Rothenburg and the Rest of the Story

        The wonderful thing about a German Rail Pass is that you can go anywhere you want to go in Germany, but they didn’t promise it would be easy.  When Joyce and I were on Sabbatical in 2010 we purchased a Eurail Pass.  We started our Sabbatical in Lucerne, Switzerland and then traveled by rail into Italy where we went to Como, Parma, Bologno, Florence and the Chinque Terre by rail.  We then took the train from Monterosso al Mare to Perugia where we rented a car.  I didn’t have quite the scintillating experience we had in Italy this year, but the car rental guy in Perugia ended up charging me double from what I had been quoted.  (He made a big deal of throwing in the GPS, free of charge!)  I realized when I turned the car in that I would not win an argument with him, so I waited until I got home and took it up with the rental car company.  Thankfully, I had my documentation and was promptly refunded my money. And the GPS was still free of charge!

        Shortly before we left home in 2010 I was reading more details about the Eurail pass and saw that some trains needed to be reserved in advance, even though you have a pass.  I saw that our first train from Lucerne to Como was a reserved train.  I panicked, contacted Eurail, paid for two reserved seats, and also had the reserved seat passes expressed mail to me by Fed Ex.  It was the day before we left to fly to Switzerland and the passes had not arrived. I called Fed Ex and was told that they had been delivered.  I told them they had not.

        They said, “Yes, they have.” 

        “Well,” I said.  “I’m at 201 West Third Avenue (the church address), someone has been here all day, and we have not received a Fed Ex package.”

        I explained that I was leaving for Europe in the morning and really needed that package.  They contacted the driver and for some unknown reason, he had delivered the package to a house down the street from the church.  I drove to the house, went to the front door and knocked.  I could hear people inside.  Apparently, a large Hispanic family lived there.  But they would not come to the door.  I don’t know who they thought I was or what they planned to do with two European rail passes that required a Passport and a validated Eurail Pass, but it quickly became apparent they had no intention of giving it back.

        When we arrived in Lucerne I went to the train station and explained our dilemma to an agent.  He was very helpful and friendly and said, “You don’t need a reserved seat to go to Como.  I can put you on another train, it is not as fast, but it is a much more scenic route.  He was absolutely right.  We had a breathtaking and unforgettable train journey through the majestic Alps.  And, when I got home, Fed Ex refunded my money for the two reserved seats.  Wonder what that Hispanic family ever did with those reserved seats?

        The big difference in 2010 was that before each trip, I went to the train station, worked out an itinerary with an agent and purchased reserved seats when necessary.  When we had a tight connection, we had to get off the train, find an information screen, and then find our way to the platform to catch our next train.  We never knew when we got off a train on which platform we were arriving, or which platform the next train was scheduled to depart.  There was one time that we had to descend the stairs to go into the underground passage and then climb up to the departure platform.  When we got on the platform the train was pulling out of the station.  I started running, then Joyce started running.  The conductor was standing on the back of the train, urging us to jump onboard.  We literally jumped on the moving train as it pulled out of the station.  Joyce told me she was not doing that anymore!

But with my German Rail Pass, all I need is a DB Navigator App.  I put in our station of origin and our destination and it gives all the options.  The App gives us the schedule, the platform on which our train will arrive and the platform from which the next train will depart, how much time is between the trains, and exactly how much time it will take to walk from platform to another.

        Going from Munich to Salzburg was easy.  There is one train leaving every hour.  But going from Salzburg to Rothenburg would be a little more complicated.  Here is the schedule:  depart Salzburg at 10 a.m.  arrive in Munich at 12:06 p.m.  depart Munich at 12:21.  arrive in Nurnberg at 13:30.  depart Nurnberg at 13:40.  arrive in Ansbach at 14:06  depart Ansbach at 14:10. arrive in Steinbach at 14:32. depart Steinbach at 14:36.  arrive in Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber at 14:50. 

        I don’t know if you noticed, but we only had 4 minutes to change trains in Steinbach and Ansbach, 10 minutes in Nurnberg (We call it Nuremburg) and 15 minutes in Munich.  This was assuming every train would be on time.

        Every train was on time.  The only snafu was in Munich when we boarded the train to Nurnberg.  Remember that the agent told me there was no need to reserve a train----well, I think he was wrong.  We boarded a first-class car and found two seats.  A few minutes later a couple boarded and informed us that we had their seats. I found the conductor and told him that we had rail passes, but had not reserved a seat.  He said, “You must find a seat that is not reserved.”  

        We changed cars and found two seats that were unoccupied.  There seemed to be a lot of empty seats on this car.  When the conductor came by, he asked how far we were going.  Apparently, the two seats we were in had been reserved, but after he checked his computer he said that we were okay.  They were reserved, but not until after Nurnberg. 

        The challenge came with the two train stations where we only had four minutes between trains.  We were fortunate in Ansbach.  We got off the train and our next train was on the adjoining track, same platform.  We simply walked off one train and walked onto another.

        But Steinbach required us to walk down a flight of stairs, carrying our luggage, and walk up another flight.  Thankfully, there was a conveyor belt on which you placed your bags.  While you walked up the steps, your bags came up automatically. 

We made it! We didn’t miss a single connection and precisely at 14:50 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, we arrived in Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber at the train station.

        No trip to Germany is complete without a visit to Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber.  We first visited here on our 2000 Oberammergau trip, but we only stayed one night and I had always wanted to come back and stay longer.  After our exhilarating hop-on, hop-off train crusade, we arrived at the little train station and looked for the promised taxis.  There were none, so I turned on Google Maps and we walked a few blocks and then entered the Rodor-Tor gate into the best-preserved Medieval City in all of Germany.  It was just a short walk through this fairy-tale village before we reached one of the most beautiful gateways, the Roeder Arch and Markus Tower.  They date back to around 1200 AD.

        In 1264 AD a small tollhouse and a lodge providing shelter for travelers was built next to the arch and Markus Tower.  We are staying in this lodge, now over 750 years old!  Today it is known as the elegant Romantik Hotel Markusturm.

        This is one of the most unique and lovely places we have ever stayed.  The Berger family, who own and operate this lovely, historical property, have done a masterful job in preserving the historical character while providing all the modern conveniences and ambience to create a charming and inviting hotel.  The old structure is full of priceless antiques, old artifacts, rich paintings, and lovely furnishings.  There is a display case of centuries-old locks, keys, and hinges.  You will find hidden alcoves full of beer steins, exquisite lace, vases, porcelain, and old fabrics.  You will see old chests, medieval weapons, a grandfather clock, an antique rocking horse and even an antique baby carriage.  The grand old winding staircase creaks as you walk on it, but is still elegant after centuries of use. 

