The Wild Hunt Escarpment at Berchtesgaden

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Near Berchtesgaden there is a rock formation called the “Gjoadwand” (“Wild Hunt Escarpment”). There is a spring within this rock which only flows intermittently. When it stops flowing, people can restart it by shouting the following phrase into the rock: “Gjoad! Gjoad! Lass den Schuss los!” (“Wild Hunt! Wild Hunt! Release your shot!”, i.e. let the water flow.) Some claim that the correct phrase is: “Jaik! Jaik! Lass den Schuss los!”

The local people also believe that all of Berchtesgaden would be flooded if the Iaik were ever to break free. For this reason, prayers are held at the collegiate church in order to prevent this. Near the Gjoadwand is another rock formation called the “Backerwand”, and within this rock there is a cave called the “Frauenloch” (“Women’s Hole”).

Source: Panzer - Bayerische Sagen und Bräuche Erster Band, p. 9

caption Note: This story was published in the book Sunken Castles, Evil Poodles: Commentaries on German folklore. Get the book for further context and explanatory commentary!

Wild Hunt