Day 12-Oct 4-Tues- Nuremberg, Germany

Day 12-Oct 4-Tues- Nurenburg, Germany

We were bused to town, as the ship couldn’t get to port on time; there was too much traffic through the locks during the night.

We stopped to walk in the Zeppelin Center where Hitler gave speeches.

Here are some quick notes from our guide. The Nazi party rally grounds covered about 11 square kilometres in the southeast of Nuremberg, Germany. Six Nazi party rallies were held there between 1933 and 1938. His leaders sat in the bleaches and Hitler spoke from inside the caged area. Nazism wasn’t a political party, it was a racist party. It used the sausage strategy, slice by slice as detailed by Niemeier: “First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”

Then we drove by the Justizpalatz: Room 600 is where the Nuremburg Trials were held. In 1945, the city was chosen as the site of the war crimes tribunal to try Nazi leaders and others accused of atrocities during WWII. We were not able to tour inside. The justices, two from each of the Allies, compiled a list of those they wanted to put on trial -24 in all. They wanted to try them individually to be above reproof. Evidence was foolproof because the Germans had documented everything in triplicate and because there were witnesses. Defense was to plead not guilty, we did our duty, followed Hitler’s orders. Hitler was dead, and his main captains were dead, but 12 were sentenced to death, 10 were hanged and 2 were already dead. Martin Bormann was one who had died in the last days of Berlin. His corpse was found in the early 70s proving he was really dead. Gering took cyanide the night before the hangings.

Seven got prison sentences including Hess, three were acquited. There was a prison attached to the courtroom. Nuremburg was chosen as the site of the trials because of the availability of security. They could walk the prisoners through the prison grounds behind a high cement wall, preventing escape or assassinations.

(Be sure to click on an individual picture for a larger view and sometimes, commentary.)

One of the ancient gates to the city that still stands.

A few ancient structures have survived like this covered bridge and the  gate to the once walled area.

Nuremberg was the undeclared capital of the Holy Roman Empire, with the Imperial Diet general assembly meeting at Nuremberg Castle. Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) in Nuremburg, Germany, was established first as a Jewish Synagogue in the 12th century. When the citizens of Nuremburg wanted a central and larger market place in 1349, Charles IV gave his subjects permission to push the Jews out. The pogram was carried out in December 1349 in which at least 562 Jews were burned to death.The synagogue was burned and Fruenkirche was erected. In 1525, the church was the first to convert to Lutheranism. The church was heavily damaged during the bombing of 1945.

 We continued through Nuremburg, 85% of which had to be reconstructed after WWII. It is no longer a beautiful city, and it didn’t help that it was a rainy day.

We ended our tour at the central marketplace where we sampled a Nuremburg bratwurst… We find it to be the best so far. I also bought a container of Lebkuchen or Nürnberg gingerbread (which contains no ginger) at the little shop adjacent to the Frauenkirche.

We returned to the ship and spent the afternoon relaxing, followed by a Traditional Bavarian Dinner, including Suckling Pig.

When we returned to cabin our cabin attendant, Ivana, had created the swan heart from towels. What a sweetie she is!

Ciao for now!