        When we walked into our beautiful suite we were spellbound.  Three large windows open to the cobblestone street below providing fresh air.  There is a gorgeous, four poster canopy bed with a solid, wood canopy.  There is a comfortable couch, a day bed, modern lighting, and an inlaid wooden floor.  We walked into the bath with a rock wall, recessed lighting, a full-size, free-standing tub and a huge walk-in shower!  A small hotel room could fit into this bath. 

        The dining room is elegant and stately.  Fresh-cut roses adorn the tables, always with starched white linen tablecloths.  There is rich, wooden paneling.  The food is the best we have tasted in Germany.  The wine is stored in their 700 year-old wine-cellar and they even make their own beer.  And the service!  Any great restaurant or hotel is ultimately defined by the human touch.  Everyone is kind, friendly, helpful, and they go out of their way to make sure you have the very best.  I went downstairs the first morning and asked the man in the kitchen if I could have two cups of coffee, one black and one with cream and sugar.  He asked where I was from and when I said, “North Carolina in the States,” he said, “Oh, yes.  Raleigh is the capital.”

        I found out later than the man in the kitchen was Mr. Berger, the owner.  The second morning when I went down to get coffee he immediately said, “Two coffees—one black and the other with cream and sugar.”  He fixed the coffees and handed them to me on a tray.  That is attention to detail!

        Monday was a beautiful day and we decided to take a city tour.  Rather than join a group or hire a guide, we downloaded Rick Steves Europe Travel App and followed his Rothenburg Audio Town Walk tour.  His excellent commentary gives you many details you would certainly miss, and you can go at your own pace.

        There is no doubt that the highlight of the tour was the majestic St. Jakob’s Church.  This magnificent cathedral was built in the 14^th century and became Lutheran in 1544.  The church was named for Saint James of the Bible because Rothenberg was on the Camino de Santiago, a medieval pilgrims’ route to Spain where it is thought St. James’ remains are entombed. 

        The stained-glass windows behind the altar are stunning.  The main altar itself has a dramatic carving of Christ and six saints.  There is a painted scene of the Last Supper.  The most unusual thing about this representation of the Last Supper is that Saint Peter is wearing eye-glasses!

        There are two windows that depict the Reformation.  One is the Martin Luther window that includes images of John Wycliff and Jan Huss.  The other window is the Philip Melanchthon window, honoring another great reformer who worked with Luther.

        But without question, the most powerful sight in the church and the artistic highlight of Rothenburg and perhaps the most spectacular wood carving in all of Germany is the 500-year-old, 35 foot-high Altar of the Holy Blood.  This is the masterpiece of Tilman Riemenschneider, the Michelangelo of German woodcarvers.  This was designed to hold a rock-crystal capsule that supposedly contains a drop of Christ’s holy blood. 

        The main focus of the carving is the Last Supper.   The attention to detail in the face, the hands, even the hair of Jesus and the disciples is astounding.  I found the most remarkable feature of this glorious carving to be the fact that Judas is at the center of the table.  The scene depicts the moment when Jesus hands Judas the bread, identifying him as the one who would betray him.  Judas is holding a money bag in his hands.

        The Judas in this carving is made so that during Holy Week, Judas can be removed from Thursday night until Easter Sunday morning.  The fact that Judas is the center of this carving, not John, not Peter, nor the others, but Judas as the betrayer, speaks of forgiveness.  Seeing this amazing carving was a true highlight of the day!

        Monday afternoon we walked the wall!  The ancient wall that still surrounds the Old City is a highlight of a trip to Rothenburg.  You can walk about a mile and ½.  While some parts of the wall are impassable, most of the old city wall can be accessed for a fun-filled stroll with fantastic views of this magical city.  You can climb to the top of the Roder-Tor tower.  It costs 2 Euros but is well worth the effort and the expense.  The views are fantastic. 

        At the top of the tower there is a display of the bombing of Rothenburg.  This beautiful city had been spared for most of the war, but on March 31, 1945, just days before the war ended, the Allies bombed Rothenburg with 16 planes, killing 37 people, destroying 306 houses, six public buildings, nine ancient watchtowers and over 2,000 feet of the medieval wall.  The display stated that Rothenberg provided no military or industrial advantage for the Germans and the only reason it was bombed so close to the war’s end was to break the morale of the German people. 

        Joyce and I saw this and we were heartsick.  Why would we bomb this beautiful city without any reason?  Why would we destroy centuries of history when it provided no military advantage?  Why would the United States of America engage in such an inhumane and senseless act—killing innocent people just to prove a point?  This is not who we are as Americans.

        But later that night we heard “the rest of the story.” 

        Rick Steves calls the Night Watchman’s Tour      of Rothenburg “flat-out the most entertaining hour of medieval wonder anywhere in Germany.”  Monday night was very pleasant, so we walked over to the Market Square after dinner and joined over a hundred or so of our friends, all willing to pay 8 Euros for the best evening activity in town.  Mrs. Berger told us that the Night Watchman, Hans-Georg Baumgartner, had become a very wealthy man with his nightly tour, not to mention his personal DVD that he promotes.  Of course, if Rick Steves gives you such a glowing endorsement, you are bound to be successful. Sunday afternoon we saw dozens of people lined up at an ice cream shop.  On the sign it read, “Recommended by Rick Steves.”  Other ice cream shops had no lines.

        The entertaining tour was well worth the 8 Euros.  The tour is in English and the Night Watchman is quite the entertainer.  While it is light-hearted and full of humor, it is also a great historical overview of this enchanting city.  Rothenburg was a “free imperial city” beholden to only the Holy Roman Emperor.  From 1150 to 1400 this city thrived with a population of over 6,000.  But the Thirty Years War and the plague that followed did the town in. 

        The Night Watchman did a great job telling the history and explaining the plague that killed 50% of Europe’s population in 5 years. He talked about the rats that carried the deadly plague.   The people of Rothenburg were required to have at least one year’s supply of grain stored in their houses, usually in their attics, in case an enemy would lay a siege on the village.  This attracted rats as well as the unsanitary streets and a lack of waste disposal.  The first people to usually die of the plague were the doctors and the priests, since they had the most direct contact with the sick.  Without a priest to administer the last rites, people were dying in a hopeless condition without an opportunity to confess their sins.

        He also talked about the Thirty Years War.  There is a fanciful story that before the Catholic Army was about to conquer Rothenburg, it was customary that the mayor provide the conquering general a welcome drink.  The general drank his wine and feeling quite well and happy now, offered a deal for the mayor.  The general supposedly said, “If you can drink this entire 3-liter tankard of wine in one gulp, I will spare Rothenburg.” 

