List of highest mountains of Germany

Location of the highest major summits in Germany

This is a list of the highest mountains in Germany. All of these mountains are located in the federal state of Bavaria. They lie within the Alps in the region known as the Eastern Alps and are part of the Northern Limestone Alps. The majority belong to the mountain ranges of the Wetterstein, Berchtesgaden Alps and Allgäu Alps.

Because the definition of a mountain is not universally agreed, a distinction is made between main summits and other peaks. Subsidiary summits or subpeaks are not counted. In the Alps a summit is classed as independent, according to the UIAA definition, if it has a prominence of 30 metres or more. In order for a peak to qualify as an independent mountain, however, it must have a prominence of at least 300 metres.^[1] Based on this definition only the main summits of entire mountain massifs are counted. All elevations with a prominence below 30 metres are considered as subpeaks.^[2]

By these definitions, the highest mountains in Germany are the Zugspitze (2,962 m), Hochwanner (2,746 m) and Watzmann (Middle Peak, 2,713 m). If all independent summits are counted, the Zugspitze is followed by the Schneefernerkopf (2,875 m) and the Middle Wetterspitze (2,747 m) in places two and three. Both are however, part of the Zugspitze massif and lie relatively close to the summit of the Zugspitze itself.

The highest mountain which lies entirely on German soil is the Watzmann with a height of 2,713 metres, followed by the Hochkalter (2,607 m), the Großer Daumen (2,280 m) and the Höfats (2,259 m). Likewise fully on German territory, but considerably less independent, are the Middle Höllentalspitze (2,742 m) and the Hochblassen (2,703 m).

A majority of the summits were verifiably climbed in the 19th century; the Watzmann and Hoher Göll for example as early as 1800. The Zugspitze was officially climbed for the first time in 1820. However, there are many peaks of which it is suspected had been climbed in earlier times by unknown climbers.

Because the borders of Germany have often changed during the course of the centuries, there were different "highest mountains" in the past. For example, during the time of the Holy Roman Empire up to 1806, the Ortler in present-day South Tyrol, at 3,905 m, was the highest German mountain. Whilst during the colonial period to 1918 Mount Kilimanjaro in the colony of German East Africa, at 5,895 m, was officially the highest mountain the German Reich. During the Nazi era from 1938 to 1945 this title went to the Großglockner which, at 3,797 m, is today the highest mountain in Austria.

Key

• Ranking: The ranking of the peak within Germany in terms of height.
• Photograph: Photograph of the mountain.
• Peak: Name of the peak.
• Height: Height of the mountain in metres.
• Mountain range: Mountain range in which the mountain lies.
• Massif: (table 1) Gives the name of the massif to which the mountain belongs. If the massif is named after a linked main peak, the link is omitted here.
• Location: (table 2) DE = mountain lies entirely on German territory; DE/AT = mountain lies in the area of the border between Germany and Austria, but the peak at least is on German state territory.
• Isolation: The isolation describes the radius of the area which the mountain dominates. Given in kilometres including the reference point.
• Prominence: The prominence is the height difference between height of the summit and the highest point to which one must descend in order to climb a higher peak. Given in metres including the reference point.
• First climb: Name of the first climber and date. Empty field indicates that the first climber or the date is not known.

There may be differences in data from other sources. The tables use the tables of the German height reference system, based on height above Normalnull (~sea level) in Amsterdam, and data from the Bavarian Survey Office (Bayerischen Vermessungsverwaltung).^[3]

The highest summits

Table 1 below shows the 30 highest independent summits in Germany. A summit or peak requires a prominence of over 30 metres in order to count as independent.

By clicking on the symbols at the head of the table the individual columns may be sorted.

