountain retreat of Obersalzberg Here were chalets and mountain lodges belonging to the Nazi Party elite These included Adolf Hitler’s alpine lodge the Berghof (meaning “mountain inn” or “mountain farm”) where many wartime conferences had been held and Hitler had received many dignitaries Nearby were dwellings belonging to Herman Göring Security was provided by a consignment of troops from the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler division which was housed in a barracks adjacent to the Berghof Nestled higher up on the mountain peak was the famous Eagle’s Nest a reception house built by the Nazi Party at a cost of 25 million Reichsmarks it had taken a workforce of 3,000 men two years to build It was presented to Adolf Hitler as a gift for his 50th birthday in 1938 Here at Obersalzberg was filmed the colour footage of Hitler which is now a seemingly standard inclusion for any documentary on the Second World War The decision to launch the Berchtesgaden raid when the war in Europe was careening toward an inevitable end was not inspired by grand symbolic gestures it was not the aim of the Allies to destroy Hitler’s alpine lodge simply because they could  The mission was in fact driven by strategic concerns It was feared by Supreme Allied Command that as the Western Allies and the Soviets closed in on the heartland of Hitler’s Reich leading Nazis and fanatical SS units might assemble at Berchtesgaden for a final stand or even plan to carry on the war from mountain hideouts indefinitely knew at the time of the Berchtesgaden raid that Hitler had remained in Berlin; but the raid was undertaken to support American units from XV Corps who were advancing upon Munich (captured on 30 April) and would reach Berchtesgaden on 4 May But it is unlikely that aircrews taking part in the raid were aware that the Führerwas not at home when they came knocking on 25 April Hitler and the rest of his entourage were cooped up in the Führerbunkerin Berlin 460 Squadron were briefed in the early hours of Anzac Day 20 Lancasters from the squadron began readying for take-off In the air they would join a force totalling more than 300 Lancasters and 16 Mosquitos of Bomber Command as well as over 270 B-24 Liberator bombers from the US 8th Air Force which targeted the railway infrastructure leading to Berchtesgaden Escorting them were 88 P-51D Mustang fighters from the US 8th Army Air Force Hitler’s alpine retreat near Berchtesgaden The bombers flew southwards over France and into Bavaria in clear blue skies turning eastwards at Lake Constance toward their target later wrote that “no travel poster could ever depict the magnificence of the day the blue waters of Lake Constance.” The peaceful scenes did not last The bombers arrived in two waves at 9 am and 10.30 am As they approached the target area they found the mountain tops in cloud The Eagle’s Nest itself remained shrouded throughout the raid The Mosquito Pathfinders at the head of the bomber stream found it hard to visually identify targets because of mist and a layer of ground snow the mountains interfered with their Oboe direction finding signals even though they were flying at 39,000 feet (for a description of Oboe The bombers had to orbit around the target for a period some coming under heavy flak as they found themselves as far away as Salzberg The heavy payload was designed to destroy bunker networks that were believed to exist below the Obersalzberg complex The SS barracks – the key target – were severely damaged Houses belonging to Göring (who survived the raid in his bomb shelter) and Bormann were destroyed boasted that a thousand-pounder had made the deep end of Göring’s swimming pool a little bit deeper The Berghof itself also sustained heavy damage American and French troops arrived on the scene to rummage through the ruins for souvenirs American and French troops outside the former Hotel Zum Türken which served as a headquarters for the Sicherheitsdienst It was one of several buildings at the Nazi complex at Obersalzberg Anti-aircraft fire downed two bombers during the raid it was flown by Flying Officer Henry “Lofty” Payne German flak guns hit Payne’s Lancaster nine times who had moved from his navigator’s chair to get a view of target returned to his position to find a gaping hole where he had been sitting His decision to go to peek at the target probably saved his life Payne hoped to glide the Lancaster to the American lines but the fourth engine failed and fuel from burst lines began flooding the fuselage Payne issued the order for his crew to bail out Having maintained control of the Lancaster as the crew one by one made their exit from the nose escape hatch Payne then began to unbuckle himself from his seat As he was readying for his own exit he was surprised when his rear gunner appeared with his parachute trailing behind As the rear gunner made his way out of his position his parachute had caught on a piece of torn metal and burst from his pack inside the aircraft but the rear gunner returned to report it could not be found Payne chose without hesitation to attempt a crash landing As the Lancaster glided down from 15,000 feet through the mountainous alpine valley Payne and the rear gunner watched nervously as the flames inched closer to the fuel tank The alpine surroundings were not ideal for crash landing The stricken bomber glided in and skidded to a halt more or less intact – but not before a telegraph wire had sheared off the tops of the Lancaster’s tail fins as it came in As they emerged from the wreckage they were arrested by a gang of Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth) armed with machine-guns The pair were soon relieved from the horrible possibility of being executed by trigger-happy juvenile delinquents when a group of older men arrived on the scene to take them into custody Their stay in the Reich as prisoners of war would only be a short one as Payne and his crew were soon liberated by the advancing American forces at the Moosburg prisoner of war camp on 29 April and the second last crew of all of Bomber Command News of the loss of an RAAF Lancaster may have subdued any jubilation over the otherwise largely successful Anzac day raid on a target strongly symbolic of Nazism But news of Payne’s bravery and the survival of his crew would soon reach Binbrook Payne’s action – occurring as it did 30 years to the day after the original Anzac landed on Gallipoli – was seen to be symbolic of the spirit and reputation befitting the squadron’s record of service While the Anzac day raid on Berchtesgaden would be No Two more peaceful operations would follow: Operation Exodus the evacuation of Allied prisoners of war from Germany a food lift to the stricken and starving civilians of the Netherlands the Anzac Day raid on Berchtesgaden has largely remained a footnote in the history of No 460 Squadron’s record of service in the air war over Europe Dr Lachlan Grant is a historian in the Military History Section of the Australian War Memorial Your generous donation will be used to ensure the memory of our Defence Forces and what they have done for us and what they continue to do for our freedom remains – today and into the future Help preserve Australia's history by transcribing records from the National Collection Enhance accessibility and discoverability for all Australians is a new initiative designed to record the locations and photographs of every publicly accessible memorial across Australia The Australian War Memorial is open for visitors as we work to expand our galleries Entry is free and tickets are not required 10 am to 4 pm daily (except Christmas Day) In preparation for the daily Last Post Ceremony galleries are progressively closed from 3:40 pm Subscribe Germany’s Bavarian Alps have been an insider secret to wellness cognoscenti since before the 18th Century and abundance of sites for peace and rest have attracted countless searchers of detox The hotel’s Alpine Lifestyle mantra that features uncrowded outdoor spaces and opportunities for indulgence and restful wellbeing are still near the top of everyone’s list Seekers of wellbeing or adventure will certainly find all these features in and around Berchtesgaden Perhaps no place more than at the Kempinski Hotel Berchtesgaden which is organically nestled nearly 3300 feet up against the rise of imposing Mount Eckerbickl The hotel opened in 2005 and has been part of the esteemed Kempinski Hotels chain since 2015 Although the hotel’s remote feel is one to treasure The hotel’s helicopter pad makes your entrance onto the resort grounds a picturesque one from your own perspective as well as that of viewers; the dramatic panorama of the alps makes for a very cinematic backdrop personable staff are garbed in regional attire but don’t let the skirts and lederhosen throw you the uniform is quite at home here and the staff operates as a synchronized team Special requests and additional recommendations are capably and stylishly executed by one of the Kempinski brand’s iconic “Ladies in Red.” Given today’s focus on safety protocols Kempinski has taken that concern retro with its re-interpretation of “white glove” service The hotel was constructed with intimate alpine appeal in harmony with the region it’s a haven of tranquil seclusion so compelling now Ensconced neatly amid the majestic natural splendor of the nearby Berchtesgaden National Park pine-forested surrounds blanketed in snow in winter and charmingly change their dress as the seasons march along Rooms and suites feature the stunning mountain views so part of this regional appeal This is a retreat where something as simple as the rise of the morning mists off the ground will entrance you a perfect combination of sleek and elemental with the use of brick stone and silver birch to integrate with the mountain-scape outside We loved the Maisonette Suite while we were there yet cozy chalet-type ambience in its 1400 square feet over two floors The burnished rustic fireplace is an added treat for romance and warmth on those brisk autumn or winter nights.  