        According to the legend, the mayor turned up his glass and amazed everyone by drinking all of the wine in one gulp!  The town was saved.

        Every hour on the hour at the 1466 clock tower, you can see this scene re-enacted.  Following the chiming of the hour, two windows on either side of the clock open and you see the general on one side and the mayor on the other.  The mayor turns up his glass and after a long time, finally puts it down.  People cheer.  The town is saved.  The only problem was, it never happened.  The Catholic Army took the town and plundered it.  Then came the plague.  Rothenburg never recovered until the middle of the nineteenth century when it started to become a popular tourist destination.  

        Toward the end of the tour, the Night Watchman talked about World War II.  I thought he was about to tell how the Allies had transcended the boundaries of decency and civility by mercilessly bombing the city at the end of the war, but he told an entirely different story. 

        Hitler had ordered that no German officer should ever surrender for any reason.  Even though he knew, and all of the German army knew the war was lost, Hitler ordered that every soldier and every town fight to the end, even if it meant total destruction. 

        As the war was reaching its end, the Allies were bombing Nuremberg into oblivion.  A German Army division lead by SS General Simon retreated and found shelter in Rothenburg.  He was essentially using the Medieval city and the people as shields, daring the Allies to do anything about it.  This is why the Allies bombed the city, because a large part of the German army was hiding here. 

        After the bombing raid on March 31, the allies planned to capture and destroy the city of Rothenburg in order to drive out the German army, but this is when everything changed.

        John Jay McCloy was an American lawyer and a presidential advisor to FDR during the war.  In 1945 he was serving as the United States Assistant Secretary of War.  Before the First World War, McCloy’s mother had visited Rothenburg as a tourist and fell in love with this enchanting city.  She purchased a painting of Rothenburg that hung in the McCloy home. 

        When McCloy heard the plans to destroy the city, he remembered the beautiful painting from his childhood and recalled how much his mother loved the city of Rothenburg.  He intervened and ordered General Jacob Devers not to use artillery to take the city.

        As a result of his orders, six US Soldiers were sent into Rothenburg carrying a white flag.  One of the soldiers, who spoke fluent German, communicated the demand for the Germans to either surrender or the town would be destroyed.  SS General Simon was not in the town and would not have surrendered, but the ranking Military commander Major Thommes decided to ignore Hitler’s orders, knowing that he could be executed for treason, and he gave up the town.   Rothenburg was saved.

        Because of his heroic actions, John McCloy was awarded an honorary citizen of Rothenburg in 1948.  Major Thommes was never punished for his decision to surrender.  People from all over the world contributed to rebuild the town from the destruction of the March 31 bombings.  As you walk the wall you will see their names the city and country they are from.  Many people from the US have made contributions. 

        When you think of Germany you think of Christmas.  The German Christmas markets are known all over the world.  Rothenburg is home to the German Christmas Museum where you learn the history of Christmas decorations.  You also learn about the evolution of Saint Nickolas and Father Christmas.  It was an interesting experience, but when you emerge from the museum you are in the greatest Christmas store in the whole wide world, the Kathe Wohlfahrt Christmas Headquarters.  The store in itself is amazing with hundreds of decorated trees.  Our favorite part was the hand carved, hand painted wooden Christmas ornaments.  They are expensive, but will be collector’s items for years to come. 

        We did some serious shopping, then found a little restaurant where we enjoyed some Asparagus Cream Soup.  In the morning we are on the road—or more exactly, on the rails again.  Our destination is Wittenberg, home to Martin Luther and the Reformation.  By the way, our next hotel dates back to 1391.  It is one of the oldest buildings in Wittenberg.  Luther dined there.  Kings stayed there.  Our room looks out over the famous chapel doors where 500 years ago Martin Luther started a revolution.  I can’t wait!

Looks like we will be hopping on and off trains again.  I will keep you posted!

       

       

       

Musical Salzburg

        Germany has one of the best train systems in the world.  A few weeks before leaving home I purchased a First-Class German Rail Pass.  The pass is good for four days in a 30-day period.  We have the twin-pass which is perfect when two people are traveling together.  It is only good when both people are traveling at the same time. 

        I walked over to the train station in Munich on Tuesday and had the pass validated.  The German Rail Pass is only offered to non-German residents and it must be validated before it can be used.  The conductor is supposed to write the date you travel on the pass---the pass is then good for any train for the rest of the day. 

        The friendly agent who validated our pass had to see our passports, then stamped it and told me to enjoy.  I asked him if I needed to reserve certain trains.  “No,” he said.  “This is good for any train in Germany.  Get on any train you wish; no reservations are needed.”

        This gives us a great amount of freedom on the days we travel.  On Wednesday morning, Joyce asked me what time we needed to be at the train station.  “There is a train to Salzburg every hour so we can go anytime we get ready.”

        We could have made the 9:55 a.m. train, but didn’t want to rush, so we left the hotel around 10:20 and walked over to the station and found the first-class compartment for the 10:55 a.m. train to Salzburg.  Fifteen minutes after walking out of our hotel room we were sitting on the train.  Even though Salzburg is in Austria, you are allowed to use the German Rail Pass as long as Salzburg is your final destination.

        When the conductor came by asking for our ticket I handed him the Rail Pass.  He looked at it briefly and said, “Okay.”   He didn’t even record the date on the pass. 

        It took us less than two hours to reach the beautiful town of Salzburg.  We walked off the train and found a taxi.  I had the name of the hotel, but not the address.  He put it in his GPS and said, “Oh, this is a small hotel.  It is in a beautiful location.”

        Our hotels in Munich, Rothenburg, Wittenburg, and Berlin are all in the city, but when I was looking at hotels for Salzburg, this beautiful little Pension out in the country, the Bloberger Hof, kept jumping to the forefront.  This family owned and operated hotel is in a beautiful setting, just a few kilometers away from the city center.  The house looks like a fairy-tale Austrian home.  There are balconies with flower boxes.  The balcony off of our room looks over a lush, green pasture—complete with cows—with majestic mountains still partially covered in snow before us.  If you look way off into the distance to your left, you see the breath-taking snow-covered Alps. 

        This has been the perfect place for us to enjoy Salzburg.  We have found this promotional brochure to absolutely true:  “So, are you looking for a lovely, cozy place to stay in Salzburg?  Well, you are in the right place with us here at the Bloberger Hof.  Why here?  Well that’s quite simple---the food tastes great and there is wine.  Allegedly, grandpa has the best Swiss pine schnapps in the country.  But come and see for yourself!”

        We came and there is no doubt---we picked the best place to stay!

