Day 4: Nuremberg — Shawn Grant

Nuremberg is a short day trip from Munich. Like all of Germany its history is layered. The medieval town is beautiful. The churches, cathedrals, and squares are enough to make anyone stop in for a visit. They're famous for the sausages, and as the home of the 16th century artist Albrecht Durer. The city was an important center of the Holy Roman Empire and the German Renaissance. It loaned its name to the Nuremberg laws which systematically denied the rights of Jews, the Nazi rallies famously recorded in the film Triumph of the Will, and the location of the Nuremberg trials which held some Nazi leaders accountable for their actions after the war.

We went for a bit of it all. You've probably seen some of the places we visited. The Zeppelin Field is the site of the famous Nuremberg rallies. The rallies, like the architecture, were massive in scale. The rallies were recorded in the film Triumph of the Will, and often when someone wants invoke the image of the Nazi past you'll see an image of the rallies. (If you've seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens, they are deliberately invoking these images as well.)

Visiting the site is eery. And yet I love the way the Germans present their history. The site wasn't torn down. Instead they are slowly letting nature destroy the site. Grafitti adorns with walls with the message, "Never Again." The Germans have made a deliberate attempt to remember their history, but to do it in a way that demonstrates their rejection of it. There is a refusal to forget or deny their past, instead they present it in a way that helps them chart a different future.

This visit, however, was only part of the day. After lunch it was a trip through the medieval city's past. If you're interested, check out the images below..

Daily Stats

Steps Taken

24,266

Sausages Eaten

Approximately 9

Locations mentioned in Frankenstein

Street Art

Some random street art in Munich. I saw it while heading out to do some early morning laundry. Look closely at the images on the vase.

Hitler's Grand Congress Hall

The Nazi’s seemed to believe that bigger is always better. This is building was meant to hold the Congress. It is massive, and was only one stage of the project.

Nazi Parade Grounds

A kindly British gentleman took a picture of me in front the Nazi parade grounds. Look closely and you will see his finger in front of the lens.

"Never Again"

Graffiti at the Zeppelin Field declaring “Never Again.”

Nuremberg Sausages

Nuremberg is famous for these small sausages. They taste like they look, which is to say like sausages.

St. Lorenz Church

There is nothing particularly noteworthy about this church, and yet the interior is still magnificent.

Adam Kraft

The medieval sculptor Adam Kraft included an image of himself in his work for the St. Lorenz’s Church. He seems like a nice guy.

Tribute to Albrecht Durer

The artist Albrecht Durer lived in Nuremberg. One of his more famous works is of a rabbit. This statues invokes that history, although the modern artist has certainly included his or her own flourishes. Look closely, if you dare.

Relic

I always find it interesting to watch people casually walk by mummies, relics, or other decomposing bits of human in spaces like this. I suppose if you place some glass or a golden box around it, it seems normal, right?

Traveling Partners

We spent the day with most of the crew until lunch. At that time Kaylin, Nicole, and I set off to explore the city.

Frankenstein University

If you recall Frankenstein went to university in Ingolstadt. I was tempted to get out and explore the city, but time was making fools of us. I was just able to snatch a picture of the train station, and as the train was moving I’m pretty impressed by the clarity of the image.