Ranking	Photograph	Peak	Height (m)	Mountain range	Massif	Isolation (km)	Prominence (m)	First climb
1		Zugspitze	2,962	Wetterstein	Zugspitze	7001246000000000000♠24.6 Acherkogel	7003174600000000000♠1,746 West of the Fernpass	1820-08-27 !27.08.1820 Josef Naus, Johann Georg Tauschl, Acolyte Maier1
2		Schneefernerkopf	2,874	Wetterstein	Zugspitze	7000170000000000000♠1.7 Zugspitze	7002175000000000000♠175 Schneeferner wind-gap	1871 !1871 Hermann von Barth
3		Wetterspitze Middle ! Middle Wetterspitze	2,750	Wetterstein	Zugspitze	6999600000000000000♠0.6 Schneefernerkopf	7001670000000000000♠67 Wind-gap to the Schneefernerkopf	!
4		Hochwanner	2,744	Wetterstein	Hochwanner	7000550000000000000♠5.5 Zugspitze	7002701000000000000♠701 Feldernjöchl	1870 !1870 Hermann von Barth
5		Hollentalspitze Middle ! Middle Höllentalspitze	2,743	Wetterstein	Zugspitze	7000160000000000000♠1.6 Zugspitze	7002116000000000000♠116 Jubiläum arête wind-gap to the Zugspitze	1871 !1871 Hermann von Barth
6		Hollentalspitze Inner ! Inner Höllentalspitze	2,741	Wetterstein	Zugspitze	6999600000000000000♠0.6 Middle Höllentalspitze	7001900000000000000♠90 Wind-gap to the Middle Höllentalspitze	1871-09-09 !09.09.1871 Hermann von Barth
7		Hollentalspitze Outer ! Outer Höllentalspitze	2,720	Wetterstein	Zugspitze	6999600000000000000♠0.6 Middle Höllentalspitze	7001350000000000000♠353 Wind-gap to the Middle Höllentalspitze	1871 !1871 Hermann von Barth
8		Watzmann Middle Peak ! Watzmann Middle Peak	2,713	Berchtesgaden Alps	Watzmann	7001159000000000000♠15.9 Hochseiler	7002939000000000000♠939 Trischübel Pass	1800-08 !Aug. 1800 Valentin Stanič
9		Watzmann South Peak ! Watzmann South Peak	2,712	Berchtesgaden Alps	Watzmann	6999800000000000000♠0.8 Watzmann Middle Peak	7002110000000000000♠1103 Watzmann arête wind-gap	1832 !1832 Peter Carl Thurwieser
10		Hochblassen	2,703	Wetterstein	Zugspitze	7000110000000000000♠1.1 Outer Höllentalspitze	7002143000000000000♠143 Falsche Grießkar wind-gap	1871-08-25 !25.08.1871 Hermann von Barth, Peter Klaisl
11		Wetterwandeck	2,698	Wetterstein	Zugspitze	6999500000000000000♠0.5 Southern Wetterspitze	7001300000000000000♠30 Wind-gap to the Eastern Wetterspitze	!
12		Dreitorspitze Leutascher ! Leutascher Dreitorspitze	2,682	Wetterstein	Dreitorspitze	7000520000000000000♠5.2 Hochwanner	7002346000000000000♠346 Western Wang wind-gap	1871-08-07 !07.08.1871 Hermann von Barth
13		Plattenspitze Eastern ! Eastern Plattspitze	2,680	Wetterstein	Zugspitze	7000110000000000000♠1.1 Wetterwandeck	7002204000000000000♠204 Wetter wind-gap	1871 !1871 Hermann von Barth
14		Hinterreintalschrofen	2,669	Wetterstein	Hochwanner	7000150000000000000♠1.5 Hochwanner	7002109000000000000♠109 Teufel arête wind-gap to the Hochwanner	1871-09-01 !01.09.1871 Hermann von Barth