        I was concerned about getting back and forth into town, but that has not been a problem.  The bus system in Salzburg is most efficient.  We catch bus 21 that runs every 15 minutes on weekdays and every 20 minutes on weekends into town.  We took the bus into town that afternoon and spent some time walking through the Old Town of Salzburg.  There was still some rain, but it was not heavy.

        Salzburg is a charming city, full of life and full of music.  Even on a wet day this Baroque showpiece of cobbled streets and elegant buildings is a stroller’s delight.  It is hard to get lost in Old Salzburg.  It did not take us long to find the massive Salzburg Cathedral. This incredible edifice was consecrated in 1628.  Its size and grandeur are meant to emphasize that Salzburg was the “Rome of the North,” as it remained true to the Catholic Church during the Reformation.  This is the church where Mozart was baptized in 1756 and the bronze baptismal font that actually dates back to an earlier church in 1320 is still in the cathedral today. 

        We made a stop at the Franciscan Church before finding our way back to the waterfront.  We didn’t wait long for bus 21 to take us back to the Bloberger Hof.  We had a delicious dinner.  Willy and Inge Keuschnigg opened this small hotel with 10 guest rooms in 1989.  In 2001, daughter Sylvia joined the family team and her boyfriend, Robert became the cook.  Robert and Sylvia are now married and have two adorable sons who bring much life to this special home.  We felt just like we did at the farmhouse in Italy, like part of the family.

        We watched “The Sound of Music” twice before coming to Austria.  Everyone who loves “The Sound of Music” looks for the special sites around the city that appear in the movie.  Luke picked us up in a van Thursday morning.  We were joined by a family from Arizona and were off to see the sights from the “Sound of Music.”   One of the first things we learned was that while much of the movie was filmed in Hollywood, the scenes that were filmed in Austria took much longer to complete than planned.  A lot of this had to do with the weather.  I did not know that it rained so much in Salzburg.  Luke told us that Salzburg is like Seattle.  A sunny day is a rarity.  You will notice that in all the outdoor scenes in the movie the sky is crystal clear.  Sometimes the film crew would have to wait for days to have a clear day.  We saw the Leopoldlskron Palace that served as the back of the Von Trapp home on the lake.  The lake scene where Maria and the children fall out of the boat really happened—in real life!  The director wanted to film it again but Julie Andrews and the children refused.  For one thing, the water was ice cold.  And little Gretel did not know how to swim and it was very frightening to her.

        We saw the miniature golf course where they entertained the children.   We visited the gazebo where Liesl sang, “I am Sixteen Going on Seventeen.”  The gazebo was built for the movie and after the filming it was presented as a gift to the city of Salzburg.  We walked through the Mirabell Gardens where Maria and the children sang, “Do-Re-Mi.”   We saw the Nonnbery Abbey from the outside, but the public is not allowed inside the see the courtyard where the nuns sang, “How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria?”  And we saw St. Peter’s Cemetery where the family anxiously hid from the Nazis.  That scene was not filmed in Salzburg, but in Hollywood.  They perfectly reconstructed the cemetery from St. Peter’s. 

        This was much more than a “The Sound of Music” tour.  We learned about the history of Salzburg, then took a lovely ride through the country to the lake country and the town of Mondsee to see the church were the majestic wedding scene was filmed.  We spent about an hour in this charming lake-front town.  We found a little bakery and enjoyed some apple strudel and coffee.

        The tour ended at beautiful Mirabell Gardens.  By the time we ended the tour the sun was shining.  We spent some more time in Old Town.  We wanted to see St. Peter’s Church but the church is being renovated.  We strolled through the streets of Salzburg and went into a few shops.  We started to visit Mozart’s birthplace, but a huge group walked in just before us, so we decided to wait.  We caught the bus back to the Bloberger Hof and enjoyed another delicious meal. 

        Daylight comes early to Salzburg in the summer.  The sun is up shortly after 5 a.m.  The daylight streaming into our room woke me and I turned over to see the most gorgeous sight—a beautiful, cloudless day.  The sun was already illuminating the glorious mountains outside of our window.  We knew that today would be a great day—we were going to Obendorf, the birthplace of “Silent Night.”

        We enjoyed a delicious breakfast at Bloberger Hof then took bus 21 to the town center where we changed buses for a quick ride to the train station.  I was not using my German Rail Pass, so we found an information booth.  I told the agent I needed two round-trip tickets to Obendorf.  He pointed to some stairs behind me and said, “Quick.  Go down those stairs.  The train leaves in two minutes and you can buy a ticket from the conductor.”

        We went down the stairs and just as we walked on the train the doors closed.  We were on our way!

        The young conductor was most friendly and helpful.   He asked if we needed bus tickets.  When I told him I already had bus tickets he said, “Let me see them.  They will give you a discount on your train tickets.”

        Before we arrived in Obendorf the conductor asked if we were going to the Silent Night Museum.  He said it was an easy walk and gave us directions. 

        It was a beautiful ride to Obendorf.  We went through lush pastures, lovely forests, over streams and rivers.  The majestic mountains were never far away.  It was a picture perfect day—not a cloud in the sky!

        We stepped off the train at the small Obendorf station on this beautiful day and it was like we stepped into a fairy tale village.  Austria is not only beautiful, but it is always fresh and clean.  The little train station reminded me of one of the stations at Disney World.  Obendorf had just celebrated the 200^th anniversary of “Silent Night” in December and they had been prepared.  There were numerous signs directing us to the small chapel and the museum. 

        The walk took us to the river that played a major role in the story of “Silent Night.”  Joseph Mohr was the Parish Priest at St. Nicholas Church in Obendorf.  His parishioners were “bargers,” hard-working people who made their living transporting salt to Salzburg on barges.  They were totally dependent on the river. 

        Joseph Mohr quickly made a name for himself in Obendorf as he spent time in the taverns getting to know his people.  He ate and drank with them and joined in their festive songs.  His behavior caught the ire of his supervisor, who considered it unbecoming of a priest.  He wrote a letter to the Bishop trying to get Mohr moved to another parish.  But the Bishop had also heard of Joseph Mohr and approved of how he was identifying with the people.

        I used to think I knew the story of “Silent Night.”  The story I had shared for years was that on Christmas Eve, 1818, Father Mohr discovered that the organ at the church was not working.  Mice had eaten through the leather straps rendering the organ inoperable.  As he could not imagine the Christmas Eve Service without music, he quickly wrote the words of “Silent Night,” and took the words to his good friend and church organist, Franz Gruber, who composed the music.  Because the organ was broken, Father Mohr and Gruber sang “Silent Night” as Gruber played the guitar.  But this story was all wrong.

