Welcoming Judy & Richard and Family

Sweet Memories from Springfield, MO

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Friday Plan Details

Here is our plan for Friday:

The weather forecast shows rain, but it should not stop us—unless it really pours heavily.

👉 Arrival

Please aim to be at our place around 10:00 a.m.

📍 Address for navigation:
Liebigstraße 22c
84478 Waldkraiburg

It’s the house with the Bavarian flag outside. I’ll send you a short backup description in case the navigation is not reliable. (Due to changing roadwork sites in town, GPS might not be up to date).

If you get stuck at some point, just give me a call and read the signs you can see. We’re going to pick you up. 

🚗 Morning tour – historical sites

All locations are only a few minutes’ drive from each other and from Waldkraiburg.

🌲 Forest camp area

 Paths are paved or gravel. We tested it today—your shoes may get wet from the rain, but they won’t get dirty. Parking is very close, and it’s just a short walk in.

🛩️ “Weingut I” bunker site (Fliegerbunker)

 You can drive almost all the way there. A higher-clearance car is helpful, but a normal car is fine too. The road is a bit bumpy but fully passable even in rain.
The bunker could not be destroyed by explosives—only parts collapsed, but large sections are still standing. 

🏚️ Föhrenwinkel (former women’s camp)

 We will pass this on the way back and can make a short stop. This is also the building where I worked for 15 years.

⏱️ Total time for the tour: about 2 hours

🍽️ Lunch

 We’ll be back home around midday, where a small snack will be waiting.

🏰 Afternoon – Burghausen Castle

 We’ve moved the castle visit slightly later so we can eat without rushing.

Departure to Burghausen: around 1:30 p.m.

The guided tour takes place even in rain, so please bring:

  • a rain jacket 🌧️
  • comfortable shoes
    Umbrellas are available if needed (we have plenty 😊)

🌆 After the guided tour

 What we do afterwards will be flexible and depends a bit on the weather.

If it’s dry or only lightly raining, we can walk down into the old town, stroll along the Jazz Walk of Fame, and explore the historic streets and shops in the Grüben.

We’ll then round off the day with a relaxed and cozy dinner together.

Looking forward to a wonderful day with you all 😊

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Just in case your navigation system has any problems, here is a simple backup route from the A94:

Coming from Munich, take the Waldkraiburg Ost exit 18 from the A94 – that’s right after you get out of the tunnel.

Immediately after leaving the highway, you will reach a roundabout. Take the second exit, following the signs to Waldkraiburg.

Continue straight ahead (about 2 miles) until you see the following sign

at the roundabout, take the first exit – Waldkraiburg Nord

Stay on the main road and continue until you reach a pedestrian traffic light.

Just before the traffic light, turn right into Liebigstraße. 

Follow Liebigstraße until you reach the next intersection. Cross straight through it and the first driveway on the right is ours. 

If you send me a short WhatsApp Message when you get into Waldkraiburg – we’ll get outside to guide you into our driveway. 

Unfortunately, there’s no Street View of Waldkraiburg

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Waldkraiburg – Short History  

From Wartime Industry to a New Community

The history of Waldkraiburg is unusual when compared to most towns in Bavaria. Unlike medieval towns that developed gradually over centuries, Waldkraiburg emerged from the dramatic events of the Second World War and its aftermath. The town’s origins are closely connected to war, displacement, and reconstruction.

A Hidden Industrial Landscape

During the early 1940s, the area that would later become Waldkraiburg was not a town at all. Instead, it formed part of a large industrial complex hidden within the forests of Upper Bavaria.

The site was operated in part by Dynamit AG, a company involved in the production of explosives and other materials needed for the German war effort. The location was deliberately chosen because of its isolation. Dense forests provided natural camouflage, making the facilities difficult to detect from the air.

Across the landscape stood production buildings, storage bunkers, roads, rail connections, and housing for workers. However, not all of these workers were employed voluntarily. Many were forced laborers and prisoners connected to the broader system of labor camps that existed throughout the region.

What appears today as a normal urban area was once a restricted and heavily guarded industrial zone dedicated to wartime production.

The End of War and an Uncertain Future

In 1945, the collapse of Nazi Germany brought industrial activity to an abrupt end. Production ceased, many facilities were abandoned, and the purpose of the entire complex disappeared almost overnight.

