Munich, Nuremberg, and Zurich: Nuremberg, City of History

Typical Nuremberger with lederhosen
and Alpine hat

We came to Nuremberg for the WWII history, but also fell in love with the city with its medieval Old Town and good feeling vibe. (Nuremberg also has more pedestrian shopping streets than any town we can think of -- maybe it's the shop-til-you-drop vibe that Anne likes so much.)

Monument at Luitpold Arena

WWII History

To fully explore the WWII history here in Nuremberg, we did a private tour to the former Nazi parade grounds and Room 600 where the Nazi trials took place. We also spent hours at the Dokumentszentrum, an excellent museum detailing Hitler's rise to power, and his particular interest in Nuremberg. Here is a small sampling of what we learned.

Monument to The Fallen at Luitpold Arena, Nuremberg

Nuremberg has been an influential city since the time of the Roman Empire, which is one of the reasons Hitler chose it. (Hitler had an obsession with Rome and loved to position his "empire" as a rightful successor to the Romans.) Nuremberg was selected as the site of the Hitler rallies, week-long affairs that celebrated German culture, military might, and their overall superiority to everyone else on earth.

Former site of Nazi Hall Of Honor at Luitpold Arena,
one of the Nazi Parade Grounds

Although he never completed all of his building projects, the rally grounds were to have a separate arena or parade ground for each Nazi group: one for the SS and SA, for the Wehrmacht, for the Hitler Jugend (youth). etc.

Same Parade Grounds (as shown in previous picture)
at Luitpold Arena during Nazi Rally

These rallies were masterful public relations events with thousands of troops goose-stepping in perfect formation for the crowds. The Great Road has stripes in it to keep the troops in alignment. We also learned the German soldiers were given special boots with nail-studded soles so they made a nice racket when the troops marched on the solid granite paving.

Viewing platform and bleachers at Zeppelinfeld
(sans swastika)

We also visited Zeppelinfeld, the only parade ground that Hitler completed. This photo shows the structure where, at the end of the war, the Americans symbolically blew up the swastika mounted on top of the viewing platform that was designed to looked like an ancient Greek altar.

"Mein Kampf"

The Dokumentationzenstrum (museum) had a copy of Hitler's book "Mein Kampf" written while he was in prison in 1923. This book is a rambling treatise of his political views, as he re-evaluated them while in prison. Remarkably, the book sold 10 million copies and made Hitler a rich man. Another curious fact is that after 1936, every couple who got married in Germany received a copy of "Mein Kampf" as a wedding present from the Fuhrer!

Hitler, the life of the party, surrounded by female admirers

Hitler fancied himself a real ladies man. For some reason, women really did swoon over him as you can see in this photo displayed in the museum.

Hitler's grandiose plan for his Kongress Hall

The Kongress Hall was another one of Hitler's major architectural projects. He cooked this one up with his favorite architect, Speer. The plan was to imitate, but surpass (naturlich) the Roman Coliseum. The building was never completed mainly because of incompetence. And the fact that no one wanted to give Hitler bad news, like the fact that the water-logged site next to a lake was never going to support the kind of building he envisioned.

Inside Hitler's unfinished Kongress Hall stadium
now part of the Dokumentszentrum

In an ironic twist, the unfinished stadium is currently home to an art museum (no doubt filled with what Hitler would call "degenerate art") and the Dokumentszentrum!

We visited Room 600 in the Justice Palace, the famous courtroom where the most infamous of the Nazi henchmen were tried and many sentenced to death. We were able to enter the courtroom and got a ringside seat in this historic venue.

Photo taken during the actual Nuremberg Trial in 1945

The courtroom has been altered somewhat, as it is a working courtroom even today. Luckily, no cases were on the docket today allowing us to enter and reflect on the events that unfolded here. We could picture characters like Hermann Goering, Rudolf Hess, Julius Streicher, and Karl Doenitz awaiting their fates. This trial represented a first in international law where defendants were brought to trial for their crimes against humanity.

Charming Bamberg

Bamberg

Bamberg, about 40 miles north of Nuremberg, is a quintessential German town with lots of charming buildings. In fact, it is a UNESCO site recognized for it's original medieval structures. We did this side trip on our own, a combination of one train (about 1 hr. ride) and two city buses in each direction. Not without its challenges, but The Supsics figured it all out. Along with the assistance of some helpful Germans along the way.

Schlenkerla brewery and restaurant

We ate lunch at Schlenkerla, a famous brewery restaurant known for their Rauchbier (smoky beer). Not bad. Frank thought it tasted like a mild Porter beer. The taste was not as harsh as a Porter, but the slightly crispened barley flavor was definitely detectable.

Delicious Bamberger Zwiebel

It certainly complimented the hearty food especially the famous Bamberger Zwiebel (an onion stuffed with ground meat served with a Rauchbier gravy and a strip of bacon).

Frank enjoys a Rauchbier (smoky beer)

Colorful, mural-covered Alt Rathaus

We tried to walk off some of those calories with a stroll around the town. Loved the ornate style, especially the beautifully painted Alt Rathaus (old town hall) covered with colorful murals.

Old Town Nuremberg

Nuremberg Old Town

We spent many happy hours wandering the streets of Nuremberg's Old Town. Although the city was leveled during WWII, the Nurembergers faithfully rebuilt their old buildings with stunning results.

Special Nuremberg sausages

The cuisine in Nuremberg is another attraction. Visitors have been traveling here for the sausages since the 1800's. Obviously, we had to try some. We ate at the Bratwursthausle where the sausages are cooked on a beech wood-fired grill until golden brown. The beech wood gives the sausages a unique flavor.

Enjoying Nuremberg's Rotbier!

We also ate lunch at the Hausbrauerei Altstadthof where we tried their famous Rotbier (red beer). This was one of our favorites, a reddish-colored beer with an ale-like aftertaste served in a beautiful half liter mug with a bright red handle.

Schoner Brunnen at the Haputmarkt

The Hauptmarket is always hopping with a daily market of vendors selling everything from fresh produce to kitchen gadgets to handmade jewelry. This is the square where the famous Christkindlesmarkt (Christmas market) is held every year during the weeks before Christmas.

Anne turns the golden ring for good luck

A real stunner on the market plaza is the golden fountain called the Schoner Brunnen (beautiful fountain). Legend has it that if you turn the golden ring on the back of the fountain three times, you will receive good fortune. Of course, Anne had to do it.