        As last Christmas was the 200^th anniversary of “Silent Night,” and knowing that we would be visiting Obendorf, I spent a lot of time researching the background of the song and discovered a different story.  The story I found was that the river had flooded, which was a frequent occurrence, destroying the organ.  I did learn last December that a guitar would not have been suitable for worship, so “Silent Night,” was performed after the service was over.  And I learned that Joseph Mohr had written the words two years before.  But I was to learn even more . . .

        We visited the beautiful little “Silent Night” Chapel.  St. Nicholas Church had flooded so many times that it was eventually torn down.  The little chapel rests on the site of the original church, the site where “Silent Night” was performed for the first time.   It is very peaceful to sit inside the chapel admiring the two stained glass windows, one for Joseph Mohr, one for Franz Gruber, and the gorgeous hand-carved Nativity scene at the altar. 

        After spending some time at the chapel, we went to the “Silent Night” Museum.  I didn’t understand at first why the museum spent so much time talking about the bargers and their hard life in Obendorf, but soon it became clear to me.  The year 1818 had been a terrible year for the bargers and the people of Obendorf.  The river had flooded, they had been unable to transport salt down the river; plus there was extreme poverty and hardships.  Father Mohr was looking for a way to provide hope to his people in a manner that they could identify with. 

        He remembered the words he had written two years before after a particularly hard winter in another parish.  He had written the words but had never shared them.  Because he often sang with the bargers and spent time with them, he felt that the words would speak to them, especially if they were sung with a guitar, which of course could not be used in formal worship. 

        He asked his friend, Franz Gruber, to write the music on Christmas Eve.  The Museum states that the story of a broken organ was probably a myth, but now I realize that whether the organ was working or not doesn’t matter.  The people of Obendorf came to worship on Christmas Eve knowing that after the service was over, their priest, a true man of the people, had something special for them.  The worship service was very traditional, but after the service they heard the beautiful, powerful words of “Silent Night,” for the first time.  It was an experience they would never forget—and neither will we.  

        “Silent Night, Holy Night, All is Calm, All is Bright”

        In a dark and chaotic world, the soothing message of peace and light was a powerful witness to the good people of Obendorf.  Little did anyone know that “Silent Night” would become the most popular Christmas carol of all time. It remains a powerful witness to hope and peace around the world today.

        Our visit to Obendorf had been a powerful spiritual experience.  Everything about the day was perfect, just too good to be true.  We walked back to the train station and soon the little train came to take us back to Salzburg.

        We jumped on the first bus we saw at the Salzburg train station.  Most of the buses go to the Marketplantz in the New City and that was where we would get off.  But this bus took an unexpected left turn and I told Joyce, “We need to get off now.”

        We jumped off the bus and I said, “Let me open my Google Maps and see where we are.”  But then I noticed a lot of tents and said, “Let’s see what this is all about.  Lo and behold, we had stumbled on an Austrian Wine Festival—it was too good to be true!”

        Many of the small winemakers in Austria had gathered in Salzburg for this weekend event.  You rented a wineglass and then could enjoy any wine for two and ½ Euros.  They were also cooking sausage which they were serving with what we thought was sauerkraut and mustard. 

        We normally don’t drink much Riesling wine, but we found the Riesling in Germany to be totally different.  We would now have a chance to sample Austrian Riesling.  We found a tent with a very friendly and helpful young man who spoke excellent English.  His winery, like most at the festival, was a small family-run business.  We got two glasses of Riesling and after one sip we knew it was the best we have ever tasted—even better than Germany!   We ordered a sausage with (what we thought was) sauerkraut.   Joyce took a bite and said, “That is the hottest sauerkraut I have ever tasted!”

        I took a taste and said, “No wonder it’s hot.  It’s not sauerkraut.  It’s shredded horseradish!”

        We enjoyed the sausage and the wine while Joyce avoided the horseradish!

        We found another tent and tried their Sauvignon Blanc.  A well-dressed guy with a flat-cap who reminded me a lot of Chip Holton was standing at the tent.  It was obvious that he had sampled a good number of wines and he wanted to talk.  He wanted to know where we were from and how long we would be in Salzburg.  We shared some good laughs with him, although I’m not exactly sure why we were laughing.  We also met a winemaker who told us he used to live in Johnson City, Tennessee.  As you would expect, he spoke very good English. 

        The Wine Festival, as I discovered, was next to the Mirabell Gardens.  We enjoyed strolling through the gardens again before we caught bus 21 to return to the Bloberger Hof. 

        We enjoyed another delicious dinner at the Bloberger Hof, eating outside since the weather was so nice.  We ended with a glass of Grandpa’s Swiss pine cone schnapps. It has been a perfect day!

        Saturday morning also dawned bright and beautiful.  The majestic mountains were keeping guard out of our open window and we could hear the cows mooing in the pasture next door.  We had a delicious breakfast—Inge scrambles eggs to go with the different breads, meats, and cheeses. 

        We caught the 21 bus into town.  Early Saturday morning was the perfect time to visit Mozart’s birthplace.  We were able to take our time studying the many different exhibits in the very house where Mozart was born in 1756.  It is hard to believe that such a legendary musical genius as Wolfgang Mozart lived only 35 years.  He spent 25 of those years in Salzburg.  It was in this house where the young boy learned to play the violin and the piano.  His father, Leopold, also a musician, recognized his son’s amazing musical gifts early on.  Wolfgang was only 6 when he gave his first big concert at the opulent Residenz (which we would visit later) in front of the Archbishop. 

        The museum gives an excellent introduction to Mozart, his complicated life and his troubled times.  For Mozart fans, visiting this house is like a pilgrimage.  Salzburg is a city alive with the sound of music, Mozart’s music.   Every night there are concerts and you can buy everything from candy to music boxes with a Mozart theme.

        It was market day and we enjoyed watching the locals gather in town for a huge open-air market.  They not only have stands for fruits and vegetables, but they have mobile meat markets and cheese markets.

        We found a little café off the market and enjoyed coffee and a very delicious apple strudel with vanilla cream.  We didn’t really have a plan or a schedule so I told Joyce, “Why don’t we check out the Residenz?”

        Up until the early 1800s, Salzburg was ruled by powerful Prince-Archbishops.”  They had ultimate religious and political authority. 

        We bought our tickets and when we walked up the long flights of stairs and finally entered the grand hall, we could not believe what we were seeing.  We have visited palaces all over the world, but this was just as ornate, opulent, and ostentatious as any palace we have seen.  We wandered from one tremendous room to another, filled with priceless antiques, flooring, and paintings.  We saw where little Mozart gave his first concert at the age of six.  We saw the private chapel of the Archbishop.  We saw the passage between the palace and the great Cathedral, built so the Archbishop could attend church without being seen.  We also saw artifacts from both the Salzburg and the St. Peter’s Cathedral.   There were breathtaking views of the main square and the mighty fortress on the mountain that looks over the city.  We had a great tour.

