List of highest mountains of Germany explained

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 upon, 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 or more. In order for a peak to qualify as an independent mountain, however, it must have a prominence of at least .^[1] Based on this definition only the main summits of entire mountain massifs are counted. All elevations with a prominence below are considered as subpeaks.^[2]

By these definitions, the highest mountains in Germany are the Zugspitze (2962m (9,718feet)), Hochwanner (2746m (9,009feet)) and Watzmann (Middle Peak, 2713m (8,901feet)). If all independent summits are counted, the Zugspitze is followed by the Schneefernerkopf (2875m (9,432feet)) and the Middle Wetterspitze (2747m (9,012feet)) 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, followed by the Hochkalter (2607m (8,553feet)), the Großer Daumen (2280m (7,480feet)) and the Höfats (2259m (7,411feet)). 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 3905m (12,812feet), was the highest German mountain. During the colonial period to 1918 Mount Kilimanjaro in the colony of German East Africa, at 5895m (19,341feet), was officially the highest mountain of the German Reich. During the Nazi era from 1938 to 1945 this title went to the Großglockner which, at 3797m (12,457feet), 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 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 (ft)	Mountain range	Massif	Isolation km (mi)	Prominence m (ft)	First climb
1		Zugspitze	2962abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Wetterstein	Zugspitze	24.6abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Acherkogel	1746abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values West of the Fernpass	Josef Naus, Johann Georg Tauschl, Acolyte Maier^1
2		Schneefernerkopf	2874abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Wetterstein	Zugspitze	1.7abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Zugspitze	175abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Schneeferner wind-gap	Hermann von Barth
3		Middle Wetterspitze	2750abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Wetterstein	Zugspitze	0.6abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Schneefernerkopf	67abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Wind-gap to the Schneefernerkopf
4		Hochwanner	2744abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Wetterstein	Hochwanner	5.5abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Zugspitze	701abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Feldernjöchl	Hermann von Barth
5		Middle Höllentalspitze	2743abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Wetterstein	Zugspitze	1.6abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Zugspitze	116abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Jubiläum arête wind-gap to the Zugspitze	Hermann von Barth
6		Inner Höllentalspitze	2741abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Wetterstein	Zugspitze	0.6abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Middle Höllentalspitze	90abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Wind-gap to the Middle Höllentalspitze	Hermann von Barth
7		Outer Höllentalspitze	2720abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Wetterstein	Zugspitze	0.6abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Middle Höllentalspitze	35abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values^3 Wind-gap to the Middle Höllentalspitze	Hermann von Barth
8		Watzmann Middle Peak	2713abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Berchtesgaden Alps	Watzmann	15.9abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Hochseiler	939abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Trischübel Pass	Valentin Stanič
9		Watzmann South Peak	2712abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Berchtesgaden Alps	Watzmann	0.8abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Watzmann Middle Peak	110abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values^3 Watzmann arête wind-gap	Peter Carl Thurwieser
10		Hochblassen	2703abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Wetterstein	Zugspitze	1.1abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Outer Höllentalspitze	143abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Falsche Grießkar wind-gap	Hermann von Barth, Peter Klaisl
11		Wetterwandeck	2698abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Wetterstein	Zugspitze	0.5abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Southern Wetterspitze	30abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Wind-gap to the Eastern Wetterspitze
12		Leutascher Dreitorspitze	2682abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Wetterstein	Dreitorspitze	5.2abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Hochwanner	346abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Western Wang wind-gap	Hermann von Barth
