Behind on your house payments? Give them Bavaria!

In the reading that I have done about Germany and Bavaria, I have come to the conclusion that Bavarian’s are not happy with the outcome of King Ludwig’s castle-building adventures and the debts that he incurred in the process. Just think, he became king when he was 18 years old and had led a very sheltered life up until that point, being schooled mainly in the roles and expectations of royalty.

Shortly after becoming king, Ludwig attended his first Wagner opera. He became enamored with Wagner and several rooms in Neuschwanstein are patterned after his operas with beautiful murals and ornate sculptures and carvings. The singing room is still being used today for exclusive concerts. Man, would I ever love to sit in that room and listen to a concert.

Ludwig never married and became more and more isolated. He followed the wishes of his Parliament and entered a very short war and the Bavarians were defeated. Because of his castle-building debts and the Bavarians defeat, he signed over Bavaria to King Wilhelm of Prussia.

The king’s devotion to Wagner did not help his cause as this great composer had been banished from Germany for political reasons. There were rumors that Ludwig was planning to abdicate and went to Switzerland to discuss his plan with Wagner. He did not abdicate the throne, but shortly thereafter, he was ruled incompetent and he and his psychiatrist were sent to an asylum. They were both found dead under suspicious circumstances. Ludwig was only 33 years old when he died.