        We went back to the Bloberger Hof for the rest of the afternoon.  The family attended a wedding on Saturday so the restaurant was closed.  We rode bus 21 back into town and found a neat little outdoor restaurant where we ordered a green salad and a Margherita Pizza.  Even though we were not in Italy, the pizza was very good.

        It started to rain again about the time we got back to the Bloberger Hof, but we had enjoyed three lovely and spectacular days in Salzburg.  This city truly is alive with music.  Tomorrow morning we head for the train station.  Our destination is Rothenburg and it looks like it will be an adventure just to get there!

       

       

       

         

       

       

       

       

       

       

The Hills Are Alive--And More!

        In my journal titled “Dreams Can Come True,” I talked about the influence of my grandmother.  My grandmother loved to travel and went on some wonderful European excursions.  She had a niece who was an airline stewardess (back in the glory days of air travel) and together they traveled the world.  There is even one story of them almost missing a connection to an overseas flight in New York, but because Sally worked for the airlines, they held the plane at the end of the runway and drove Sally and my grandmother out to the waiting 707 jet in a van. It would never happen today!

        She also loved “The Sound of Music,” and I’m sure when Nana visited Salzburg not long after the movie was produced, she must have thought she died and went to heaven.  When we were planning this trip, I knew I would feel her presence in Salzburg and especially during our “Sound of Music” tour.  But little did I know how powerful her presence would appear. 

        I still remember different things from Nana’s house.  I inherited her marble clock that still chimes every hour.  Nana had a reproduction of a popular painting in her bedroom.  It was a Madonna and Child—which is strange considering she was an old-school Baptist. It is a painting by the Italian artist, Roberto Ferruzzi, named “The Madonnina” or commonly called, “The Madonna of the Streets.”  (She may have purchased this painting on one of her trips to Italy.) 

        I don’t know what happened to this painting, but I vividly remember it in her bedroom.  It would be the painting she would see first thing every morning and the last thing she would see at night. 

        The only way to describe Salzburg, Austria is beautiful—simply beautiful.  Everything about this city is beautiful.  We arrived in this beautiful city by train on Wednesday.  I had intended to write down the name and address of our hotel, but only had the name Bloberger Hof.  I assumed a taxi driver would know where it was located. 

        When we got into the taxi the driver asked me if I had an address.  I did not and he did not know where it was located.  He put it in his GPS and then said, “Oh, this is a small hotel and it is in a lovely place close to the mountains.”

        We checked into the Bloberger Hof and when we opened the door to our room we immediately walked out to the balcony with the flower baskets in this idyllic Austrian house.  There were majestic mountains in front of us.   From our balcony we have a fantastic view of the mountains—still with some snow—and a distant view of the snowcapped Alps.  We marveled at the scene before us!  These hills are truly alive!  I felt my grandmother’s presence and thought, “no wonder she loved Salzburg!”

        Then I walked back into our wonderful suite and looked at a beautiful painting on the wall.  I stopped.  I did a double-take.  I could not believe what I was seeing!   It was a copy of Roberto Ferruzzi’s “Madonnia;” the same painting that my grandmother had in her bedroom.

        I called Joyce and had her look at the painting.  I told her about that same painting being in my grandmother’s bedroom.  We both stood and stared, not knowing what to say.

        Then, for some reason, I looked at the date—May 22, 2019.  And it hit me—it was on May 22, 36 years ago, that Nana died.  She died in her sleep.  Perhaps the last thing she saw before turning out the light was this painting!

        She will always be with me.

Munich, Germany

        We had a quick turnaround from our Yellowstone adventure.  Early Saturday morning we picked up Ray Nance and Sang and drove to Pollocksville where we met Lynn, Roger and Samuel, along with Joyce’s brother, William, and his wife, Judy.  We surprised Joyce’s mother for Mother’s Day.   She will be 96 later this month and still lives alone at her home.

        We left Pollocksville mid-afternoon and drove to New Bern where we checked into the Marriott Courtyard on the riverfront.  This was the first time we had been to New Bern since the devastating flood.   While evidence of the flood remains everywhere, it is amazing how well New Bern has recovered. 

        Pollocksville has not fared as well.  We drove through our old town, past the church and the parsonage.  The church has recovered from floodwaters in the basement, but we understand they plan to tear the parsonage down.  We saw a lot of the flooring that had been destroyed sitting on the front porch.  The church installed that flooring when we were there and everyone was so proud of it that we had an open house!   But that was almost 40 years ago. 

        We went to one of our favorite places to eat on Saturday night, the M & J Raw Bar.  On Sunday morning we celebrated Mother’s Day with breakfast at Captain Ratty’s.  Ray Nance told us that he had never visited Tryon Palace.  When we lived in Pollocksville we went often, but Ray Nance was only two when we left town.   We had a great tour with an excellent guide.   We also visited the John Wright Stanly House, one of the most historic homes in North Carolina. 

        Because we are planning to travel by train in Germany for the first two weeks, we decided to ship our big suitcase to Berlin.  I carried the suitcase to the church on Thursday with all the documentation.  It will be picked up next Tuesday and will be waiting for us when we check into the Intercontinental Hotel in Berlin. 

        Ray Nance and Ella Rae took us to the airport in Charlotte on Saturday, May 18.  We checked in with Lufthansa Airlines, just like we did two months ago when we started our Sabbatical in Italy.  Our flight was on-time and 8 and ½ hours after leaving the ground in Charlotte we landed in Munich, Germany.  

        After a long walk through the airport we went through Passport Control.  The young lady in German Customs asked me why we were in Germany.  I told her we were on holiday, then she asked how long we would be in Germany.  When I told her 3 and ½ weeks, she asked where else we were visiting.  I named Salzburg, Rothenburg, Wittenburg, and Berlin.   She said, “It sounds like a very nice trip” as she handed me my passports.

        I responded with a Vielen Dank (Thank you very much) and she had the biggest smile on her face.  I had a year of German in college, but sadly have not retained very much.  But I am able to greet people and most importantly, say “Thank you” in German.  It is amazing what a difference it makes to be kind in any language.   My “Vielen Dank” brings a smile to everyone who hears it.  (I’m sure my pronunciation must be comical to the Germans!)

