Adventures in Germany

Worms June 10th

2010-07-06T00:39:00.000-07:00

We ended this very busy day in Worms, home of the very famous Diet of Worms where Luther refused to recant his writings and teachings. The site where the trial took place is long gone, replaced with a park. But Worms is still pretty cool. We parked our bus near the square and had a chance to peek into "The Church of the Holy Trinity", a reinvented church and home to the Lutheran Church in Worms. The architecture was a welcome relief from the Baroque churches we had been seeing. The interior was redone in the modern era and features simple white walls. Very simple and worshipful.

The Organ At Trinity

The Nave at Trinity

Later we walked to St. Peters Catholic Cathedral of Worms. The church is very ornate and features an epic main entrance ensconced with many figures recounting the history of the Bible. Here are a few pictures of the entrance.

Gorgeous curved stairway at St. Peter's

Ornate entryway
Note the figures of the saints.

Another figurine from the doorway

For some unexplained reason, high up on the side of the entryway there is a pretty little figurine of wiener dog. One of the tour guests asked me very seriously why there was a figure of a wiener on the church. (She is a serious fan of wiener dogs) Without missing a beat I replied "Because that was the kind of dog Jesus had." We had a lot of fun with that! (For those of you who don;t know a joke when you see it: I was just kidding!) (Everyone knows Jesus had a sheep dog- his name was Peter)

Interior of St. Peter

One major window depicted important people throughout the history of the Christian Church. It is a finelymade,beautiful window. Our tour guide pointed out one curious addition (considering it is a Catholic Church)

Yep, Brother Martin Luther has a panel in the window of religious heroes.

Silvy makes goo goo eyes with a long dead Bishop

Our Worms tour ended with most of the group trooping over to the largest Luther Memorial in Germany. The sculpture includes all the major players of the Reformation including Luther, Malanchton, Tyndale and the a host of other folks you have never heard of. We were well and truly exhausted by this time and ready to head back to the bis after a long day.

Luther having a feally important thought

Rudesheim and the Rhine Cruise

2010-06-20T22:13:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Rudesheim along the Rhine river in the evening after a very busy day in Eisenach. The hotel was unanimously voted our least favorite. Cramped, hot, and somewhat surly service on our arrival were no doubt brought into sharper relief by exhaustion. And then there were the trains. Yes, a train every 15 minutes all night. Oh yeah, we had a HUGE rainstorm complete with with lighting, thunder, and 40 MPH wind. A restful night to be sure...

Tired, but determined, we headed to our guides favorite watering hole, "The Rudesheim Schloss" It was a true highlight of the trip. A fun band played while we sipped beer and wine in open beer garden. We were early so we had our pick of tables. With 30 minutes the crowds rambled in, the dancing began, and shots of schnapps began to flow.

Our group heads to dinner

OK. Six shot glasses glued to a board, filled with schnapps, 1..2..3..Prost! Everybody drinks. You do the math.

Here is what happens, people get happy and start to talk to one another. Peggy was WONDERFUL this evening. She made friends from Canada and everywhere else. What a blessing.

Yes, Line dancing in Germany

Everybody gets in the fun. The guy lifting his drink to his mouth seems to be saying "Americans, the misbehave EVERYWHERE!" I was persuaded to join the dancing No, I don't have pictures and you don't want to see them anyway.

The next morning we boarded our board for a morning cruise down the Rhine. I don't have a picture of our boat because we had a little trouble getting everyone to the dock on time. Actually, the ones we were waiting for ended up beating us to the boat because we waited for them on the wrong side of the train tracks!
Here is what we saw on our incredible journey down the Rhine.

A pair of swans with their chicks plied the waters off one of our stops along the river.

Yep, they build right in the middle of the river. If I remember correctly, this was a tax house.

Here is the famous Loreley, a 120 meter rock situated at the narrowest and deepest part of the river. Many boats met their end here. The legend goes that a beautiful woman would sit upon the rock singing her alluring songs. The mariners would be drawn into the rocks hoping for a glimpse of her beautiful form.

After the cruise, we ate some of the only bad food we had on the trip.

Eisenach

2010-06-20T21:08:00.000-07:00

We rose early this morning and boarded our bus to Eisenach. As you pull into town the overwhelming presence above the town in the legendary Wartburg Castle. After Luther has been convicted at the Diet, Frederick the Elector arranged for Luther's friends to stage a fake kidnapping and spirit him away to the castle far from the reach of Papal agents. The Elector, a shrewd politician, was able to stall those seeking Luther's head giving time for the movement and support to grow.
As you can see from the photos, the Castle is truly spectacular and has been largely rebuilt and restored. As one sits on the the rampart the incredible solidity and permanence of the place is palpable.

Wartburg Castle

As you enter the the Castle and enter the courtyard you pass through a huge gate made of stones several feet deep. The view from the courtyard sweeps across the countryside. From here, any enemy approaching the town from any direction would be easily spotted.

The Castle Courtyard

The tour begins in a room filled with some of the original capitals for the top of some of the oldest columns in the Castle. This original capital dates from the original construction in 1067

Original Capital from 1067

Our next stop was the Knights Room. If I remember the guide's info, only about 12 knights used this room at any given time. Some knoghts might sleep here, or simply pass the time away waiting for the next dragon to slay

Knights Hall

Adjacent to the Knights hall is the dining hall. This simple, but attractive room features a wood beam ceiling as opposed to the vaulted ceiling in the next room.