15		Hochfrottspitze	2,649	Allgau Alps ! Allgäu Alps	Hohes Licht	7000220000000000000♠2.2 Hohes Licht	7002203000000000000♠203 Sock valley wind-gap	1869-06-16 !16.06.1869 Hermann von Barth
16		Madelegabel ! Mädelegabel	2,645	Allgau Alps ! Allgäu Alps	Hohes Licht	6999400000000000000♠0.4 Hochfrottspitze	7001810000000000000♠81 Wind-gap to the Hochfrottspitze	1852 !1852 Oskar Sendtner[4]4
17		Dreitorspitze Partenkirchner ! Partenkirchner Dreitorspitze	2,633	Wetterstein	Dreitorspitze	6999500000000000000♠0.5 Leutascher Dreitorspitze	7002100000000000000♠1003 Wind-gap to the Leutascher Dreitorspitze	1854-07-20 !20.07.1854 Jakob Grasegger, Karl Kiendl
18		Alpspitze	2,628	Wetterstein	Zugspitze	6999800000000000000♠0.8 Hochblassen	7002165000000000000♠165 Grießkar wind-gap	1825 !1825 J. Burger
19		Vollkarspitze	2,618	Wetterstein	Zugspitze	6999500000000000000♠0.5 Hochblassen	7001400000000000000♠403 Wind-gap to the Höllentalspitzen	1897 !1897 Ferdinand Henning2
20		Bockkarkopf	2,609	Allgau Alps ! Allgäu Alps	Hohes Licht	6999600000000000000♠0.6 Hochfrottspitze	7002106000000000000♠106 Bockkar wind-gap	!
21		Hochkalter	2,607	Berchtesgaden Alps	Hochkalter	7000450000000000000♠4.5 Watzmann	7002621000000000000♠621 Wimbach wind-gap	!
22		Northeastern Dreitorspitze	2,605	Wetterstein	Dreitorspitze	6999200000000000000♠0.2 Dreitorspitze	7001400000000000000♠403 Wind-gap to the Dreitorspitze	!
23		Biberkopf	2,599	Allgau Alps ! Allgäu Alps	Biberkopf	7000350000000000000♠3.5 Hohes Licht	7002337000000000000♠337 Große Stein wind-gap	1853 !18535
24		Trettachspitze	2,595	Allgau Alps ! Allgäu Alps	Hohes Licht	6999400000000000000♠0.4 Mädelegabel	7002140000000000000♠1403 Wind-gap to the Mädelegabel	1855-08 !Aug 1855 Urban, Alois and Mathias Jochum
25		Hundstod Grosser ! Großer Hundstod	2,593	Berchtesgaden Alps	Grosser Hundstod ! Großer Hundstod	7000450000000000000♠4.5 Watzmann	7002474000000000000♠474 Dießbach wind-gap	1825 !1825 Karl Thurwieser
26		Hochvogel	2,592	Allgau Alps ! Allgäu Alps	Hochvogel	7000540000000000000♠5.4 Urbeleskarspitze	7002572000000000000♠572 Hornbachjoch	1832 !1832 Trobitus
27		Funtenseetauern	2,578	Berchtesgaden Alps	Selbhorn	7000400000000000000♠4 Selbhorn	7002220000000000000♠220 Hochbrunnsulzen	1865 !ca. 1865 Johann Grill, Albert Kaindl
28		Ofnerspitze ! Öfnerspitze	2,576	Allgau Alps ! Allgäu Alps	Grosser Krottenkopf ! Großer Krottenkopf	6999700000000000000♠0.7 Großer Krottenkopf	7002161000000000000♠1613 Wind-gap to the Großen Krottenkopf	1854 !18545
29		Schusselkarspitze ! Schüsselkarspitze	2,551	Wetterstein	Dreitorspitze	6999300000000000000♠0.3 Leutascher Dreitorspitze	7001600000000000000♠603 Wind-gap to the Leutascher Dreitorspitze	1894 !1894 A. Moser, O. Schuster
30		Krottenspitze	2,551	Allgau Alps ! Allgäu Alps	Grosser Krottenkopf ! Großer Krottenkopf	6999300000000000000♠0.3 Öfnerspitze	7001780000000000000♠78 Wind-gap to the Öfnerspitze	!