With such a rich Bavarian heritage so fully infused it might be hard to wrap your head around the hotel’s claim to “culinary diversity,” but you will find it here. The Vinotheque is one venue There are a few stube-style offerings in the Restaurant Johann Grill which also hosts the hotel’s daily Alpine Breakfast It’s a venue that calls to mind the pristine setting You wouldn’t typically find a chilled melon soup  201 South Biscayne Blvd. 28 Floor Miami, FL, 33131USA (305) 913-1337 info@navisyachts.com  Follow us in the social networks to get the latest news of superyachts and luxury Some of them are essential for the operation of the site while others help us to improve this site and the user experience (tracking cookies) You can decide for yourself whether you want to allow cookies or not you may not be able to use all the functionalities of the site Our trip starts with a few days’ hiking in Bavaria’s mountainous Berchtesgaden district – trying to avoid its most infamous resident The late train to Berchtesgaden is not busy A group of beefy young men in leather shorts with embroidered braces get on with another group of young men who are stick-thin and chatting in Somali It seems somehow appropriate to start a series of summer travel reports from Germany, a country that most British travellers have never really taken to – not in comparison with Spain, France and Italy, the consistent top choices I’m hoping this means plenty of unexpected delights and discoveries It’s also a country looming larger on the European stage as Brexit progresses bucked the trend of anti-immigration with people turning out to actually welcome refugees There are also sound economic reasons for visiting Germany Its supermarkets are among the cheapest in the major EU economies with prices significantly lower than in the UK This is something I plan to do when my family catch up with me This year’s plan is for family to join me on individual stages of my German odyssey Cattle class … a cow near one of the Kaser dairy huts in BerchtesgadenBerchtesgaden a lozenge of Alpine land in the extreme south-east almost surrounded by Austria Over the next few weeks I’ll make my way to the other We stand up to disembark at the hamlet of Bischofswiesen Those strapping lads in shorts have donned feathered felt trilbies and are talking loudly This new Germany is experiencing rapid and sometimes unexpected change it is also staunchly traditional: our hotel proves to be an imposing wooden chalet with acres of geraniums on the balcony and excellent local wheat beer Misty moutains … the view to the upper Wimbacher ValleyMorning brings thick cloud and sheets of fine rain but we set out anyway through a dripping forest where veils of mist are reluctantly dragging themselves aloft Red squirrels and kestrels squeal warnings but we don’t spot the golden eagles that are sometimes seen here giving us great views – until the rain starts to fall in relentless sheets overlooking the glacial blue waters of Königssee shredded pancakes served with fresh berries Conor hiking above KönigsseeMost people on the trails are German judging by their greetings: Servus and Grüss Gott being the most common rather than the typical High German Guten Tag But down by the lake we find multinational crowds coach parties of tourists gathering to head up to the Kehlsteinhaus In fact most visitors to the area only do a boat trip and the Nazi hill station It makes me uneasy. How did he hijack the soaring peaks and flower-decked meadows to become the central attraction? I’m happier when Herr Hitler is kept in a box, like at Munich’s painfully brilliant documentation centre but I take the boat trip on the idyllic lake and do some shorter walks I set off up the hill towards the Eagle’s Nest There is a maze of forest paths and signposts I go wrong twice and lose time but I don’t care – the walking is lovely and when I finally make it to the Obersalzberg where one has to catch a bus for the final leg I’m as fascinated as anyone by Hitler’s rise to power and Nazi history I take the cable car back down with a sigh of relief This article is an edited transcript of Appeasing Hitler with Tim Bouverie on Dan Snow’s History Hit, first broadcast 7 July 2019. You can listen to the full episode below or to the full podcast for free on Acast The most famous and iconic moments of the appeasement story were Chamberlain’s three flying visits to Hitler The first one, where Hitler and Chamberlain met in Berchtesgaden, was where Chamberlain agreed that the Sudetens should be allowed to join with the Reich should they wish to He suggested that there should be either a plebiscite or a referendum He then returned to Britain and persuaded the French to abandon the Czechs, their former allies. He persuaded them that they must give in, that they must cede the Sudetenland to Hitler The French pretended to be highly affronted to be asked to abandon their ally but privately they had already decided that they couldn’t fight for them anyway They just wanted to pin the blame on the British hat and umbrella in hands) walks with German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop (right) as the Prime Minister leaves for home after the Berchtesgaden meeting and this time he met Hitler on the banks of the Rhine at Bad Godesberg The French have agreed to abandon the Czechs and both the British and the French have told the Czechs that if you don’t surrender this territory then we will abandon you and you will have your most assured destruction.” because he wanted a little war and wanted to keep upping the ante but I’m afraid it’s not good enough It’s got to happen much faster than you’re saying like the Polish minority and the Hungarian minority.” Chamberlain was still prepared to give in to Hitler’s demands even though it was very clear Hitler had no interest in a peaceful solution Chamberlain (left) and Hitler leave the Bad Godesberg meeting At this point, the British Cabinet revolted and rejected Hitler’s terms. For one brief week, it looked as if Britain was going to go to war over Czechoslovakia when Chamberlain was in the midst of a speech in the House of Commons talking about preparations for war It was the British ambassador in Germany saying that Hitler was inviting the great powers (Britain and Germany) for a conference at Munich to find a peaceful solution which is actually far less exciting than the previous summits By the time the British and French prime ministers boarded their airplanes The Sudetenland was going to be surrendered Hitler’s decided against war; they’ve decided to give in It’s important also to realise that dissatisfaction with the Munich Agreement began a long time before he invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia There was huge euphoria after the Munich Agreement most people in Britain were beginning to realise that the only way that war was to be avoided was by giving into this bully’s demands and that they’re probably not going to be his last demands Then there was the enormous shock in 1938 with Kristallnacht and the huge wave of anti-Jewish violence that spreads across Germany. And then in March 1939, Hitler teared up the Munich Agreement and annexed the whole of Czechoslovakia In doing so Hitler rendered all of Chamberlain’s claims for peace with honour and peace for our time null and void Hitler’s rejection and violation of the Munich Agreement in March 1939 is the decisive moment of the appeasement policy proves that he is an untrustworthy man who is not merely seeking to incorporate Germans into his Reich but is after territorial aggrandisement on a Napoleonic scale This was something which Churchill and others had been claiming And the tearing up of the Munich Agreement is History Hit brings you the stories that shaped the world through our award winning podcast network and an online history channel as well as exclusive offers from our shop and carefully selected partners Sign Me Up The 25-year-old prevailed against 29 other state winners and thus brings the coveted AICR title back to Germany for the first time in 26 years "This award is a great honour for me and makes my team and me incredibly happy my partner and the entire team of the Kempinski Hotel Berchtesgaden for all their support," said Pia Zumkley following the award ceremony "The fact that Pia's outstanding performance and commitment has been recognised with the award for the world's best receptionist and that she is bringing this title back to Germany for the first time in 26 years fills us all with great pride," says Werner Müller General Manager of Kempinski Hotel Berchtesgaden either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content An American tourist died on July 3 after he fell while hiking in the Bavarian Alps fell 361 feet during a hike on Jenner Mountain at the northern end of Konigsee Lake in Bavaria at around 2:30 p.m is part of the Göll massif in the Berchtesgaden Alps Popular hiking trails there lead to the Hohes Brett and Scheibstein peaks and to Berchtesgaden National Park in the south The man who died had joined a tour on the mountain He arrived by train before the rest of the group arrived at the peak following a long climb He apparently lost his balance on the rocky terrain and fell backward according to Berchtesgaden District Police The man suffered severe injuries that cost him his life and there was no opportunity to save him A Hamburg man who saw the accident climbed down what police called a challenging rock face to administer first aid He quickly realized it was too late to rescue the victim and made an emergency call to the Berchtesgaden Mountain Rescue service a medical team arrived by helicopter and pronounced the man dead Rescue workers remained at the scene to offer psychological support to the group of hikers who reached the peak only to learn of the man's death Police and rescue agencies have not said whether the man had relatives on the hiking trip along with him Berchtesgaden is a German town on the Austrian border It is the location of Adolf Hitler's Eagle's Nest retreat Jenner Mountain is also the site of an Alpine ski resort making it a popular destination for ski mountaineers An 84-year-old hiker fell to his death in the Bavarian Alps in July 2018 He is believed to have fallen about 328 feet after losing his balance while climbing the western flank of the Brecherspitz There are striking views of Schliersee Lake from that mountain The German federal state of Bavaria includes Lake Constance the state capital city of Munich and the Alps The Bavarian Alps cross the border into Austria The Alpine region is considered among the most beautiful and picturesque in Germany This story was provided to Newsweek by Zenger News Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsletters in your inbox See all LAVA has set new precedents for future hostel guests with: Multi-purposeareas,previously unknown in this type of accommodation Authentic spatial features based on the location and the transformation of an historic building Built-in furniture and integrated storage avoids the barracks-style appearance of the typical youth hostel. The space is organised into visually coherent zones,with just a few key interventions. Courtesy of LAVARecent developments in the hotel sector reveal an increasing trend towards the 5-star luxury segment on one hand, and on the other, the growing appeal of the individually designed basic hotel. LAVA’s study found that the success of these hotel typologies in urban areas is based on a return to simple yet clearly defined concepts, combined with quality elements, materials, and furniture with spaces that stimulate activity, group interaction, and a sense of community. SectionAs youth hostels boast a wide range of typologies ranging from hut to castle standardizing would be the wrong approach and so LAVA opted for creating different bedrooms using the old structure in different ways.This transformation of the old spaces includes a