Berchtesgaden Local Customs

Anton Adner was born in 1705 he lived in the area of Berchtesgaden, he led a simple life as a wood carver who made and sold wooden toys and kitchen spoons to sell to the farmers and salt miners not only in the valleys and mountains of Bavaria but also Austria and Switzerland. It was not until he reached the grand old age of one hundred he finally laid his splinter boxes aside. In the year 1817 at the age of 112 he met with King Maximilian l in Munich where he travelled by car and had his first theatre visit - the King was impressed with this man's tanacity for life and work - he had a portrait painted of Anton which you can see a copy of in the town's museum - the original was destroyed during bombing. Anton Adner died on the 15th. March 1822 a simple trader who proved hard work never hurt anyone. I was both surprised and delighted to discover his tomb stone in the Franzis Kaner kirk yard where I too could pay tribute to the Holztrodler.

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The Eagle's Nest Historical Tour offers a guided tour of 35 minutes for all people who are interested in the historic backgroud of that building and its surroundings.
You will be given a lot of informations about the construction of the Kehlsteinstrasse and the Kehlsteinhaus, the use of the building between 1938 and 1945, the headquarters of the Obersalzberg, the air-raid of 1945 etc.
That tour is available ONLY in English
It is 5 euros a person (children under 12 are free)
Meeting-point is the upper parking
Tours start at 10.50 + 11.40 a.m.
pay directely at the guide at the parking-lot !!
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For all hard-core-fans of that time there is also a 4-hour tour available, including the Obersalzberg, the bunkers and the eagle's nest. It is called "Eagles nest Tours" and starts daily at 01.30p.m.
Ask for it at the Berchtesgaden Tourist-office Tel. 64971

The Watzmann massif has come to be known as the symbol of the Berchtesgaden area due to the following legend:
King Watzmann ruled over Berchtesgaden, he hated humans and animals and loved to torment his subjects and torture their animals. Mad hunting parties were his favorite sport and he loved the sound of the hunting horns and the baying of the hounds resounding throughout the forest. His wife and seven children also shared his lust for wild hunts where the sweating horses collapsed with exhaustion and the game was chased to death before being savagely shredded to bits by the hounds. This madness continued until God decided to punish them. With cries of ‘Off to the hunt!’ echoing from the castle courtyard and hunting horns resounding, the whole family set off with their baying hounds. In the pale light of dawn, the king noticed an old woman with her grandchild on her lap. He spurred his horse on toward them so as to trample them to death. When the farmer and his wife ran out of the hut to bring their dying loved ones inside, the king called the dogs on them till they were bitten to shreds. Smiling, the king, queen and children observed the bloody scene. Now here they stand, immortalised in rock: the king, his wife and seven children forced to stare down into Berchtesgadenerland.

Since July 2004, Shopping Hours in Germany are 9 am to 8 pm Monday to Friday and 9 am to 6 pm on Saturdays. This is general in the Cities but the smaller towns like Berchtesgaden still close at 6 pm on Monday to Friday and 1 pm on Saturdays.
Supermarkets will open earlier.
Sundays it's the railway station or a garage and while you can get everything there, expect to pay more.

Table for two?
A lot of Restaurants have tables for 4, 6, 8, or 10 so it might be neccesary to share with others. This is quite usual all over Germany. The other people at the table will not interfere with you and you are not expected to communicate with them, other than a normal polite greeting when arriving and leaving. If you are in a large establishment and having trouble finding space and see sufficent space at another table just say 'ist hier noch frei'. if you get a 'ja', sit down. Also expect to be asked 'ist hier noch frei'

Stammtisch.
When you enter a bar, restaurant, etc. you will see one or more tables with a sign 'Stammtisch' on or over it. This is for regular customers, so do not sit there. You probably won't be served there anyway.

Tipping.
When tipping in Germany you do not leave a tip on the table but round the bill up to the amount you wish and just tell the waiter, ie. if you bill is 18 Euro and you want to tip 2 Euro, you just say 20 Euro.