History
Mauterndorf: The oldest market town in the state of Salzburg. Mauterndorf has had market rights since 1217.
To protect the market town, the Salzburg Cathedral Chapter had Mauterndorf Castle built at what was then the toll station in the 13th century. The house called Fischerkeusche is the castle's old hunter's house. The ‘Hofjäger’ was the owner and the house has been described since 1556. Since 1687 it has been described that the owner was both a hunter and a fisherman.
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Mauterndorf Castle was owned by the cathedral chapter until 1806, when it became state property, and functioned as its administrative center. Since the beginning of the 19th century it was increasingly threatened with decay: in 1894 it was taken over by the rich Berlin doctor Dr. Hermann von Epenstein, who came from a Jewish family. He acquired it and built it with great effort. After the renovation, the castle became a popular meeting place for everyone of rank and status.
Dr. von Epenstein had numerous godchildren, one of whom was called Hermann Göring. He later became a German politician, military leader, one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party, which ruled Germany from 1933 to 1945. Between 1898 and 1912, he and the other children of the Göring family, together with their parents, regularly spent their summer holidays at Mauterndorf Castle or in the Schlossmeierhaus (the beautiful house directly under the castle which also belonged to Dr. Epenstein). Also later, members of the Göring family often visited Mauterndorf. His younger brother Albert in particular had a very close relationship with Dr. Hermann von Epenstein.
The “Fischerkeusche” was purchased by Dr. Hermann von Epenstein in 1903 and was inhabited by staff. After Dr. Hermann von Epenstein died in 1934 and his much younger wife Elisabeth (Lilli) remained alone, the “Fischerkeusche” was also temporarily inhabited by Dr. Hermann von Epenstein's mother-in-law. Elisabeth was the sole heir to Dr. Hermann von Epenstein's entire property.
In 1939, at the age of 52, Elisabeth was found dead in her bed in the Schlossmeierhaus. Her will stated that Mauterndorf Castle should go to Hermann Göring. He was the owner of the castle until 1946. He spent little of his time in Mauterndorf, but in April 1945 he hid in Mauterndorf Castle until he was imprisoned by the Americans in early May 1945. With his suicide on October 15, 1946, his claim to ownership of Mauterndorf Castle ended.
Since 1952, Elisabeth Epenstein's relatives have been the owners again until the state of Salzburg acquired the castle complex in 1967. The “Fischerkeusche” remained in Elisabeth Epenstein's family until 1973.
The history of Mauterndorf over the last century is closely linked to the Epenstein and Göring families. Hanno Bayr's book about this story is well worth reading. And you ask yourself questions about what you can learn from history. The “Fischerkeusche” has been completely renovated by the current owners. They gave the newly built apartments names. These names remind us of historic heroes, including two people who had the courage to fight against National Socialism in World War II (Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Corrie ten Boom).
Info: Ortschronik Mauterndorf, 2017 and Hanno Bayr, Berlin trifft Mauterndorf, 2017