        We picked up our luggage and walked to the center of the airport where we took an escalator down to the rail platform.  After fumbling around a few minutes with the automated ticket machine, I finally had two tickets for the S-8 train that was sitting in the station.  We stepped on the train, found a seat and two minutes later we were on the way to downtown Munich.  It was a 45-minute ride with several stops, but soon we pulled into the Hauptbahnhof, Munich’s main train station. 

        I had a pretty good idea of where our hotel was located in connection with the train station.   Just to be sure, I turned on Google Maps.  Our hotel, the Maritim, is only one-half block from the main train terminal.   We selected this hotel because it is the hotel we will be staying in next year on our Oberammergau journey.  We walked into the lobby around 11 a.m., just an hour and ½ after we walked off our plane.  The very pleasant young lady behind the counter informed me that check-in was at 3 p.m., but there were a few rooms available.  However, early check-in would cost us 39 Euros. 

        There have been many times we have checked in early at a hotel to be told our room was not ready.  There have also been many times the room was ready and they handed us the keys.  I remember checking into our hotel early in Lucerne, and in London and the Marriott Marquis in Washington, D.C.   Early check-in has never been a problem, provided the room was ready.  But this was the first time I have been charged extra.

        I briefly entertained the thought of exploring until 3, but since we had been on an overnight flight from the US, decided it was best to pay the 39 Euros.   The housekeeper was walking out of our room as we walked in.

        We took a nap, then I did go exploring.  I walked to the Marienplatz in the Old Town.   It was Sunday in Munich on a very pleasant afternoon and the streets were full of people.  I heard music and saw that a parade was taking place about a block away.  As I walked closer, I wasn’t sure if it was a parade or a march.   There were hundreds and hundreds of people, plenty of music, and a lot of signs.  I couldn’t read them, so I didn’t know what was going on.

        My thought was that this was way too many people for a protest march, and they were all happy; smiling, and dancing.  The event was very well organized and there were police stationed at every intersection.  One happy couple who had been in the parade came off the street and stood for a moment on the sidewalk beside me.  I asked, “What’s going on?”

        “We don’t know!” they said.  “But it sure is fun.”

        The parade/march went on for miles.   I finally saw a reporter taking some pictures.  I asked him what was going on.

        “We are marching for a unified Europe,” he said. “We are opposed to any kind of division or discrimination.  We are marching against hate groups and right-wing extremism.  We believe in unity and equality.” 

        It sounded so good that I started to join the march myself, but decided that Joyce would be worried if I was gone too long, so I made my way back to the Marienplatz. 

        I stepped inside St. Michael’s Church, which was built in the late 1500s at the height of the Protestant Reformation.  While Luther was turning the world upside down in northern Germany, Munich remained a bastion of Catholicism.  This is a Jesuit church.  The Jesuits saw themselves as the intellectual defenders of Catholicism.  This gorgeous church is one of the first great Renaissance buildings north of the Alps. 

        I headed back to the hotel and told Joyce we had much to do and see.  I found a neat little German restaurant around the corner from the hotel, the Munchner Stubn.   I went to dinner with the intention of eating brats, but we quickly found out that it is asparagus season as we were handed a special “asparagus” menu.  We enjoyed an asparagus cream soup with an arugula salad with asparagus.  They were delicious.  (We noted that Germans will say “arugula salad,” but the Italians will call the same salad a Rocket Salad.)

        We went to bed early and slept a long time.  The next morning, we made our way down to the breakfast room for an elaborate and lavish breakfast buffet.   They had a wide array of fish, fruit, cheese, breads, scrambled eggs and great German sausage!   In addition to water, fruit juices, coffee and tea, they even have champagne for breakfast!

        The weather forecast was not encouraging—it was supposed to rain for three straight days.  But we were fortunate that while it was cloudy and cool, it was not raining as we walked to Old Town.   The old gate to the city is still standing.  You will see the gate in film clips of American soldiers liberating Munich in 1945.  We walked through the old gate and on to Europe’s first pedestrian-only street that was established in preparation for the 1972 Olympic games. 

We stopped first in St. Michael’s Church.  We paid our two Euros and walked down the steps into the morbid underground crypt that holds the mortal remains of Bavaria’s ruling family, the Wittelsbachs.  The most ornate tomb holds the illustrious Ludwig II, known for the fairytale castle at Neuschwanstein.  Ludwig didn’t want to be bothered with politics, so he frittered away most of his time away from Munich constructing his fanciful Neuschwanstein Castle.  He spent 17 years building the castle that later inspired Walt Disney to build the place where “dreams come true.”  Ludwig’s dream only lasted 172 days when he was declared mentally ill and taken away from the castle.  Two days later his body was found in a lake.  It rests today in the somber crypt of St. Michaels with all of his other relatives.  But even in death “Mad” King Ludwig’s tomb is more elaborate than all of the others and even 134 years after his death his fans continue to leave flowers at his tomb.

        We walked a short distance from St. Michael’s to the Frauenkirche.  This is the church with the twin onion domes that symbolizes the heart of the old city.  The church was bombed in the war, but the twin domes survived.  As the main part of the church was completely rebuilt after the war, it has a much more modern look than most great cathedrals.  The first thing you notice upon entering the church is the big, black, ornate monument honoring Ludwig IV, the Bavarian (1232-1347) who was elected Holy Roman Emperor.  The church’s other claim to fame is that this is where Joseph Ratzinger served as archbishop from 1977-1982.  He later became Pope Benedict XVI. 

        We walked to the New Town Hall in the center of the Marienplatz where people were already gathering for the 11 a.m. performance of the Glockenspiel.  We still had a few minutes so we walked over the oldest church in Munich, St. Peter’s.  A local song goes, “Munich is not Munich without St. Peter’s.”  This church was also bombed in the war and a local radio station kept playing that song to inspire people to give to rebuild the church.  It worked.  Today the church is a beautiful house of worship with gorgeous bronze statues.  You can also see the bones of St. Munditia—we can testify, we saw the bones!  Munditia was beheaded by the Romans for her Christian faith in the 4^th century.  Munich has more relics of saints than any city outside of Rome.  This is because the Pope rewarded the city for remaining true to the church in the rising tide of Protestantism during the Reformation.  Munditia’s bones were a gift of gratitude from the Pope in 1675. 

        The bells on the tower of the Old Town Hall started ringing a few minutes before 11 a.m.  Then precisely at 11 o’clock, the bell of the New Town Hall rang 11 times, followed by the lovely sound of the carillon.  Suddenly, there was a loud gasp from the crowd as the almost life-size figurines came to life.  The figures are actually telling a story of a noble wedding that took place on the market square in 1568.  You see the Duke and his bride watch the action as a friendly joust of knights takes place on horseback.  Then there is a dance that celebrates the end of the deadly black plague.  Everyone in the square enjoyed the performance.