The result was a strange landscape: a large network of roads, buildings, and barracks standing largely empty in the middle of the forest. It was no longer an industrial center, yet it had not become a civilian settlement.

For a brief period, the future of the area remained uncertain.

A Refuge for the Displaced

The years immediately following the war transformed the region once again.

Across Europe, millions of people found themselves displaced by the consequences of the conflict. Former prisoners, refugees, and displaced persons required temporary accommodation. Some of the empty facilities in the area provided shelter during this difficult period.

At the same time, large numbers of ethnic Germans were expelled from territories in Eastern Europe, including Silesia, East Prussia, and the Sudetenland. Many of these families had lost their homes, possessions, and communities.

Some of them arrived here, where the vacant barracks offered one of the few available places to begin rebuilding their lives.

The Beginning of a Community

From 1946 onward, more families settled permanently in the former camp structures. Living conditions were challenging. Housing was cramped, infrastructure was limited, and everyday necessities were often scarce.

Despite these difficulties, something important began to happen. What had originally been intended as temporary accommodation gradually became a permanent settlement.

People from different regions and cultural backgrounds lived side by side. They spoke different dialects and carried different memories of the places they had left behind. Although they shared little common history, they faced similar challenges and worked together to create a new future.

Over time, roads were improved, services were established, and small businesses appeared. The foundations of a community slowly emerged.

The Birth of Waldkraiburg

By the end of the 1940s, it had become clear that the settlement would not disappear. What had once been a secret industrial zone, then an abandoned wartime landscape, and later a refuge for displaced people, was developing into a permanent town.

In 1950, Waldkraiburg was officially established as a municipality.

Its history serves as an example of how historical events can transform places. A location originally built to support war became a home for people seeking stability and a new beginning.

Today, modern Waldkraiburg stands as a reminder that communities are often shaped not only by geography, but also by the resilience and determination of the people who build them.

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WW II – History Tour –
Forest Camp, Bunker Ruins, Women’s Camp

The Forest Camp near Waldkraiburg

To understand the history of this area during the final years of World War II, we must look beyond the visible landscape and imagine what existed here in 1944 and 1945.

Near Waldkraiburg stood one of several so-called “forest camps,” temporary prisoner camps connected to the Dachau concentration camp system. These camps were created to provide labor for the massive construction project known as “Weingut I.”

The conditions were extremely harsh. In the early stages, there were not even proper barracks. Prisoners were forced to dig shelters into the ground and cover them with branches, earth, and any available materials. These makeshift shelters offered little protection from rain, cold, or dampness.

Life in the camp was characterized by overcrowding, poor sanitation, hunger, and disease. Food was scarce, medical care was almost nonexistent, and many prisoners became weakened by exhaustion and malnutrition.

Each day, prisoners were marched from the camp to the construction site and back again. The work was physically demanding, and many did not survive the conditions for long.

Today, the forest appears peaceful. Visitors may notice only slight depressions in the ground or a memorial marker indicating what once stood here. Yet beneath this quiet landscape lies the memory of a place where thousands of people endured suffering, deprivation, and fear.

The forest camp reminds us that history is not always visible. Sometimes the most significant events leave only subtle traces, while their human impact remains profound.

The Bunker Ruins of “Weingut I” – Mettenheimer Hart

Hidden within the forests of Mettenheimer Hart are the remains of one of the largest underground construction projects undertaken by Nazi Germany during the final phase of World War II.

In 1944, German authorities began building a vast reinforced-concrete bunker complex known by the code name “Weingut I.” The purpose of this facility was to manufacture the Messerschmitt Me 262, the world’s first operational jet fighter aircraft. Because Allied bombing campaigns threatened industrial production, the factory was designed to be protected underground and resistant to air attacks.

The scale of the project was enormous. Hundreds of meters of reinforced concrete were constructed in a remarkably short period of time. However, this achievement came at a terrible human cost.

More than 8,000 concentration camp prisoners and forced laborers were brought to the area to build the facility. They worked under brutal conditions, facing long hours of heavy labor, inadequate food, exhaustion, disease, and frequent abuse. Many prisoners survived only a short time after arriving.

As the war drew to a close, the project was never completed as originally intended. Today, only fragments of the bunker remain. Trees have reclaimed much of the landscape, and nature has softened the scars left by construction and destruction.

