Ellmau is known throughout the German-speaking world as being home to "Der Bergdoktor". The successful long-running TV series of the same name is filmed in and around this pretty village with fabulous views of the Wilder Kaiser Mountains.
Austrian actor Hans Sigl is just as much part of the landscape in Ellmau as the Wilder Kaiser peak which towers over the village. Sigl plays the leading role in the popular television drama “Der Bergdoktor”, which is set in the region, and lives in the village during the months of filming – albeit not in the “Bergdoktorhaus” which provides the backdrop for so many dramatic medical and emotional storylines.
This former farmer’s house, really called the Hinterschnabl-Hof, dates back to the 17th century and is located in an area of the village known as Faistenbichl. Its picturesque appearance on television has made it a landmark of Ellmau. Every year, many of the several million regular viewers come to Ellmau to see where the series is filmed and, who knows, maybe even catch a glimpse of the dashing doctor himself, Dr Martin Gruber.
Situated at the foot of the Wilder Kaiser, Ellmau has long served as a centre for the exchange of people, goods and information. The village lies on the traditional route connecting Innsbruck and Salzburg; its first post office opened in 1616. Today the building is a hotel, the “Hotel Alte Post”, and is still run by the family of the original Ellmau postmasters.
Austrian actor Hans Sigl is just as much part of the landscape in Ellmau as the Wilder Kaiser peak which towers over the village. Sigl plays the…