Sonthofen

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Sonthofen
Coat of arms Location
Coat of arms of Sonthofen
Sonthofen (Germany)
Sonthofen
Administration
Country Flag of Germany Germany
State Bavaria
Admin. region Swabia
District Oberallgäu
Mayor Hubert Buhl
Basic statistics
Area 20.982 km² (8.1 sq mi)
Elevation 750-1,100 m
Population 450  (31/12/2006)
 - Density 21 /km² (56 /sq mi)
Other information
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Licence plate OA
Postal code 87527
Area code 08321
Website www.sonthofen.de

Coordinates: 47°31′00″N 10°17′00″E / 47.516667, 10.283333

Sonthofen
Sonthofen

Sonthofen is the most southerly town of Germany, located in the Oberallgäu region of the Bavarian Alps. Neighbouring Oberstdorf, is situated 14 km farther south but is not classified as a town. Sonthofen is located at 47°31′0″N, 10°16′60″E. In 2005, Sonthofen was awarded "Alpenstadt des Jahres" (Alpine city of the year).

In World War II Sonthofen was bombed twice because Adolf Hitler had built the Ordensburg Sonthofen where young boys were trained for service in Nazi Party organizations. The "Ordensburg" was not destroyed in the war and from 1946 to 1948 it was home to the United States Constabulary school. Nowadays it is used by the German Bundeswehr for the Bundeswehr's Military Police (Feldjäger) and Staff Service School. The German Army's NBC Defence School (ABC-Abwehr- und Selbstschutzschule) is also located in another barracks in Sonthofen.

Sonthofen was given town rights on 18 August 1963. Sonthofen has 21,303 inhabitants (as of 31 March 2004). It is widely known for its milk and cheese products and as a tourist destination.

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