wooden ceiling of the old restaurant at ground floor made visible in the new rooms and unused space under the attic becomes a mezzanine level with additional beds open to the spaces below. Courtesy of LAVAChris Bosse, LAVA director, added: ’The core experience is that of authenticity and simplicity within the hostel’. This pilot project with the German Youth Hostel Association in Bavaria is located to the south east of Munich. LAVA won the competition for the redesign in 2009. The other buildings in the Berchtesgaden Youth Hostel will be transformed over the next few years. Further projects in other locations in Bavaria are currently being planned. You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email HofmannAdvertisementThe picturesque town of Berchtesgaden has long had a shortage of available burial plots with authorities turning down applicants wishing to secure a spot because of a lack of space officials in the settlement — which lies at the foot of the Alps — now say that some 200 sites have been freed up The 140 available burial sites and 60 locations for cremation urn tombs will be allocated in a lottery The draw is to be carried out next Wednesday and the odds for any of the town's 7,800 residents who wish to apply are good so far with 280 people having registered on Saturday morning "We wanted the process to be as fair as possible," said director of the municipality Anton Kurz #DailyDrone: The Eagle's Nest To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The price of a spot at the cemetery varies from €490 to €760 ($570 to $890). Residents are able to apply for places for themselves or relatives The Federal Association of German Undertakers said it had never heard of a similar situation, where demand for cemetery places outstrips supply. In northern Germany in particular, the situation is the opposite with many cemetery spots empty Read more: Too expensive to die in Hong Kong Berchtesgaden was a favorite holiday spot of Adolf Hitler and he bought a home in the Obersalzberg mountain retreat above the town It became effectively a second seat of government for the Third Reich with prominent Nazis such as Hermann Göring Joseph Goebbels and Albert Speer also frequenting the area Hitler's "Eagles Nest," overlooking the town was built as a present for his 50th birthday Berchtesgaden and the surrounding areas are a popular destination for holidaymakers and mountaineers It boasts one of Germany's highest mountains as well as one of Germany's national parks Kempinski Hotels expands its presence in Germany while enhancing its alpine resort portfolio; Europe's oldest luxury hotel group will take over the Berchtesgaden International Resort currently managed by InterContinental Hotels Group A management agreement has been signed by Kempinski and the Bayerische Landesbank The five-star hotel in the Berchtesgadener Land boasts 138 rooms and suites and is scheduled for take-over in the first half of 2015 Further details are currently under negotiation "This luxurious resort in the Bavarian Alps is a perfect match with the Kempinski brand and is an excellent addition to our existing alpine portfolio in the region which includes the Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains in St and Kempinski Hotel Das Tirol in the Kitzbühel Alps in Austria," says Markus Semer Chief Group Development and Corporate Affairs Officer at Kempinski Hotels "The signing of this property is in line with our development strategy to focus on Europe and underlines Kempinski's management expertise in alpine destinations in the luxury segment There is also an ideal link between this hotel and the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski in Munich given the short distance between the two properties." "We are delighted to have secured Kempinski Hotels as the new operator for our first-class hotel in Berchtesgaden We are confident that Kempinski will continue to successfully develop the hotel to position it as one of the best mountain resorts in the Bavarian Alps The close association with the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski means we expect a further strengthening of our hotel's position as a preferred destination in the Munich market and the same is true in the Alpine region with the Kempinski hotels in Kitzbühel and St Managing Director of Berchtesgaden International Resort 150 km from Munich and 33 km from Salzburg the resort offers breath taking views of the Salzburger Land and the Watzmann massif The luxury hotel opened in 2005 and features 138 rooms and suites with panorama windows displaying outstanding views of the mountains Guests will be spoilt for choice with three restaurants and two bars The resort's comprehensive conference facilities include six conference rooms with natural daylight and scenic views of the surrounding mountains as well as an outside event space for up to 4,000 guests making the alpine resort the ideal venue for private and corporate events an indoor and outdoor swimming pool and a 1,400 square metre spa area complement the hotel's facilities The Bavarian Alps' spectacular natural beauty is the setting for plenty of leisure opportunities during both winter and summer: hiking trails cross-country ski tracks and downhill skiing are all just a short drive from the hotel Right next to the hotel there is a skiing area for families golfers can tee off on one of Germany's highest altitude golf courses Maria KuhnVice President Public Relations+41 (0) 22 809 88 44Kempinski It's been a bad couple of weeks for Madison Cawthorn the 24-year-old wunderkind Republican candidate for Congress He had an unfortunate — and since deleted — post on Instagram about visiting Adolf Hitler's mountainous World War II retreat Cawthorn referred to Hitler as "the Führer" and the visit as being on his "bucket list." he called Hitler a "supreme evil," which I hope was not a compliment When I want to Germany in the 1980s as a tourist and history buff — and about the same age as Cawthorn is now — I also visited Berchtesgaden but I'm pretty sure I would not have used the honorific "fuhrer," ("leader" in German) for Hitler who orchestrated the murder of 6 million Jews during the war and basically tried to take over the world Cawthorn showed some pretty poor judgment here Next, as AVL Watchdog reported and we ran on our website Aug. 12 Cawthorn messed and stepped in it by creating an impression he was heading to the Naval Academy before a tragic car crash left him paralyzed from the waist down at age 18 “Madison was home-schooled in Hendersonville and was nominated to the Naval Academy by Rep Mark Meadows in 2014,” according to the 11th District candidate’s website Madison’s plans were derailed that year after he nearly died in a tragic automobile accident that left him partially paralyzed and in a wheelchair.”     But in a 2017 sworn deposition obtained by AVL Watchdog Cawthorn admitted his application to the academy had already been rejected before the crash despite repeated requests over several days." This may seem like a minor fudge in the world of politics, but it's also telling about the young man's character. Like the man he's seeking to replace, former U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows, who also was caught up in an imbroglio about his academic record Cawthorn seems willing to create a false impression about his accomplishments he was home-schooled in Henderson County and left college after a semester of earning mostly D's A far-right candidate, Cawthorn has also come under fire for using the name, "SPQR Holdings, LLC" for his real estate investment company. In another AVL Watchdog story, the organization reported "The initials SPQR derive from the Latin initials for 'the Senate and People of Rome,' which denoted the Roman empire at its height and today appears widely on Italian tourist trinkets But in recent years SPQR has been embraced by skinhead gangs in Italy and by some white nationalists in the United States."  In an almost comically gun-happy campaign photo Cawthorn is pictured with a scoped hunting rifle Elmer Fudd would envy and a handgun in a holster with a Roman legion mask on it Some took that as another nod to the whole Roman Empire shtick Cawthorn's campaign pushed back hard on the issues via a statement from John Hart, a public relations consultant. Hart said, "There’s a big difference between a failed teenage romantic advance and being forceful, to the extent that’s possible when you’re a paraplegic.” And he said the timing of allegations is curious, too. Cawthorn handily beat Meadows' hand-picked successor, Lynda Bennett, in the Republican primary runoff, despite Meadows and President Donald Trump endorsing Bennett. Trump and Meadows (Trump's current chief of staff) are now promoting Cawthorn, appearing recently with him at Trump's hotel in Washington, D.C. “When attempts to portray Madison as a white supremacist and Nazi sympathizer failed, national Democrats turned to their new favorite pastime of Kavanaugh-like character assassination,” Hart wrote, referring to an AVL Watchdog report detailing Cawthorn’s use of symbols associated with white nationalists. The campaign also said Cawthorn is a gentleman with the ladies, and provided women who had positive dating experiences with Cawthorn. Cawthorn did tell the Smoky Mountain News, regarding the unwanted kissing incident, “As soon as I realized that she didn't want to — I think she pulled back a little bit — the date was over and we continued to sit around the fire for quite a while." Every campaign is going to have some scandals or allegations of outrageous behavior, and now that Cawthorn has garnered national attention, he can expect even more of these kind of reports. For the record, his opponent, Democrat Moe Davis, made it clear he had 'no involvement" in disseminating these stories to media outlets. Davis, 62, is a retired Air Force Colonel and former Chief Prosecutor at Guantanamo who has also worked as a law professor, judge, speaker, writer and national security expert. He's also earned undergraduate and law degrees. In short, he's been around a lot longer than Cawthorn and has decades of life and work experience. Cawthorn maintains he's a real estate investor, but he has no work record to speak of. A casual observer may be excused for thinking Davis is clearly the more qualified candidate, not to mention far more mature and experienced. These stories that keep emerging about Cawthorn paint a picture of, well, an immature 24-year-old kid whose main attribute in running for Congress is that he's young and good looking and has a compelling personal story. Casual Observer, or CO as I'll call him, might also think, with all these questions about Cawthorn's immaturity and lack of experience, that Davis would be a slam dunk. But CO clearly knows nothing about the 11th Congressional District and gerrymandering, or politics. Western Carolina University political scientist Chris Cooper does, though, so I asked him if any of these recent scandals