Germany travel | Travel Thru History

Unique Attractions of Eastern Germany

by Angela Lapham

Berlin is such a vibrant city with so much history that I’ve included it in all my trips to Europe. What’s more, it’s a springboard for several other fascinating not so far away destinations in the former East Germany…

POTSDAM

23 minutes on the train and I’m walking across the Glienicke Bridge, the site of many a Cold War spy exchange. Next I’m touring the palace where the famous Potsdam Conference took place between Truman, Stalin and Churchill, discussing the future of Europe following WWII.

DRESDEN

Two hours from Berlin, Dresden is celebrated for its Old Town, beautifully restored after being destroyed in WWII. Its New Town, I discover, is equally intriguing. A hippy area full of street art, live music and conviviality, I start to wonder if I’ve gone to a music festival! Be sure to check out ‘Kunsthofpassage’: five apartment block courtyards that have become huge art installations (Located at Görlitzer Str. 21-25).

Likewise, Dresden has some fairly alternative museums. The ‘German Hygiene Museum’ traces the, at times disturbing though more often amusing, history of twentieth century public healthcare education in Germany. ‘The World of the GDR‘ uses mannequins to depict everyday life in Communist East Germany. And the Museum of Military History confronts such themes as war-induced psychological trauma, animals used in battle, military inspired fashion and toys, and the valuable contributions made by individuals who committed themselves to community instead of military service (compulsory in Germany until 2011).

LEIPZIG

Captivating museums can also be found in Leipzig, another city two hours from Berlin (and famed for its classical composers Bach, Mendelssohn and Wagner). Runde Ecke exposes the former headquarters of the Communist government’s secret police (Stasi) and Zeitgeschichtliches Forum explores everyday life in Communist East Germany and the subsequent reunification process. Throughout the city, signs trace the history of the resistance movement against the government, which ultimately led to the fall of the Berlin Wall. I leave Leipzig with a strong sense of what East Germans went through.

CHEMNITZ

An hour’s drive/train from Dresden and Leipzig, industrial Chemnitz has not enjoyed anywhere near the same level of redevelopment and as such offers a glimpse into what life was like in Communist East Germany. Of course the 13 meter, 40 ton Karl Marx bust on its main street, Brückenstraße, does little to dispel the image either! Erected following Chemnitz’s 1953 name change to ‘Karl Marx State,’ Marx had no particular connection to the city – a Communist nation commemorating the seventieth anniversary of his death was reason enough!

Any doubts I’d had over whether to make the trip to Chemnitz evaporated as soon as I saw the size of the intricately detailed spectacle before me. What a breathtaking testament to the power of ideology!

This feeling only intensifies when, walking down Brückenstraße (to the left of Marx), I unexpectedly bump into the most artistically unusual Communist-era monuments I’ve seen traveling Eastern Europe. Cubic-structured friezes depict pre-Communist scenes of class inequality, Lenin with soldiers and industrial workers, and Marx and Engels alongside an overjoyed proletariat.

Walking away from Marx’s head in the opposite direction, I chance upon the ‘Park of the Victims of Fascism’ (Bundesstraße174) and, in it, another Marx and Engels. Across the park, a large building catches my eye – partly because it’s quite grand, and partly because it’s decorated in nude male statues. Male statues also frame the doorway. Engaged in scholarly pursuits they signify what is the oldest school in Chemnitz (est.1857).

East German history is also on show at Chemnitz’s new, very impressive ‘Museum of Industry’ documenting 220 years of fashion, cars, electrical appliances, ceramics, and mining.

Some products enjoyed huge international success, such as furniture and home-wares created by the Bauhaus School of Art & Design. Attractive as well as functional, these epitomized the Bauhaus objective to preserve artistic design in an era of mass manufacturing.

Nevertheless, as the museum shows, reunification of Germany in 1989 caused a long list of East German companies to go into liquidation because they couldn’t compete with their West German counterparts.

Still, some companies survived, like Germany’s oldest chocolate company, Halloren, a thirty minute train ride from Leipzig in…

HALLE SALE

At Halloren I have the opportunity to sample the entire chocolate truffle range and to buy test products before they’re released to the public.

Meanwhile, the museum contains huge chocolate sculptures of Halle Saale buildings (including the Halloren founder’s office!), emanating the most intoxicating aroma, and a fascinating exhibition detailing the company’s history.

