List of highest mountains of Germany
Introduction Location of the highest major summits in GermanyThis 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. 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.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. During the colonial period to 1918 Mount Kilimanjaro in the colony of German East Africa, at 5,895 m, 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 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'').
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 PhotographPeakHeight (m)Mountain rangeMassifIsolation (km)Prominence (m) First climb '''1''' Zugspitze (2,962 m) seen from the Alpspitze Zugspitze 2,962 Wetterstein Zugspitze   Acherkogel   West of the Fernpass   Josef Naus, Johann Georg Tauschl, Acolyte Maier1 '''2''' Zugspitze Massif including Schneefernerkopf (centre left, 2,874 m) Schneefernerkopf 2,874 Wetterstein Zugspitze   Zugspitze   Schneeferner wind-gap   Hermann von Barth '''3''' Zugspitze Massif including Schneefernerkopf (centre right, 2,750 m)  Middle Wetterspitze 2,750 Wetterstein Zugspitze   Schneefernerkopf   Wind-gap to the Schneefernerkopf  '''4''' Southern side of the Hochwanner (2,744 m) Hochwanner 2,744 Wetterstein Hochwanner   Zugspitze   Feldernjöchl  Hermann von Barth '''5''' Middle Höllentalspitze (centre, 2,743 m)  Middle Höllentalspitze 2,743 Wetterstein Zugspitze   Zugspitze   ''Jubiläum arête'' wind-gap to the Zugspitze    Hermann von Barth '''6''' Inner Höllentalspitze (left front, 2,741 m)  Inner Höllentalspitze 2,741 Wetterstein Zugspitze   Middle Höllentalspitze   Wind-gap to the Middle Höllentalspitze    Hermann von Barth '''7''' Outer Höllentalspitze (centre, 2,720 m)  Outer Höllentalspitze 2,720 Wetterstein Zugspitze   Middle Höllentalspitze 3  Wind-gap to the Middle Höllentalspitze    Hermann von Barth '''8''' Watzmann Middle Peak (centre, 2,713 m)  Watzmann Middle Peak 2,713 Berchtesgaden Alps Watzmann   Hochseiler   Trischübel Pass  Valentin Stanič '''9''' Watzmann South Peak (2,712 m)  Watzmann South Peak 2,712 Berchtesgaden Alps Watzmann   Watzmann Middle Peak 3  Watzmann arête wind-gap    Peter Carl Thurwieser '''10''' Hochblassen (front right, 2,703 m) Hochblassen 2,703 Wetterstein Zugspitze   Outer Höllentalspitze   Falsche Grießkar wind-gap    Hermann von Barth, Peter Klaisl '''11''' Zugspitze Massif including Wetterwandeck (right, 2,698 m) Wetterwandeck 2,698 Wetterstein Zugspitze   Southern Wetterspitze   Wind-gap to the Eastern Wetterspitze   '''12''' Leutascher Dreitorspitze (2,682 m)  Leutascher Dreitorspitze 2,682 Wetterstein Dreitorspitze   Hochwanner   Western Wang wind-gap    Hermann von Barth '''13''' Eastern Plattspitze (Left of the Zugspitze, 2,680 m)  Eastern Plattspitze 2,680 Wetterstein Zugspitze   Wetterwandeck   Wetter wind-gap   Hermann von Barth '''14''' Hinterreintalschrofen 2,669 Wetterstein Hochwanner   Hochwanner   Teufel arête wind-gap to the Hochwanner    Hermann von Barth '''15''' Hochfrottspitze (2,649 m) from the Mädelegabel Hochfrottspitze 2,649  Allgäu Alps Hohes Licht   Hohes Licht   Sock valley wind-gap   Hermann von Barth '''16''' Southern side of the Mädelegabel (2,645 m)  Mädelegabel 2,645  Allgäu Alps  Hohes Licht   Hochfrottspitze   Wind-gap to the Hochfrottspitze   Oskar Sendtner4 '''17''' Southern side of the Partenkirchner Dreitorspitze (2,633 m)  Partenkirchner Dreitorspitze 2,633 Wetterstein Dreitorspitze   Leutascher Dreitorspitze 3  Wind-gap to the Leutascher Dreitorspitze   Jakob Grasegger, Karl Kiendl '''18''' Alpspitze (2,628 m) from the Osterfelderkopf Alpspitze 2,628 Wetterstein Zugspitze   Hochblassen   Grießkar wind-gap   J. Burger '''19''' Vollkarspitze 2,618 Wetterstein Zugspitze   Hochblassen 3  Wind-gap to the Höllentalspitzen   Ferdinand Henning2 '''20''' Bockkarkopf (2,609 m) Bockkarkopf 2,609  Allgäu Alps Hohes Licht   Hochfrottspitze   Bockkar wind-gap  '''21''' Hochkalter (centre, 2,607 m) Hochkalter 2,607 Berchtesgaden Alps Hochkalter   Watzmann   Wimbach wind-gap  '''22''' Northeastern Dreitorspitze (centre, 2,605 m) Northeastern Dreitorspitze 2,605 Wetterstein Dreitorspitze   Dreitorspitze 3  Wind-gap to the Dreitorspitze  '''23''' Biberkopf (2,599 m) Biberkopf 2,599  Allgäu Alps