• ¹ First recorded climb. Historic maps from the 18th century suggest that the Zugspitze had already been climbed before 1770.^[5]
• ² Year of the first complete crossing of the Jubiläums arête.
• ³ Exact value unknown as no survey has been carried out. Estimate based on contours from a topographical map.
• ⁴ First recorded climb. It is possible that it had been climbed during survey work in 1818 or work by a border commission in 1835
• ⁵ As part of a survey

The highest mountains

Table 2 below shows the 21 highest mountains in Germany. A mountain is considered to be the main summit of a massif if its prominence is more than 300 metres.

By clicking the symbols at the head of the table the individual column may be sorted.

Ranking	Photograph	Peak	Height (m)	Mountain range4	Location	Isolation (km)	Prominence (m)	First climb	on
1		Zugspitze	2,962	Wetterstein	DE/AT	7001246000000000000♠24.6 Acherkogel	7003174600000000000♠1,746 West of the Fernpass	Naus Josef Deutschl Johann Georg Maier ! Josef Naus, Johann Georg Tauschl, Acolyte Maier1	1820-08-27 !27.08.1820
2		Hochwanner	2,744	Wetterstein	DE/AT	7000550000000000000♠5.5 Zugspitze	7002701000000000000♠701 Feldernjöchl	Barth Hermann von ! Hermann von Barth	1870 !1870
3		Watzmann centrelspitze ! Watzmann Middle Peak	2,713	Berchtesgaden Alps	DE	7001159000000000000♠15.9 Hochseiler	7002939000000000000♠939 Trischübel Pass	Stanic Valentin ! Valentin Stanič	1800-08 !Aug 1800
4		Dreitorspitze Leutascher ! Leutascher Dreitorspitze	2,682	Wetterstein	DE/AT	7000520000000000000♠5.2 Hochwanner	7002346000000000000♠346 Western Wang wind-gap	Barth Hermann von ! Hermann von Barth	1871-08-07 !07.08.1871
5		Hochkalter	2,607	Berchtesgaden Alps	DE	7000450000000000000♠4.5 Watzmann	7002621000000000000♠621 Wimbach wind-gap	!	!
6		Biberkopf	2,599	Allgau Alps ! Allgäu Alps	DE/AT	7000350000000000000♠3.5 Hohes Licht	7002337000000000000♠337 Große Stein wind-gap	!	1853 !18532
7		Hundstod Grosser ! Großer Hundstod	2,593	Berchtesgaden Alps	DE/AT	7000450000000000000♠4.5 Watzmann	7002474000000000000♠474 Dießbach wind-gap	Thurwieser Karl ! Karl Thurwieser	1825 !1825
8		Hochvogel	2,592	Allgau Alps ! Allgäu Alps	DE/AT	7000540000000000000♠5.4 Urbeleskarspitze	7002572000000000000♠572 Hornbachjoch	Trobitus ! Trobitus	1832 !1832
9		Karwendelspitze Eastern ! Östliche Karwendelspitze	2,538	Karwendel	DE/AT	7000350000000000000♠3.5 Middle Ödkarspitze	7002736000000000000♠736 Hochalm Saddle	Barth Hermann von ! Hermann von Barth	1870-07-04 !04.07.1870
10		Hocheisspitze	2,523	Berchtesgaden Alps	DE/AT	7000300000000000000♠3 Hochkalter	7002410000000000000♠410 Sittersbach wind-gap	Bathe Hermann von ! Hermann von Barth	1868-09-06 !06.09.1868
11		Hoher Göll	2,522	Berchtesgaden Alps	DE/AT	7001114000000000000♠11.4 Watzmann	7002788000000000000♠788 Torrener Joch	Stanic Valentin ! Valentin Stanič	1800-09-04 !04.09.1800
12		Hochkarspitze	2,482	Karwendel	DE/AT	7001420000000000000♠42 Pleisenspitze	7002661000000000000♠661 Bäralp Saddle	Barth Hermann von ! Hermann von Barth	1870 !1870
13		Teufelshorn Grosses ! Großes Teufelshorn	2,361	Berchtesgaden Alps	DE/AT	7000380000000000000♠3.8 Reißhorn	7002339000000000000♠339 Blühnbachtörl	!	!
14		Kahlersberg ! Kahlersberg	2,350	Berchtesgaden Alps	DE/AT	7000480000000000000♠4.8 Großes Teufelshorn	7002335000000000000♠3353 East of the Hintere Bärengrube	Schilcher F. v. ! F. v. Schilcher, G. Helblehen	1854 !1854
15		Stadelhorn	2,286	Berchtesgaden Alps	DE/AT	7000520000000000000♠5.2 Wasserwandkopf	7003113300000000000♠1,133 Hirschbichl Pass	Thurwieser Karl ! Karl Thurwieser	1825 !1825
16		Daumen Grosser ! Großer Daumen	2,280	Allgau Alps ! Allgäu Alps	DE	7000640000000000000♠6.4 Kesselspitze	7002350000000000000♠350 Höfatsblick summit station	!	!
17		Hofats ! Höfats	2,257	Allgau Alps ! Allgäu Alps	DE	7000270000000000000♠2.7 Großer Wilder	7002477000000000000♠477 Älple Saddle	Sendtner Otto ! Otto Sendtner	1848 !1848
18		Soiernspitze	2,257	Karwendel	DE	7000380000000000000♠3.8 Wörner	7002833000000000000♠833 West of the Vereiner-Alm	!	!
19		Ifen Hoher ! Hoher Ifen	2,229	Allgau Alps ! Allgäu Alps	DE/AT	7000770000000000000♠7.7 Elferkopf	7002476000000000000♠476 Gerach Saddle	!	!
20		Arnspitze Grosse ! Große Arnspitze	2,196	Wetterstein	DE/AT	7000390000000000000♠3.9 Upper Wetterstein peak	7003100300000000000♠1,003 Northwest of Neuleutasch	!	!
21		Kreuzspitze	2,185	Ammergau Alps	DE	7001106000000000000♠10.6 Daniel	7003118200000000000♠1,182 Upper Schellbach valley	!	!