Dining Hall

An outdoor hallway leads to our next stop. An interesting feature of the this columns is that they are not marble or granite, but a tube of mineral deposits left in the water systems of ancient Rome. It polishes like marble.

One of the great stories in the Castle is St. Elizabeth. Betrothed to King Ludwig IV at the age of 4, she was brought to the Castle at a very young age. She missed her home in Hungary, but her rather ugly husband tried to placate her. Her chambers were very ornate and painted with beautiful paintings (none of which survive) Over time she turned her attentions to helping those in need, feeding the hungry, and caring for those in need. As the legend goes, one day she was carrying bread to the poor, her husband, who did not care for such folly confronted her. She assured him that she was simply collecting flowers. He demanded to know what she was clutching at her breast. As she unfolded her arms, the were only roses to be seen. Ludwig and Elizabeth had three children. When Ludwig did in the crusades, Elizabeth dedicated herself to the order of St. Francis.

Elizabeth's Chamber

Elizabeth's Chamber was redone in mosaics depicting her life some time in the 19th Century. It is very colorful and quite overwhelming.

The Chapel

The Minstrel's Hall

A huge painting on one wall depicts a colorful scene of the minstrels contests common in earlier eras. Minstrels would compete against each other in music and comedy to gain the favor of the judges.

The Minstrel Hall has an amazing view!

The Great Hall

The original hall on the second floor was too much too small to accommodate the larger parties later monarchs came to enjoy. A whole new floor was added to make sure every one could be gathered for the great times. The room in now regularly used for concerts and other formal affairs.

The last room we visited was the room in the area of the castle where Luther worked on his translation of the New Testament into German. The information outside the door noted that nothing of the room is original to Luther's time except perhaps the whale vertebrae on the floor.

We then headed off to the Luther House where Luther stayed while a young student in Eisenach. It should be called the Cotta House. Luther lived here as a young student and was fortunate to be taken in by Mrs. Cotta who invited him to stay with them as a lodger in exchange for lessons for her children. He was happy and fulfilled in this house. The current exterior structure dates to the 16th and 17th Century but encloses the original exterior.

Anna in front of the Luther House

Our final stop in Eisenach was the Bach museum. Alas, no pictures are allowed inside the museum, but is a wonderful stop to make. A gifted musician played period instruments that might never of had a chance to hear any other way. There are many instruments and samples of original music in the museum.

Eisleben

2010-06-09T14:26:00.000-07:00

This morning we began our tour in the beautiful city of Eisleben. Here we saw the home where Luther was born, St. Peter and Paul, where he was baptized, along with St. Andrews church where Luther preached his last sermon. Luther loved this town and was always happy to return here anytime he could get away from Wittenburg.
Like Wittenburg, Eisleben is getting ready for the Luther celebration in 2017. As so often has happened on this tour, some of the sites were closed. I know a few days have gone by but I don't seem to have pictures of the houses where Luther was born or the house where he died. We were able only to see them from the outside. In fact, I can't seem to locate any of the Eisleben photo. If I find them. I will post them later. Sorry!

We then traveled to Erfurt where we met our guide near the square adjacent to St. Mary's Cathedral and St. Severin's Church. Both are amazing structures and are built right next to each other hogh on a hill about the Markplatz.

St. Mary's Cathedral and St. Severin's Church

The Cathedral is quite amazing. One is greeted at one of the portals with sculptures depicting the wise and foolish wedding servants.

Wise servants looking smug with their full jars of oil

Foolish Servants Feeling bad about the whole affair

The interior is overwhelming. It is difficult to convey the scale and grandure of these old churches. Yet, many of these huge structures worship only a handfull on Sunday.

The Sanctuary

This very modern looking sculture is from the 11th century and was my favorite part of the church.

St. Severin's is only steps away from St. Mary. Of course, St. Mary is the Cathedral church and only used for special occasions so you have to have another huge edifice right next door

St. Severin's Organ

WE walked down the hill through the charming city onto the Markplatz where we were greeted by...

A beautiful square complete with a Baroque home. In truth, the entire area was destroyed in WWII and modern buildings were built to replae them. these are facases added later to bring back charm to the square.

Erfurts smallest house

We also caught a glimpse of Erfurt's smallest house. it is only 6 feet wide. It now serves as a stairway for the house on the other side.

We also toured the Augustinian Cloister where Luther entered the Augustinian order. The c;oister is now protestant and has three protestant nuns who run the place including the little cafe. There are rooms you can rent here for a quiet retreat.

The Cloister Courtyard

It was here that Luther presented himself as a candidate for the Black Friars of the Augustinian Order. He worshiped in the chapel and was received into the order in this room.

The Chapel

We then moved to St. Augustine Church where, in a famous moment, Luther prostrated himself before this altar and made his final vows as a priest. Our guide told us that one Lutheran Pastor who was leading a group prostrated himself on the tombstone in front of the altar and invited his parishoners to photograph him. I thought is sounded a little narcissistic.

