BERG — 1886 · Suspicious Death
The Mysterious Death of King Ludwig II of Bavaria
Ludwig II, the 'Fairy Tale King' who built Neuschwanstein Castle, came into conflict with his government over building projects and debts that exceeded his private fortune. Declared insane in a report signed by psychiatrists who had never examined him, the king was taken into custody on 12 June 1886, effectively deposed and brought to Berg Castle on the shore of Lake Starnberg. The next evening he went for a walk by the lake with psychiatrist Bernhard von Gudden; late that night both were found dead in shallow water. The king's death was officially ruled a suicide, but autopsy findings and witness accounts have kept alive theories of accidental drowning, an escape attempt or murder.
- Date
- 1886
- Place
- Lake Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany, Berg, DE
- Category
- Suspicious Death
- Case Status
- Unsolved
- Coordinates
- 47.9672, 11.3586 ↗
Timeline of Events
- June 1886A psychiatric report declared the king unfit to rule.
- 12 June 1886Ludwig was taken into custody and brought to Berg Castle.
- 13 June 1886, eveningThe king and his doctor went for a lakeside walk; both were found dead.
- 2007Der Spiegel reported fresh doubts about the suicide theory.
Sources
- Der Spiegel — Fresh doubt about suicide theory: Was 'Mad' King Ludwig murdered? spiegel.de ↗
- Wikipedia — Ludwig II of Bavaria en.wikipedia.org ↗
- Der Spiegel
- Wikipedia
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.