Oberschleißheim

“Sleizheim,” a whisper from the past echoes across Oberschleißheim. This isn’t just a name, but a journey through time. Oberschleißheim, a municipality north of Munich, whispers stories of moors and marshlands, of dukes and dreams of Versailles. Oberschleißheim wasn’t always Oberschleißheim. Originally, it shared a single identity with Unterschleißheim, known simply as “Sleizheim” or “Sliusheim”. The separation occurred in the 19th century, giving rise to Oberschleißheim and its distinct narrative. Stand here, in Oberschleißheim, and imagine the year 785 AD. Rihpalt von Slivesheim, a name lost to the mists of time, made a fateful decision. He donated his estate to the diocese of Freising, marking the first documented mention of Schleissheim. By the 12th century, this “Schleyßaim” had blossomed into a vibrant village. Oberschleißheim boasts a Romanesque gem, the small church of St. Martin in Mallertshofen. Built in the first half of the 13th century, it stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of this place. However, the Thirty Years’ War cast a long shadow, inflicting heavy losses on the community. Yet, Oberschleißheim persevered. In 1702, a Franciscan monastery arose in the nearby hamlet of Mittenheim. The echoes of German artist Otto Hupp, who called Mittenheim home in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, still resonate here. Oberschleißheim also carries a darker history. During World War II, it housed two subcamps of the Dachau concentration camp, a somber reminder of a painful past. But Oberschleißheim’s story isn’t defined by hardship alone. The Schleissheim Palace, a testament to ducal ambition, stands proudly here. In the late 1590s, Duke William V laid the foundation for this Renaissance masterpiece, initially as a country house. His son, Maximilian I, expanded the structure in the early 1620s. But it was Maximilian II Emanuel who dreamt of a Bavarian Versailles. He envisioned a palace to rival the French monarch’s grandeur. He constructed a canal network, diverting the Isar River to transport materials for his magnificent project. The Lustheim Palace, completed in 1688, served as his residence while the grand New Palace took shape. The War of Spanish Succession interrupted this ambitious endeavor, but the New Palace and its gardens finally reached completion in 1726. The same year, Max Emanuel passed away, leaving behind a legacy etched in stone and gardens. Today, the palaces remain a summer retreat for the Bavarian House of Wittelsbach. Oberschleißheim embraced progress. The first railway line from Munich to Landshut, constructed between 1856 and 1858, passed through Oberschleißheim. The old station, a relic of a bygone era, closed in 1972, replaced by the modern S-Bahn station. In 1912, Bavaria’s first airfield took flight next to the Palace Complex. This marked Oberschleißheim’s entry into the age of aviation. Author Waldemar Bonsels, inspired by the natural beauty surrounding Oberschleißheim, penned his beloved children’s book, “Biene Maja,” in 1912. The Second World War brought more destruction. The airfield and Palace Complex bore the scars of Allied bombing. Yet, Oberschleißheim rose from the ashes. Its population boomed, and new apartment buildings and businesses sprang up. The 1972 Munich Olympics left their mark with a regatta course, a testament to athletic prowess. The A92 and A99 Autobahns, built in the 1980s and 1990s, connected Oberschleißheim to the wider world.