• ¹ First recorded climb. Historic maps from the 18th century suggest that the Zugspitze had already been climbed before 1770.^[5]
• ² As part of a survey
• ³ Exact value not known, because it has not been surveyed. Estimate based on contours from a topographical map.

See also

• List of mountain and hill ranges in Germany
• List of the highest mountains in Austria
• List of mountains in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains
• List of mountains of the Harz

References

1. ↑ Or a prominence of 100m according to other authorities.
2. ↑ "The Viertausender of the Alpen – Offizielles UIAA-Verzeichnis" (PDF) (in German). UIAA. Nr. 145, März 1994. Retrieved 7 May 2009.  Check date values in: |date= (help)
3. ↑ Bayerische Vermessungsverwaltung. "Bayernviewer" (in German). Bayerische Staatsregierung. Retrieved 19 May 2009. 
4. ↑ "Von Abenteurern and Bergpionieren" (in German). allgaeuer-anzeigeblatt.de. 2005. Retrieved 6 May 2009. 
5. 1 2 Andrea Händel (2006). "Historische Zugspitzkarte" (in German). alpenverein.de. Retrieved 6 May 2009. 

Literature

• DAV-Karte: 4/3 Wetterstein und Mieminger Kette, eastern sheet (1:25,000). 2005
• DAV-Karte: 5/1 Karwendel, western sheet (1:25,000). 2005
• DAV-Karte: 5/2 Karwendel, middle sheet (1:25,000). 2000
• DAV-Karte: 10/1 Steinernes Meer (1:25,000). 2006
• Kompass Wander-, Bike- and Skitourenkarte: Blatt 3 Allgäu Alps, Kleinwalsertal (1:50.000). Kompass-Karten, Innsbruck 2005, ISBN 978-3-85491-005-3
• Kompass Wander-, Bike and Skitourenkarte: Blatt 03 Oberstdorf, Kleinwalsertal (1:25.000). Kompass-Karten, Innsbruck 2009, ISBN 978-3-85491-231-6
• Kompass Wander-, Bike and Skitourenkarte: Blatt 25 Zugspitze, Mieminger Kette (1:50.000). Kompass-Karten, Innsbruck 2008, ISBN 978-3-85491-026-8

External links

• Bayern-Viewer: Online map material for the Federal State of Bavaria

Mountains and hills by state of Germany Baden-Württemberg Bavaria Berlin Brandenburg Hamburg Hesse Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Lower Saxony North Rhine-Westphalia Rhineland-Palatinate Saarland Saxony Saxony-Anhalt Schleswig-Holstein Thuringia See also: List of the highest mountains in the German states, List of the highest mountains in Germany