May 22, 2024
Oops, we missed a day! Not really. The ship did indeed dock briefly in Zell am Main around 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21 to allow guests to leave for shore excursions in Bamberg. The four of us had signed up to do the included Bamberg Walking Tour but decided to opt out due to some torrential rain. Instead we enjoyed a quiet afternoon on the ship. The girls and I played some mahjongg while Bill caught up on some reading. During the cocktail hour the ship docked briefly in Bamberg to pick up the guests after the shore excursions. We all agreed that our decision to opt out of the tour was a wise one as we watched the completely soaked tour participants come aboard.
Sometime later that evening, the ship entered the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal that connects the Main River at Bamberg with the Danube at Kelheim. Completed in 1992, this 100 mile long canal is of tremendous importance to river traffic. It permits traffic to flow between the North and Black Seas enabling both people and freight to move across the European continent by water.
After breakfast the following morning, our ship docked in Nuremberg.
The second-largest city in Bavaria, Nuremberg is filled with traditional half-timbered houses and Gothic churches with intricate spires. Although nearly destroyed during World War II, the remaining medieval city walls stretch some three miles and feature original gateways and 80 original watchtowers. Nuremberg is well known historically for its metal and toy craftsmanship. But it is infamous for its role in World War II, first as the site of Zeppelin Field’s Nazi rallies and later as the site of the war crimes trials at the Palace of Justice that captured the attention of a generation.
Betty and Linda had selected the included Nuremberg Through History tour.
Description: Tour one of Germany’s most renowned and intriguing cities on this included excursion. Meet your guide and drive to the Old Town, where you can delve into Nuremberg’s complex past. This medieval city is still surrounded by 14th-century walls, with many gates and watchtowers fully intact. It grew into a toy-making capital of Europe, where craftsmen also shaped metal into sculpture and carved wood and other materials into decorative crafts. See the grounds on which Nazi rallies were staged and pass the Palace of Justice, then admire the Imperial Palace, one of Europe’s most formidable fortresses. Then, stroll down the hill past half-timbered houses and browse the stalls at the Market Square. One of Europe’s most celebrated, it is famous for its gingerbread and its Gothic Schöner Brunnen, or Beautiful Fountain. Cap your tour with free time to explore on your own.
Bill and I had selected the optional Nuremberg & World War II Tour.
Description: Immerse yourself in Nuremberg’s World War II history as you discover the rise and fall of the Third Reich. Nuremberg is remembered as both the seat of Nazi propaganda and as the place of punishment for Nazi war criminals. Your expert guide will take you to Zeppelin Field, the former Nazi Party Rally Grounds where 100,000 voices saluted Adolf Hitler. You will see the fuehrer’s Congress Hall, built to the massive scale of the Roman Colosseum. At the Documentation Center, contemplate the extent of Nazi propaganda, then visit Courtroom 600 in the Palace of Justice, the venue of the Nazi war trials that captured the world’s attention. When court is in session, entrance is not possible and you will instead visit the Memorium Nuremberg Trials exhibit.
So we parted ways with the girls and boarded our bus for a short bus ride to our first stop at the Zeppelin Field. (By the way, none of our guides in Germany were reluctant to talk about what they referred to as the dark period of German history, i.e. Nazi Germany. They all welcomed questions and comments. Unlike their parents and grandparents, who never talked about or studied that period, the current generation is encouraged to learn about that time lest it ever happen again. In fact, all school-aged children are required to go on a field trip to one of the concentration camps.)
There were several reasons why Nuremberg was chosen for the National Socialists party rallies starting in 1933. The “German Day” of 1923 and the rallies of 1927 and 1929 had already started a tradition on which to build. The city was centrally located, with good rail connections, an existing large stadium, large open, flat land for building, and a sympathetic police force. Historically, the Golden Bull of 1356, issued by Emperor Charles IV (who reigned from 1346 to 1378), named Nuremberg as the city where newly elected kings of Germany must hold their first Imperial Diet, making Nuremberg one of the three highest cities of the Empire.
Prior to the National Socialists construction program which began in 1933, the land around Dutzendteich Lake was a popular recreational area. It allowed people to gather at restaurants, swim in the lake, visit the zoo and attend events at the stadium and other sports facilities on the other side of the lake. A large open field on the southeast bank of the lake was used by Count Zeppelin to land a blimp in 1909 and was thereafter named Zeppelin Field.
Historical photos below are taken from here.
During the construction, a part of the lake was filled in, a beacon tower was destroyed, and the zoo was torn down. The area was to become the Nazi Party Rally Ground designed by Albert Speer.
Since 1945, the Zeppelin Field has served a variety of purposes. Until the U.S. Army withdrew in 1995, it was used as an athletic field and parade ground for the Army. The annual Norisring car races – one of Germany’s most important motor sports events – have been held here since 1947. It is also a venue for major rock and pop concerts including Bob Dylan in 1978.
Looking across the lake from Zeppelin Field we could see Congress Hall. Congress Hall was intended to be a monumental structure capable of accommodating more than 50,000 people, almost twice the size of the Coliseum in Rome, with a self-supporting roof. As conceived by architects Ludwig and Franz Ruff, the marshy land required elaborate, costly foundations, including 22,000 concrete pilings rammed into the ground. Construction started in 1935 but was never completed. One wing of the hall how houses the Documentation Center.
Our final stop on this portion of our tour was Courtroom 600 in the Palace of Justice where the famous Nuremberg Trials were held. By agreement, the trials needed to be held in a zone occupied by the USA and Nuremberg had the necessary infrastructure. The Palace of Justice, which suffered limited damage, was big enough for all the allied representatives. The adjacent prison simplified the protection and transportation of the prisoners. The courtroom was modified to accommodate all the press, the photography and filming, interpreters and of course all the participants.
After viewing Courtroom 600, we were transported to Old Town Nuremberg for a brief walking tour followed by some free time.
No visit to Nuremberg is complete without their famous gingerbread. We stopped at Wicklein (the oldest manufacturer of gingerbread) where we purchased a commemorative tin full of gingerbread cookies to take home.
Then it was back to the ship for the afternoon and evening activities.
