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Infamous Eagles Nest - Salzburg

Category: My latest Europe trip | Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 4:12 am

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Also at (near) Salzburg is the infamous Eagles Nest, once occupied by Adolf Hitler.
A mountaintop retreat with a dark past. It is hard to see from ground level. I have circled it below.


To get to it (and it is only open between June & October) you first go up the mountain by bus. Then you must walk through a 284 metre tunnel and enter a lift to travel a further 284 metres up to the top.


The Eagle's Nest near Berchtesgaden was commissioned by Martin Bormann and the National Socialist German Workers' Party before being presented to Adolf Hitler as a gift on his 50th birthday. Since then, the idyllic setting and remarkable architecture of the Eagle's Nest on the Kehlstein have been overshadowed by its close connection with the Third Reich and the macabre decisions and plans made there.


Given the background, it is not surprising that a plan to demolish the Eagle's Nest was very nearly approved in the 1960s. Just as Hitler's command centre on the Obersalzberg had been destroyed by the bombs of the liberating Allied forces, so, it was hoped, would the Eagle's Nest be wiped forever off the face of the beautiful Austrian landscape. As it turned out, however, history took a different course, and the building has been administered by the Berchtesgaden Regional Tourist Office since 1960. Today, the Eagle's Nest is leased out to private operators who run it as an alpine restaurant.




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Salzburg continued

Category: My latest Europe trip | Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 3:57 pm

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Another important point about Salzburg is that it is where the Sound of Music was filmed. Here are a few pics of some of the movie locations. Made in 1965, it is still one of the most loved musicals ever made.

(See if you can guess what part of the movie they appear)

1.

Salzburg Cathedral with the Salzburg town square in the foreground. This is the headquarters of the Nazis in the movie. In the movie the swastika flag was on the R.H. side of the cathedral and the germans marched across the square.

2.

Leopoldskron Castle. The residence of the Von Trapp family. The castle can be spotted in the beginning of the film, during the aerial view of the Salzburg.
Leopoldskron Castle was one of the most important locations for the film: The rear view was used for the Trap Family home. The family drank lemonade with the baroness on the terrace. Maria and the baron dance on the balcony during the ball scene, and the children fell into the adjacent lake. The Venetian room from the castle was copied and used as the ballroom for the interior shootings which were done in the studios.



3.

Nonnberg Abbey is the oldest female convent north of the Alps. It has been in continual existence since it was founded in the year 714 A.D.

In the course of its history, the abbey was destroyed by fire several times, but it was always rebuilt by the rulers of the city and the church. Today's building was erected in the early 16th century. The wooden gothic altar by the sculptor Veit Stoss is especially worth seeing . It is located in the St. John's Chapel near the gate.


4.

This is the field used in the closing scenes as they escape to Switzerland (although after 40 years it does look a little different)
Actually, the mountain that they escape over and allegedly flee to Switzerland (below) does not go to Switzerland. That is about 100 miles away!




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On to Salzburg

Category: My latest Europe trip | Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 3:11 pm

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From Innsbruck we journeyed to Salzburg, another beautiful place in Austria. There is a LOT of history in Salzburg.

Firstly Wolfgang Amadaeus Mozart was born there. We went to see his birthplace, which is, of course, well marked. Located in Getreidegasse no. 9, is where the Leopold Mozart family lived from 1747 to 1773. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born here on January 27, 1756. Today the rooms once occupied by the Mozart family house are a museum.


The streets, as in most of Austria, are very narrow. Cars and buses are not permitted in the city centre (not that they would fit anyway!)



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Still in Innsbruck

Category: My latest Europe trip | Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 2:57 pm

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The Traun River runs through Innsbruck. It joins up with the Danube River near Linz (more on the Danube later).

It is a major river in Austria and is used heavily for transportation of goods. There are many barges which use the river, although I must have picked a quiet time as it looks empty. This was not the norm.


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Austria - our favourite place

Category: My latest Europe trip | Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 1:13 pm

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And now to Austria - our favourite place we visited. Austria is a very beautiful place. Clean tidy and the people are very friendly. I could live there tomorrow! Also quite reasonable prices (compared to some of the other countries!)