could be a major factor or even a campaign-ender for Cawthorn. "Collectively, I do not see the most recent flap as a campaign-ender," Cooper said. "I see it as it's going to make the campaign more competitive — it's making a campaign that shouldn't be competitive actually be competitive. And it will drive more national media coverage into the story." Cooper noted that the Cook Political Report shifted the Davis-Cawthorn race from a "likely" Republican win to "leaning" Republican. About a week ago, Davis's campaign posted this to Facebook: "Polling shows a virtual dead heat in the NC11 congressional race. Col. Moe Davis (Ret.) can win this with your support." On Aug. 12, Davis' campaign cited a poll conducted July 9-12 by EMC Research that "shows that the once heavily gerrymandered 11th Congressional District in Western North Carolina is a virtual dead heat between Democratic nominee Moe Davis and Republican Madison Cawthorn." The poll, citing 402 likely November 2020 voters in the 11th District, "showed the race at 42% for Cawthorn to 40% for Davis." So why would Cooper suspect Cawthorn has a strong chance of winning, that the race really shouldn't be competitive? CO may wonder, "How can this be?" "As it's currently drawn, the (11th Congressional) district went 57% for Trump in 2016," Cooper said. In short, the 11th Congressional District was redrawn to look less flagrantly gerrymandered, but it's still pretty solid Trump territory. With Trump coming here Monday, look for Cawthorn to get some more presidential love, maybe even an unwanted kiss. But seriously, Trump and Meadows are going to pump Cawthorn up. So despite his immaturity and lack of experience, he's got a real good shot at winning. Davis tweeted this Aug. 21: "My #NC11 opponent has no education, training or experience, but he has the the GOP behind him and even Trump dropping in next week to try & revive his floundering campaign." But in politics, good looks and a good story go a long way, especially with a dash of gerrymandering tossed in. This is the opinion of John Boyle. Contact him at 828-232-5847 or jboyle@citizentimes.com Open navigationClose navigationHome All the major chapters in the American story from Indigenous beginnings to the present day History from countries and communities across the globe with the intention of assassinating the Fuhrer As the war started to turn against the Germans and the atrocities being committed at Hitler’s behest grew a growing numbers of Germans—within and beyond the military—began conspiring to assassinate their leader As the masses were unlikely to turn on the man in whose hands they had hitherto placed their lives and future Leadership of the plot fell to Claus von Stauffenberg newly promoted to colonel and chief of staff to the commander of the army reserve which gave him access to Hitler’s headquarters at Berchtesgaden and Rastenburg Take a look at the life and impact of Adolf Hitler, who as leader of the Third Reich orchestrated the the death of 6 million Jews, in this video. After recovering from his injuries, and determined to see Hitler removed from power by any means necessary, Stauffenberg traveled to Berchtesgaden on July 3 and received at the hands of a fellow army officer, Major-General Hellmuth Stieff, a bomb with a silent fuse that was small enough to be hidden in a briefcase. Fed up with Hitler, though only partially for moral reasons, high-level German resisters nearly succeeded in assassinating him in July 1944. By: Jesse Greenspan Discover more of the major events, famous births, notable deaths and everything else history-making that happened on July 11th On July 11, 1767, John Quincy Adams, son of the second U.S. president, John Adams, is born in Braintree, Massachusetts. John Quincy Adams inherited his father’s passion for politics. He accompanied his father on diplomatic missions from the time he was 14 and entered the legal profession after completing his schooling. As a young man, […] On July 11, 1782, British Royal Governor Sir James Wright, along with several civil officials and military officers, flee the city of Savannah, Georgia, and head to Charleston, South Carolina. As part of the British evacuation, a group consisting of British regulars led by General Alured Clarke traveled to New York, while Colonel Thomas Brown […] In one of the most famous duels in American history, Vice President Aaron Burr fatally shoots his long-time political antagonist Alexander Hamilton near Weehawken, New Jersey. 1861 On July 11, 1861, Union troops under General George B. McClellan score another major victory in the struggle for western Virginia at the Battle of Rich Mountain. The Yankee success secured the region and ensured the eventual creation of West Virginia. Western Virginia was a crucial battleground in the early months of the war. The […] Niagara Movement members begin meeting on the Canadian side of the Niagara Falls. This all-African American group of scholars, lawyers and businessmen came together for three days to create what would soon become a powerful post-slavery Black rights organization. Although it only lasted five years, the Niagara Movement was an influential precursor to the mid-20th […] 1914 On July 11, 1914, in his major league debut, George Herman “Babe” Ruth pitches seven strong innings to lead the Boston Red Sox over the Cleveland Indians (now known as the Cleveland Guardians), 4-3. George Herman Ruth was born February 6, 1895, in Baltimore, Maryland, where his father worked as a saloon keeper on the […] 1945 Fulfilling agreements reached at various wartime conferences, the Soviet Union promises to hand power over to British and U.S. forces in sectors of Allied-controlled Berlin. Although the division of Berlin (and of Germany as a whole) into zones of occupation was seen as a temporary postwar expedient, the dividing lines quickly became permanent. The divided […] On July 11, 1960, the 34-year-old novelist Nelle Harper Lee publishes her first novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. Set in Maycomb, a small Alabama town much like Lee’s native Monroeville, To Kill a Mockingbird is populated with indelible characters, including the book’s tomboy narrator, Jean Louise Finch (known as “Scout”), the mysterious recluse Boo Radley […] On July 11, 1978, a truck carrying liquid gas crashes into a campsite, crowded with vacationers, in San Carlos de la Rapita, Spain. The resulting explosion killed more than 200 people; many others suffered severe burns. Shortly after 3 p.m. on a hot day on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, a 38-ton truck carrying propylene […] On July 11, 1979, parts of Skylab, America’s first space station, come crashing down on Australia and into the Indian Ocean five years after the last manned Skylab mission ended. No one was injured. Launched in 1973, Skylab was the world’s first successful space station. The first manned Skylab mission came two years after the […] Two decades after the Fall of Saigon, President Bill Clinton establishes full diplomatic relations with Vietnam, citing Vietnamese cooperation in accounting for the 2,238 Americans still listed as missing in the Vietnam War. Normalization with America’s old enemy began in early 1994, when President Clinton announced the lifting of the 19-year-old trade embargo against Vietnam. […] Learn why the holiday is so significant in Russia—and what distinguishes it from V-E Day. While the war raged overseas, soldiers and civilians worked furiously to protect the capital against rising waters. Many Allied bombings released the equivalent energy of 300 lightning strikes and temporarily weakened the ionosphere, say researchers. The Los Alamos Historical Museum halted a Japanese exhibition on the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki because of a controversy over its message of abolishing nuclear weapons. We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate Uncover fascinating moments from the past every day Learn something new with key events in history from the American Revolution to pop culture you agree to receive emails from HISTORY and A+E Global Media You must be 16 years or older and a resident of the United States ShareSaveCommentLifestyleTravelGermany’s ‘Eagle’s Nest’ A.K.A. Kehlsteinhaus: 10 Things To Know Before You GoByGeoffrey Morrison Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights Geoffrey Morrison is a travel writer and digital nomad.Follow AuthorDec 27 Situated in the German Alps, Kehlsteinhaus offers incredible views of the surrounding mountains and valleys this squat stone building perched on the edge of a cliff It was liberated at the end of WWII by Easy Company made famous by the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers (probably its dark history mostly obscured by modern kitchens and dining rooms There are even hikes that let you explore the mountaintop In all it’s an extremely pleasant way to spend a day but there are a few things to know before you go There’s not much reason to go if it’s raining or cloudy The main reasons to go are the views and the hikes Kehlsteinhaus’s dark history is certainly worth learning about but there’s not much that feels particularly historic when you visit it would just feel like a slightly old-fashioned but many of the rooms were converted to be a working restaurant a long time ago The sun terrace where posters talk about the building's history The sun terrace, a long, tall corridor that faces west with floor to ceiling windows, is a notable exception. Here, the history of the building is explained in a series of posters You can take the 838 bus from the Berchtesgaden’s train station which drops you off at the Busbahnhof Kehlsteinhaus From here you can buy a ticket to take another bus up to Kehlsteinhaus you’re better off buying this bus ticket online in advance you can still buy a ticket online from your phone This ticket functions as your ticket for Kehlsteinhaus The parking lot at the Busbahnhof Kehlsteinhaus also referred to as the Obersalzberg car park The narrow-twisting road to Kehlsteinhaus is only open to buses You’re paying for the location and the view so it’s possible I’m biased in that direction which is rather surprising given the location The most expensive options are still less than 20 euros You don’t need to eat at the restaurant if you don’t want to There are some hikes that start at Kehlsteinhaus The easier ones just go to the adjacent peak and there are paths and stairs to get there but if you or a member of your party isn’t particularly mobile you can see most of the hike from the back of Kehlsteinhaus so you’ll have an idea what you’re getting into You can also hike from Kehlsteinhaus back down to the car park if you’re really in shape and looking for a workout you could hike up to Kehlsteinhaus from the car park and should only be considered by very fit hikers Another option is parking at the small Ofnerboden car park You’d think Kehlsteinhaus would be open for the long hours of a European summer The restaurant closes in the late afternoon and the last bus leaves at 4:50 So don’t expect to get some epic sunset photos which is effectively your ticket to Kehlsteinhaus Typically it’s only open From early May to October All that can be said for certain is it was definitely captured in early May, and for all involved, it was a well-deserved prize. 