St. Augustine Church Altar

St. Augustine Nave

We ended the day in front of the Luther Memorial where we took this group picture. If you look closely you will see that some local teens joined in the picture for fun! (they are on the left)

Last Evening in Wittenberg

2010-06-09T14:19:00.001-07:00

To end our wonderful experience in Wittenberg we ate together in a restaurant in the basement of the Schlösskirche. Our guest speaker for the evening was Frau Skirl from the former ELCA Wittenberg Center. The Center was closed recently due to financial constraints, but she continues its mission to provide programming and assistance for Lutherans traveling to Wittenberg continues. The food was excellent and the company divine. However, we would pay for all this frivolity and relaxation tomorrow.

Frau Skirl

Carl and Friends

Monday in Wittenberg

2010-06-07T08:44:00.000-07:00

Today we hooked up with our tour guide Dieter who showed us three main sites of Wittenberg. We began in Luther Haus, located near the the hotel. The house was gifted to Luther as a place where he could teach, live, and share his life with his beloved wife Katy and his children. Today, the house is a wonderful museum where students of the Reformation and people of faith can be inspired by the paintings of Cranach, an original Luther Bible, and the odd papal bull.

On entering the house, one finds quotes from Luther and his Seal painted on the beams and ceiling.
The courtyard is wide and open to the sun. In the center is a bronze statue of Katharina von Bora, Luther's wife. Katharina was a forceful and faithful woman in a truly man's world. She refused to be cowed by tradition or thoughts of a "woman's place" so common in her time. She ran the house with an iron hand. GIven Luther's lack of interest in business, it was good that his companion was disposed to good management and a willingness to demand payment from Luther's students so that the family could survive! She ordered the door below for Luther's birthday.

The door

Inside the house, one may tour the refectory, or place where students took their meals, Luther's bedroom, his parlor where he sat with his students around a rough table, and a sitting room the door of which Tzar Peter signed the door frame. Luther's little parlor, located near the bedroom sometimes held over 50 students crammed together around this small table drinking beer and arguing theology. Some of those students wrote down what Luther had to say, which later became the "Table Talks" volume of Luther's Works. It is one of my favorite volumes.

Luther's Actual Table

We then walked down the strasse and viewed from the outside Melanchton's house, Cranach's home, and the home of a fairly strange alchemist who did not do much of anything but managed to get a plaque on his house. Our tour guide noted that this plaque in particular gave him hope that some day he too would be similarly venerated.

Kirche St. Marien, or the Town church was next. We stopped first to view a curious cornerstone located high on a corner of the church.

The Judensau

The Judensau depicts a pig with Jews sucking at its teets and a rabbi looking up its arse. Luther, a product of his time, thought the scene appropriate as Jews refused to believe in Christ.

The Holocaust Memorial

Fittingly, a holocaust memorial has been established just below this stone. The St. Marien congregation unveiled the memorial on November 9th, 1988, fifty years after the Third Reich began pogroms against the Jews. It depicts four slabs trying to cover the cross, yet the cross squeezes up between the cracks refusing to be supressed. A cedar tree, visible in the background symbolized peace and growth. The Judensau remains as a monument to a time of terrible violence, and a reminder of how carefully we must proceed into our future.

Baptismal Font and Altar

The interior of the church is quite beautiful. Note the large altar painting(again by Cranach) which features Luther, Melanchton, and Cranach at the last supper. Many thousands of Lutheran Pastors have been ordained at this altar.

We then trooped to the Schlöss Kirche where Luther served as preacher and teacher. It is an imposing edifice.

The large tower with Ein Feste Burg inscribed was added in the 1800s and is not part of the original structure.

The Tower

The original doors upon which Luther was said to have posted the 95 theses were destroyed in a fire. These bronze door with the theses inscribed replaced them.

The large church is still in use today and is quite impressive. Luther's tomb is located just under the pulpit, a fitting resting place for a pastor so engaged in the Word of God and so passionate in his preaching.

On the other side of the aisle, Phillip Melanchton's tomb rests near the lectern. A scholar of Greek, and interpreter of scripture no doubt lies easy where the word is read.

The large stained glass windows are ornate but not overwhelming. A bronze Baptismal font is plenty deep to immerse a baby, Luther's preference for baptism. During summer is was a refreshing dip, but in winter it was so cold that one bishop instructed that heated stones were to be placed in the font to make the experience more comfortable.

The rest of the day was free to shop or just enjoy the beauty of this wonderful city.

Sunday

2010-06-07T08:15:00.000-07:00

Our day began in worship at the American Church in Berlin. This ecumenical ministry with ELCA ties has been a wonderful resource for Ex-pat Americans and people from world. The current Pastor is rostered in the ELCA. The day we worshiped, there were several groups visiting ACB including a group of German pastors who had completed their training and were headed all over the world to serve in ministry. Many U.S., Canadian, and other English speaking students find a comfortable home in this ministry. We were grateful for the opportunity to get to know a few people!

The Tour Group in front of the Church

The American Church Berlin

The church has only been in this building for a few years and was fortunate to find such a wonderful space not too far from the city. They are trying to raise money for renovations and ministry. Unlike German Lutheran Churches, ACB received no support from the government and must rely on its members and friends for support.

The altar area

The morning we worshipped there were two adult baptisms and an affirmation of Baptism.

