Erfurt at Christmas

 Our aim for this Christmas season was to seek out what was reported to be some of the best Christmas markets in southern Germany.  We had plans to take in three cities in one day.  It was a rather ambitious endeavor given that the three cities chosen were more than two hours from Frankfurt.  Their reputation warranted the extra time and effort required.  We started with Erfurt which is noted for two reputable universities.  Marin Luther acquired both his Bachelors and Masters degree here.  It has one of the largest market squares dominated by two churches--one catholic and the other protestant.  These prominent  edifices are perched atop a hill and reaching them involves a broad concrete staircase.  From the vantage point in front of the two churches, one can see the cityscape and more particularly the square alive with colours of the Christmas season.  In addition to the normal booths marketing various and sundry knick knacks, there were a number of craftsmen who obviously were taking advantage of the throngs of people frequenting the square at this time of year.  We too could not resist and purchased a three level Christmas Carousel as a keepsake of our two Christmases in Germany.                                                              

Erfurt is the capital of Thuringia, was formerly part of East Germany and is the city closest to the geographical center of Germany so it has something in common with our little town of Vanderhoof in the center of British Columbia.  The city itself was first mentioned in 742 and has an intact medieval city center.  The churches date back to the 13th century and Erfurt claims to have the oldest still standing Jewish synogogue  in Europe. Another remarkable site is the bridge which crosses the Gera River and has 32 buildings on it.  It is hard to tell you are on a bridge, except where access
points between the building allow one to the see the river below. On one end of the bridge is an old church on the other a monastery.  Quite a picturesque scene. The appeal of this city aside from the market and bridge was the splendid examples of architecture, the design work of the building facades and the energy so readily felt in this university town.

On the day we were there, fire men were removing snow from the down town roof tops to prevent the accumulation from sliding and injuring passersbys below. Their boom trucks and colorful apparel drew lots of spectators.  Taking in the market is unquestionably part of the Christmas tradition in Germany.  Every town boasts its Christmas market.

We went on to Weimer another 20 minutes down the road and took in their market as well.  We plan on heading back to Weimer as it holds much appeal for other reasons.

Another picture of Erfurt 

Marvelous woodwork in choir stalls

The interior of the cathedral- Stunning!

Mainz- City of Emperors

Mainz Cathedral of St. Martin (Mainzer Dom) over 1,000 years old

Mainz is able to capture the appeal of almost any visitor.  It has a rich, even fabled history from Roman times  through to the turbulent period of the ruling religious aristocracy of the Catholic Church to the Third Reich and the Jewish persecution. Geographically it sits at the confluence of the Main and the Rhine a strategically critical center for transportation, trade, commerce, defense and wine production.  Over the centuries it was the seat of government and the coronation place of seven emperors.

Mainz visually commands attention.  The grandeur of the city beckons one to explore its history and unravel the mystery behind the aura of  importance this place seems to emanate.  St, Martins Cathedral dominates the central square.  It was the seat of the Archbishop of Mainz- the Episcopal See.  It was consecrated in 911 AD and over the centuries has undergone extensive renovations to conform to the architectural standards of the time.  Wars, natural aging, shifting river beds and fires all forced various structural modifications.  Even today it is in the midst of the major interior and exterior refurbishing.  Like many of the major cathedrals of Germany, it sheer size and grandeur bespeak its importance.

Mainz has a collection of generational  remains in the form of architecture, artifacts, relics and written history to capture one's imagination and cater to the appeal of diverse interests.  It is this diversity that makes this city intriguing.  It is a city to be visited numerous times to begin to appreciate its rich historical heritage:

Christ Church 1898–1903, bombed in 1945 and rebuilt in 1948

• Roman-Germanic central museum  It is home to Roman, Medieval, and earlier artifacts.
• Antique Maritime Museum It houses the remains of five Roman boats from the late 4th century, discovered in the 1980s.
• Roman remains, including Jupiter's column, Drusus' mausoleum, the ruins of the theatre and the aqueduct.
• The Iron Tower (Eisenturm, tower at the former iron market), a tower from the 13th century.
• The Wood Tower (Holzturm, tower at the former wood market), a tower from the 14th century.
• The Gutenberg Museum – exhibits an original Gutenberg Bible amongst many other printed books from the 15th century and later.
• The Mainz Old Town – what's left of it, the quarter south of the cathedral survived World War II.
• The Electoral Palace (Kurfürstliches Schloss), residence of the prince-elector .
• Marktbrunnen, one of the largest Renaissance fountains in Germany.
• Domus Universitatis (1615), for centuries the tallest edifice in Mainz.
• The Church of St. Stephan, with post-war windows by Marc Chagall.
• Citadel.
• Rococo churches of St. Augustin (the Augustinerkirche, Mainz) and St. Peter (the Petruskirche, Mainz).
• Church of St. Ignatius (1763).
• The Botanischer Garten der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, a botanical garden maintained by the university
• Landesmuseum Mainz, state museum with archaeology and art.