60 years after his first race, motorsports racer Heinrich Maltz wins the International Edelweiss Mountain Award Rossfeld Berchtesgaden with a ZF Tradition DKWClassic MAN SL 200 bus from the automotive supplier's historical collection shuttles spectators during the racing breaks Friedrichshafen. In 1958, race driver Heinrich Maltz, now 84 years old, participated in the first Rossfeld Race. Now, 60 years later, he won the International Edelweiss Mountain Award Rossfeld Berchtesgaden with a ZF Tradition DKW Junior. The classic MAN SL 200 bus from ZF's historical collection was also in use at the prestigious event to shuttle visitors across the track. Maltz even competed with Count Berghe von Trips As of 1958, the Rossfeld Race has been taking place at Germany's highest panoramic road as international competition for touring cars, grand tourer vehicles and sports and Formula Junior cars. Since 1961, the race has been part of the European Mountain Award, attracting famous race drivers like Niki Lauda, Jochen Mass, Hans Herrmann, Karl Wendlinger or Dieter Quester. Since 2013, the popular event is organized every two years by Joachim Althammer under patronage of Walter Röhrl and has always great race drivers on its starting list. All net proceeds are donated to an institution for the mentally challenged in the Berchtesgadener Land district. In this context, the classic MAN SL 200 bus from ZF was used to transport thrilled visitors across the track between the races. from fairy tales and classical music to automobiles and beer But for visitors eager to discover the origin story of Germany’s famed exports there are so many dazzling pockets of this diverse country that don’t make it into their itinerary makes it a fantastic country to drive around allowing for off-the-beaten-path detours and pit stops that reveal an unexpected side of a destination you thought you already knew three American photographers who set off on solo road trips through some of Germany’s most underrated regions From UNESCO-designated city quarters to spectacular wild landscapes—and all the incredible meals in between—here’s what your next unforgettable German adventure could have in store to kick off a culture-packed road trip looping the region to its east so I used to come here as a child with my dad,” she says so it was fun to explore somewhere completely new.” First stop: Erfurt Erfurt is stuffed with architectural landmarks like the Krämerbrücke (Merchants’ Bridge) which is the only extensively preserved Baroque fortress found in Central Europe Stunning views also await along the scenic Panoramaweg path which makes the artisanal chocolate treats found at Goldhelm Schokoladen Manufaktur an even sweeter treat Another unmissable delight is savory Thüringer Bratwurst a local sausage with protected culinary heritage status The photographer continued her sojourn in Weimar an 18th-century maison de plaisance perched on a hilltop just south of town “The bright yellow colors were such a nice contrast to the green landscape,” Jamadi remembers “I found myself getting lost in the Baroque style garden and labyrinth just adjacent to the castle and marveling at the diverse plants in the collection.” Image of Margravial Opera House provided by Bayreuth Marketing and Tourism Spending several days in Bayreuth yielded plenty of surprises for the photographer Surrounded by the dramatic natural beauty of Upper Franconia—the Fichtel Mountains to the northeast and Franconian Switzerland to the southwest—beautiful Bayreuth boasts a wealth of attractions owing to the city’s unique past as one of Europe’s premier arts and music hubs the UNESCO-designated Margravial Opera House which underwent a painstaking restoration to its original Baroque splendor and reopened its doors in 2018 The driving force behind the 18th-century theatre and several other relics from Bayreuth’s cultural renaissance including the exquisite Hermitage park complex and Bayreuth New Palace It was this legendary royal figure and female patron of the arts who propelled the city to the same lofty ranks as Europe’s leading culture capitals “I just loved learning about how she was leading the pack Wilhelmine’s legacy of fostering international cultural exchange lives on through Bayreuth’s acclaimed music museums and calendar of events This includes the Bayreuth Festival—the longest-running music festival in the world—which is held in the Bayreuth Festival Theatre an opera house commissioned by controversial 19th-century composer Richard Wagner Image of Maisel & Friends provided by Bayreuth Marketing and Tourism Bayreuth is a dynamic city that strives to preserve its halcyon past while eagerly embracing the future No spot embodies this forward-thinking notion more than at Maisel and Friends the world’s most comprehensive beer museum according to the Guinness Book of World Records (Did you know Upper Franconia has the highest density of breweries in the world with over 1,000 different beer specialties?) After a behind-the-scenes tour of the museum and brewery’s old facilities reward yourself with a pint and a burger at the trendy Liebesbier gastropub Maisel and Friends is also set to open an industrial-chic Smart Hotel which will feature works from international graffiti artists in each of its stylish rooms “It all feels like part of a resurgence of old-world salons Though Wiesbaden is best known for its water-powered cable car and the Baroque Biebrich Palace it also happens to be one of Europe’s oldest spa towns Tucked inside the impeccably landscaped Kurpark Wiesbaden is the grand neoclassical Kurhaus (spa house) the Kurhaus hosts all kinds of events and gatherings throughout the year Among the unmissable sites in Mainz is shopping street Augustinerstraße (don’t forget to pop into Augustinerkirche an opulent Rococo church) and the Gutenbergmuseum which houses two original copies of the Gutenberg Bible printed in the 1450s For more around Bayreuth...Take a detour south to visit Nuremberg Besides its role hosting many pivotal milestones throughout European history Nuremberg is also famed for having one of Germany’s most festive Christmas markets (don’t sleep on Nuremberg’s iconic gingerbread cookie Nuremberg is an ideal base for day trips around Franconia a region celebrated for its wine-growing traditions and hosting a swoon-worthy stretch of the 220-mile Romantic Road Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a non-negotiable pitstop on the route The fairytale town is one of the few remaining walled Middle Age towns in all of Germany It’s so wonderfully maintained it could be mistaken for a medieval theme park strict urban conservation laws require that businesses local handmade metal signs to preserve the charming sense of place You’ll notice this as you take to the cobbled streets of Old Town and cozy wine taverns—the perfect hideaway for sipping mulled Glühwein come in December when the Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas Village Rothenburg ob der Tauber is also the starting point of the Charming Tauber Valley Cycle Route which winds through 62 miles of the Franconian hillside past ancient castles All photos below provided by Marianna Jamadi particularly picnickers who post up on blankets along serene canals To experience the full allure of Burg Spreewald Badal suggests getting out on the water: “A canoe tour was the perfect way to see the area especially if it’s your first time,” he says the photographer stopped off at the town of Cottbus where he was most impressed by Branitz Park the site of garden architect Prince Pückler’s earth pyramids Nicknamed “Florence at the Elbe,” Dresden has an undeniable romantic flair thanks to a postcard-perfect location on one of Central Europe’s major rivers “I hadn’t been back to Europe in a couple of years because of the pandemic so being in Dresden was a reminder of how beautiful this part of the world is,” Badal says very pretty.” Nicknamed “Florence at the Elbe,” the city has an undeniable romantic flair thanks to a postcard-perfect location on one of Central Europe’s major rivers you’ll catch flamboyant Baroque architecture and Biergartens thrumming with conviviality Though many of the buildings in Dresden’s Altstadt look like they’ve stood there for centuries Most of the city was effectively flattened during World War II Rather than rebuilding with mid-century architecture Dresden’s finest landmarks and cultural institutions were restored to their original glory Most are within walking distance to one another including The Zwinger Palace (look for Raphael’s famous Sistine Madonna in the Old Masters Gallery) the riverfront Brühlsche Terrasse (tour the Royal Art Academy and the Albertinum Museum) a towering cathedral reconstructed almost entirely with private donations “Being in Saxony is like entering Wes Anderson territory,” says Badal referring to the whimsical director behind acclaimed visually arresting films like The Grand Budapest Hotel “You can see how he has drawn inspiration from beautiful places in and around Dresden.” One of those spots sits just across the river from Old Town in Neustadt Pfund’s Dairy (Pfunds Molkerei) is considered to be the world’s most beautiful milk shop fancifully decorated in hand-painted Meissen porcelain tiles and elegant chandeliers Don’t leave without sampling some artisanal cheeses the perfect souvenir for the holiday season (“The box was just so beautiful a series of five courtyards adorned with street art with drain pipes that “sing” when it rains With an array of royal parks and gardens, plus the sprawling Dresdener Heide (an untamed forest on the city’s fringes), Dresden is a dreamland for nature enthusiasts especially those who love getting around on two wheels Badal recalls a joyful morning cycle on the Elberadweg “I always like to get some exercise when I’m traveling,” he adds “so this was an outdoor adventure that presented a whole different side to Dresden: lots of green pastures and bridges.” Before rounding back to the town center Badal stopped for “a simple brat and beer,” at Der Schillergarten a brewery that lies beneath the 19th-century Loschwitz Bridge colloquially referred to by locals as Blaues Wunder (Blue Wonder) “Food tastes even better when you work for it,” he quips Another place to combine culinary and outdoor pursuits is at the Zschonergrund nature reserve just west of the city which is the site of an old watermill and Zschoner Mühle Or just sit back on the historic steamboat cruise to Pillnitz Palace then meander the opulent estate and its gardens at your leisure Located along the Saxon Wine Route in Germany’s smallest wine-growing region Dresden serves as an excellent