Vandalism at the Watzmann: mountain rescue hut seriously damaged!

Vandalism at the Watzmann: mountain rescue hut seriously damaged!

In the beautiful Berchtesgaden Alps, the mountain rescue service at Watzmann-Hocheck is once again struggling with serious damage to one of its refuges. The damage is greater than initially assumed, which could affect not only the volunteer mountain rescuers, but also the entire community. On October 22, 2025, a mountaineer passing by discovered the devastation and immediately informed the emergency services. They found that the hut had been deliberately attacked, with a wall between the shelter and the emergency camp being breached. According to [Antenne Bayern](https://www.antenne.de/nachrichten/bayern/ Schaden-an-bergwacht-huette-am-watzmann-groesser-als-vermutet), those responsible at the Bavarian Red Cross speak of a “pure and senseless desire for destruction”.

The hut, which is located at an impressive 2,651 meters above sea level in the Berchtesgaden National Park, can only be reached on foot or by helicopter and has served many mountaineers in the past as a safe shelter in adverse weather conditions. This makes the vandals’ actions all the more frightening. The door to the storage room had already been broken down in July 2025, which prompted the mountain rescue service to consider possible measures to preserve the hut in the long term.

Growing concern about vandalism

Emergency response manager Michael Renner expressed concern about the repeated attacks and described the latest incident as “massive wanton violence”. He explains that the hut is not intended for overnight stays, but rather serves as an emergency shelter on the ridge crossing between the Watzmannhaus and the Wimbachgrieshütte. “If this destruction continues, the hut will be on the brink,” he adds. Interestingly, experts estimate the damage caused at up to 400 euros. Practical attempts at repairs, which were hampered by strong high winds, have so far been unsuccessful.

A picture of anger portrayed by Merkur shows how worrying the condition of the hut is. When the emergency services arrived, the door to the first emergency room was open, the interior was completely wet and the room was choked with 15 cm of snow. A thorough inspection revealed that windows of the public-access shelter had been smashed, resulting in severe water damage.

The search for the perpetrators

The Piding border police inspection is now looking for information about the perpetrators. The mountain rescue service and the Alpine police task force have already made an appeal to the public. The recurring cases of vandalism at the refuge are not only sad, they also pose risks to the safety of the mountaineers who rely on the help and protection of this refuge.

In summary, the hut at Watzmann-Hocheck is not only a valuable facility for those crossing the Alps, but also stands as a symbol of the mountain rescue service's voluntary commitment. This makes the final estimate of repair costs, which is in the four-digit range, all the more alarming. The mountain rescue service urgently needs to find solutions to protect this important facility and thus continue to offer a place of retreat and safety [T-Online](https://www.t-online.de/nachrichten/panorama/ criminalitaet/id_100974988/alpen-watzmann-hocheckgipfel-bergwacht-wegen-vandalismus-fassungslos.html).