        We then walked the short distance to one of the most unusual churches in all of Europe, the Asam Church that is a breathtaking masterpiece of Baroque architecture.  This church was not built to be a church, but rather a showcase of the incredible work of the Asam brothers who were famous builders of churches.  It is only 30 feet wide since they had only one lot beside their home to build.  You have never seen a church more elaborate than this one.  It is now a true church, with mass conducted each Sunday. 

        We knew that a stop in the world’s most famous beer hall, the Hofbrauhaus, was a requirement for visiting Munich.  It was now almost noon and the crowds were already gathering.   The Hofbrauhaus was also bombed in the war, but it was one of the first places to be rebuilt.  Germans do have their priorities, you know. 

        The original brewery was built here in 1583.  This was the Wittelsbachs’ private brewery.  In 1880 the brewery moved out and this 5,000 seat beer palace was built in its place.  The beer is flowing here, as well as oompah pah music.  The beerhall is loud and proud, and don’t forget the gift shop.  We were glad we visited the Hofbrauhaus, but decided the Ratskeller would provide a better atmosphere for lunch.  This is also worth a visit.  It is located in the cellar of the New Town Hall and is an elegant setting with stained glass windows and great paintings. We decided to try their version of asparagus cream soup along with weiner schnitzel and asparagus.  It was a lovely meal. 

        It was beginning to rain, so we made our way back to the hotel, taking advantage of the elaborate underground as much as possible.  There is a whole city under the city streets of Munich filled with shops and cafes. 

        The rain continued throughout the afternoon and night.  It was still raining when we woke up Tuesday morning.  We had thought about touring Nymphenburg Palace or the “Residenz” in downtown Munich, but decided that we would spend the morning indoors in the relatively new Nazi Documentation Center.

        When we visited Berlin a number of years ago we were told that no one should talk about Hitler and the Nazis.  It was an embarrassing chapter in German history that they wanted to forget.  But as time has passed, Germans are more open about their history and feel it is important to remember what happened so that we can learn from past mistakes.  We are also seeing the rise of anti-Semitism and hate groups in our world today.  This makes it imperative to remember what happened in one of the world’s most intelligent and civilized countries a century ago.

        We took the subway to Konigsplatz and walked through the rain to the Nazi Documentation Center.  This rater non-descript cube-shaped building is located on the site of the brown house, the birthplace of Nazism. 

        When we got off the subway, I was looking for a map to tell me the closest exit to take to reach the center, when a man asked, “Can I help you?”  We told him we were going to the Nazi Documentation Center and he not only gave us directions, but went into great detail talking about what we would see.  He then talked about his grandfather, a Lutheran minister who was not allowed to speak during the Third Reich.

        I shared with him that I was a minister.  He then told us that he was also a Lutheran Minister.  We had a nice visit.  I told him that Joyce’s father was in the war.  He said that his grandfather was also in the war.  They, of course, were fighting on different sides.

        We walked in the rain through a large, open area in front of grandiose Neoclassical buildings.  It was here that Hitler would stage his grand spectacles with 1,000s of soldiers and fanatical speeches.  It was here where mass book burnings took place.  At the height of Hitler’s power some 50 buildings in this neighborhood housed dozens of Nazi departments with thousands of employees.  I somehow had the feeling that we were surrounded by evil spirits.

        The Center documents the rise and fall of Nazism beginning with the First World War.  We spent about three hours looking at the exhibits and listening to the excellent commentary provided on our audio guides.  

        It is still hard to comprehend how an intelligent and cultured people like the Germans could allow a psychopathic madman to gain power and ultimately total control. Hitler took advantage of the desperation of the German people following the First World War, but as the Documentation Center demonstrates, the economy improved in the mid 1920s and Hitler’s influence diminished.  His coup attempt, the “Beer Hall Putsch” in November of 1923 also failed and Hitler was wounded and spent time in prison.  But as we learned, the judicial system failed because of the ideological influence of the extreme right. 

        Hitler appealed to many conservative values that decent people of faith share and he took advantage of their willingness to overlook his extreme and eccentric ways in hopes that their goals would be achieved in the end.  By the time the good, decent, Christian people of Germany realized what was going on, Hitler had total control and had stripped away all basic human rights.  

        I had the same feelings as I have had at the Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem.  It is certainly one of the saddest chapters in human history and we have seen the deep scars in Israel, in Italy, and now in Germany—not to mention the scars remaining in the United States.  One of the most disturbing trends we are seeing not only in the US, but around the world, is the rise of hate groups and the warped thinking that one race or religion is superior to others. 

        I admire the people of Munich for facing this painful and embarrassing historical chapter head on.  They are determined to learn from the deep scars of the past and not allow history to repeat itself. 

        The Documentation Center sits on the site of the “Brown House,” the house where Nazism was born.  The Brown House was destroyed after the war, but the “Fuhrerbau” the Fuhrer building still stands next door and today is a music academy.  This is the same building you see in the grainy film footage of Neville Chamberlain arriving to meet with Hitler.  Chamberlain, as you know, gave in to Hitler’s demands in 1938 when he signed the now infamous “Munich Agreement.”   Chamberlain agreed to Hitler’s demands to annex Czechoslovakia in exchange for Hitler’s promise that once this was accomplished, he had no plans to make claims on any other country.  When we later visited the Czech Republic we witnessed the deep pain and suffering that this “compromise” inflicted on thousands of people.  

        Less than a year later Hitler attacked Poland and Great Britain was at war with Germany.   Hitler’s office window still looks out over the main entrance.  It was a chilling sight to see.

        The rain had almost stopped, but now a cold wind was blowing as we walked across the former Nazi parade ground back to the subway.   We went back to our little German restaurant around the corner from the hotel, the Munchner Stubn where we enjoyed some good German bratwursts and sauerkraut. 

        When I am in a city or around a crowd, I normally put my wallet in my front pocket.   I pulled it out of my front pocket to pay our bill and for some reason put it in my back pocket.  I actually gave it a brief thought but reasoned, we only had a half-block walk to the hotel.

        It was still wet and windy and I was walking ahead of Joyce when she saw a man start to make a move to my wallet that you could partially see in my back pocket.  She used her umbrella to push him aside and he quickly ran away.  If it had not been for Joyce’s alert and quick action, I would have been on the phone calling my credit card companies, not to mention the fact I would have lost several hundred Euros I had in cash.   I hope I’ve learned my lesson.

        The weather was calling for more rain tomorrow, but all we had to do was walk the short half-block to the train station.  In the morning, we leave for Salzburg!