Location identification made on some WWII German pics I have ;-))

I don't know if these photos were posted by JulioMoc in the photos thread he started for me but, thanks no less than to the Travel Channel-I was able to get an exact location of where some of the first Gebirgsjager photographs I ever purchased-were taken at.

This morning I happened to be skipping around and stopped on the Travel Channel because I could see that the lady who does this travel show-was in Germany. The program was already more than half over when I happened onto it. The host was sitting at a Staumtisch with several Bavarian locals trying some traditional Bavarian dishes. Well, after that but, she was next in the area known as The Enchanted Forest-and a world famous-and probably the most famous Castle in the World is located in or near--(Schloss Neuschwanstein to be exact ;-)) well, as she was walking up the mountain trail which had a guard rail all along the more dangerous parts, well, she just happened to stop in an eare of the trail in which I had a wartime photo or two of-which showed some Gebirgsjagers walking up the same trail as part of some military exercise.

Well, thanks to that Travel show host stopping there to make come comments, I saw something that looked like a scene I had seen before-which was the fore and background of the spot she had stopped at. It dawned on me that I have at least 2 and possibly a couple more G.J. photos from the same grouping of eight that I had purchased some 10-12 years ago.

Previous to this ID of the pics, I had always thought that all the pics I had from this grouping had been taken at or in the area of Werfen, Austria. Well, apparently not ;-)) Half of the photos of this small grouping I bought years ago, were indeed taken at Werfen, and I know that because Werfen Schloss is seen in the background of the Winter pics. The non winter pics all apparently were taken in the Bavarian Region and quite near Schloss Neuschwanstein-even though I don't have wartime pics of that Castle-one or two of my pics shows the exact or near exact scenery as I saw when that TV show host had stopped to make her comments.

Anyway, untill today, I had naturally thought all those photos were taken at or near Werfen, Austria. Now I can also have a better idea of what exact unit those men were in ;-)) Ill try to find time to get more factual info on these ;-)) Anyway, I had not been 100% correct on all the pics in that grouping, that is, untill today ;-))

Just thought i'd share this tidbit with any who is interested in these things and in case those photos indeed were posted on this site bu Julio. ;-))

 

there are many pics of Gebirgsjägern skiing and hiking above Neuschwanstein. the Marienbrücke a fav tourist pic opportunity was even used back in the lat 30's throughout the war for war propaganda purposes and in most probability this is what you have. been there done that back in 80 some gorgeous and very steep country, some interesting rock climbing spots though a tad rotten for my tastes.

with the proxy of Schwangau and the Schwansee and many lakes it has a special draw plus an excellent winter climate, dumps snow then solidifies with some great powder and because of it's altitude and geo make-up fog does not depress for a long period within the valleys

 

Hi E, that definately sounds good to me. As I don't have all my pics handy, I can't explain exactly what I saw and what was the same from then and now but, I do remember that the GJs had their climbing gear as well as I think each had a coil of rope as well as the picaxes and such. These are still awaiting to be transferred to photo CD-so I don't know when I can say for sure that these will for certain=be posted. I THINK Julio posted them but not sure? He did about half of what I sent to him ;-))

Anyway, i'd like to find out more about any GJ units that were in both that area as well as in Werfen.

 

There is a GJ Barracks in Fussen, I was there last summer.

 

Carl

did you know that part of the 6th W-SS Mountain was in the area from time to time on practice drills as we call them- Süd-Tirol, mountaineering of course has to be played out with many of the Volunteers coming from the high plateus and country plus whom was the best German snipers ? you know of course, those that served in the Heer Gebirgs units with their formal training of high mtn goats and what such. Werfen is a gorgeous little spot a place someday I will visit plus finding more of my Familie routes in the Tirol

will look to see if I have some bagged pics somewhere////most likely....Carl are your pics dated by chance

thanks Wessex for those great pics again by the way one of the most scenic Alpine road routes starts from Füssen and heads in a south manner up and around

 

this may or may not help this thread out .........

Werfen

Werfen is a town about 50 km south of Salzburg in Austria. It is located in the Pongau region, with a population of about 3,500. The most known attractions are the Eisriesenwelt (the biggest ice-cave in the world) and Burg Hohenwerfen (the medieval castle where the movie Where Eagles Dare was recorded).
A small portion of a picnic scene from The Sound of Music was filmed on a hillside of the village of Werfen. Julie Andrews and crew filmed the opening shots of the "Do-Re-Mi" sequence with the Burg Hohenwerfen in the background. Werfen was also the location for some filming of Where Eagles Dare. (...)

Carl the area looks gorgeous of course but a bit mellow for any type of Mountaineering

 

on belay ! one of the most dangerous rapelling situations and although this is what the world was doing on the descents in the 40's, sit harness's just make it a whole lot safer and easier to tie in without the possibility of pulling oneself out of the rope and also hanging yourself. the guy could get quite a neck/arm burn and of course his privates............ yikers !

 

Hi Wessex, E,

Wessex, thanks for those great photos of the Kaserne there. Susanne and I drove through a GJ Kaserne as it waqs split by some road-and this was back in late Spet 2000. To Susannes embarassment, I took several photos while sitting in the car-of a Platoon of GJs that were coming in from some field exercise-being led by a pistol-waving officer. As they ran past the car-I took a few pics and I even had several of them smiling and giving us the thumbs up sign ;-)) Well, maybe 30 seconds after that happened, another Platoon of GJS came storming past us from the same direction, and I took pics of them as well. Their Leutnant was all smiles and waved at us-so Susanne forgave me for the embarassment I unknowingly brought upon her there ;-))

Hi E, I don't have my pics back from the guy who is placing them on CDs for me. I need to call him to find out an update on them. I do remember that a few of the pics had something scrawled on them in pencil-but I don't remember what? Ill let you know as soon as I get them back-but that might be weeks from now.

The info you also gave is great but, these GJs in the pics I have are Army. I WISH I had some W-SS GJ pics, but those are so darn expensive. I saw some on Ricks site not long ago and he wanted a Mint for them.

Oh and as this seems to be a "week of photo and or militaria discoveries" I now can place a face to the man whose GD 1st Pz Olt boards I own-who is an RKT. I can't think think of his name off hand but-I saw a photo of him-wearing perhapse the same boards I now own ;-)) and he was next to another GD RKT. Its thundering outside but when thi storm passes? ill get back here and post a name of the GD Px RKT providing lightning doesn't knock out power or internet.

I better run since its lightning outside. Carl.

 

check the postcard again Carl they are not W-SS members

here is another diddy..............ah yes in the winter....luv it !

 

Hi E, cor3ecto, I knew they werent W-SS. I was replying to your posting telling that a W-SS GJ unit was drilling near the S/Tirol ;-)) I kinda wonder iof they spent any time in or near Werfen?

Anyway, I called the guy up earlier to see how far along he's got on getting my pics done- and he's STILL less than 1/4th done. I told him in a "gent;e" way that things needed to be speeded up some.