Yet these ruins are more than remnants of military engineering. They are evidence of a system that exploited human lives on a massive scale. The concrete structures that still stand today serve as a reminder not only of wartime technology but also of the thousands of individuals who suffered and died here.

When studying this site, it is important to remember that history is not only about buildings and machines. It is also about the people whose lives were shaped—and too often destroyed—by the events that took place here.

Föhrenwinkel 

From Wartime Camp to Everyday Life

The Föhrenwinkel district is one of the places where Waldkraiburg’s remarkable history is still visible today.

During the Second World War, this area formed part of the large industrial complex hidden within the surrounding forests. Some of the buildings were used as a women’s camp, providing accommodation for workers connected to wartime production.

When the war ended in 1945, the camp’s original purpose disappeared. However, the buildings remained and soon became temporary housing for displaced persons, refugees, and later German expellees who had lost their homes in Eastern Europe.

Over time, what had been a wartime camp slowly evolved into a residential neighborhood. Families settled here, children grew up here, and a new community emerged from a place originally created for entirely different purposes.

Today, Föhrenwinkel is a peaceful part of Waldkraiburg. Yet some of the historic buildings still serve the community in new ways. The former Women’s Camp now houses the municipal utilities company, the Stadtwerke Waldkraiburg, as well as a kindergarten.

This transformation tells an important story. Buildings once connected to war and displacement have become places that support everyday life, serving local families and the community.

Föhrenwinkel reminds us that history is not only preserved in monuments and museums. Sometimes it lives on in the very buildings people use every day, often without realizing the stories those walls could tell.

For fifteen years, I worked in the building that once formed part of the Women’s Camp.

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Burghausen – The Jazz Walk of Fame

Burghausen’s Musical Legacy

As you walk through the Grüben, one of the most picturesque streets in Burghausen’s Old Town, you may notice bronze plaques embedded in the pavement beneath your feet. Each plaque bears a name, a signature, and the life dates of a famous jazz musician.

At first glance, this might seem surprising. Why would a small Bavarian town have its own Jazz Walk of Fame?

The answer lies in a remarkable story that began more than fifty years ago.

The Birth of a Jazz Tradition

In 1970, Burghausen launched the first International Jazz Week. What started as a local music festival gradually developed into one of Europe’s most respected jazz events. Over the decades, some of the biggest names in jazz performed here, attracting musicians and fans from around the world.

Artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, Dave Brubeck, Chet Baker, Lionel Hampton, and many others brought world-class jazz to a town better known for its medieval castle.

Creating the Street of Fame

In 1999, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Burghausen Jazz Week, the city decided to honor the musicians who had helped make the festival famous. Inspired by the famous Walk of Fame in Hollywood, Burghausen created its own „Street of Fame“ in the Grüben.

Bronze relief plaques were embedded into the pavement, each dedicated to a jazz artist who had performed at the festival. The plaques display the musician’s name, signature, and life dates, creating a unique open-air tribute to jazz history.

Unlike Hollywood’s stars, these plaques do not celebrate actors or celebrities. They honor musicians whose performances left a lasting impression on Burghausen and helped establish the town’s international reputation in the jazz world.

A Living Monument

The Street of Fame is not a finished project. Every two years, another plaque is added, extending the trail through the Grüben toward the town square. Today, more than forty musicians are represented, creating a remarkable „who’s who“ of international jazz.

What makes this place special is its setting. The bronze plaques lie between centuries-old houses in a medieval street that once served merchants and traders. The contrast between ancient architecture and modern musical history is intentional and reflects how Burghausen combines its medieval heritage with a vibrant cultural life.

More Than Just a Walk

The Jazz Walk of Fame is more than a tourist attraction. It represents the identity of Burghausen itself.

Many towns have castles. Many towns have historic streets. Very few can claim that some of the greatest jazz musicians in history performed there.

As you walk through the Grüben today, you are not only following a medieval street. You are also following the footsteps of jazz legends who helped transform Burghausen into one of Germany’s most important jazz destinations.

The bronze plaques beneath your feet remind visitors that history is not only found in castles and old buildings. Sometimes it is found in music, in culture, and in the memories left behind by the artists who once performed here.

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Burghausen – Old Town

A Walk Through History

When people visit Burghausen, the famous castle usually captures their attention first. Stretching for more than one kilometer along a narrow ridge above the Salzach River, it is one of the longest castle complexes in the world. The castle is our guided tour. 