base for trying some new local varietals an irresistibly romantic destination best known for its namesake 18th-century moated castle two of the Sachsen region's cherished wineries were a short distance away terraced vineyards make for a spectacular hilltop setting for sipping Sekt sparkling wine from Saxony’s oldest cellar complete with panoramic views of the Elbe Valley To experience over 600 years of local winemaking traditions don’t miss a tasting of organic wines at the Hofloessnitz estate which hosts the celebratory Electoral Vineyard Festival each year All photos below provided by Tanveer Badal Image provided by Baden-Württemberg Tourism which covers nearly 25,000 acres open for outdoor recreation Sign up for a guided hike to learn all about the forest’s landscape and its animal inhabitants which include the peregrine falcon (the world’s fastest bird) and Europe’s tiniest owl MUNICH AND MORE — KELSEY JOHNSON“My time in Munich was full of little magical moments,” recalls Kelsey Johnson when asked about her trip to Germany’s third-largest city there’s one particular pinch-me memory that rises to the top While strolling through the English Garden she stumbled upon a woman playing piano garbed in a tracht (traditional German dress) “Everyone around her paused to listen and it was so beautiful “I was surprised about how much I loved it there but Munich is one of Europe’s greatest treasures.” Munich has a hefty catalog of iconic sites that every first-time visitor should see from the Olympic Park to Nymphenburg Palace and its expansive gardens “The palace grounds were just beautiful,” adds Johnson the Baroque landmark remains one of the continent’s largest royal palaces its interiors decorated with stunning frescoes in Stone Hall the works of court painter Joseph Karl Stieler in the Gallery of Beauties For a more experiential immersion into Bavarian history sign up for a shopping tour with trachtNtour a local company that organizes shopping trips for traditional Dirndl and Lederhosen outfits that you can bring home so it was so cool to learn everything behind the outfits,” says the photographer In Munich, food lovers get the best of both worlds from affordable street food to elevated dining There are seemingly endless options for hearty traditional Bavarian fare (Johnson recommends Xaver's Wursthaus for “freakin’ amazing” sausage and beer a food stall at the Viktualienmarkt located in the city center Thanks to the city’s extremely multicultural makeup you can also get your hands on specialties from all over the world a repurposed ship suspended over a bridge in Southern Munich which serves everything from pizzas to African and Thai dishes But this underground hotspot offers a whole lot more than that “When you go around to the back of the boat there’s a DJ and a dancefloor with day parties happening,” she explains “And it was just a random Sunday night!” Continue soaking up Munich’s quirkier side in Schlachthofviertel a lively industrial warehouse district brimming with eclectic street art After a self-guided tour of the mural-strewn walls a one-of-a-kind Biergarten made from repurposed shipping containers that also doubles as a cultural venue and music club after dark After two days in Munich, Johnson drove 90 minutes to Regensburg “It’s a city that feels particularly old,” she says “I felt like I was transported to a completely different time and place.” Wander the narrow cobblestone streets of Old Town then walk along the banks of the Danube to the 900-year-old Stone Bridge Stop at confectionery Cafe Princez for caffeine and sugar pep then order one of the 6,000 sausages served daily at The Historic Sausage Kitchen of Regensburg the oldest continuously operated restaurant in the world “They rope off a little area of the cobblestone near the old stone bridge so you can enjoy your sausage by the river,” Johnson explains I took a boat down the Danube to Weltenburg Abbey which is also the oldest brewery in the world so that was super cool.” It’s impossible to skimp on the fun that Regensburg offers up from one season to the next Whether you catch an autumn river cruise on the Crystal Fleet or an outing to the world-famous Romantic Christmas Market Regensburg is a hot ticket any time of year It also has the highest concentration of bars in Germany so your next celebratory tipple is never far away Kelsey Johnson’s final day venturing around Bavaria led her to Berchtesgaden National Park and glaciers—a dream come true for nature lovers but Germany has its own idyllic mountain region “This was actually my third time in the park.” Due to limited time on this itinerary Johnson skipped her normal hikes and hopped on a boat tour around crystal-clear Lake Königssee It’s so peaceful too since it never feels crowded,” says Johnson Wondering how much time she suggests you need to explore Berchtesgaden “You could easily spend two days in the park,” says Johnson you’ll probably want to return time and time again All photos below provided by Kelsey Johnson Bonus destination: Switch it up with a coastal getaway in Bremerhaven up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse We understand that time is the greatest luxury which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world From falling tree warnings to major transport disruption DW takes a look at the extreme weather phenomenon crippling the south.Image: picture-alliance/dpa/L the German state of Bavaria has been inundated by massive amounts of snow Munich police urged drivers to deal with the snow covering their vehicles or face potential fines after tweeting a picture of a car (not this one!) shrouded in ice at a stoplight German media has dubbed the extreme weather phenomenon "Schneechaos" — or snow chaos a town in the Bavarian Alps near the Austrian border Germany's armed forces — the Bundeswehr — had to deliver much-needed supplies in the middle of the night The reason: the road to the village was cut off by the sheer amount of snow fall the military had the only transport vehicles able to reach the area Local tram services were also in no state to run A festive pyramid diorama was covered in snow in Schönheide a town near the Czech border in eastern Germany Snow plows have been pressed to find places to pile the snow from the street after a blizzard powdered the Ore Mountains Firefighters dislodged piles of snow from a roof in the western Austrian town of Mariazell around 3,700 firefighters have been called upon in the Austrian state of Styria to help deal with the flurry Hundreds of drivers had to sleep in their vehicles overnight after being trapped on the highway between Munich and Salzburg the conservative newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) said climate change may be a contributing factor to the "chaotic amounts of snow" and shows how quickly areas can be changed by its effects A "Super Puma" helicopter was prepared for takeoff in a parking lot in Schönau am Königsee The helicopters were used to blow snow from trees and onto roads to prevent trees and their branches from falling onto cars passing by A fireman cleared off snow from a roof in the Berchtesgaden region of Bavaria near the Austrian border More than 1,000 emergency workers were dispatched to Upper Bavaria to deal with the snow But Bavaria wasn't the only place in Germany to be affected by the snowfall North of Bavaria in the German state of Thuringia park authorities warned people against entering forests saying enormous snow loads threatened to bring down numerous trees Several roads were also closed by deep snow and fallen trees While not nearly as chaotic as Bavaria and Thuringia the German state of Baden-Württemberg received plenty of snow too buildings were covered by the white powder frost school children were allowed to take the day off Austrian authorities have issued avalanche warnings for its Alpine slopes At least eight people have been killed by weather-related incidents rescuers have had to save people stranded in cut-off areas Poland and Hungary had to be rescued after venturing off-piste in the Zell am See resort area While Germany and Austria have received a lot of extreme weather coverage that doesn't mean other parts of Europe weren't inundated by snowfall refugee children took it as an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors with a snowball or two Italy and Turkey also received their share at 1,703 meters (5,600 feet) above sea level the lashing rain and furious winds outside the darkened bunkroom prompted two questions to turn over in my head: Will the roof of this hut be ripped off in the dead of night Will I be able to continue my ridge trek to my next destination on the German-Austrian border the next day these aren’t just simple mountain huts and 2) yes this is typical Alpine weather for southern Bavaria The reward was the majesty of the Bavarian Alps showering glory upon those willing to hike serious trails and maybe endure copious amounts of apricot schnapps in the company of hearty German hikers wedged into a thumb of land poking into Austria in jagged granite and knife-drops into sudden valleys Berchtesgaden’s huts are serious structures They range from huge — Watzmannhaus has 200 sleeping spots — to small — Wasserhalm has a few dozen Some are concrete and steel; others have simple wooden roofs and beams Spend your days trekking steep trails and meeting random people and then you’re drinking beer and schnapps and then you’re fumbling through languages and life tales you’re hugging and toasting and laughing and crying Trekking into Berchtesgaden is easiest from the northern tip of Konigssee an 8-kilometer-long (5-mile) impossibly turquoise lake The town at the tip is a tourist mess: ice cream Privately run electric boats run passengers up and down the lake seasonally offering access to Germany’s highest waterfall or the stoic lakeside Church of St Many visitors forgo the hike and instead take the year-round Jennerbahn cable car up 1,874-meter (6,200-foot) Jenner Mountain where there’s a massive restaurant and spectacular views it takes about 15 minutes to leave the madding crowds for quieter wood trails Some are rough footpaths; others allow service vehicles to supply a couple smaller huts that dot the hillsides and provide meals to day-trekkers you can poke your head into a tiny distillery where schnapps are made from the mountain waters On the eastern end of Berchtesgaden is the Austrian border and Carl von Stahl Haus I ate lentil stew and drank German pilsner into the evening until the storm lashed us with marble-size hail and gale-force winds the winds banged open the bunkroom windows But after climbing further up a sodden trail The clouds below shrouded everything but the highest peaks Once I realized that the times were VERY conservative I worried less about making it to my destination on time and instead hiked in mesmerized awe was a cluster of three modest buildings folded into a hollow ringed by sub-peaks Torrents of evening and overnight rain sent a raucous