My Mk1 Octi was under the windscreen surround. Flippin thing bit me every other year when I changed it, I've still got the scars! 
The Galaxy's was in the same place I suspect, the two cars have very much in common - the Galaxy/Sharan/Alhambra built on a modified VW Golf platform, as was the Octavia. The problem with the Galaxy was that the windscreen came much further forwards, because of the wedge shaped front end. Putting brake fluid in was an ordeal in itself.
On the early Galaxys, the pollen filter could be removed without all the dismantling. Then in late 1998, they changed the design of the wiper assembly, the motor blocked the path of the pollen filter, and that made it almost impossible without removing it. You always ended up with shredded hands.