The Städel Museum in Frankfurt

Sandro Botticelli (1444/45-1510), Idealized Female Portrait

Saturday November 6th 2010 was  cold and rainy  in Frankfurt.  No day trip was planned so we decided to visit the train station (Bahnhof) as it appeared to be more than just a train terminus.  This railway complex houses a virtual shopping mall with a focus on gastronomic appeal.  After some time spent there and with a little encouraging Arendje agreed to visit another museum on the other side of the Maine River.   At first we thought it was closed as the Städel Museum is undergoing extensive renovations.  After the 65 million dollar face lift it promises to be one's of Germany's premier museums.  The Städel's  Museum which opened in 1817 has an extensive collection of art and sculpture built up by donations and bequests from the citizens of Frankfurt.  This city has always enjoyed an economically advantageous position as a banking and transport center.  Additionally, Frankfurt boasts a sophisticated  and highly literate population with liberal leanings. 
The present exhibit spans seven centuries of art from the 1300s  to the present day and follows a strictly chronological  presentation.  The result is a timeline illustrating the history of European paintings.  This unique approach provides a window into the transition of art forms  through the centuries

One of its more noted paintings”, Botticelli’s Idealised Portrait of a Lady represents the linear grace of early renaissance paintings.

The Städel  has a beautiful Renoir (After the Luncheon).  This is a prime example of his work.

The Städel has a practice of buying select pieces, rather than amassing a comprehensive collection of an artist’s work.   The Stadel is said to have begun collecting French  impressionist works before French Museums did.  In 1912, the museum made the daring purchase of Van Gogh’s portrait which is considered a transitional work that “marks the turning point from the art of the 19th century to the modern period”.  The Städel director, Georg Swarzenski’s purchase of French impressionist art in the first decade of the 20th century was controversial because some critics had yet to be convinced of the value of this nouveau art.  Many referred to his provocative purchases as a French “invasion”.

The most famous painting in all of Germany, Johann H. W. Tischbein’s portrait of the poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, can be seen most anywhere in Germany.  This idealised but life-size portrait of Goethe, painted in Rome in 1787, has been reproduced countless times,  Goethe represents the epitome of literary genius in Germany and his name is synonymous with  romantic ideals.

No one in German museum circles thinks the Tischbein represents good art — the artist gave Goethe two left feet and distorted proportions — but it is the symbol of Germany. Along with the Städel’s famed Botticelli, it is one of its must-see “destination” paintings.

Grosser Feldberg & The Taunus Mountains

North of Frankfurt lie the Taunus Mountains.  The highest point is only 850 meters but they provide a spectacular view of Frankfurt and the surrounding valleys.  There is an observation tower located at what is called Grosser Feldberg.  From this vantage point, we could see the fall colors in rich display.  We could even see our apartment block with the naked eye.  It was cold and windy on the top of the ridge so we did not stay long.  The crowds had not arrived as yet, so we had the viewing platform all to ourselves. My research on this site indicated it was a frequently visited location on any clear day.

This mountain range represented the northern boundary of the Roman Empire up until the 3rd century AD.  There are apparently signs of Roman influence along these ridges that clearly demonstrate the line of demarcation.

We proceeded down from the lookout to a place 

called Konigstein (king mountain). At this site is a 13th century castle ruin.  This picture was taken from the keep and again the view was impressive. 

By this time the sun had come out and gave the 

forest a golden glow.  I was atop alone wanting 

to spend time just taking in the view, but the rest 

of our party was below waiting my return. The 

entire medical floor was on this trip.  I had chosen this particular location hoping it would be worth our time. We were not disappointed.

This particular castle or fortress exchanged hands through the centuries, like many others, as the original family line died out.  It looked impregnable given the massive wall structures and prominent position atop a steep rock outcropping.  It would withstand a very ambitious onslaught just to get to the outer perimeter.  During the French Revolutionary Wars, it was blown up by the French.   In the years preceding its demise, a number of German citizens sympathetic to the philosophy of the French idealists, were imprisoned within the walls of the fortress.  Caroline Schlegel, later to become the wife of Shakespeare, was one such.  A fascinating story is told of this lady, her letters, her zeal for life and liberty and the ends to which she would go to procure those rights. 

