Sonthofen is the most southern town of Germany. It is in the Oberallgäu region of the Bavarian Alps. Oberstdorf is 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) farther south but is not a town. In 2005, Sonthofen was awarded "Alpenstadt des Jahres" (Alpine city of the year).
In World War II Sonthofen was bombed twice. This was because Adolf Hitler had built the Ordensburg Sonthofen in Sonthofen. Young boys were trained there for Nazi Party organisations. Sonthofen was given town rights on 18 August 1963.