Great Rivers of Europe - 9

Hi, The first two pictures of this post were taken on the day we left Bamberg.

The port of Bamberg has a number of locations to load barges.  Here is one of the photos I took of the area.

After we got underway a galley tour was offered (above and below).  It is amazing such a small place can feed about 200 passengers plus crew.

Our next port was Nuremberg where we had a city guide.  Here she is showing us a photo of the Zeppelin Stadium during the Nazi era.

Compare the view in the photo to the way the VIP viewing area looks today.  It is impossible to get a sense of the hold this would have had over people.  I am not making excuses for the Germans.  All I am saying is that it is important to understand the psychology of the era.

These structures housed the rest rooms.

Our next stop was the hall of justice, site of the trial of the most senior Nazis.

The guide had a photo showing how the courtroom was modified for the trial.  The prisoner dock was on the left and the panel of judges on the right.  Defense council sat at the tables in front of the prisoners while I think the prosecutors sat on the right in front of the judges.  There was no jury.

Here is a view of how the famous courtroom is configured today.  The judges now sit in the back under the cross.  The courtroom is still in use.

After our tour we were given an opportunity to experience a street fair with lots of different foods.

There were lots of samples to try including pretzels and

of course sausage.

The church facing the square has a clock tower with animated figures for when the hour is struck (above and below).

In the afternoon shuttle buses were provided.  This allowed us to visit the Documentation Center which houses exhibits on the history of Germany leading up to the Third Reich through the end of World War II.
It is housed in a part of the building called the Congress Hall.

This photo shows the plan for the Congress Hall.  It was to be the meeting place for the Nazi Party.

The Congress Hall was never finished.  Here is an aerial view of it's current state.

This view shows part of the interior of the Congress Hall from a cantilever platform extending from the Documentation Center.

An original copy of Mein Kampf is part of the collection of the Documentation Center.

Nuremberg was a sobering place to visit.  I believe it is essential to preserve these buildings, documents, and photos as constant reminders of how easy it would be to once again slip into insanity.

Thanks for looking.

Great Rivers of Europe - 8

Hi, On May 9 we stopped in Bamberg, Germany. The ship provided a walking tour of the older part of town.  Fortunately it was left virtually unscathed by World War II.

During the tour we visited a market held in the town square where the usual produce was for sale (above and below).

Craft items also were available (above and two below).

This statue of Neptune, god of the sea, graces the square.

I spotted this mailman making his rounds.

St. Martins Cathedral faces the square.

This street scene is typical of many we saw in Germany.

Next to the street in the scene two photos above is this fountain with places to sit surrounding it; a quiet oasis amid the hubbub of this bustling  town.

At the end of the street in the street scene three photos above is a bridge across the river that bisects Bamberg.  The wall in the street scene photo is part of the bridge which leads to the city hall.  This interesting statue is at the end of the bridge.

Bamberg City Hall sits on an island in the middle of the river.

The road on the bridges passes through the City Hall.

Up river there are some interesting old buildings and a dam.

Downriver the water is calm and lined with homes.

Just on the other side of the bridge from the City Hall is a residential area with some restaurants.

Many of the buildings are decorated with statues.

As we walked I spotted this old Mercedes.

Bamberg also remembers its former Jewish community.  There is a small memorial on one of the bridges leading to the City Hall.  It includes plaques in the pavement bearing the names of some of the members of the community and their deportation dates.

Thanks for looking.

Great Rivers of Europe - 7

Hi, On May 8 Ruthe and I elected to take an optional trip off the ship to the walled town of Rothenberg, Germany.

This view is from inside the walls and shows two of the watch towers and a stairway leading up to the covered rampart.

As in many other European countries the Germans take great pride in the appearance of their property (above and two below).

Many of the businesses have elaborate signs hanging outside their establishments.

One of the gates into the town is at the bottom of a steep hill.

A clock tower faces the main square.

From 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM and then again at 9:00 PM and 10:00 PM the figures (above and below) appear to drink wine when the clock strikes the hour.

Facing the square at a 90 degree angle to the clock tower is the city hall.

The square is paved with cobblestones.

While walking around the town we came across a small garden commemorating a Jewish scholar who resided in Rothenberg and the Jewish Community which was destroyed in the Holocaust (above and two below).

A number of tombstones found in the town in 1914 and dating from 1266 to 1395 are set into the wall surrounding the garden.

The town's museum had a Judaica section with menorahs,

a Torah,

a number of grave stones, and

other items including this Shofar (rams horn) and two pointers for Torah readers.

The museum also had this middle age kitchen set up.

Here is another of the town gates.  Thanks for looking.