Schloss Planegg

Did the walls of Schloss Planegg always stand so silent? Today, Schloss Planegg stands as a stately home. It whispers tales of a vibrant past. It’s hard to believe that this tranquil estate, just a few kilometers southwest of Munich, once echoed with the clamor of history. Schloss Planegg first appeared in records in 1409. Duke Wilhelm III of Bavaria, then owner of the estate, expanded his holdings. He merged them with Planegg and elevated it to a Hofmark, a noble estate. He then gifted it to his son, Konrad von Egenhofen, in 1425. The lineage of ownership is a story in itself. Through marriage and sale, Schloss Planegg passed through the hands of several families. From the Lungs to the Hörwarths. From the Ruffinis to Count Friedrich Karl von Thürheim. Finally it landed with the Hirsch family, where it remains today. The year 1938 brought a dark chapter. During the Kristallnacht, SS officers set fire to the Schloss. This happened because the owner, Rudolf von Hirsch, was of Jewish descent. The local fire brigade was prevented at gunpoint from extinguishing the flames. Several rooms were destroyed. Beyond the main building lies a story etched in stone and hops. The Schlossbrauerei, the castle brewery, dates back to 1835. It sits on the edge of the Schlosspark. Jakob von Hirsch revitalized a brewing tradition that had existed since the 16th century. The brewery changed hands and names numerous times. It eventually became part of the Pschorrbräu AG. Today, it serves as a repository of knowledge. It houses a magazine for the University Library of the LMU Munich. The Schlosspark, once a formal French garden, was later transformed into a serene English landscape park. The Würm River meanders through it, adding to the tranquil atmosphere. Unfortunately, both the park and the Schloss itself are not open to the public. They remain private residences of the von Hirsch family.