People greet one another after the service

We then traveled a short bus trip to Wittenberg, often called the cradle of the Reformation. Our evening was free and I spent some time with our bus driver, Karl. Then we walked through the old town taking the opportunity to photograph some of the sites without the tourist crowds around. (EVERYTHING is closed on Sunday)

Berlin

2010-06-05T13:41:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Berlin this morning about 11:00 am and waited at the airport until the rest of the tour arrived a 3:15 pm. Everyone made it fine and we met our tour guide, Al Hargreaves at the airport. Everyone is very nice and had no trouble with any of their flights. We boarded the luxury tour bus and took a lightening tour of Berlin with our East German tour guide Sylvia.

The group listening to our tour guide

Berlin is a fascinating city, and our short tour did little more than whet our appetites to return to this historic place. I will say that a tour bus is NO way to tour. (Personal opinion) Is seems bizaar to sit behind dark smoked glass gazing out at the city passing by. Every alley reveals a gorgeous building or inviting park, but poof, you pass it by. I have very much enjoyed our walking tours last week with patient and knowledgable Christoph. We truly had the opportunity to SEE and experience the places we visited. Enough whining, on with the tour.

Pictures from behind the glass are garbage, so I did not bother. We did see several parks, monuments, historic buildings etc. flash by. Use your imagination.

Eventually we arrived at a the Bebelplatz where were supposed to take in the sites. Alas, a huge event was underway and we were not able to see the square. However, here is a pic of a HUGE Catholic Church (St.-Hedwigs-Kathedale)

St.-Hedwigs-Kathedale

Back on the bus and off through winding crowded streets to the Brandenburg Gate. Look, a statue, oh, I missed. Oh, what a beautiful par..... oops, off we we go. Isn't that a gorgeous....darn, that bus is in the way. Wow, did you see the architecture on that church,... or was it an office building. Oh good, the bus is stopping so we can get off.

Finally we are at the gate where we hear about the political and historic significance of the Gate. The Berlin Wall snaked just outside this gate and was a significant symbol of power.

The Gate and Fountain

The wall was fortified outside the gate because it was believed that the Americans, if they ever tried to tear down the wall, would come through the Brandenburg Gate. As our tour guide noted, such a notion is ludicrous since army generals seldom select a convenient funnel through which to direct their troops.

The Brandenburg Gate

Note the tall communications tower that served East Germany

The Fernsehturm built around 1965 by the GDR
Note what is formed by the late afternoon sun on the ball- Yes, a cross

I did not get a picture of it, but there was a tourist gig where everyone sat around a square bar. Under every seat are bicycle pedals. Everyone buys a beer, and then helps pedal around the square while drinking beer. Brilliant!

We then walked through the Holocaust Monument which sits nearlyu in the shadow of the Brandenburg gate. Designed by designed by architect Peter Eisenman and engineer Buro Happold the 4.7 acre site is dominated by huge square blocks. Set in an undulating valley the stones each represent a number of persons killed in the Holocaust. The architect received some criticism for commemorating all the victims of the holocaust rather than just Jews who died. It is a moving and strange experience. People were taking thier pictures, strolling, eating lunch, and just lounging. One couple spent several minutes having their photo taken while they kissed. Love on the Holocaust plaza. But then again, love is what we need more of these days. Where better to share a loving embrace than in the middle of the place where hate paraded so proudly, a death ruled so absolutely

The Holocaust Monument

Friday in the Garden

2010-06-05T13:15:00.001-07:00

Nürnburg to do some shopping. Not to put too fine a point on it but I have needed a new pair of Birkenstock shoes for some time and thought I should buy them in Germany since the shoes are manufactured here. We have looked all over Bavaria to no avail. One would think it would not be too hard to find German shoes in Germany. Alas, I finally hunted down a brown pair and a green pair in my size in Nürmberg. Actually, I suppose Birkenstock are available, we just didn't seem to hit the right stores. There was a BRIGHT RED pair on the sale rack that I thought would be perfect for Pentecost, but Jean noted that I seldom wear shoes in church, so I skipped it.

We returned to Fürth and joined the Bamlers at their garden at the edge of town. I had no idea what to expect and was delighted to find a little garden community complete with cabins, lawns, and planting areas. The city set aside the land for these gardens to help residents experience the outdoors and give them a place to garden. Often referred to as SCHREBER Gardens, residents can apply to a waiting list, and when an owner decides to sell, they may buy the cabin etc. The land is owned by the city, and the garden owners pay a lease per year. Each garden has a small cabin with electricity, water, and sewage, and a generous area that is to be divided into one third each garden, lawn, and cabin. Some of the gardens are quite ornate with fairly elaborate cabins, but most are simple wholesome places for people to enjoy the outdoors. When the owner tires of the garden, or dies, the cabin is then sold to the next person on the list if they are interested in your garden. It is a neat, sustainable model.
Nika and Christoph have a beautiful garden with vegetables, flowers, a playhouse, and a very nice cabin with a simple kitchen and bathroom. We relaxed...

Jean Relaxing

Jeff Relaxing

We also ate a wonderful dinner of bratwurst, chicken, pork, salad just picked from the garden, bread, potatoes, and plum cake. (Also chocolate cake, gummi bears, tea and BEER)

Christoph Cooking Dinner on the Weber Grill

We truly enjoyed sitting on the porch and enjoying the outdoors while eating Nikas EXCELLENT food. I have no poscture of Nika cooking because she never stops moving long enough to snap a photo. Thank you Nika for being such a wonderful a beautiful hostess!!
All the wood you see behind us is an oak tree that fell in a storm. They cut it up and use it in a woodstove at home.

