SUNDAY, JUNE 30
It seems unbelievable that only a short time ago we were complaining about the cold. Wow. Wondering if we maybe whine too much? I know we are fighting too much…over nonsense and nothing.
So…Munich. We arrived late for the Sandman Free (never really free) Walking Tour that began at the Marienplatz, with a crowd of other tourists, all staring up dumbly at the Rathaus-Glockenspiel. Approaching the square, my memory was jogged by the site of this sheep-like crowd, something I remembered from my first visit to Munich when I was 21. Even then, starry-eyed, I found the scene silly, so many people waiting for this show of metal figures going round and round, the knight being knocked off his horse, and dancers twirling. Chloe was as unimpressed as me.
GHOST TOWN
Far more interesting was the fact that Munich was like a ghost town, all the stores closed on Sunday (hadn’t planned for that). But the church bells were loud, constantly interrupting our guide. I would never have thought of Germany as so religious. But we learned that Bavarians, unlike most Germans, are Catholics.
Our first stop on the tour was the Church of St. Peter whose towers were used by the Allied forces to locate Munich during the bombing campaign. The campaign levelled nearly 90% of the city. Some bombs — between 1,000 and 10,000 — still rest in the ground in Munich, not yet detonated. This tidbit of information seemed meant both to a scare us and illicit pity. It did neither as we had recently experienced Mostar and the Balkans, which are littered with landmines, and it’s hard to feel sorry for Germans.
HITLER AND NAZISM IN SHORT SHRIFT
The tour was on the lighter side, and we were both disappointed that there wasn’t more discussion of Hitler’s rise to power and his followers in Munich. The tour stopped, instead, by brass cobblestones on Viscardigasse street to acknowledge those who resisted the Nazis in Munich. Some 10,000 people in Munich may have died in the Resistance, said the guide. But as we all know, that number is tiny compared to those who supported the Third Reich and miniscule compared to the Jews, Roma and others murdered by the Nazis.
This was the only time our guide talked about Nazism and Hitler…and we felt it strange and out of proportion. It almost fuelled a kind of anger. Mostly the tour focused on Bavarian pride — beer, Ludwigs and Ottos, and quirky traditions like stealing a May Pole.
MUNICH PUTSCH
Munich is where Hitler gained his reputation and ascended to power. In 1923, he attempted a coup d’etat, known as the Munich Putsch. He marched with 2,000 followers to the Felderherrnhall where they were confronted by the police. Hitler’s bodyguard took six bullets (bullets that could have changed the course of history). Fifteen other National Socialists died, and five Weimer Republic police. Hitler was knocked down and dislocated his shoulder.
Though Hitler committed high treason, a crime punishable by death, the judge only sentenced him to nine years in prison. Hitler used the courtroom as his bully pulpit — his words were published in newspapers throughout Germany and internationally.
After only six months, Hitler was released on good behavior. While in prison, he wrote the first edition of Mein Kampf. It wouldn’t be long before he was chosen as the Chancellor of Germany.
STRANGE ARCHITECTURAL DETAILING
Among our other destinations were the Opera House, where we heard the story of fires there; a museum near the Royal Palace, where we learned about the beginnings of Octoberfest, a wedding party for King Ludwig 1 in 1810.
Our guide mentioned that Italian Baroque was brought to Munich from Verona, and we were delighted that we would be see more decorative and tasteful architecture. But it turned out that detailing, even of a royal palace, is painted on buildings, not carved. This isn’t because buildings have been rebuilt since the war; they were originally designed this way. Pretty weird.
Oompah bands played in many restaurants, the men in Lederhosen. Older people enjoyed the entertainment, particularly at the Hofbrahhaus . Our last stop was the market. Munich developed in the 1400s as a center of trade because of the market and it has run continuously since then.
But it was Sunday…and Sundays are a day when everything, and everything (we couldn’t get groceries) is shut down.
THE ENGLISH GARDEN
Not the English Garden, though. It was abuzz with people, lots of whom were soaking in the river . Others sunbathed on the lawns, some were naked.
It feels like a strange place.
