The Großer Arber is considered one of the most beautiful mountains in the Bavarian Forest, but on December 4, 1939, this mountain became the scene of a tragic event. On this early winter day, a Junkers Ju 52, a typical transport and passenger aircraft of the German Luftwaffe at the time, crashed on the steep Arbersee face. Bad weather, dense fog and the difficult conditions in the mountains caused the machine to lose its orientation and end up in the rocky terrain. For the crew and passengers, this was the beginning of a disaster that has been deeply imprinted on the history of the region, even if it is only known to a few today.

The Großer Arber – the "King of the Bavarian Forest"

At 1,456 metres, the Großer Arber is the highest mountain in the Bavarian Forest and lies on the border between Lower Bavaria and the Upper Palatinate. Because of its imposing height and striking appearance, it is often referred to as the "King of the Bavarian Forest".

What happened on December 4, 1939 at the Großer Arber
The Junkers Ju 52 was a widespread and robust aircraft in 1939, but even the technology of its time could not withstand the challenges of the wintry mountain landscape. As visibility deteriorated, the machine unintentionally sank too low and finally collided with the massive rock face. The impact was devastating. Five people lost their lives, other occupants survived the crash, which can almost be considered a miracle given the conditions. The mountain rescue service and emergency services fought their way to the scene of the accident under the most adverse conditions. Snow, ice and the almost vertical walls made the rescue work extremely dangerous. Nevertheless, it was possible to bring the survivors down to the valley.

The site of the crash, the so-called Arberseewand, rises above the Großer Arbersee and is known for its steep, hard-to-reach rock structures. Even today, the terrain is challenging. This makes it understandable why the rescue in 1939 was so difficult and why the accident is still considered one of the most dramatic events in the history of the mountain. Although the wreck was later completely recovered, locals continued to talk about the day the Arber lost its quiet winter dormancy for decades.

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The investigations after the crash showed that there were no technical problems. Rather, the interplay of extremely poor visibility and a navigation error was decisive. At a time when modern instrument flight technology did not yet exist, flights over mountainous terrain were particularly risky. Today, this disaster is often overlooked because it occurred in the middle of the early years of the war and many events of that time were lost in the overall historical picture. Nevertheless, the crash of 1939 remains an important chapter in Arber's history.

Anyone who hikes along the Großer Arber today usually has no idea of the drama that once took place here. Nature has long since overgrown the tracks, and the mountain shows itself in its usual majestic image. But the story of the plane crash is a reminder of how dangerous and unpredictable the mountain world can be – and how stories are often hidden behind idyllic landscapes that should not be forgotten.













Author: MFRadio.de - Bavaria
Source:
• Niederbayern-Wiki (article "Plane crash on the Großer Arber", confirmed key data on the event)
• Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (BAAA) – Documentation of the crash of the Junkers Ju 52 on December 4, 1939
• Regional History and Local History Archives of the Bavarian Forest
• Military historical data collections on aircraft typology and loss documentation of the Ju 52