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What actually took place that night beside Lake Starnberg has been a topic for debate for 113 years, and there have been a number of theories about it. There were no witnesses, and the evidence is very inconclusive, and indeed contractictory. Before outlining some of the theories, I will list the facts.
- Dr Gudden was discovered with a massive wound across his forehead.
- Signs of a struggle were found beside the Lake, the ground being churned up, and footprints found in the mud leading down towards the water.
- Gudden's hat was discovered totally crushed as if a huge weight was laid onto it.
- Gudden's umbrella was found laying near a seat, next to the shore.
- Some sources say that Ludwig's overcoat and jacket were found beside the lake, but most say they were found floating in the water near his body.
- Some sources say that there was no autopsy on the King, others say that during the autopsy, no water was found in his lungs.
- The autopsy on Dr Gudden found water in his lungs, so he drowned.
- According to some sources, immediately after the bodies were discovered, the local police confined the population of the area to their homes, and the King's loyal servants were placed under arrest. They were released, however, after a few days. It must be borne in mind that Theodor Hierneis, Ludwig's cook, in his memoirs* doesn't mention that this took place. As he was one of the King's servants, one would assume he would mention if he was imprisoned for the night. He documents everything else that happened that night in great detail.
Here then are a few of the theories -
1) Ludwig committed suicide. This theory was the first to come about, and is the official one. As the two men were sitting on the seat near the water, (where the umbrella had been discovered) Ludwig rushed towards the Lake to drown himself. (He had been talking of suicide all the previous day.) While Dr Gudden tried to stop him, Ludwig killed the doctor by hitting him across the forehead, and drowning him once he was knocked unconscious. Ludwig then drowned himself in the shallows of the lake.
2) Ludwig tried to escape by swimming across the Lake to safety. This theory has a number of scenarios. A boat waited on the other side of the Lake for Ludwig to swim to (Ludwig was a very strong swimmer, one of the few sports he enjoyed all his life), and he lead Gudden to the spot close to the shore where he could enter the water without being seen. Gudden tried to stop him, and met the same fate as in theory number 1). After Gudden's death, Ludwig was hit from the effort by a stroke, or by a massive heart attack. The water was freezing, and the King was overweight, so this theory is plausible. Or, after disposing of the doctor, Ludwig was shot by one of the guards on duty. His body fell into the water, at which the guard realised the consequences of what he had done and ran from the scene, hoping that nobody saw what had occured. When a gunshot wound was found on Ludwig's body, a cover-up ensued which meant no autopsy was performed.
3) Ludwig and Dr Gudden were murdered. Either a group of Ministers, or some of Ludwig's family arranged to have him murdered so that the new Regime would not be threatened. A massive government cover-up followed, hence the arrest of Ludwig's servants, and keeping the population indoors for the night. All evidence of the murders was disposed of, and signs of Ludwig's suicide created at the scene. Ludwig was then quickly buried five days later before an autopsy could be performed. This theory is gaining in popularity, and a recent book has revealed new evidence to support this theory.*
As was mentioned above, Theodor Hierneis describes what took place that night in great detail, and he says, in fact, one of those who found the body. He describes the king as being "in his shirt sleeves, his feet in the sand and his lifeless body washed to and for by the waves."* He doesn't mention any bullet holes or blood on the body.
The truth is we will never really know what happened beside Lake Starnberg that evening. There are a number of deaths of famous people that can be classed as complete mysteries. The assassination of J.F.K. in 1963, and the drowning of Australian Prime Minister Harold Holt in 1966, to name only two, are just as mysterious as Ludwig's death. It is an interesting experience to visit the park in Berg where Ludwig died, and try to imagine what happened.