Flowers in the Garden

It seems to me that every community should have some model like this. I was struck by what a gift it would be for apartment dwellers and condo owners to have a chance to garden without having to own a piece of the suburbs. We certainly found the day refreshing. Dänke!
Away home to pack. I leave our family and Bavaria to meet my tour in Berlin in the morning. I hope to be able to keep up the blog, but it will depend on time and internet availability.

The Burgenstrasse

2010-06-03T23:13:00.000-07:00

One of the beautiful valleys of the Fränkische Schweiz

Christoph and family took us on a journey through the Fränkische Schweiz (Frankonian Switzerland) along the Burgenstrasse. The road winds through deeply forested hills and follows an idealic stream with gentle waterfalls and quiet pools. Yep, it is a little bit of heaven. Most remarkable, however, is that the apparent hobby of the medieval times seemed to be castle building. Around nearly every bend it seems the gentry built yet another castle. Some have been restored and are in use as residences or museums, others are ruins ravaged by time and salvaging. Coming from a largely castle deficit U.S., the Burgenstrasse is trip into fantasy land.

Our first stop took us through the quaint and beautiful town of Streitburg. The houses are traditional construction, well-cared for, and quite lovely. Like many of these small towns, there are Gasthofs (guest houses) which are like small hotels with a beer garden attached. One would not go far wrong to spend a month or so hopping around the Gastofs of each town for a month or so!

The Entrance to Streitburg Ruins

After driving up a steep hill we parked in a parking lot and walked behind a private residence to be greeted by the entrance to old castle The home owner has a lovely garden populated by....wait for it...... garden dwarves. O Tolkien my Tolkien! I fully expected Bilbo Baggins to pop out and ask me if I might have a bit of second breakfast on hand for wandering hobbit.

The Village of Streitburg

There is very little left of the old castle, but one can not help but be impressed with work that it must have taken to cut stones and lay them for so huge an enterprise. Myra told us that castles like Streitburg fell into disuse and the stones were salvaged by townsfolk to build homes far below. Recycling rules. The photo above is taken from the Streitburg ruins and is a castle across the valley. The castles were built close enough that they might be able to signal each other.

A bit late we went on to the Castle von Stauffenburg. You may recognize the name from the movie "Valkyrie" starring Tom Cruise. The family is very old and still resides in the Castle. The character from the movie never lived in the castle, but did stay there occasionally. Unfortunately, no photography is allowed in the castle. The ancient rooms are very impressive as is the HUGE collection of weapons and armament from the middle ages through WWII. Pistols, swords, canon, pikes, rifles, bombs, uniforms, armor, and pennant from every age adorn the walls of the first three rooms.

We await our Guide at von Stauffenburg

von Stauffenburg Castle

The Courtyard

In the photograph above you will notice a small nook where the well is situated. The well is, of course, hand dug and took over 100 years to finish. It is 93 meters (305 feet) deep. At one point, the laborers encountered deadly gasses in the pit and had to light a log on one side of the hole to draw fresh air enough to continue working. The guide poured water into the well and it took a LONG TIME to hit the bottom.

The rest of the tour was equally fascinating. Suffice to say there are LOTS of antlers, boar hides, weapons, and stuffed birds. The gentry had a lot of time to pursue their favorite passion, hunting.

Our next stop took us to a Höhlenruine Reisenburg. The area is full of caves and beautiful rock formations. Jean, Christoph, Nika and the kids scrambled up a million steps to get the photos you see here. Myra and I wisely relaxed in the car below. My torn up knee will only tolerate so much.

Along the way we enjoyed the fantastic sites of castles everywhere. It was time for coffee and cake (a daily ritual) to avoid Myra and I revolting.

Another town, another castle

Another town, yet another castle

The Train

We finished our tour overlooking this incredible ruin. A small train, usually pulled by a steam engine winds its way along this valley picking up and dropping off hikers. Kids were hanging off the caboose and having a great time. Next time we come we will definitely ride the train.

The Burgenstrasse is an amazing area with activities for just about everyone. We saw kayakers, hikers, bikers riding down the valley on a dedicated trail, fly fishing and site seeing. All these activities are punctuated with nice little beer gardens serving excellent German beer at every turn. Not a bad way to spend the day.

Wednesday

2010-06-03T02:38:00.000-07:00

Today we did absolutely NOTHING. There, now I am caught up.

Tuesday in Nuremberg

2010-06-03T01:30:00.000-07:00

Oberlandesgericht in Nuremberg

Our day began with a drive to Nurmenberg to the Palace of Justice, known especially as the site of the Nuremberg Trials following WWII. Initially, other sites were considered including a site in Poland and one in Berlin. Eventually the Oberlandesgericht Nuremberg was chosen because it was largely intact from bombing and had a large prison attached.

We then took the subway to central Nuremberg and walked to the Nürnberger Burg. As one enters the walls one encounters the Albrecht Dürer house just inside the gate. Dürer was an exceptional artist and thinker who spent time with the likes of Melanchton and other great thinkers of his time. He was a pioneer in art and is credited with being the first to do a self portrait or depict natural subjects in detail. The tour is delightful and available in English.

