As the second highest mountain in Germany, Watzmann is often overshadowed by the much more famous Zugspitze. However, this is also due to the fact that it is much more difficult to climb.
In the Bavarian Alps, in the Berchtesgaden region, stands probably the most dangerous peak in Germany. We are talking about the Watzmann massif with seven peaks that reach a height of up to 2,713 m.
Since it is only the second highest mountain in the country, it is often overshadowed by the Zugspitze, which is just over 200 m higher. But while the latter is accessible to virtually anyone via cable car, Watzmann remains a dangerous mountaineering challenge. There is even a bloody legend associated with the creation of the mountain.
According to the official website of the Berchtesgaden region, an extremely brutal king named Watzmann once ruled the area with his wife and seven children. He was known for his cruelty and, according to legend, he drank blood from his mother’s breast. His greatest passion was hunting, which one day took him and his entourage to the hut of a shepherd family. Watzmann ordered his dogs to massacre the entire family, including the newborn child.
Over 100 deaths on Watzmann mountain
In his last words before his death, the shepherd cursed King Watzmann and soon his own pack of dogs attacked him, his wife and children. The bodies of the slain royal family grew into a mountain mass that still so impressively rises above the Berchtesgaden region.
The blood of the king and his family flowed into the valley and formed two lakes – the larger of which is now known as Königssee. And although this story is, of course, only a legend, the cruel King Watzmann still seems to demand blood sacrifices.
Since the first ascent of the peak in 1800 by Slovenian, Valentin Stanič, more than 100 climbers have lost their lives on the 1,800-meter steep east face alone, the highest continuous face in the Eastern Alps. It was conquered for the first time only in 1881 by Johann Grill from Ramsau. The ridge hike over the three main peaks of Hocheck (2,651 m), Mittelspitze (2,713 m) and Südspitze (2,712 m) is one of the most famous and popular mountain trips in the Bavarian Alps.
Considered the most beautiful mountain in the world
The numerous deaths that Watzmann claimed have long earned it the grim nickname: Mount Doom. Even today, people die here again and again. According to the Berchtesgadener Anzeiger newspaper, 2021 was a particularly tragic year when 18 people died while climbing a mountain in the Berchtesgaden area.
The fact that Watzmann was voted “the most beautiful mountain in the world” by readers of the renowned Bergsteiger Magazin in 2014, despite its dangerous nature, may also be partly to blame. In the vote, it left behind global competition, for example from the Himalayas and the Andes. Even Philipp Lahm, captain of the German national football team, congratulated Watzmann on the title and described it as his favourite mountain in the massif.
Another legendary mountain
And indeed, there are also easy trips where you can at least get close to the raw majesty. For example, a challenging trail leads from Schönau am Königssee to the Watzmannhütte over several hours. It lies directly under the peaks. Here, at an altitude of 1,930 m, you have a very good view of the mountains and the valley far below. If you want, you can combine the trip with an overnight stay, and multi-day hikes around Watzmann are also an interesting idea.
According to the Berchtesgaden region, in addition to Watzmann, there is another legendary peak here, namely Untersberg.
It is said that none other than King Charlemagne (747 or 748 to 814) sleeps eternally under the stone giant. According to legend, it wakes up every hundred years, and in the meantime, dwarves take care of it. It is said that when his beard grows three times around the round table, the end of the world will come. We can only hope that the cruel King Watzmann does not come back to life.
