Berchtesgaden – an idyllic place in the Bavarian Alps. Right on the border with Salzburg, holidaymakers can enjoy wonderful views – a true natural paradise with many recreational opportunities.

Adolf Hitler, who first visited Berchtesgaden in 1923 and discovered the Obersalzberg for himself, also appreciated this around a hundred years ago. Fellow sympathisers and party friends followed. Haus Wa­chen­feld, rented in 1928, was bought in 1933, extended in 1935, renamed Berghof and gradually the entire Obersalzberg area was transformed into a Führersperrgebiet (restricted area).

Hitler gathered the NSADP functionaries loyal to him at the Berghof – a court of his own. Hitler’s partner Eva Braun. Martin Bormann and Albert Speer lived nearby with their families, and the Goebbels family were also frequent guests. The Berghof society was constantly changing and membership depended on Hitler’s favour. He decided on persecution, war and genocide in a circle of close confidants. It was here that war plans were drawn up that led to the catastrophe of the Second World War.

“Hitler’s ideology was murderous. But it was carried out by others – in the German Reich, in the occupied territories and in the death camps.” This quote comes from the catalogue of the Obersalzberg Documentation, which is located on the site of the former Führersperrgebiet. The permanent exhibition “Idyll and Crime” shows the history of Obersalzberg during the National Socialist era and its devastating consequences for German history.

It succeeds very impressively. The new exhibition, which opened at the end of 2023, vividly and depressingly presents evidence of a frightening time in images, sound and film. The new exhibition building also incorporates part of the underground air raid shelter, which was built in 1943.

A very impressive visit to the museum. In view of the many populist promises that have been booming for some time now, it can’t hurt to realise where gullible parroting of supposedly simple solutions and slogans has already led: to crime – planned in the idyll.

The Obersalzberg Documentation presents in cooperation with HOSI Salzburg the film “Nelly and Nadine” at the Salzburg 2024 Pride Festival. The story of two women who met in Ravensbrück concentration camp in 1944, survived the concentration camp and spent the rest of their lives together in Venezuela and Brussels will be shown on 3 September at 7.30 pm in DAS Kino Salzburg. (pege)

Dokumentation Obersalzberg Salzbergstraße 41, 83471 Berchtesgaden The entrance fee is €3. The exhibition is open from April to October Monday to Sunday 9 am to 5 pm (last admission 4 pm). From November to March Tuesday to Sunday 10 am to 3 pm (last admission 2 pm). Multimedia guides in German and English are available for the standard tour (approx. 80 minutes) and are included in the admission price.

The multimedia guide offers various media and in-depth offers within the exhibition as well as guided tours through it. It is available on loan devices or as an app. Loan devices are issued free of charge with the admission ticket, the app is available free of charge in the App Store (iOS) and Play Store (Android). The app can only be used with headphones.

Multimedia guides are available for a short tour (40 minutes) in German, Easy Language, German Sign Language, English, French, Hebrew, Italian, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Czech, Turkish, Hungarian and Ukrainian.

From Salzburg main station, you can easily get to Berchtesgaden on bus line 840. At the main station Berchtesgaden, change to the 838 bus and after 1 hour 20 minutes you will be at the Obersalzberg documentation centre. Return in reverse order.

And Berchtesgaden, with the nearby Königssee lake, the Eagle’s Nest and the Watzmanntherme spa, is always worth a trip anyway.