stream bursting its banks and nearly turned the buildings into islands It also made for a wet dinner conversation over vegetable stew and stacks of dark rye bread The other hikers and I huddled under dripping eaves before retiring to a common room where a wood-fired stove dried wet clothes and warmed bodies beer and schnapps kept conversation going until 10 p.m Those of us headed out the next morning had to ford the stream — with or without shoes which made for a good conversation starter Being an American backpacking alone also made a good conversation starter and I fell in with two German guys and a woman from a separate group as we clambered up the trails were in some places poorly maintained and not for the faint-hearted and hold onto steel cables bolted into the hillside in a bowl ringed by ridges that caught the next morning’s sun like facets on a gem two low-slung wooden buildings were for the distillers who made schnapps from local waters was paid by valley farmers to mind their flocks in the summer and harvest wool and milk for cheese We did get tureens of chicken broth and heaps of beef slices and potato dumplings drenched in gravy and dark rye bread — or pasta and tomato sauce for vegetarians We drank marillenschnaps — an apricot brew commonly associated with north-central Austria — and again the presence of a solitary American sparked fun conversation An essential element of German huts: rows of heated metal bars to hang up and dry your boots out the joy of the boot drying room is immeasurable Equally immeasurable is the odor of dozens of wet hiking boots drying out in a room overnight An Alpine chamois — a type of antelope-goat — scrambled up the grass as I rounded one corner She appeared unbothered by a solitary hiker and grazed for several minutes as we stared at one another When I finally reached the Konigssee’s shoreline it was impossible not to contemplate going for a swim dropped their clothes and hopped into the shimmering waters full monty Whether you’re in a semi-private room or a larger bunkroom It’s a no-no to clomp around the interiors in your hiking boots Making reservations can be confusing; patience is in order and they belong to different reservation systems Some take credit cards for reservations; most accept only cash on site Huetten Holiday is another online portal that manages reservations for huts General information can be found on the Berchtesgaden’s web page where you can get hiking maps and other information My dad has always been the biggest supporter of my little “hobby.” When I first started mileage running (back when I was 15) it was actually a father-son activity Some Saturday mornings he’d drive me to the airport in Tampa in time for my pre-6AM flight and sometimes he’d actually fly with me he never once questioned it and always thought it was awesome Some of my fondest travel memories are actually from trips we’ve taken together over the years I remember our first trip to Asia together years and years ago in United coach to Hong Kong to take advantage of a double elite qualifying miles promotion And over the next several years we did many international trips together and I have nothing but fond memories of them We haven’t done a whole lot of travel over the past couple of years but for one reason or another we always had to postpone them So I figured it was about time we took another trip together I was attending TravelMagic in Brussels so it seemed like a good opportunity to take my dad along and extend the trip a bit so we could also take a trip to a couple of other places While I tried to talk him into something exotic he didn’t have all that much free time and really just wanted to go back to Germany He hasn’t been to Germany for several years now (he hasn’t visited as much since his mother passed away) so I could definitely understand why he wanted to return But he didn’t actually want to return “home” to Frankfurt but rather really wanted to visit Berchtesgaden which I’ve raved about so much and he hasn’t yet visited The first challenge was securing the flights My dad used to fly Lufthansa all the time back in the day for work (we’re talking several decades ago back when half of the first class cabin was a smoking section and the other half was a non-smoking section) though hasn’t flown them recently or visited the First Class Terminal in Frankfurt my dad has more American Express Membership Rewards points than he can use so he insisted on using his points for both of us Aeroplan charges 125,000 miles for first class between the US and Europe “zone 1.” I searched for Lufthansa first class award space using the methods I outlined in this post I wanted to get us on the best plane possible was “F8” for the day I was looking at meaning all the first class seats were still for sale This is historically one of the toughest routes on which to find award space but sure enough a few days out space opened up and I locked the itinerary in Then we of course added all the intra-Europe flies and booked a placeholder return Three days before we returned from Europe Frankfurt to Miami opened up in first class on the 747-8 which is another awesome plane I wanted my dad to try Aeroplan charges a $90 change fee per person for the change So we really lucked out in terms of availability In the end our combined routing looked as follows with first class on the transatlantic flights and business class on all the intra-Europe flights (we obviously had different positioning flights since he was coming from Tampa and I was coming from Seattle): As I mentioned above the goal was to visit Berchtesgaden in the three days we were in Germany Usually I just fly into Munich and drive to Berchtesgaden though this time around we decided to fly into Salzburg which is less than a 30 minute drive from Berchtesgaden The added benefit is that we wanted to do a night in Salzburg on the front end of the trip so we booked one night at the Sheraton Salzburg and then two nights at the InterContinental Berchtesgaden Then in Brussels we stayed at The Hotel (yes We had one night in Frankfurt on the return and while we went into the city for the evening we decided to stay near the airport so we’d have an easy transport the morning of our departure. While I’ve always stayed at the Sheraton Frankfurt Airport I decided it was time to try out the brand new Hilton Frankfurt Airport so I could finally review it The return to Miami worked out quite well as Frequent Traveler University was in Tampa the weekend after we returned Originally I was planning on going home for a few days and then flying back to Tampa but when I mentioned to my mom that I might stay in Tampa for the week she took that as a promise what made this one of the awesomest trips ever wasn’t the airlines or hotels as such but seeing how delighted my dad was by the whole experience And my dad has agreed to also write an installment with his thoughts on the trip, as my mom did for our trip to Bali Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" @ UA-NYC -- Generally speaking I'd advise others to lock in a backup itinerary and then hope Lufthansa first class opens up within 15 days of departure In this case I didn't book a backup itinerary since both my dad and I were really flexible on dates and routes so I was confident something would open up Thanks Lucky - I'll put my question a different way do you typically ONLY book the trip within 15 days (so you KNOW LH F will be available) or do you book the trip early and thus book "placeholder" flights in advance of T-15 (such as What are you using to process those pictures I took mein vater to visit the town that his grossvater emigrated from a couple of years ago We flew over in LH business class (his first TATL O experience) and had a great time I can't wait for Herr Schlaeppig's commentary @KG Das Vaterland is referred to the land you come from Die Heimat refers to the place you have in your heart So you go to "Das Vaterland" but you "hast Heimweh nach Heimat" (longing for home ) I don't understand and I book AP awards very often Yes POT + stopover but usually you'd at least have to fly through a different city @ KG -- never-wrong Wikipedia only gives "Vaterland" as an option Your vater must be a source of luck as well For both of you to get awards seats on the IAH-FRA and FRA-MIA flights on LH's newest planes is really awesome I think the title should read "heimat" rather than vaterland "[Houston] is historically one of the toughest routes on which to find award space" since up until 3-4 years ago it was one of the EASIEST routes on which to find Lufthansa first class award space So allow me to reformulate as "Recently Houston has been one of the toughest routes on which to find award space" :-) I'm hoping you'll do some of the writing in the German accent you used on the live update of the trip Over the summer FRA-IAH opened up (2 seats) very late one night a few days before our return to the US GF was asleep by the time I got the alert and when we woke up in the AM it was gone since it takes off about ~7 hours before the 2nd ORD flight (which is what we took) and 7 extra hours in Rome isn't something one complains about @ Lucky - now we know how you got this nom de plume :) For my in/out weeekends Can't wait to read reports from you and your father though In case anyone can fly out of Houston on October 15 (Wednesday) @ Papa Smurf -- Indeed prior to seeing those two seats I had almost never even seen one seat Usually domestic award space is pretty good so I had no issues securing space on those flights I was watching the space over the summer and there was hardly any last-minute availability for one What's your strategy for the positioning flights given that you can't book more that few days out Do you purchase last minute revenue flights I'm really excited to read this trip report as well as the trip you took with your mom to my parents to see if that will help convince them to start collecting miles @ Len -- Roundtrip fuel surcharges between the US and Europe are roughly $850 Question: what do fees/surcharges look like when using Aeroplan miles to book LH Your feedback is important in helping us keep our community safe The comments on this page have not been provided approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered @ UA-NYC -- Generally speaking I'd advise others to lock in a backup itinerary and then hope Lufthansa first class opens up within 15 days of departure In this case I didn't book a backup itinerary since both my dad and I were really flexible on dates and routes Thanks Lucky - I'll put my question a different way or do you book the trip early and thus book "placeholder" flights in advance of T-15 (such as You have successfully joined our subscriber list Editorial Disclosure: The editorial content on this page is not provided by any entity mentioned herein. