BMC Garmisch: It's Great to Be Here!
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, located on the German-Austrian border at the foot of the Alps, was two 1,100 year old towns when they were reluctantly merged in 1935 for the 1936 Winter Olympics.
The military presence began in 1935 when the German army built Krafft von Dellmensingen Kaserne (now Artillery Kaserne) as a home for their elite "Edelweiss" mountain troops.
Already a popular German ski resort area, the growing city became a U.S. military garrison in 1945. Since then it's evolved into the US Army Garrison Garmisch and currently shares the kaserne with the Bundeswehr's Gebirgsmusikkorps of the First Mountain Division.
The population of Garmisch-Partenkirchen is approximately 26,000, and the close-knit military community consists of service members and DoD civilian employees assigned to the garrison or a tenant unit, family members, and a large retiree population in Bavaria and Austria. BMC Garmisch serves all of the community needs and those of guests.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen has many beautiful places to visit, beginning with the Zugspitze, the tallest peak in Germany with year-round cog-train service going deep through the mountain to the top, and cable car service to the summit. Partnach Gorge, a deep crevasse declared a natural monument in 1912, is a rushing white-blue stream with waterfalls, an iron bridge and breathtaking views. The 1936 Olympic Ice Stadium and ski jump offer local and international competitions. World-class winter sporting events are held on the Hausberg, with German and American ski lodges in town at the base of mountain. Just minutes away are: King Ludwig II's castle at Neuschwanstein, the model for Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty castle; Linderhof Palace with the Hall of Mirrors and the Venus grotto, and the baroque-style Ettal Abbey are located near Oberammergau. The city of Oberammergau is noted for its religious woodcarvings and is the home to the famous Passion Play every 10 years. Munich to the north is the wonderful capital city of Bavaria with its cultural activities, beer halls, the Nymphenburg Palace, the English Gardens and of course, Oktoberfest, the world's biggest party. Salzburg, with Mozart's home, is an easy drive, as is Innsbruck. Italy, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic are only a few hours away.