Halloren proves particularly interesting as a case study on the failings of Communism. An excellent video explains the factory never reached its quotas and that it was common practice to exaggerate these – ‘Everyone played the game.’ Corruption and lack of profit motive left the factory in a state of continual disrepair, which would have seen it end with Communism – had it not been for a buyer appreciating its potential. Likewise, shortages under Communism meant the company was always substituting more expensive ingredients for cheaper vegetable-based ones. I suddenly realize why a proportion of their range is unintentionally vegan!

Halle Saale also has a Beatles museum, the death mask belonging to Martin Luther (on display at ‘Markt’ Church, where he gave the occasional sermon), and a classical music museum in the childhood home of composer George Frideric Handel.

WEIMAR

An hour by train from Halle Saale or Leipzig, Weimar was the focal point of the enlightenment in Germany. It was also the birthplace of the most influential art movement of the twentieth century, Bauhaus, that this year celebrated its centenary and moved its extensive collection of artworks and artifacts to a new, purpose-built exhibition space.

The Bauhaus School of Art & Design became the Bauhaus University. It, together with the Franz Liszt University of Music, gives Weimar a very ‘university town feel’ – fitting, considering the intellectual climate established there by such writing greats as Johann Wolfgang Goethe and Friedrich Schiller. Both were attracted to Weimar in the 1770s when Duchess Anna Amalia, a big supporter of the arts and education, opened one of Germany’s first public libraries, now known as the ‘Anna Amalia Bibliothek.’ Goethe later became the director of this exquisitely decorated library, and he and other great thinkers are immortalized in busts and portraits to inspire each coming generation.

Both here and in all of Weimar’s cultural institutions an audio device provides self-guided tours in English.

Germany’s oldest literature archive, the Goethe and Schiller Archive, is also in Weimar. Architecturally beautiful, it has a spectacular view of the city, built on a hill to better protect it in the event of fire.

There’s more to see, however, inside the archive of renowned philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche.

Nietzsche’s sister turned their last home into a shrine to him, erecting a statue and gold letter ‘N’ in the lounge room and holding lectures and literary teas in his memory. On display is the honorary doctorate he was awarded at twenty five and the first two pages of the original manuscript of his first work, ‘The Birth of Tragedy.’

ROCKEN

Nietzsche was buried where he was born, in a miniscule village 23 minutes’ drive from Leipzig, in front of the church where his father served as local pastor. Behind the church a sculpture depicts both a famous photo of Nietzsche with his mother and a vision he once had where he attended his own funeral twice. I freely wander the grounds and inside the church, during which time I see not a single tourist or even the church’s caretaker.

*Nietzsche’s childhood home can also be visited, in the nearby town of Naumberg (For me it was a very quick visit on account of all the displays being in German!). There is a very touching Nietzsche statue in Naumberg too, on Holzmarkt Square.

One could say a trip through Eastern Germany is an education in everything: from philosophy to literature, to music, art and architecture, to the consequences that political and economic upheaval brings. The bonus is that total travel time for the above trip is less than 9 hours by train. Throw in nearby Prague as well!

If You Go:

www.visitberlin.de/en

www.google.com/destination?q=East+Berlin&client=firefox-b-d&output=search&dest_mid=/m/0156q&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjbjqXdhoTkAhXtIjQIHYXnCW8Q6tEBKAQwCXoECAsQBw#dest_mid=/m/0156q&tcfs=EhIKCC9tLzAxNTZxEgZCZXJsaW4

Berlin Multi-Day Tour: Discover Berlin in 4 Days With Private Airport Transfer

About the author:

Angela is a Melbourne-based librarian and history graduate fascinated with Eastern Europe and different cultures and histories in general. Every few years it’s time to take off to Europe for another lengthy adventure.

Photos by Angela Lapham

Italy: The Venice-Munich Road

A Journey From Bavaria To Venice

by Kanykei Tursunbaeva

Venice has been a tremendous attraction and mystery for innumerable adventurers and scientists fascinated by elegance and nonconformity of Venetian way of life. The architecture and even geographic location (just imagine living your life on a ship, which constantly sways on water, that’s the way it is in Venice!) make it a compelling destination.

An expeditionary group, under the guidance of Malzev Oleg, held its first journey to Venice in 2015. There was filming all around, looking into every scrap of architecture along the way. We drove from Munich to Venice. On the road, all the way to Venice there are castles which are built from as fortifications.

The castles are fascinating. It is not possible to build fortifications as such with our modern technologies. The first conclusion made by Malzev Oleg is that technologies of 18th century were much more advanced than what we have now. Besides, it is a known fact that Bavaria has very fertile ground, all the way from Venice to Munich through Italy. Austria was a perfect place to build one- it was fully protected, and approximately every 1.5 kilometers there is a castle with few number of people. It should be pointed out, that we are not talking about one or two castles. The six hour long road has many fortification systems.