13		Eastern Plattspitze	2680abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Wetterstein	Zugspitze	1.1abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Wetterwandeck	204abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Wetter wind-gap	Hermann von Barth
14		Hinterreintalschrofen	2669abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Wetterstein	Hochwanner	1.5abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Hochwanner	109abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Teufel arête wind-gap to the Hochwanner	Hermann von Barth
15		Hochfrottspitze	2649abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Allgäu Alps	Hohes Licht	2.2abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Hohes Licht	203abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Sock valley wind-gap	Hermann von Barth
16		Mädelegabel	2645abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Allgäu Alps	Hohes Licht	0.4abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Hochfrottspitze	81abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Wind-gap to the Hochfrottspitze	Oskar Sendtner^[4] ^4
17		Partenkirchner Dreitorspitze	2633abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Wetterstein	Dreitorspitze	0.5abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Leutascher Dreitorspitze	100abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values^3 Wind-gap to the Leutascher Dreitorspitze	Jakob Grasegger, Karl Kiendl
18		Alpspitze	2628abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Wetterstein	Zugspitze	0.8abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Hochblassen	165abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Grießkar wind-gap	J. Burger
19		Vollkarspitze	2618abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Wetterstein	Zugspitze	0.5abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Hochblassen	40abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values^3 Wind-gap to the Höllentalspitzen	Ferdinand Henning^2
20		Bockkarkopf	2609abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Allgäu Alps	Hohes Licht	0.6abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Hochfrottspitze	106abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Bockkar wind-gap
21		Hochkalter	2607abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Berchtesgaden Alps	Hochkalter	4.5abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Watzmann	621abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Wimbach wind-gap
22		Northeastern Dreitorspitze	2605abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Wetterstein	Dreitorspitze	0.2abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Dreitorspitze	40abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values^3 Wind-gap to the Dreitorspitze
23		Biberkopf	2599abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Allgäu Alps	Biberkopf	3.5abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Hohes Licht	337abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Große Stein wind-gap	^5
24		Trettachspitze	2595abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Allgäu Alps	Hohes Licht	0.4abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Mädelegabel	140abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values^3 Wind-gap to the Mädelegabel	Urban, Alois and Mathias Jochum
25		Großer Hundstod	2593abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Berchtesgaden Alps	Großer Hundstod	4.5abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Watzmann	474abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Dießbach wind-gap	Karl Thurwieser
26		Hochvogel	2592abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Allgäu Alps	Hochvogel	5.4abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Urbeleskarspitze	572abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Hornbachjoch	Trobitus
27		Funtenseetauern	2578abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Berchtesgaden Alps	Selbhorn	4abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Selbhorn	220abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Hochbrunnsulzen	Johann Grill, Albert Kaindl
28		Öfnerspitze	2576abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Allgäu Alps	Großer Krottenkopf	0.7abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Großer Krottenkopf	161abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values^3 Wind-gap to the Großen Krottenkopf	^5
29		Schüsselkarspitze	2551abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Wetterstein	Dreitorspitze	0.3abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Leutascher Dreitorspitze	60abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values^3 Wind-gap to the Leutascher Dreitorspitze	A. Moser, O. Schuster
30		Krottenspitze	2551abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Allgäu Alps	Großer Krottenkopf	0.3abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Öfnerspitze	78abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values 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.
• 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 .

