Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, Germany Genealogy

History and Geography


Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a ski town in Bavaria, southern Germany. It is the seat of government of the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen (abbreviated GAP), in the Oberbayern region, which borders Austria. Nearby is Germany's highest mountain, Zugspitze, at 2,962 m (9,718 ft.). The town is known as the site of the 1936 Winter Olympic Games. Location of Garmisch-Partenkirchen within Garmisch-Partenkirchen district Coordinates are 47°30′N 11°5′E.

See Wikipedia for more information about Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
 * Garmisch (in the west) and Partenkirchen (in the east) were separate towns for many centuries.
 * Garmisch and Partenkirchen remained separate until their respective mayors were forced by Adolf Hitler to combine the two market towns in 1935 in anticipation of the 1936 Winter Olympic games.
 * Today, the united town is casually (but incorrectly) referred to as Garmisch, much to the dismay of Partenkirchen's residents. At least in Polish, however, the abbreviated name is "Ga-Pa".
 * Most visitors will notice the slightly more modern feel of Garmisch while the fresco-filled, cobblestoned streets of Partenkirchen offer a glimpse into times past. Early mornings and late afternoons in pleasant weather often find local traffic stopped while the dairy cows are herded to and from the nearby mountain meadows.