Trains, Trains, Trains....Episode V

Well folks, my friend Richard and I got up early this morning and made it to the require Chapel. Yesterday one of my readers asked how much time we had to spend in Chapel, the requirement was one hour per day.

We rushed downtown and continued our exploration........


Well folks you know I have been teasing you with this great photograph........

Something else pushed my interest button today, maybe we will tell you about this place tomorrow.

This trip is a work in progress and the more I learn about this area I keep getting sidetracked. Today I was struck by the fact that this town was spared, this place was undamaged during WWII, why? You will remember this photograph for Episode V, the importance is about to become clear to you.

As the Allied forces approached Berchtesgaden on 4 May 1945, Landrat (District Commissioner) Theodor Jacob was determined to save his Berchtesgadener Land from senseless fighting. He traveled down this road.

The SS commander on the bombed Obersalzberg had assured him that he had no intention of defending the area, so Jacob disbanded the local Volkssturm defenders, and journeyed north out of town. He ran into the lead elements of an armored column of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Division at the small settlement of Winkl, near Bischofswiesen. Jacob discussed surrender with an American officer in the column, who agreed to his proposals, but insisted that the actual surrender take place in the town itself.


The SS Commander made his decision because the following things had already happened.

A housing complex for the SS guard detachment was built in 1937. This consisted of a barracks building, a kitchen/messhall building, a building for vehicle maintenance and storage, a sport hall (gymnasium), and a staff headquarters building, all grouped around a central parade field.

The ruined SS Kaserne taken by GIs of the 3rd Infantry Division in May 1945.

Reichsleiter Martin Bormann took over "Haus Hudler," a small home owned by a Dr. Seitz. This house site was ideal for Bormann, as it overlooked Hitler's Berghof and much of the rest of the Obersalzberg complex. From here, Bormann could keep an eye on everything, including the comings and goings at the Berghof. Bormann later enlarged and modernized the house, installing costly interior furnishings. Bormann also had an extensive air raid shelter and bunker system built into the hill behind the house, connecting to the main air raid control and communications center underground. The April 1945 bombing attack substantially destroyed the house.



This winter view at left was taken by Nazi photographer Ernst Baumann.


A similar vantage point, shows the ruins of Bormann's house ca. 1950.


Landhaus Göring after its final renovation, with the Untersberg mountains in the background. The view from Göring's house was the best of any.

Similar view of Göring's house after the 1945 bombing

By the way, did you know Hitler was a vegertarian. To supply Hitler's vegetarian diet, Bormann had a greenhouse built.

GIs inspect the greenhouse in 1945. About 1943 Bormann had a second tier added.

Under new management - soldiers of the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division raise the Stars and Stripes on the "Göringhügl" on 5 May 1945. The soldiers raising the flag are Pvt. Bennet A. Walter and PFC Nick Urich, 7th Infantry Regiment.

Ok folks, now you know how Berchtesgaden in the Bavarian Alps survived the destruction of WWII.

Well surely you folks know the rules by now, if you liked taking this little journey with me, leave me a little note, if not blame Skittles.............