PAINFUL HISTORY AT BERCHTESGADEN, GERMANY

“Those who know nothing, must believe everything.”  Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach

Carol writes:  Included in our Salzburg plans was a bucket-list item that would require a day trip 15 miles from Salzburg to Berchtesgaden, then up to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest for a look at this dark connection to history.  As it was already mid-October, we knew we were approaching the end of the tourist season.  Any day now, the first really big snowstorm of the fall season would close Eagle’s Nest until spring.  Suddenly, some luck and a brilliant sunny day were upon us…

A 45-minute bus ride across the border transported us to Berchtesgaden, Germany, forever infamous as Hitler’s Nazi retreat during WW II.  A short bus ride up the mountain to Obersalzburg brought us to the base of Eagle’s Nest where there was a brand new Documentation Center that had just opened a year ago.  

I have to give tremendous credit to the German people for creating a first-rate museum devoted to the ominous rise of the National Socialist Party and Hitler in particular.  Photographs taken during the war at Eagle’s Nest portrayed an obscene gay ole time, with carefree, smiling faces of Nazi officials who were carrying out mass genocide.

The clear message was NEVER AGAIN.  

The Documentation Center had more explicit detail about the Holocaust and how it was conducted than I could absorb without severe distress.  In the US we were in the final throws of an ugly campaign for president with polar opposite views on both sides.  Admittedly, the creators of the Documentation Center took no position in the 2024 race for the US president.  However, what brought me to tears was the actual signage about the Nazi goal of combatting “THE ENEMY WITHIN.”  Oh my, that was a punch to the gut…  as was the picture of a choir singing  “AVE MARIA” to Hitler, the very same song that was requested by a presidential candidate in a rally back in the US just a few days ago.  

Regensburg Cathedral Choir in Hitler Youth Uniforms

As this is a travel blog, I will limit my only comment to the popular saying that “history doesn’t repeat itself, but it sure does rhyme.”   

As our time slot for the bus up to Eagle’s Nest was fast approaching, we made a very brief sweep through the preserved Nazi bunkers that were used by Hitler and constructed as his final stand if needed.  Original graffiti from the French troops who first entered the tunnels on May 5, 1945, has been preserved. 

French troops entered the bunkers on May 5, 1945

German state-of-the-art electric buses

transported us along a very scary one-way road up to the parking lot at Eagle’s Nest, which was an impressive alpine retreat in Hitler’s mountain complex that was built in 1938 to mark Hitler’s 50th birthday.

Strangely, Hitler did not visit Eagle’s Nest very often, perhaps because he was afraid of heights.  He much preferred his palatial chalet home just below in Obersalzburg, a sort of Camp David-like Nazi compound where Hitler’s favorite generals had large beautiful homes, with Hitler’s being the grandest.  All of this was destroyed and burned by Allied forces, so the only records of the complex are in a few paintings done before it was destroyed.  

The tunnel into Eagle’s Nest led to a polished brass elevator 

which took us up the final 400 feet.  The well-preserved back dining room  had stunning mountain views.  

Allegedly a gift from Italy's Benito Mussolini, the original marble fireplace is intact with the exception of numerous chips that were hacked off by souvenir-seeking troops in 1945.

A suntanning terrace, now enclosed with windows,

led to the famous scenic terrace.

With mountain views in all directions on this warm, calm, beautiful day, the terrace, was a popular tourist hangout. 

Eagle’s Nest and the Documentation Center below certainly were important reminders that unlike the last one, any world war of the future will never have a winner.  We must never forget the lessons about how fascists came to power:  through the drip, drip of eroding freedoms, the normalizing of a belief in superior races, along with the fabrication of "alternate truths" sold to brainwashed people who were too compliant to admit it was happening.   

As our vacation time in Salzburg was winding to a close, we woke up one morning to a lovely full moon just as it was setting behind the trees in our neighborhood.  There’s something about a full moon that precipitates a reflective mood.  I thought about what a wonderful 3-1/2 weeks we had experienced in a land very different from ours in terms of language, history, politics, customs, and lifestyle.  Travel always stretches the mind and teaches new lessons or reinforces those already learned.  I will close with one of my all-time favorite memes.

“I am not the same having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.” Mary Anne Radmacher 

Carol Galus

Photo-Blogger 

MUSICAL NOTES IN SALZBURG

“Salzburg is, nevertheless, both a must and a joy.”  Rick Steves

Carol writes:  The train from Vienna to Salzburg was fast, efficient, and clean.  Often overshadowed by Vienna, Salzburg is a graceful city that is also worthy of the world’s attention.  

Like Vienna, our Salzburg accommodations were exactly as advertised.  This time we booked through VRBO.  

Our one-bedroom apartment 

had an even better equipped kitchen—this one with a microwave, which is a huge convenience when you want to whip up quick meals after a long day.  Our living room was cozy with a large TV,

and the bathroom seemed newly remodeled.

Our location was only a 10-minute walk through a pleasant neighborhood to the nearest bus stop on the other side of what looked to be a swiftly flowing canal.

The bus into Old Town was only a 10-minute ride.  

As an introduction to Salzburg, our Rick Steves guide highly recommended that visitors take his “Salzburg Walk on the Town” audio tour.  He rated his own orientation walk higher than any other attraction!  Hmmm… Nevertheless, we did navigate the Rick Steves audio tour and found it to be an excellent choice.  We easily got the lay of the land that incorporated all of Old Town’s best sights. 

