Nuremberg

After leaving Rothenburg ob der Tauber, we drove about an hour to the City of Nuremberg.  Nuremberg is also a walled city, and much of it had to be rebuilt after World War II.  We stayed right in the heart of the old city, inside the walls along the Konigstrasse, the main pedestrian thoroughfare.  We took a self-guided walking tour along Konigstrasse, seeing the main sights along the way and ending up in Hauptmarkt (Market Square).  The square is filled up every day with vendors selling anything and everything.  Mona and I both bought a bratwurst and strolled through the stalls while we ate.

Most people hear of Nuremberg and think of the Nuremberg trials after World War II.  Nuremberg was actually a center of Nazi activity and Hitler had grand plans to build an enormous Nazi complex.  The old movies you see of Hitler address large crowds of troops was often the rally grounds in Nuremberg.  We visited the Nazi Documentation Center which traces the evolution of the Nazi movement and Hitler’s rise to power.  It’s not actually a World War II or Holocaust museum, but discusses Nuremberg’s role.

The grandstand at the rally grounds in Nuremberg.
The podium area in the middle is where Hitler stood while
giving speeches.

The rally grounds were to contain a whole complex of buildings.  The Congress Hall is the largest building still standing and where the museum is housed.  This is where the Documentation Center is located.  The Zeppelin Field is where Hitler held his largest rallies, many of which were filmed.  The grandstand is still there but is in much decay.  A lot of this area has been repurposed by the City of Nuremberg through the years for park space, athletic fields and the like.  It’s certainly not being preserved as a shrine, but it is an important reminder of German history.