Albrecht Dürer House

The house has been used in many ways over the centuries since Dürer lived there, but many artifacts still remain. He was, to say the least, an industrious and inventive artist concerned with both art and science. He undertook to write a text book outlining his methods of measuring the human body in an attempt to define beauty. Unlike many artists of his time, he was not interested in using pattern books or established methods to make art. He insisted on discovering new art methods. His wife Agnes ran the business and the household throughout Dürer's career.

Press in the Workshop

Dürer's main workshop would have had several apprentices and workers producing woodcuts and copper engravings to Dürer's precise instructions. Paints, glues, and coatings were all produced in the workshop from ingredients from around the world.

Dürer's Workshop

We then climbed up to the Castle and walked around the impressive walls of this ancient edifice. We decided to skip the interior tour as many of the rooms are now empty. The Castle features great blocks of sandstone in its construction.

The Castle Gate

The Tower

The view from the castle is wonderful. Today was rainy so there were not too many tourists milling about.

Detail of Lock

Ok, I am facinated by these wonderful old locks. These things are HUGE! THis one measured about 24" square and is beautifully ornate.

We then walked the streets of Nuremberg and enjoyed typical architecture. Nuremburg was bombed extensively so one finds both traditional and more modern interpretations of architecture throughout the city.

Traditional Architecture on the street where the Butchers used to practice their trade

Bombed out ruins next to restored homes

Walking around the City.

WE walked around the Pegnitz river and enjoyed the sites. Later we walked to the city square and took in the churches. St. Sebald (1525) was unfortunately closed for organ tuning.

St. Sebald, Nuremberg

Later we walked to St. Lorenz Kirche and were able to go inside. I am always struck by the difference between Lutheran and Catholic churches of this era. Lutheran churches, while plenty ornate, lack the gold, and over the top ornamentation of many Catholic Churches of the time.

St. Lorenz Church

One of the sculptures in the church depicts the history of Christianity in a three-story sculpture carved from a single stone.

Adam Kraft Sculpture

Detail of Adam Kraft Sculpture

Organ in the Lorenzkirche

Another wonderful Day in Germany

Monday

2010-05-31T23:11:00.000-07:00

Today we visit Flössenberg, the site of the infamous concentration camp where Deitrich Bonhöffer was killed just two weeks before the camp was liberated in 1945. It was a difficult day. I am seldom affected by places and sites, but this sent me into a spiral. One enters the camp trough the same gate 100,000 others entered through. But they entered to a life and death of miserable horror. As one survivor put it, "There is a thin veneer of humanity that keeps us civilized.

Map of the Camp at Flössenberg

Upon arrival the prisoners were left to stand on the parade ground for hours. Only then would they be taken down to the "processsing room" where they were forced to remove all clothing, shed all personal effects, and shaved by other prisoners from head to toe. Then they were herded with beatings from rubber hoses into the shower room where they were hosed down with boiling water or ice cold water depending on the mood of the guards. Again, they were forced out onto the parade grounds to stand naked in scorching heat during the summer, or ice cold weather in winter. The nickname for the region is "Bavarian Siberia" and is hot during the summer and bitter cold during the winter. Those left standing after this first ordeal were sorted into various groups and sent to the barracks. The rest were shot.

Parade Ground

Each day was a misery. Each prisoner was deprived of his or her humanity and referred to only by number. An elaborate system of colored patches sewed on the jackets of the prisoners identified their origin and status: Jew, criminal, homosexual, hard labor, light labor etc. Over time that inhumanity took its toll. One survivor commented that the most heinous abuse came from the prisoners themselves. "Capo" were prisoners who were given charge over other prisoners. One "Capo" bragged about killing 10 prisoners a day. Beatings and degradation were so common as to become unnoticed.

Early in the camp's history, the prisoners were used at the quarry near Flössenberg to produce high quality stone to support Hitler's ambitious building projects. The work was deadly. Each day prisoners were lined up for roll call before first light. For hours they were counted, and then force marched a few kilometers to the quarry where they worked under the worst conditions with primitive tools to hew out granite blocks. At the end of the day they marched back to camp and stood on the parade ground for hours, again to be counted. Many did not survive. Later the prisoners largely worked in an armament factory producing airplane parts.

Guards murdered thousands of prisoners, often for no reason. The bodies were cremated in the local crematory, but later, a crematory was built on the site.

Guard Tower and Tunnel

A tunnel was built from the upper level to the crematory to make the transport of bodies more efficient.

The Crematory Oven

Bodies were stacked up like cordwood and shoved into the oven several at a time on a metal tray. Long hooks were used to adjust the bodies to burn more efficiently. Toward the end of the war, the crematory could not keep up with the pace of the killings and the bodies were stacked in the yard, doused with fuel, and burned in the open.

A pile of ashed remains as a memorial to the 30,000 known killed at Flössenberg.

The memorial pyramid of ashes

Like many important prisoners, Deitrich Bonhöffer was moved ahead of the advancing front away from the allied forces. He ended up in Flössenberg where he was interred in the barackes reserved for political prisoners of importance and special criminals. The outline of the barracks was excavated and can bee seen in the picture below. The window in the remaining wall of the barracks looks over the memorial garden

Bonhoeffer likely stayed in a cell similar to this one. A heavy wooden door leads to a small concrete room.

