Borderline geography

Sir,

I’m afraid that Garmisch-Partenkirchen, mentioned in This Month in 1929 in the February issue, is not in Austria as stated. It is some 60 miles south of Munich — close to the Austrian border but still in Germany’s southernmost state, Bavaria.

The site of the ice race, with an Austro-Daimler and Bugatti pictured, is most likely the Eibsee lake directly at the bottom of the Zugspitze, close to the village of Grainau, where Hans Stuck Snr lived and his son Hans-Joachim was raised.

The Eibsee was a popular venue for a number of ice races (sometimes combined with an air show) before WWII. In fact, it was used in the post-war years, too, the last race being held some time in the 1970s. Nowadays, however, the weather is hardly ever cold enough to allow this exciting form of the sport to take place.

I am a Garmisch native who lives and works in Munich. I have been a Motor Sport subscriber for more than a year now and I must say that I look forward to every issue. The modifications you have made recently are very attractive.

Valentin Kraemer, Garmisch, Germany