Yet the story of Burghausen is not limited to its castle. The Old Town below tells a fascinating story of trade, wealth, disaster, and survival.

A Town on an Important River

The history of Burghausen is closely connected to the Salzach River. For centuries, the river served as a major trade route linking Bavaria, Austria, and regions farther south.

During the Middle Ages, merchants transported valuable goods along the Salzach, including salt, grain, wine, timber, and metal products. Salt was particularly important. Often called “white gold,” it was essential for preserving food before refrigeration existed. Much of the wealth that helped build Burghausen came directly or indirectly from the salt trade.

Because of its strategic location, Burghausen became an important commercial center. Traders, craftsmen, and travelers passed through the town, bringing both prosperity and cultural influences from across Central Europe.

The Grüben* – The Heart of the Medieval Town

One of the most distinctive parts of Burghausen is the district known as the Grüben. Today it is a charming street lined with colorful buildings, small shops, cafés, and restaurants. However, its origins reach back to the Middle Ages.

The Grüben developed in the narrow strip of land between the castle hill and the river. Space was limited, so buildings were constructed close together. Merchants and craftsmen lived and worked here, often using the lower floors as workshops or storage areas while the family lived above.

Although many buildings have been restored, the layout of the street still reflects its medieval origins. Walking through the Grüben today gives visitors one of the best impressions of what daily life in a historic trading town may have looked like centuries ago.

*The name ‚Grüben‘ roughly means ‚the hollows‘ or ‚the low ground.‘ The street lies below the castle hill, squeezed between the castle and the river. In medieval times, this low-lying area became home to craftsmen, merchants, and workshops, eventually developing into one of the most characteristic parts of Burghausen’s Old Town. 

Fire, Floods, and Rebuilding

Life in medieval towns was not always prosperous. Burghausen faced repeated challenges throughout its history.

Fires were a constant danger. Many buildings were originally constructed from wood, and a single spark could destroy entire sections of town. Several major fires damaged Burghausen over the centuries, forcing residents to rebuild again and again.

Flooding also posed a threat. The Salzach was both a blessing and a danger. While it brought trade and prosperity, it could also overflow its banks and damage homes, workshops, and warehouses.

The fact that Burghausen survived these disasters and continued to thrive is a testament to the resilience of its inhabitants.

Border Town Between Bavaria and Austria

For much of its history, Burghausen occupied an important position near the border between Bavaria and Austria.

The Salzach River forms the boundary between the two countries, and the town often found itself influenced by developments on both sides. Trade, culture, and political events frequently crossed the river. Even today, visitors can easily walk across the bridge to the Austrian town of Ach.

This border location helped shape Burghausen’s identity as a place where different regions and traditions met.

From Medieval Market Town to Modern Cultural Center

By the nineteenth century, river trade had declined as railways and modern transportation changed how goods were moved. Like many historic towns, Burghausen had to adapt to changing economic conditions.

Fortunately, the town preserved much of its historic character. While some medieval towns were heavily modernized, large parts of Burghausen’s Old Town remained intact. This preservation allows visitors today to experience a remarkably authentic historic atmosphere.

In recent decades, Burghausen has also become known for culture and music. The town hosts the internationally recognized Burghausen Jazz Week, one of Europe’s most respected jazz festivals. The Jazz Walk of Fame, located in the Old Town, honors many of the musicians who have performed here over the years.

A Town Where History Remains Visible

What makes Burghausen special is that history is not confined to museums or monuments. It can be found in the narrow streets of the Grüben, in the colorful facades of old merchant houses, in the river that once carried valuable cargo, and in the castle overlooking it all.

As you walk through the Old Town today, you are following paths that merchants, craftsmen, soldiers, pilgrims, and travelers have used for centuries. Every building, alleyway, and square tells part of a story that stretches back more than a thousand years.

Burghausen is more than a picturesque destination. It is a place where the past remains remarkably visible, inviting visitors to explore how generations before us lived, worked, traded, and built a community that has endured through the centuries.

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sweet memories from August 2017 in Springfield Missouri

making new memories … in Waldkraiburg and Burghausen

I was hoping to find a photo of just you and me, or perhaps one of you and Richard and me or Harald together, to include here. No such luck, though—the only one I found was the famous picture with the two detectives. Not a single one with Richard … We’ll definitely have to change that while you’re here. 😉