This last two pictures is of the beautiful Rothschild Villa in Konigstein.  It is tucked away in a secluded, treed property clearly pampering to the well-heeled.  We walked around the site looking for a place to eat, but quickly learned the dining room was intended for those more formerly attired and with somewhat deeper pockets. 

Dresden - reconstructed

We arrived at the Steigenberger Hotel in the heart of
Dresden to attend a Mission President's seminar. As we turned into the square on the bus we caught our first glimpse of the city core and it left a powerful visual impression.  Knowing that Dresden had suffered the most extensive aerial bombardment of any city in Germany, I was expecting an urban center like many others, replete with the architecture of our modern era.  Not so!  In every direction, massive churches, palaces, opera houses and castle complexes were laid out in an extensive inner city network, reflecting the best architectural works of past centuries.  It became readily apparent that this location was going to provide ample opportunity to explore and study the rich heritage of this historic city.


The first two images are part of the Dresden fortress referred to as the Zwinger.  The inner portion is divided into the rectangular square of a concentric castle. This huge open area served a staging place for festival and community festivities.  This first image is one of the wings of the complex.  This wing, and three other wings, each house separate museums.   We visited all three, the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister art gallery contains classic works of art to rival anything in Europe.  The other a porcelain museum and the third was devoted to armor.

Upon leaving the fortress complex, we were presented with an impressive view of the Opera House.  We did not enter this building, but it too represented another indicator of the wealth and power of the Saxon Kings.
The building is largely the Baroque form of architecture.  What you cannot see from this picture is the Elbe River directly behind it.  On the portal are monuments of famous persons including Shakespeare, Goethe and Schiller.

What is particularly noteworthy is the incredible amount of time, effort and money that went into reconstructing these beautiful buildings to recapture the splendor of the romantic period.  Architects state they are now better than they were originally, as they incorporated design features to enhance their structural integrity and longevity.
This Catholic cathedral is one of a number of churches we visited. Dresden was largely a Protestant stronghold, but some of the aristocracy converted to Catholocism to solidify their power base.  The Catholic church still dominated the political arena of Europe in the 19th century and powerful connections were maintained by timely marriages and diplomatic maneuverings.


The last church is the Frauenkirch.  This was immediately across from our hotel.  It was as magnificent on the inside as it looks from the outside.  This was recently reconstructed with contributions of local citizenry.


The East Germans recognized the value of the tourist dollar and so invested quite a bit of money to the reconstruction process.  This rebuilding process continued after reunification is continuing even now with cranes and construction crews working constantly day and night.
This city promises to rate highly as a tourist site in years to come.  With German ingenuity, a powerful economic base,  and their natural penchant for meticulous reconstruction Dresden will surpass a number of other European cities in the drawing power of the world traveler.  It has the appeal of a clean, safe environment, the outlook in the hospitality industry will continue to advance as they recognize the economic benefits of customer care. Additionally, they have scrupulously maintained tourist venues, with enough diversity to capture the interests of the most discerning visitor and the infrastructure to support it all.  No other country in Europe can compare when all facets are examined.  Germany has a bright future!

Bruschal Museum of "Canned Music"

Schloss Bruchsal Castle was once the home of the Prince Bishop of Speyer. More that fifty buildings comprise the complex.  The picture to the right is the central building and it is adorned in baroque style with typical stucco ornaments richly gilded in gold.  Dragons spouting water and chalk white statues add a classical elegance to the facade of the central structure.  The architecture, painting and stucco blends to form an artistic whole.  The work inside by the famous architect Balthazar Neumann is even more impressive.  The Prince Bishop Damien Hugo von Schönborn, a man of influence and connoisseur of art, was the one who commissioned it.

  

The palace now houses a museum devoted to 350 years of self-playing musical instruments.  This was essentially a running history of the18th century salons of the nobility and upper middle class, through the 19th music bars and finally to the cinemas and fairs of the 20th century.

Our tour guide treated us to the sights and sounds of each era and the mechanical instruments that produced them.  From simple instruments that could be held in the palm of your hand, to grandiose elaborate mechanical monstrosities that occupied huge ball rooms.  I was amazed at the scope, diversity and complexity of this art form which reveals my ignorance of the role mechanical instruments played in music history.  As a case in point, I saw one cabinet sized piece that comprised half a dozen instruments playing harmoniously together entirely through mechanical means.  Others were operated by life size mannequins through discreetly placed levers, gears and pulleys.  I subsequent did some research to find hundreds, even thousands of collectors devoted to the pursuit of these art forms and as I began to explore, it did not take much imagination to see why.