Bonhöffer was hanged in this courtyard only two weeks before the camp was liberated. I sat here for along time. I don't have many heroes in my life, but Bonhöeffer is certainly one of them. It is sad to ponder his death, but even more sad to be embraced by a place of such cruelty, despair, inhumanity and hopelessness. If we need any reason to cling to Christ and work for justice, this is it. We need these monuments to human horror to remind us just how thin our veneer of civilization can be. We must remember. We also must remember the courage, tenacity, and faith of people like Bonhöeffer who, in midst of suffering, proclaimed Christ.

There is much more here at Flössenberg and I encourage you to come here some day. In 2007 the main intake building was converted into a powerful permanent display of life in the camp, its history, and stories of those who lived and died there.

Sunday

2010-05-31T22:39:00.001-07:00

Auferstehungs kirche in Fürth

Our day started cold and rainy (again) and we walked through the park to Auferstehungs kirche near Jean's Aunt Myra's flat. Worship was very familiar and lovely despite not being able to understand much of what was said. The regular pastors are on vacation, but the preaching was lively and fun to listen to. Jean's cousin interpreted a bit of the sermon after the service as we walked down this lane back to the flat.

The church was once far outside the city limits but now is in the middle of things. Years ago, the area had become blighted and the state held its annual Garden show on the site. The graves were moved to a new resting place outside the city limits, the area stripped, cleaned and planted with the beautiful park you see today. The church was preserved and has an active congregation. The name "Resurrection Church" seems fitting.
Myra brought Heiner home from the nursing home and we had a wonderful feast of chicken, pasta, and potatoes with the whole family. Later we took a stroll in the park adjacent to the flat where the flowers, including a particularly beautiful columbine were in bloom.

Strolling in the Park

Columbine in the park

We spent the rest of the day touring around Fürth. Jean and Christoph climbed a high tower where they could see for many miles despite the clouds and rain. My knee was not quite up to the climb so I hung around below and checked out the ancient ruins of the fort that once sat on the hill. It is strange to see things that were build 1000 years ago. it reminds me how young the US is!

View from the Tower

Each day seems to involve a time of coffee and kuchen (cake). Here we are in Fürth enjoying a plum cake and coffee at a local shop. It was cold so the server brought out a blanket for Jean. Fürth is very beautiful and has much of the old city intact. Before WWII the city was more open to Jewish families than other nearby cities. Legend has it that the allies spared much of Fürth for that reason.

Coffee at the Cafe

Christoph shared that this chimney has been the home of a pair of Storks for many years. After awhile, the chimney began to fail and the residents, concerned about the storks, collected over 8,000 Euro to restore it so that the storks could nest in peace.

We finished the day with the whole family at Mephisto's Restaurant in Fürth and a good night's sleep.

2010-05-30T23:12:00.000-07:00

After breakfast we began to pack up to head to Fürth for our next adventure. After breakfast Herr Moser took us for a tour of his small cheese making facility right in the house where we are staying. We watched him cut the curd on his newest batch of cheese, and then he showed us the brining and aging room.

He can only sell his cheese right off the farm and not to local shops. More is the pity since he makes EXCELLENT cheese including cheese with peppers, walnuts, and other spices. We bought a rather generous selection before heading off to Fürth where the Bamlers live.

On the way home, we spent several hours in Rosenheim at the Garden show. The kids had a great time playing in the playground and we enjoyed many displays of garden prowess along the banks of the Innes River.

After the Garden show we headed to Fürth for a wonderful dinner cooked by Nika. The drive took us through the hill country past miles of emerald green fields and tiny towns. Some of beer making friends would have been jealous as we drove through the largest Hops making region in Germany. The long vines supported by tall poles are just beginning to creep up toward the sky. Later, the fragrant flowers will be harvested to make most excellent German Beer!

Friday (continued)

2010-05-30T22:19:00.000-07:00

Herr Moser cooking fresh trout for the guests

Herr Moser bought fresh trout for the guests and is cooking them outside on the grill. Many Fridays he treats the guests this way and is a testament to thier fantastic hospitality.

Christoph "the brusher"

Christoph dived right in to help with the cooking and turned out to be a master with the butter brush. Guests contributed salads and other wonderful goodies to make a feast to end a perfect day. Of course, there is plenty of great beer flowing to accompany the kraut salad, potatoes, fish, steak, bratwurst other great food.

All the guests gather to feast

Herr Moser appeared with his homemade plum schnapps and we toasted to his health. The schnapps was deliciously smooth and finished off the evening nicely. It turns out that he is able to make schnapps because Frau Moser’s family inherited the license to do so. He can make only a certain number of liters per year for the enjoyment of his guests, but can’t sell it publically. Nike, (Christoph’s spouse) and I played a little music at evening’s end. I could listen to her sing Russian Folk Tunes all day.

Salzburg

2010-05-30T01:57:00.000-07:00

The Trains are GREAT!

Jean enjoying her first Train Ride in Germany

Today we boarded the train to Salzburg, Austria. It was delightful to ride this clean, efficient train through the foothills of the Alps into Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart.

One of the Squares in Salzburg

Mozart's Birthplace

Most of the day was sent wandering the town and enjoying a visit to Die Festung Hohensalzburg. Construction on the fortress was begun in 1077 under Archbishop Gebhard von Helfenstein. The massive fortress broods over Salzburg like and overprotective father. We opted out of the long walk up and took the cable car up to the top in a matter of a few minutes. The first cable car to the top was installed in 1900!