Austria, and in fact most of Europe, was ruled by one Austrian family (the Hapburgs) for over 600 years. The Hapburgs were not adverse to using force to get their way, but preferred the more civilised way of politics to ensure their rule. (More on the Hapburgs later)

There is a great wealth of history in Austria. It is where Hitler came from as well as many other notable historical figures.

Austria also has its share of beautiful architecture. Here is a church, which would be considered average for this country.

Architecture is a combination or gothic and renaissance, depending on when it was built.



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Munich to Innsbruck

Category: My latest Europe trip | Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 12:55 pm

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We had lunch in Munich, but had a hard time trying to figure out what to order! (We don't speak German!)
The only thing that we were sure of was cappucino! We eventually had a kind of sausage thing in a baguette! I think it was called a Kraimer.


From Munich we took the Autobahn to Innsbruck in Austria. The Autobahn is, in spots, 5 lanes wide and 130Kmh speed. It naturally by-passes most of the towns on the way.
Here is one we passed (don't know the name). But all the way along it was quite eerie with a low mist coming & going, sometimes making it quite dark even though it was around midday.

Their "towns" are what we would call cities! Most "towns" there are at least 400,000 people.




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Munich 3

Category: My latest Europe trip | Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 11:07 am

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However, Munich is a very pretty place.

It is clean, tidy and very ornate!

The buildings date back to around the 12th century and it really does inspire praise. How DID they get those huge stone blocks, perfectly cut, to the top of the buildings?? The craftsmanship is superb, even after all these years.

Let's see if our contemporary buildings last as long!


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On to Munich

Category: My latest Europe trip | Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 10:55 am

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From there it was on to Munich, which was a very beautiful place. Even though it was raining it was still very nice.

Here is where the Munich Olympics were held in 1972. This Olympics, you will remember, was marred by terrorism.
On the morning of September 5, with six days left in the Games, the worst tragedy in Olympic history hit. Eight Arab terrorists stormed into the Olympic village and raided the apartment building that housed the Israeli contingent. Two Israeli athletes were killed and nine more were seized as hostages. They demanded the release of over 200 Palestinians serving time in Israeli jails, along with two renowned German terrorists.

After a day of unsuccessful negotiations, the terrorists collected the hostages and headed for the military airport in Munich for a flight back to the Middle East. At the airport, German sharpshooters opened fire, killing three of the Palestinians. A horrifying gun battle ensued, claiming the lives of all nine of the hostages, along with one policeman and two terrorists.



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Still on the Rhine River

Category: My latest Europe trip | Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 4:46 am

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There are 3 or 4 great castles dotted along this part of the Rhine. In the past the Nobles in these castles controlled the river and, thus, the commerce that was allowed to pass. (The river was really the only viable way of transporting stuff due to the rocky mountains all around)


The castles are set up high on the hill so they can both have a clear view of the river as well as sink any sneaky ships that tried to pass and didn't want to pay!!


The houses are very quaint and extremelly tidy and well looked after. Not a stick out of place and always newly painted.


Another castle about 1 mile from the other one on opposite side of river. Ferries and boats had to pay each Noble each time they passed, which made transport costs so high. If you needed to transport goods, say, 10 mile and you had to pass 10 castles, that was 10x the toll! And WE complain!!


Of course, if you got this far (& hadn't run out of money) you would recieve good luck from the River Siren (pictured below) A voluptuous blond, scantilly clad would wish you well.




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Entry 5

Category: My latest Europe trip | Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 2:34 am

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After leaving Amsterdam we went by coach down through beautiful Germany and the Rhineland.
There is so much history here! Here is a cathedral we went in. Inside it was quite dark, so not many pics, but sepulchures went back to 1204.
You also had to be watchful around here for Gypsies (pickpockets). I had one girl come up to me as soon as I alighted from the coach, baby in arm, pushing into me asking for money. I also felt her hand in my pocket (nothing was in there) looking for money. When challenged she ran off.



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