The brewery Falkenstein

In Northern Bavaria, directly at the former GDR border to the county Thuringia, under a mountain called Falkenstein, a brewery named Falkenstein existed, which made one of the best beers in the whole area. The brewery of course also had extensive cellars leading through the whole mountain. The biggest part of these cellars is not accessible anymore because of spilled rocks.

The so-called "Falkenstein" is a rock on top of a steep mountain near the brewery know for many legends which are not proven at all. It is also called "Fahnenfelsen" since it is decorated with a flag.

Native eyewitnesses could view transports and other strange happenings at the end of the war. Once, the whole valley was blocked by the SS. One of the special transports has been expected. This time, trucks of the Wehrmacht stopped at the brewery and unloaded their freight in the extensive cellars. There is a high possibility that stolen art got stored there, because it happened in spring 1945 and the Wehrmacht was greatly involved in art robbery.

In direct neighbourhood of the former brewery, a restaurant did exist. People living there observed, how one night several trucks passed the building with darkened front lights on the way behind the brewery which led to the village Steinbach-Haide. The way also led to the upper floors of the slate mine "Ausdauer". The gained slate got transported on the same way. In the maps of today, this old way is not drawn in anymore. The historical photo on the next page shows the old way to the slate mine on the left of the building. You also see the former fence which seperated the both parts of Germany for many years. In a later chapter we will see, why the slate mine "Ausdauer" is of special interest.

The brewery Falkenstein got destroyed by American military in the 80s. Did they have hints on deposited values? Did they combine the demolution of the brewery with an investigation in the old cellars? It remains unclear, like many other happenings.