We started at a walking bridge across the Salzach River,

and familiarized ourselves with the landmarks and sights we would devote more time to in the coming week.

We took a quick peek inside Salzburg Cathedral, a fussy Baroque masterpiece,

and a good place to catch up on reading in our guide book.

Part of what makes Old Town Salzburg so picturesque is one of Europe’s mightiest castles, the looming Hohensalzburg Fortress, which is perched 400 feet high atop a rocky prominence which looks down on all of Salzburg.  Steep cliffs dominate three sides, giving this fortress a huge defensive advantage throughout the centuries. 

 

Access to the top is possible by hiking up a trail or riding the funicular.  Hands down, the funicular was our choice.

The view from the top was terrific! 

Tourists jockeyed for obvious lookouts for a little more creative photography.

For me, the thrill was walking the centuries-old walkways and courtyards throughout the 8-acre complex, while at the same time soaking up its medieval aura. 

The hills of Salzburg were indeed alive with the sound of music, and I am not just talking about Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Sound of Music.”  In fact, we were told that it is a mystery to Austrians why Americans are so fixated on visiting “Sound of Music” venues where the movie was filmed.  We did not book a “Sound of Music” tour but instead devoted some time to visiting the birthplace and the residence of Salzburg’s greatest musician—Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791).    

The rich musical tradition of Salzburg certainly was influenced by Mozart, who was born and lived in Salzburg for the first 25 years of his brief 35-year life.  His birthplace (Geburtshaus—in large letters on the yellow facade) is one of the most popular museums in all of Austria.  It is located on Getreidegasse, Salzburg’s picture-perfect, hugely popular pedestrian shopping lane. 

The birthplace museum was a treasure-trove of all things Mozart.  The rooms were simple

and the memorabilia were fascinating, like this child’s violin used by Mozart,

and an original score (most likely a facsimile) written by Mozart as a child.

The story of Mozart’s sister, Nannerl, was nicely told.  She was a superb pianist in her own right who was always overshadowed by her brother.  After Mozart’s death, Nannerl contributed immensely to keeping her genius deceased brother’s legacy alive.  

Mozart’s wife, Constanze, was only 29-years-old when her husband died.  Along with her future second husband, Constanze worked tirelessly to promote the performance of Mozart’s works and to preserve primary sources owned by the family, especially Mozart’s music.  

Across town, the other Mozart residence, “Wohnhaus,” was somewhat of a disappointment.  Financially comfortable from years of touring, the Mozart family moved here when Wolfgang was 17.  Clearly, this residence was a huge step up in standard of living.  In reality, the building was a huge reconstruction after being bombed significantly in WW II.  The only room of interest to us was the one with Mozart’s pianoforte,

and a painting of the Mozart children depicting Wolfgang and his sister, Nannerl, at the keyboard, his father holding a violin, and a prominent picture of the children’s recently deceased mother hanging on the wall.

All the other rooms of the residence were devoted to an art exhibit that held little interest for us. 

The Domplatz is the grand Cathedral Square that lies directly in front of Salzburg Cathedral. 

Surrounding the Domplatz on three sides smack in the center of Old Town was the Salzburg Residenz, the former palace home of the Austrian prince-archbishops, powerful rulers in their day.  We weren’t expecting much from this tour, but we were pleasantly surprised.  The State Rooms were certainly palace worthy.

The stone skyway connected the Residenz with Salzburg Cathedral so that the prince-archbishops had a private and easy commute to church.  Today the view from the skyway into the square is usually taken up by the buggy trade—very popular horse and carriage rides all around Old Town.  

The Johann Michael Sattler painting exhibition was an unexpected pleasure at the end of the tour.  Sattler was an Austrian artist who traveled the world as a travel painter during two extensive journeys in the mid-1800s.  It proved fascinating to compare his paintings from 180 years ago to present-day scenes we recognized from our previous travels.  

This one of Salzburg Cathedral was better than any of our photos.

Venice and the Cologne Cathedral in Cologne, Germany, were certainly recognizable. 

All things considered, the Residenz tour was certainly worthwhile and had some nice surprises… 

Hellbrunn Palace and Gardens was one of those tourist sights that was iffy on our list.  Hellbrunn was built in the 17th century by Prince-Archbishop Markus Sittikus.  The palace was designed as a hunting lodge and a place to entertain his friends.  Back then, the religious life certainly had its perks.  

It would seem that Markus Sittikus was obsessed with whimsical and trick water fountains.  The acres of the 17th century gardens were teeming with unique fountains and water features; this was the real draw at Hellbrunn.

There were dioramas with complex animation by means of water pipes and water pressure.

I think most visitors would agree that Hellbrunn Palace itself was underwhelming.  The trick fountains might have been a little more fun if we didn't have to dodge on-and-off rain showers without an umbrella.  

By now, we only had a few more days before we had to leave Salzburg and head back to Vienna for the flight home.  Weather reports were predicting a beautiful sunny day ahead, exactly the kind of day we needed for a very meaningful and relevant day trip out of Salzburg into the hills of Germany.  

“If you can’t see the con, you are the mark.”   

Maria Konnikova

Carol Galus

Photo-Blogger