Biberkopf   Hohes Licht   Große Stein wind-gap 5 '''24''' Trettachspitze (2,595 m) Trettachspitze 2,595  Allgäu Alps Hohes Licht   Mädelegabel 3  Wind-gap to the Mädelegabel   Urban, Alois and Mathias Jochum '''25''' Großer Hundstod (2,593 m)  Großer Hundstod 2,593 Berchtesgaden Alps  Großer Hundstod   Watzmann   Dießbach wind-gap   Karl Thurwieser '''26''' Hochvogel (2,592 m) Hochvogel 2,592  Allgäu Alps Hochvogel   Urbeleskarspitze   Hornbachjoch   Trobitus '''27''' Funtenseetauern (2,578 m) Funtenseetauern 2,578 Berchtesgaden Alps Selbhorn   Selbhorn   Hochbrunnsulzen   Johann Grill, Albert Kaindl '''28''' Öfnerspitze (right, 2,576 m)  Öfnerspitze 2,576  Allgäu Alps  Großer Krottenkopf   Großer Krottenkopf 3  Wind-gap to the Großen Krottenkopf 5 '''29''' Schüsselkarspitze (2,551 m)  Schüsselkarspitze 2,551 Wetterstein Dreitorspitze   Leutascher Dreitorspitze 3  Wind-gap to the Leutascher Dreitorspitze   A. Moser, O. Schuster '''30''' Krottenspitze (right, 2,551 m) Krottenspitze 2,551  Allgäu Alps  Großer Krottenkopf   Öfnerspitze   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 300 metres. ''By clicking the symbols at the head of the table the individual column may be sorted. ''Ranking PhotographPeakHeight (m)Mountain range4LocationIsolation (km)Prominence (m)First climbon '''1''' Zugspitze (2,962 m) seen from the Alpspitze Zugspitze 2,962 Wetterstein DE/AT   Acherkogel   West of the Fernpass  Josef Naus, Johann Georg Tauschl, Acolyte Maier1  '''2''' southern side of the Hochwanner (2,744 m) Hochwanner 2,744 Wetterstein DE/AT   Zugspitze   Feldernjöchl   Hermann von Barth  '''3''' Watzmann Middle Peak (centre, 2,713 m)  Watzmann Middle Peak 2,713 Berchtesgaden Alps DE   Hochseiler   Trischübel Pass   Valentin Stanič  '''4''' Leutascher Dreitorspitze (2,682 m)  Leutascher Dreitorspitze 2,682 Wetterstein DE/AT   Hochwanner   Western Wang wind-gap    Hermann von Barth  '''5''' Hochkalter (centre, 2,607 m) Hochkalter 2,607 Berchtesgaden Alps DE   Watzmann   Wimbach wind-gap '''''' '''6''' Biberkopf (2,599 m) Biberkopf 2,599  Allgäu Alps DE/AT   Hohes Licht   Große Stein wind-gap  2 '''7''' Großer Hundstod (2,593 m)  Großer Hundstod 2,593 Berchtesgaden Alps DE/AT   Watzmann   Dießbach wind-gap   Karl Thurwieser  '''8''' Hochvogel (2,592 m) Hochvogel 2,592  Allgäu Alps DE/AT   Urbeleskarspitze   Hornbachjoch   Trobitus  '''9''' Eastern Karwendelspitze (2,538 m)  Östliche Karwendelspitze 2,538  Karwendel DE/AT   Middle Ödkarspitze   Hochalm Saddle   Hermann von Barth  '''10''' The Hocheisspitze from the northwest Hocheisspitze 2,523  Berchtesgaden Alps DE/AT   Hochkalter   Sittersbach wind-gap   Hermann von Barth  '''11''' Hoher Göll (left rear, 2,522 m) Hoher Göll 2,522  Berchtesgaden Alps DE/AT   Watzmann   Torrener Joch   Valentin Stanič  '''12''' Hochkarspitze (left, 2,482 m) Hochkarspitze 2,482  Karwendel DE/AT   Pleisenspitze   Bäralp Saddle   Hermann von Barth  '''13''' Großes Teufelshorn (left, 2,361 m)  Großes Teufelshorn 2,361  Berchtesgaden Alps DE/AT   Reißhorn   Blühnbachtörl    '''14''' Kahlersberg (2,350 m)  Kahlersberg 2,350  Berchtesgaden Alps DE/AT   Großes Teufelshorn 3  East of the Hintere Bärengrube   F. v. Schilcher, G. Helblehen  '''15''' Stadelhorn (2,286 m) Stadelhorn 2,286  Berchtesgaden Alps DE/AT   Wasserwandkopf   Hirschbichl Pass   Karl Thurwieser  '''16''' Großer Daumen (2,280 m)  Großer Daumen 2,280   Allgäu Alps DE   Kesselspitze   Höfatsblick summit station    '''17''' Höfats (2,257 m)  Höfats 2,257   Allgäu Alps DE   Großer Wilder   Älple Saddle   Otto Sendtner  '''18''' Soiernspitze (2,257 m) Soiernspitze 2,257  Karwendel DE   Wörner   West of the Vereiner-Alm    '''19''' Hoher Ifen (2,229 m)  Hoher Ifen 2,229   Allgäu Alps DE/AT   Elferkopf   Gerach Saddle    '''20''' Große Arnspitze (2,196 m)  Große Arnspitze 2,196  Wetterstein DE/AT   Upper Wetterstein peak   Northwest of Neuleutasch    '''21''' Große Arnspitze (2,185 m) Kreuzspitze 2,185  Ammergau Alps DE   Daniel   Upper Schellbach valley   * 1 First recorded climb. Historic maps from the 18th century suggest that the Zugspitze had already been climbed before 1770. * 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
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