We proceeded on to Ladenburg, the home of Karl Benz.  We walked from the old town market square along the Neckar River. We passed what was the garage, where Karl Benz build his first automobile. We continued on to the original manufacturing site which is now a museum housing vintage Benz vehicles.  Arendje and I are standing beside the first patented vehicle  made in 1886. It has a 2 and a half horsepower motor with wire spoke wheels advanced from a bicycle design.
There was a Model # 2 and it is thought only one was made. 

The lady giving us the tour is Jutta Benz, the great granddaughter of Karl Benz.  She provided a personal history of the Benz family and the events surrounding the initial attempts to get some public exposure to the whole idea of a motorized vehicle.  Here she is standing in front of the last vehicle Carl Benz drove before his death in 1929.  In the space of 40 years the design, function and manufacture of the vehicle had changed dramatically, as evidenced here.

Jutta told us a story of how  her great grandmother Bertha Benz,  unbeknownst to her husband took her two sons and decided to generate a promotional campaign of her own.  Carl was decidedly frustrated by all the road blocks in his attempts to getting some commercial interest and positive exposure to his new motorized vehicle.  His wife Bertha, realizing his growing malaise, decided to take the matter in her own hands.  She and her two sons pushed the vehicle quietly out of the yard and started it up with the intent of heading to her mother's place 90 kilometers away.  For Carl, who was still asleep, they  left a brief note indicating where they were going.  They became deeply concerned about their fuel supply as it was quickly diminishing.  In Weisloch they stopped at the municipal chemist's, which still exists today; it proudly commemorates its role as the first gas station.  They had to make two more stops to replenish their supply before they finally returned home.  This vehicle was not without its challenges.  Along the way they had to make some adjustments,  like cleaning a clogged fuel line with a hat pin and insulating a bare ignition cable with Bertha's garter.  What became more of a challenge was having to push the vehicle up hills and carefully guide it down hills as it had a single shoe break that made the descent somewhat of an adventure.

This, the world's first long distance road trip, by car, proved to be a success.  It proved the viability of motorized transportation and set in motion a bright future.  The 180 kilometer trip stifled the skeptical voice of the doubters.  Twenty five of these vehicles were made, with some new fittings, given the experience of the first voyageurs.

We got more than we bargained for with the stop at this museum.  Arendje accommodated my interest and I think actually enjoyed the account by Jutta Benz. 

Ronneburg Medieval Festival

   First mentioned in 1258, Ronneburg Castle subsequently changed hands on numerous occasions.  Over the course of time it served as a haven for religious refugees, gypsies and Jews, a sanctuary for monks, a staging point for knights and residence for counts and aristocratic families. 

The castle presently houses a restaurant, a museum and a falconry center. 

We took this site in largely due to an annual medieval festival occurring at the castle this weekend.  This proved to be another worthwhile venture.  People from every walk of life were represented in traditional dress.  They apparently are all members of a club who travel to different local festivals. They led us on a procession through the marketplace up to the central court of the castle.  Once there, they engaged the spectators in shows designed to humor the crowds.

In addition to the music, there were small booths and kiosks selling an assortment of products, a number of which were clearly attempting to capture the flavor of the medieval period they were representing.  This picture is of an active group of musicians, who robustly played their assorted instruments with an enthusiasm which was contagious.  

The kids would have loved this. 

Ninety percent of those present were dressed in every variety of era appropriate costume.  I felt a little out of place in blue jeans; even the little children were dressed up.

This event is kind of like our fall fair with a notable leaning to the fun part.

We took the time to explore the castle.  This site was probably characteristic of actual life and living conditions of the middle ages.  The rooms were functional with little in the way of adornment. simple chests, armoirs and furnishings with little of the intricate woodwork and carvings typical of the palaces and more notable castles. Huge pots, heavy tables, benches and solid chairs were the norm in a number of rooms.

We walked to the top of the Keep and took in a view of the court yard and the surrounding countryside, with the first signs of fall colours in the trees below.  We could see the skyscrapers of Frankfurt off in the distance.  

The person in the brown peaked cap kept us amused with his facial contortions and slap stick antics. Of course it was in German, but the body language and facial expression provided sufficient entertainment for those of us less linguistically proficient. The variety of costumes made me wonder if there was indeed any where near the diversity I was seeing here.