Festung Königstein

It wouldn't be a trip to Germany without seeing another huge fortress. Part two of our very long Sunday, was a trip further UP (yes, up, I have a weird geography block that I think if you travel south/southish along a river, it should be downstream. I struggled with this on the Rhine a few years back, and haven't gotten any better) the Elbe to Königstein.

This is a big place: close to 6,000 feet long at its greatest reach, with some of the walls reaching 138 feet high. We're talking a serious fortress here. At the center is a well, 500 feet and change, the deepest in Saxony and second deepest in Europe. Remember the Tiefer Brunnen in the Kaiserburg in Nuremberg, that impressive video? That's about 150 feet.

The fortress comes into written history in 1233, in a deed sealed by King Wenceslaus I (no, not the one in the song, that was the Wenceslaus back in the 900s) of Bohemia. It was expanded over the centuries, serving first as a fortification along the Bohemians' territory in the north along the Elbe River trade route. After the Treaty of Eger in 1459 settled the border of Bohemia and the Electorate of Saxony, it came under the control of the Margraviate of Meissen (yes, them again, like the Hapsburgs, we can't get away from these Wettin guys).

The castle was significantly strengthened in the 1590s, and again by Augustus the Strong in the early 1700s.

Despite its impressive size, vast storage facilities, deep well (and if you don't know why that's important in a fortress, I can't help you),and commanding position, Festung Königstein didn't see much military action. Instead, it served as a place of refuge for the Wettin family and a place to stash their treasures, and later the treasures of the Saxon state and the city of Dresden. It served as a prison from time to time as well. From the German-French War (to us Americans the Franco-Prussian War) it was used as a prisoner of war camp. In both World I and II it served as an Oflag-- an officers' camp. In World War I: Russian and French. World War II: British, French and Poles. It was used by the Red Army as a military hospital, and by the DDR as a youth re-education facility.

Though never captured, the fortress suffered one defeat. In April 1942, after two years in captivity, General Henri Giraud successfully escaped from Oflag IV-B. Where was Colonel Klink when they needed him?

In hindsight, it was a mistake to visit during the Christmas market. Too much market and not enough history. Unlike the market at the Wartburg, it interfered with enjoying the historical aspect, touring around, et cetera. Also, it wasn't a Medieval market, but rather billed as “romantic”. I don't know, I guess whoever came up with that must have read a lot of bodice ripping romance novels. Cold, stony fortresses with minimal toilet facilities don't scream romance to me, no matter how many Herrnhutter stars you hang up around the place. We had a good time, though, and the light misty rain that came on after sunset made it especially atmospheric.Läs mer