The owner of Schloss Elmau, Dietmar Müller-Elmau, declared that “we will not lower the flag until the last hostage is freed

By JNS

A luxury resort in the Bavarian Alps which has been flying an Israeli flag since Oct. 8, 2023, has seen a 136% percent rise in Israeli bookings over the past year, according to Hebrew media reports.

Schloss Elmau, located in Krün near the Austrian border, reported 438 overnight stays by Israeli guests in the first 10 months of 2024, compared to 185 during the same period the previous year. Owner Dietmar Müller-Elmau has pledged to keep the flag flying until all the hostages being held in Gaza by Hamas are freed.

The hotel, recognized this week as the best in Germany at the “101 Best Hotels in Germany” awards, features some 160 rooms and suites, nine pools, saunas, yoga classes and fitness centers. It is a popular destination for combining relaxation, culture and nature, while offering world-class hospitality.

Schloss Elmau’s rich history includes hosting G7 summits in 2015 and 2022 and serving as a Nazi military vacation camp during World War II. From 1947 to 1951, it operated as a sanatorium for Holocaust survivors and displaced persons. The castle, originally built by philosopher Johannes Müller between 1914 and 1916, was destroyed by fire in 2005 and restored by Müller’s grandson, Dietmar Müller-Elmau.

In addition to flying the Israeli flag, Müller-Elmau has expressed heartfelt support for Israel. On the resort’s website, he has condemned the Hamas-led Oct.7, 2023, massacre, offered prayers for hostages and voiced hope for peace, writing:

“My heart and thoughts are with Israel. I share the pain and sorrow of all who lost loved ones in the genocidal massacre carried out by Hamas on October 7, 2023 … I am confident that Israel will re-establish deterrence and emerge from this horror more united and secure than ever before.”