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

Ranking	Photograph	Peak	Height m (ft)	Mountain range4	Location	Isolation km (mi)	Prominence m (ft)	First climb	Date
1		Zugspitze	2962abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Wetterstein	DE/AT	24.6abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Acherkogel	1746abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values West of the Fernpass	Josef Naus, Johann Georg Tauschl, Acolyte Maier^1
2		Hochwanner	2744abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Wetterstein	DE/AT	5.5abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Zugspitze	701abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Feldernjöchl	Hermann von Barth
3		Watzmann Middle Peak	2713abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Berchtesgaden Alps	DE	15.9abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Hochseiler	939abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Trischübel Pass	Valentin Stanič
4		Leutascher Dreitorspitze	2682abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Wetterstein	DE/AT	5.2abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Hochwanner	346abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Western Wang wind-gap	Hermann von Barth
5		Hochkalter	2607abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Berchtesgaden Alps	DE	4.5abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Watzmann	621abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Wimbach wind-gap
6		Biberkopf	2599abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Allgäu Alps	DE/AT	3.5abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Hohes Licht	337abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Große Stein wind-gap		^2
7		Großer Hundstod	2593abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Berchtesgaden Alps	DE/AT	4.5abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Watzmann	474abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Dießbach wind-gap	Karl Thurwieser
8		Hochvogel	2592abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Allgäu Alps	DE/AT	5.4abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Urbeleskarspitze	572abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Hornbachjoch	Trobitus
9		Östliche Karwendelspitze	2538abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Karwendel	DE/AT	3.5abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Middle Ödkarspitze	736abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Hochalm Saddle	Hermann von Barth
10		Hocheisspitze	2523abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Berchtesgaden Alps	DE/AT	3abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Hochkalter	410abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Sittersbach wind-gap	Hermann von Barth
11		Hoher Göll	2522abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Berchtesgaden Alps	DE/AT	11.4abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Watzmann	788abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Torrener Joch	Valentin Stanič
12		Hochkarspitze	2482abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Karwendel	DE/AT	42abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Pleisenspitze	661abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Bäralp Saddle	Hermann von Barth
13		Großes Teufelshorn	2361abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Berchtesgaden Alps	DE/AT	3.8abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Reißhorn	339abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Blühnbachtörl
14		Kahlersberg	2350abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Berchtesgaden Alps	DE/AT	4.8abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Großes Teufelshorn	335abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values^3 East of the Hintere Bärengrube	F. v. Schilcher, G. Helblehen
15		Stadelhorn	2286abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Berchtesgaden Alps	DE/AT	5.2abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Wasserwandkopf	1133abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Hirschbichl Pass	Karl Thurwieser
16		Großer Daumen	2280abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Allgäu Alps	DE	6.4abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Kesselspitze	350abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Höfatsblick summit station
17		Höfats	2257abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Allgäu Alps	DE	2.7abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Großer Wilder	477abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Älple Saddle	Otto Sendtner
18		Soiernspitze	2257abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Karwendel	DE	3.8abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Wörner	833abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values West of the Vereiner-Alm
19		Hoher Ifen	2229abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Allgäu Alps	DE/AT	7.7abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Elferkopf	476abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Gerach Saddle
20		Große Arnspitze	2196abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Wetterstein	DE/AT	3.9abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Upper Wetterstein peak	1003abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Northwest of Neuleutasch
21		Kreuzspitze	2185abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values	Ammergau Alps	DE	10.6abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values Daniel	1182abbr=valuesNaNabbr=values 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. Web site: . The Viertausender of the Alpen – Offizielles UIAA-Verzeichnis. 145 . March 1994 . 7 May 2009. de.
3. Web site: Bayerische Vermessungsverwaltung . Bayerische Staatsregierung . Bayernviewer . 19 May 2009 . 27 March 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090327145225/http://www.geodaten.bayern.de/bayernviewer/index.cgi . dead .
4. Web site: allgaeuer-anzeigeblatt.de . Von Abenteurern and Bergpionieren . 2005 . 6 May 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110718195235/https://ssl.allgaeuer-anzeigeblatt.de/index.shtml?2005&press=0000006775 . 18 July 2011 . dmy-all .
5. Web site: Andrea Händel . alpenverein.de . Historische Zugspitzkarte . https://web.archive.org/web/20070311072114/http://www.alpenverein.de/template_loader.php?tplpage_id=12&_article_id=994 . dead . 11 March 2007 . 2006 . 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,
• Kompass Wander-, Bike and Skitourenkarte: Blatt 03 Oberstdorf, Kleinwalsertal (1:25.000). Kompass-Karten, Innsbruck 2009,
• Kompass Wander-, Bike and Skitourenkarte: Blatt 25 Zugspitze, Mieminger Kette (1:50.000). Kompass-Karten, Innsbruck 2008,

External links

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