Ostpreußenhütte

The Ostpreußenhütte is a mountain hut (Schutzhütte) of the Königsberg/Pr. section of the German Alpine Club (Deutscher Alpenverein, DAV), situated at 1,630 metres above sea level at the foot of the Hochkönig in the Berchtesgaden Alps, in the Austrian federal state of Salzburg near Werfen. The building is a protected monument. It was erected in 1927 by the Königsberg/Pr. section of the then German and Austrian Alpine Club (DuOeAV) to commemorate the Salzburg Protestants expelled to East Prussia in 1731/32, and was inaugurated on 28 June 1928 by Franz Boy after only one year of construction. The land was made available for this purpose by Prince Friedrich Leopold of Prussia. As a mountain hut, the Ostpreußenhütte functions as an inn and overnight refuge for hikers, day visitors and mountaineers. It is a popular excursion destination thanks to its easy accessibility, offering views of the Hochkönig, and serves as an important base for climbers heading to the Franz-Eduard-Matras-Haus on the Hochkönig via the longest but easiest route. In winter, snowshoe walks, sledging and ski tours are possible; the hut is then open from 26 December to mid-March. It is a base on the Nordalpenweg (Austrian long-distance trail 01). The hut is owned and operated by the DAV Sektion Königsberg/Pr. e.V., a Munich-based section of the German Alpine Club founded in 1890 in Königsberg, East Prussia, which has had its seat in Munich since 1965. The section's members carry out voluntary work to maintain the hut. After being confiscated by the Allies in 1945, the hut passed to Austria under the administration of the Austrian Alpine Club; it was only in 1974 that the Munich-based section was re-entered in the land register. The hut was closed in October 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the following years were used for renovation work; it reopened in winter 2023. For the summer season 2025, Iris Schoch took over the running of the hut, supported by her husband Andreas Schoch and many helpers. The hut is managed in both the summer and winter seasons, with a rest day on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in winter and daily opening in summer (Wednesdays with limited service, though overnight stays remain possible).

The Ostpreußenhütte was built to commemorate the Salzburg Protestants (Salzburger Exulanten) who were expelled from the Archbishopric of Salzburg in 1731/32 and resettled in East Prussia. The Königsberg/Pr. section of the German and Austrian Alpine Club (DuOeAV), founded in 1890 in Königsberg, East Prussia, erected the hut in 1927. The land was provided for this purpose by Prince Friedrich Leopold of Prussia, who transferred the plot to the DuOeAV. After only one year of construction, the Ostpreußenhütte on the Rettenbachriedel at 1,630 metres above sea level was inaugurated by Franz Boy on 28 June 1928. In the Krupp-Zimmer, two pictures with reproductions from the songbook of the Albertina hang, sent by the Corps Masovia to the hut warden Dr. Schnorrenberg in Starnberg. In 1945 the hut was confiscated by the Allies and passed to Austria under the administration of the Austrian Alpine Club. It was only in 1974 that the Königsberg/Pr. section of the German Alpine Club, now based in Munich, was re-entered in the land register. The section itself had moved its seat to Munich in 1965; more than half of its over 700 members live in or around Munich. The hut is a central part of the section's identity, and members meet for work assignments to keep it in good condition. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hut was closed in October 2020. In the following years the closure was used for renovation measures. The hut was reopened in winter 2023. For the summer season 2025, Iris Schoch took over the running of the hut, supported by her husband Andreas Schoch and many helpers. The hut is managed in both the summer and winter seasons: in winter with a rest day on Tuesday and Wednesday, in summer daily with limited service on Wednesdays (rest day), though overnight stays remain possible. The section celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2015.

• 2025

  Iris Schoch takes over the running of the hut for the summer season.

• 2023

  Hut reopened in winter after renovation measures.

• 2020

  Hut closed in October because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• 2015

  The section celebrates its 125th anniversary.

• 1974

  The Munich-based section is re-entered in the land register for the hut.

• 1965

  The Königsberg/Pr. section moves its seat to Munich.

• 1945

  Hut confiscated by the Allies; passes to Austria under administration of the Austrian Alpine Club.

• 1928

  Inauguration of the Ostpreußenhütte by Franz Boy on 28 June.

• 1927

  Construction of the Ostpreußenhütte by the Königsberg/Pr. section, on land provided by Prince Friedrich Leopold of Prussia.

• 1890

  Sektion Königsberg/Pr. founded in Königsberg, East Prussia, as the north-easternmost section of the German and Austrian Alpine Club.

A heritage-listed Alpine club hut and popular excursion destination at the foot of the Hochkönig, operated by a Munich-based DAV section with strong historical ties to East Prussia.

• Mountain hut accommodation and overnight stays

• Alpine food and drink service (Einkehr)

• Winter activities: snowshoe walks, sledging, ski tours

1. 1Unsere Hüttedav-koenigsberg.de
2. 2Sektionsgeschichtedav-koenigsberg.de
3. 3Über unsdav-koenigsberg.de
4. 4Kontaktdav-koenigsberg.de
5. 5Ostpreußenhütte (Wikidata)wikidata.org
6. 6Ostpreußenhütte (Wikipedia)de.wikipedia.org