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. See more about our ethics policies here so if you want to read about all the amenities be sure to check those out We left the hotel shortly before 10AM and made it to the First Class Terminal by 10:30AM where we experienced the usual awesome check-in process We handed the personal assistant our passports and informed him we were heading to Washington Dulles and he immediately escorted us through security this is the only place in the world you can go from being on the street to being comfortably seated in the lounge past security in about 60 seconds While the First Class Terminal isn’t huge it sure is one of the swankiest lounge spaces anywhere As soon as we arrived we headed straight for the restaurant to have lunch given that we’d be eating again aboard just a few hours later While there’s a small a la carte menu much better than what Lufthansa serves aboard in my opinion And here’s the “Olympics Menu” (though I can’t say I’m a huge fan of British food): After lunch I had a seat near the window where I caught up on work for a while At around 12:40PM we were approached by our personal assistant He walked us down to the lower level where we cleared immigration and were introduced to our driver We lucked out in that we got a personal Porsche Cayenne this time around as I’ve gotten a ride in a shared van during my past several visits Fortunately we were parked pretty far from the lounge and featured plenty of great plane spotting Lufthansa’s first and only 747-8 (at the time) The driver parked right next to the plane and escorted us to the elevator At the door we were introduced to our lovely crew who would be taking care of us for the next eight hours I'm thinking of booking a 6 hour layover (~7a-1p) with FCT access Would I be able to check into FCT and store my carry on there and head into the city @ E -- Six hours is enough to go into the city though not sure there's really a place to store your things in the FCT our North American Headquarters will have a new facility in Atlanta in the coming months It will literally be at the base of the runway of Hartsfield There will be some cool customer experience activities so you will need to plan a layover accordingly Use your Starwood points at the St Regis Atlanta - it is a beautiful property @ ChineseScouser -- For the FCT itself I'd say a ~4 hour layover is ideal and then a few minutes on both ends as a buffer since you've been to the FRA and the FCT so many times how much time would you suggest a layover be if we would want to experience the FCT and do some luggage (Rimowa) shopping can you get me a friends and family discount on a new Cayenne and there is nothing better than being on the tarmac in Frankfurt and seeing our vehicles but what we really want to know is what type of duckie did you get:-) @ Stuart Falk -- All I have is second hand information and I honestly haven't been following this as closely as I should But my understanding is that the crux of the issue goes beyond pay and involves Lufthansa potentially using outside flight attendants on a lower pay contract (similar to what British Airways is doing with their "mixed fleet" flight attendants) and also that they might be putting current flight attendants on a shorter term contract than in the past though my understanding is that this goes beyond pay and has more to do with "fundamental" contract issues I know they were planning to launch the Frankfurt to Delhi service on the 747-8i just a couple of days after my flight if you look closely at the photo of the rear of the 748 it wasn't their first B747-8I as the registration is D-ABYC You flew in #2 which has started flying to DEL now No D-ABYB in service - BTW original B747-130 with this registration crashed at NBO in 1974 In that you've had so much opportunity to talk with members of Lufthansa's cabin staff can you offer any insight into (or opinions about) their current labor dispute which has resulted in a strike seriously affecting the airline's operations (When I think of European labor disputes resulting in strikes @ colleen -- I believe that Singapore does as well real first class pax go robe & slippers at the bar in the FCT FYI I'm sorry to see that they've phased out their Panamera's only the Cayenne's presently remain in the Porsche fleet Do any of the Asian airlines offer fresh-brewed espresso drinks (cappuccino @ MilesFromBlighty -- Nothing wrong with it It was never clear to me what happened once they drove you to the plane and I had horrible thoughts about schlebbing your carry-on up the stairs though not sure there's really a place to store your things in the FCT I'm thinking of booking a 6 hour layover (~7a-1p) with FCT access Adolf Hitler could often be found at the Berghof his home in the Bavarian Alps which served as the second seat of command for the Third Reich The chalet was heavily damaged by bombs during the war and was finally demolished in 1952 but neo-Nazis continue to appear and leave swastikas carved into trees They also light candles which they set on the perimeter wall or the fireplace features that remain from the original structure A small museum called the Dokumentation Obersalzberg maintains an archive which chronicles the atrocities committed by the Nazis It was opened 300 meters (984 feet) from the site as a deterrent to keep the place from becoming a shrine staff members from the museum have seen an increase in coach tours from Hungary and the Czech Republic Far-right views are becoming more popular in those countries possibly leading to greater visitor numbers at the Berghof A €21 million expansion to the Dokumentation Obersalzberg is bringing the matter back to the fore The expansion is expected to be completed in 2020 Mathias Irlinger has worked at the museum for 14 years He believes that it is a bad idea just to ignore the Berghof He notes that leaving it alone allows the far-right to do what they want with the location something needs to be done that brings more people to the site because the neo-Nazis tend to hang around areas that are hidden away The museum is managed by the Institute of Contemporary History in Munich and is built on a guest house from the former site It contains an entrance to four miles of tunnels and bunkers which were built in 1943 as protection for Hitler and his aids from Allied bombs The expansion will require carving away part of the mountain to increase the exhibition space to 840 square meters (almost 2,756 square feet) workers uncovered an unexploded bomb in the mountainside It was from an Allied bombing run in April 1945 when they believed Hitler had left Berlin to stay at the Berghof The bomb will be part of the new exhibition The museum hopes to paint a picture of Hitler between the moments when he was photographed playing with his dog or attending an opera Those in-between moments were often spent at the Berghof planning the Holocaust or the invasion of Poland 170,000 people visited the museum last year Many complained that the cramped conditions made it difficult for them to view all the exhibits One of the stories that will be told is that of Dora Reiner There is documentation showing that she was killed in a mass shooting just after her arrival in Lithuania Read another story from us: Hitler’s Military Incompetence, Did it Cost the Third Reich the War Her story demonstrates the disconnect between the idyllic location and the horrific crimes that were planned there. Museum staff currently have a difficult time providing information to the general public who are interested in learning about history while dealing with those from the far-right who are advancing their own agenda. Ian Harvey is one of the authors writing for WAR HISTORY ONLINE the 2022 International Tourism Exchange Berlin (ITB) Here are ten sustainable tourism destinations in Germany.Image: Andreas Strauß/imago images/Westend61Romantic RamsauThe quaint village of Ramsau is one of the most sustainable holiday destinations in the country Ramsau locals are dedicated to soft tourism and conserving the alpine nature of surrounding Berchtesgaden National Park Ramsau has also been designated a climatic health resort Close to Ramsau you will find tranquil lake Königssee Here you could explore this body of water by boarding an electric barge that will take to the famous St Bartholomew's Church pilgrimage church as well as the Wittelsbacher Hunting Chateau Silent e-boats have been in service here since 1909 This sparsely populated mountain range extends 200 kilometers (124 mi) through southwestern Germany It's classified as a UNESCO biosphere reserve and several years ago was declared the country's most sustainable tourism destination Book an overnight stay at any of the region's over 150 holiday accommodations and you'll receive free access to local busses Lonely Planet listed Freiburg among the best travel destinations for 2022 The Australia-based travel magazine Lonely Planet says its decision was partly based on ecological criteria Germany's western state of Saarland was the first to be certified as a sustainable travel destination a German non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting soft tourism two thirds of the territory of Saarland have been placed under environmental protection One of its best-known landmarks is the spectacular Saarschleife hairpin river turn Germany's Wine Route in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate is deemed one of the oldest tourist attractions in the country With good reason: the 85-kilometer route is very scenic signs posted along its hiking trails allow visitors to learn about the local soil and climate and how they influence local wine production Head further north and you will reach Eifel National Park this volcanic region is perfect for star gazing Nature-lovers can even stay overnight at one of the park's numerous official camp sites Local hotels and holiday homes give out free public transport tickets to guests Thuringia's Wartburg Hainich World Heritage Region is yet another great option for an eco-friendly getaway Both thousand-year-old Wartburg castle and Hainich National Park are UNESCO World Heritage Sites — the latter being home to one of Germany's largest wild old beech forests have pledged to run their business in a sustainable fashion Germany's Baltic coast is also a fantastic place for holidaymakers keen on soft tourism and the great outdoors 40-kilometer-long inlet of the Baltic Sea into the state of Schleswig-Holstein a Viking settlement was located at the head of the firth (pictured) Germany's northeastern Uckermark region is best known for untouched flood plains and nature reserves that make up much of the area it was designated Germany's most eco-friendly travel destination Visitors can choose from a range of climate-friendly accommodations on offer in the region such as houses built with clay walls and hemp insulation a 17-kilometer (10.5 mi) long and just 500-meter-wide (1640 ft) island in Germany's northwest is ideal if you want to get away from it all horse-drawn carriages and bicycles are the most common mode of transport on the island; even refuse collectors use horse-drawn carts.