A Stairway to the Tower at the Fortress

Salzburg is fascinating, and a day is hardly enough time to even whiff the deep-rooted history here. Certainly a week or more would not suffice, so we look forward to a return trip to uncover a few more of Salzburg’s mysteries. By the way, large groups of tourists are EVERYWHERE and usually accompanied by a tour guide holding a flag identifying the group. They move in great herds like bison on the plains of Kansas. We found a quick turn down a narrow side street avoided any unpleasantness. We had a pleasant hour-long ride home on the train and came home to a German style Potluck at the Baurhoff.

Thursday

2010-05-29T23:22:00.000-07:00

Today we headed a few miles down the hill to enjoy the day at Chiemsee, a gorgeous lake community and home of King Ludwig’s Castle. The lake is very large and dotted with small islands. I imagine it must be great fun during the summer and offers all kinds of boating and other opportunities.

We boarded the ferry and began our Journey to Herren-Insel, the island where King Ludwig built a castle to honor the French by copying several rooms at Versailles.

Of the over 70 rooms at the castle, only 20 were completed before Ludwig’s death. The main rooms are incredibly opulent and ornate affairs. Alas, we were not allowed to take interior pictures, but I encourage you to look up the castle at http://www.herren-chiemsee.de/englisch/n_palace/index.htm. Strangely, none of the gorgeous and opulent rooms were ever used, nor were they ever intended to be used. Ludwig spent only ten days total in the palace and used his swimming pool sized tub only five times.

From Herren-Insel we headed to Frauen Insel on a 1926 side-wheeler.

As we approached the island sailboats were ghosting along in the light breeze. I would love to come back in later summer and spend a few days exploring the lake by Sailboat!

This small island is mostly a vacation island with quaint homes, restaurants, biergartens, and pottery shops. There is an interesting old church where Myra and I sat for some time enjoying the quiet.

Like many old churches here, the stone base of the doorway is cupped several inches from centuries of faithful feet walking across.

Nika cooked and excellent dinner for us at the Baurhoff and we ended the evening enjoying good beer and fellowship. Nika and I traded tunes on a guitar borrowed from Frau Moser. Nika has a rich alto voice and sang some wonderful Russian folk songs much to the delight of Frau Moser and the other guests gathered in the common room. It was a wonderful day!

Wednesday

2010-05-29T23:06:00.000-07:00

The morning we left Hawaii there was a glorious rainbow arching over the Ko’olau Mountains. Its base shimmered at the end of our street. For the first time in my life I literally drove through the end of a rainbow, an auspicious beginning to our journey to be sure. After leaving Munich we headed to the Baurenhof of the Moser Family in Southern Bavaria. Greeted by Frau Möser, we shown our beautiful room on the second floor. I took this picture of a rainbow off our balcony-a little bit of Hawai’i right here in Bavaria.

The Baurhof is set in a lush green Valley near the town of Grainbach. It is a bed and breakfast affair with a common dining area on each floor. Frau Moser is a wonderful host and her husband is equally delightful. Each morning we are greeted with fresh breads, cheese made right on the farm, and a selection of hams, prosciutto, and other meets. What a great place to stay!

2010-05-29T12:49:00.000-07:00

Off to Munich

2010-05-29T12:28:00.000-07:00

After leaving the airport we drove straight to Munich to enjoy the beauty of this wonderful city. The weather is picture perfect if you like a bit of rain, cold and wind. We parked the cars at Nika's sister's home and took the train into the center city. Immediately we entered the square where Hitler began many marches and held many speeches. You can see the great lions gracing the entryway of the building. It is both beautiful and strange to walk in such history. Flanking the square is a beautiful park adjacent to the Municipal buildings. We stretched our legs and enjoyed the many couples and families enjoying a day at the park. The schools are on holiday so families are enjoying a day in the city. We then had coffee in a very old and quaint cafe just off the park. Jean is seen sitting with her Aunt Myra as we order coffee and cheesecake. It was WONDERFUL! Later we toured the city square and had weisswurst and my first German beer in a large biergarten surrounded by chestnut trees. Yes, there was an oompa band in the other room and a guy in Lederhosen at the next table.

The Adventure Begins

2010-05-29T12:14:00.000-07:00

We had a surprisingly great flight to Germany. Perhaps the excitement dulled the hassle of all those hours on the plane, but we arrived in Munich pretty refreshed and not too jet-lagged. The Munich airport is dead quiet and clean to the point of sterility. Hospitals would rejoice to achieve such silence and cleanliness. A quick show of the passport and down to collect our baggage. Jean's cousin Christoph picked us up at the airport with his mom, wife and two kids. We are glad to be here and very excited to be here in Germany. Sorry for the delay in the post, we have been away from the computer for several days (see next entry)

2010-05-25T05:46:00.001-07:00

We are finally on our way. We had a beautiful landing. In San Francisco. A rare clear morning. On to Dulles. Next

2010-05-23T00:50:00.000-07:00

Four years ago our daughter and son threw us a party for our twenty-fifth anniversary. She organized a generous shower of gifts from friends and family to send us to Germany for our anniversary. One thing led to another, a lost job, a move to the middle of the Pacific, work and just plain life got in the way and the trip was postponed. In a couple of days we finally get to take our trip of a life.