List of highest mountains of Germany

This 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 upon, 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 or more. In order for a peak to qualify as an independent mountain, however, it must have a prominence of at least .Or a prominence of 100m according to other authorities. Based on this definition only the main summits of entire mountain massifs are counted. All elevations with a prominence below are considered as subpeaks.

By these definitions, the highest mountains in Germany are the Zugspitze (), Hochwanner () and Watzmann (Middle Peak, ). If all independent summits are counted, the Zugspitze is followed by the Schneefernerkopf () and the Middle Wetterspitze () 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 , followed by the Hochkalter (), the Großer Daumen () and the Höfats (). 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 , was the highest German mountain. During the colonial period to 1918 Mount Kilimanjaro in the colony of German East Africa, at , 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 , 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 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 (ft)Mountain rangeMassifIsolation km (mi)Prominence m (ft) First climb 1 Zugspitze Wetterstein Zugspitze Acherkogel West of the Fernpass Josef Naus, Johann Georg Tauschl, Acolyte Maier1 2 Schneefernerkopf Wetterstein Zugspitze Zugspitze Schneeferner wind-gap Hermann von Barth 3 Middle Wetterspitze Wetterstein Zugspitze Schneefernerkopf Wind-gap to the Schneefernerkopf 4 Hochwanner Wetterstein Hochwanner Zugspitze Feldernjöchl Hermann von Barth 5 Middle Höllentalspitze Wetterstein Zugspitze Zugspitze Jubiläum arête wind-gap to the Zugspitze Hermann von Barth 6 Inner Höllentalspitze Wetterstein Zugspitze Middle Höllentalspitze Wind-gap to the Middle Höllentalspitze Hermann von Barth 7 Outer Höllentalspitze Wetterstein Zugspitze Middle Höllentalspitze 3 Wind-gap to the Middle Höllentalspitze Hermann von Barth 8 Watzmann Middle Peak Berchtesgaden Alps Watzmann Hochseiler Trischübel Pass Valentin Stanič 9 Watzmann South Peak Berchtesgaden Alps Watzmann Watzmann Middle Peak 3 Watzmann arête wind-gap Peter Carl Thurwieser 10 Hochblassen Wetterstein Zugspitze Outer Höllentalspitze Falsche Grießkar wind-gap Hermann von Barth, Peter Klaisl 11 Wetterwandeck Wetterstein Zugspitze Southern Wetterspitze Wind-gap to the Eastern Wetterspitze 12 Leutascher Dreitorspitze Wetterstein Dreitorspitze Hochwanner Western Wang wind-gap Hermann von Barth 13 Eastern Plattspitze Wetterstein Zugspitze Wetterwandeck Wetter wind-gap Hermann von Barth 14 Hinterreintalschrofen Wetterstein Hochwanner Hochwanner Teufel arête wind-gap to the Hochwanner Hermann von Barth 15 Hochfrottspitze Allgäu Alps Hohes Licht Hohes Licht Sock valley wind-gap Hermann von Barth 16 Mädelegabel Allgäu Alps Hohes Licht Hochfrottspitze Wind-gap to the Hochfrottspitze Oskar Sendtner4 17 Partenkirchner Dreitorspitze Wetterstein Dreitorspitze Leutascher Dreitorspitze 3 Wind-gap to the Leutascher Dreitorspitze Jakob Grasegger, Karl Kiendl 18 Alpspitze Wetterstein Zugspitze Hochblassen Grießkar wind-gap J. Burger 19 Vollkarspitze Wetterstein Zugspitze Hochblassen 3 Wind-gap to the Höllentalspitzen Ferdinand Henning2 20 Bockkarkopf Allgäu Alps Hohes Licht Hochfrottspitze Bockkar wind-gap 21 Hochkalter Berchtesgaden Alps Hochkalter Watzmann Wimbach wind-gap 22 Northeastern Dreitorspitze Wetterstein Dreitorspitze Dreitorspitze 3 Wind-gap to the Dreitorspitze 23 Biberkopf Allgäu Alps Biberkopf Hohes Licht Große Stein wind-gap 5 24 Trettachspitze Allgäu Alps Hohes Licht Mädelegabel 3 Wind-gap to the Mädelegabel Urban, Alois and Mathias Jochum 25 Großer Hundstod Berchtesgaden Alps Großer Hundstod Watzmann Dießbach wind-gap Karl Thurwieser 26 Hochvogel Allgäu Alps Hochvogel Urbeleskarspitze Hornbachjoch Trobitus 27 Funtenseetauern Berchtesgaden Alps Selbhorn Selbhorn Hochbrunnsulzen Johann Grill, Albert Kaindl 28 Öfnerspitze Allgäu Alps Großer Krottenkopf Großer Krottenkopf 3 Wind-gap to the Großen Krottenkopf 5 29 Schüsselkarspitze Wetterstein Dreitorspitze Leutascher Dreitorspitze 3 Wind-gap to the Leutascher Dreitorspitze A. Moser, O. Schuster 30 Krottenspitze 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 .

By clicking the symbols at the head of the table the individual column may be sorted.

Ranking PhotographPeakHeightm (ft)Mountain rangeLocationIsolationkm (mi)Prominence m (ft)First climbDate 1 Zugspitze Wetterstein DE/AT Acherkogel West of the Fernpass Josef Naus, Johann Georg Tauschl, Acolyte Maier1 2 Hochwanner Wetterstein DE/AT Zugspitze Feldernjöchl Hermann von Barth 3 Watzmann Middle Peak Berchtesgaden Alps DE Hochseiler Trischübel Pass Valentin Stanič 4 Leutascher Dreitorspitze Wetterstein DE/AT Hochwanner Western Wang wind-gap Hermann von Barth 5 Hochkalter Berchtesgaden Alps DE Watzmann Wimbach wind-gap 6 Biberkopf Allgäu Alps DE/AT Hohes Licht Große Stein wind-gap 2 7 Großer Hundstod Berchtesgaden Alps DE/AT Watzmann Dießbach wind-gap Karl Thurwieser 8 Hochvogel Allgäu Alps DE/AT Urbeleskarspitze Hornbachjoch Trobitus 9 Östliche Karwendelspitze Karwendel DE/AT Middle Ödkarspitze Hochalm Saddle Hermann von Barth 10 Hocheisspitze Berchtesgaden Alps DE/AT Hochkalter Sittersbach wind-gap Hermann von Barth 11 Hoher Göll Berchtesgaden Alps DE/AT Watzmann Torrener Joch Valentin Stanič 12 Hochkarspitze Karwendel DE/AT Pleisenspitze Bäralp Saddle Hermann von Barth 13 Großes Teufelshorn Berchtesgaden Alps DE/AT Reißhorn Blühnbachtörl 14 Kahlersberg Berchtesgaden Alps DE/AT Großes Teufelshorn 3 East of the Hintere Bärengrube F. v. Schilcher, G. Helblehen 15 Stadelhorn Berchtesgaden Alps DE/AT Wasserwandkopf Hirschbichl Pass Karl Thurwieser 16 Großer Daumen Allgäu Alps DE Kesselspitze Höfatsblick summit station 17 Höfats Allgäu Alps DE Großer Wilder Älple Saddle Otto Sendtner 18 Soiernspitze Karwendel DE Wörner West of the Vereiner-Alm 19 Hoher Ifen Allgäu Alps DE/AT Elferkopf Gerach Saddle 20 Große Arnspitze Wetterstein DE/AT Upper Wetterstein peak Northwest of Neuleutasch 21 Kreuzspitze 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.

List of highest mountains of Germany

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