Leslie Massey
The Band of Brothers miniseries is based on the non-fiction bestseller of the same name by Stephen Ambrose. It tells the story of Easy Company, the 501st regiment of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division during World War II. While the series takes place in mainland Europe, most of the filming took place in England, with some scenes shot in Switzerland. The scenes set in Austria and Germany were filmed in the picturesque landscape around the Giessbach Hotel in Switzerland, which stood in for the Austrian town of Zell am See.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Country | Austria |
| Town | Zell am See |
| Lake | Thuner See |
| Mountain retreat | Hitler's Eagle's Nest |
| Filming locations | Bernese Oberland in Switzerland, Grimsel Pass, Hotel Giessbach, Swiss village of Brienz, UK, Surrey's Bourne Woods, East Sussex's Ashdown Forest, North Weald Airfield in Essex |
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What You'll Learn
Filming locations in Austria
Band of Brothers was a 2001 HBO miniseries that dramatized the real World War II exploits of the E "Easy" Company in the 101st Airborne Division. The show was filmed in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and the United States.
While the vast majority of the Band of Brothers story takes place in mainland Europe, the bulk of filming took place in England's home counties due to tax breaks offered by the British government. However, for scenes involving Germany and Austria, the production team chose to film in Switzerland.
The Austrian town of Zell am See, featured in the final episode, was represented by the Swiss village of Brienz and the Giessbach Hotel on the northeast shore of Lake Brienz. The nearby Grimsel Pass in the Bernese region represented Hitler's Eagle's Nest. The lake in this area is also known as Thuner See and is located next to the Golf-Club Interlaken Unterseen.
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Hitler's Eagle's Nest
Hitler's Eagles Nest, also known as Kehlsteinhaus, is a Nazi-constructed building erected on top of the Kehlstein, a rocky outcrop that rises above Obersalzberg near Berchtesgaden in the Bavarian Alps. The Kehlsteinhaus was commissioned by Martin Bormann in the summer of 1937 and was paid for by the Nazi Party. It was constructed in 13 months, during which 12 workers lost their lives. The building is accessible by a 124-metre entry tunnel, which leads to an ornate elevator that ascends to the building. The tunnel was originally heated with warm air from an adjoining service tunnel, and high-ranking officials were typically driven through the tunnel to the elevator. The elevator's interior is adorned with polished brass, Venetian mirrors, and green leather. Kehlsteinhaus was intended to be a diplomatic reception house and was used exclusively by members of the Nazi Party for government and social meetings. It was visited by Hitler on 14 documented occasions, one of which was to receive the departing French ambassador André François-Poncet on October 18, 1938. The French ambassador coined the name "Eagle's Nest" for the building, which has since become commonly used.
Hitler first visited Kehlsteinhaus on September 16, 1938, and returned to inaugurate it on April 20, 1939, his 50th birthday. It is said that Hitler did not like using the elevator and expressed reservations about its safety, fearing that the winch mechanism on the roof would attract lightning strikes. Kehlsteinhaus had a fully electric kitchen, although meals were prepared in town and brought up to be reheated. The building also featured heated floors, and a MAN submarine diesel engine and electrical generator were installed in an underground chamber to provide backup power. The furniture was designed by Paul László, and a red Italian marble fireplace, a gift from Mussolini, remains damaged by Allied souvenir hunters.
Today, Kehlsteinhaus is open seasonally as a restaurant, beer garden, and tourist site. It can be reached via a 4-metre-wide approach road that climbs 800 metres over 6.5 kilometres, featuring five tunnels and one hairpin turn.
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Zell am See
In the miniseries, the Grand Hotel Zell am See is depicted as a hotel where some members of Easy Company, the group of men that the series is based on, stayed. However, it is important to note that the scenes in the miniseries were not actually filmed in Zell am See, Austria, but rather in Switzerland. The beautiful mountain scenery and picturesque towns shown in Episode 10 "Points" of the miniseries were shot in Switzerland, with the landscapes being specifically identified as those around Zermatt and Brienzersee.
The decision to film in Switzerland rather than Austria may have been influenced by the fact that many other scenes in the miniseries were also shot in Switzerland, including those set in Berchtesgaden, the drive to Austria, and Hitler's Eagle's Nest. Filming in Switzerland likely made logistical sense and allowed for a seamless production process.
Despite the filming location discrepancy, Zell am See holds historical significance as a place where Easy Company was stationed after V-E Day. This makes the town a popular destination for those interested in following the footsteps of Easy Company and honouring their legacy. Visitors can explore the sites where Easy Company was stationed and immerse themselves in the rich history of this charming Austrian town.
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The Kehlsteinhaus
Today, the Kehlsteinhaus stands as a reminder of the insanity of the Nazi regime. It is no longer seen as an icon for National Socialism and has been transformed into a popular tourist destination, attracting thousands of visitors each year. The site offers impressive views, excellent cuisine, and a unique combination of historic architecture and stunning alpine scenery. The Kehlsteinhaus is accessible via the Kehlstein road, a spectacular mountain road carved into the rock face, or through the brass elevator buried in the heart of the mountain.
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Easy Company
The Band of Brothers miniseries is based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Stephen Ambrose. It tells the story of "Easy" Company, the 501st regiment of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division during World War II. The series follows Easy Company from their training in Georgia in 1942 through a European campaign that culminated with the capture of Hitler's Eagle's Nest in Obersalzburg, near Berchtesgaden, Germany.
The miniseries was filmed mostly in England's home counties, including the former British Aerospace factory at Hatfield Aerodrome in Hertfordshire, which represented various European towns. Forest scenes were shot in Surrey's Bourne Woods and East Sussex's Ashdown Forest, the latter of which was the backdrop for a sequence in episode two, where Easy Company faced off against German guns after landing in France.
The scenes in Austria and Germany were filmed in Switzerland's Bernese Oberland region, including the picturesque landscape around the Giessbach Hotel, located in the village of Brienz on the northeast shore of Lake Brienz. The nearby Grimsel Pass in the Bernese region represented Hitler's Eagle's Nest. The Austrian town of Zell am See, where Easy Company oversaw the surrender of 25,000 German troops in the final episode, was represented by the Swiss village of Brienz.
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Frequently asked questions
The Band of Brothers cast and crew went to the Austrian town of Zell am See, which is represented by the Swiss village of Brienz. The grand hotel at which the main characters stay is, in reality, the hotel Giessbach.
Filming of Band of Brothers took place mostly in England's home counties, with Hatfield Aerodrome serving as the primary filming location. The picturesque village of Hambleden in Buckinghamshire was used to portray Aldbourne. East Sussex’s Ashdown Forest was the backdrop for a sequence in episode two, where Easy Company faced off against German guns.
The scenes set in Austria and Germany were filmed in Switzerland's Bernese Oberland region. The cast and crew used the picturesque landscape around the Giessbach Hotel, located in the village of Brienz on the northeast shore of Lake Brienz. The nearby Grimsel Pass in the Bernese region represented Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest.
Forest scenes were shot in Surrey's Bourne Woods and East Sussex's Ashdown Forest.