It was hard to rob or occupy them, as from both sides there are massive mountain chains and a fortification system. Supposedly, if one decided to attack those villages he would be trapped in the middle of several fortification castles. One who has resided on Bavarian land knows that crime is quite low there. One of the main reasons is that there is nowhere to run – it is a closed place, so running away to mountains is not an option. Besides, people in Bavaria have distinctive characteristics from other parts of Germany; Bavarians love hunting and almost all men carry guns with the. They do care about safety on their territory. Correspondingly, there are very few cases when someone tries trespass.

Finally we arrive at Venice. The First thing that catches our attention is that you do not use car there. We parked car and took a private boat which brought us to San Marco Central square. Speaking of architecture, interestingly, the paramount symbol of Venice which you see everywhere is a lion with angel wings. Taken into account that the symbol of Bavaria is also a lion but without wings, means that there is a somewhat historic connection between these two places.

The second thing which catches the eye, is that there are very few crosses over cathedrals in Venice. Instead, there are figures of people, animals – the same distinctive feature of cathedrals we observed in Bavaria. We may assume that the architects of Bavaria and Venice were the same persons.

As a result of this expedition to Venice, a Venetian mask system was deciphered by Malzev Oleg. Sixteen Venetian masks are used at the Venetian carnivals, a practical system which could be used in everyday life (eight horizontal masks and eight vertical ones).

If You Go:

The Jewish ghetto is a must place to visit. Some sources say that it was a “hot spot” of prominent doctors, philosophers, lawyers of this times. Hundreds of books were burned as Jews were persecuted. Now there are five synagogues that can be visited with a guide. And for sure, don’t forget to get some shots of the lion with a book, symbol of Venice.

Jewish Ghetto And Cannareggio: Private Tour Of Venice – $56.83
from: Viator

About the author:
Traveling compels Kanykei a lot, moreover it means so much for her to see ancient architecture, to look into the culture of different regions of countries. As an assistant of scientist Maltsev Oleg she grasps that there is so much more behind architecture than what we see.

All photos by Oleg Maltsev

Germany: Summer Festivals and the Oktoberfest

by Larry Zaletel

It seems there is always a festival happening in Germany. Germans like to party, and throughout the year in Germany festivals prevail. I remember when I was stationed there in the American military it seemed like every town had a festival especially during the summer and fall. These festivals would culminate in the world’s biggest blast, the Oktoberfest that ends in Munich in September.

During our recent visit my wife and I and her family visited Bamberg, Germany which is home to nine breweries and is also known for its smoked beer. It turned out to be a beautiful warm fall day, and we were fortunate enough to find a festival. It was mentioned there is always something to celebrate in Bamberg during the summer. So it was that many were enjoying the day, and from the various nationality dialects I heard throughout the day there were plenty of tourists from various countries that were out and about. Majestically overlooking the city, almost as if it were standing guard, is the Bamberg Cathedral. A Roman Catholic church, formally known as Bamberger Dom St. Peter und St George, it was founded in the thirteenth century.

During our walk through the town and sightseeing, I noticed that there were a lot of choices for good things to eat. My favorite is the traditional bratwurst (sausage) served up on a traditional hard crusted roll with semf (mustard). When you are out walking enjoying the festival it just seems to be one of the worlds best hand foods like our American hotdog. Normally vendors are set up with grills eager to provide their wares to hungry tourists. Plus in Bamberg there are also plenty of restaurants. A natural compliment to a bratwurst is a liter of German beer. Some of the other food to be found includes roast pork and another favorite, roast chicken.

During the Cold War Bamberg was an important base for the German and then the American military stationed at Warner Barracks. Since the United States government has drawn down its European presence, Warner Barracks was closed in the fall of 2014 and the barracks area has been returned to the German government. Throughout Germany new buildings are being built and these previous American bases are now used for schools, hospitals, and commercial organizations.

The weather continued to be in a warm holding pattern. This was turning out to be a festive weekend. Some festivals are based on a historic event while the reasons for others seem to have been forgotten or obscured by history. The festival of Kirchweih, commemorating the Thirty Years War between the towns of Gochsheim and Sennfeld, dates back to the medieval days when emperors reigned. There were some villages that had what was called “freedom of the emperor’s realm,” which meant they were allowed to go about their own business.

Then in 1618 when the 30-years war began most of these villages and towns lost this freedom and were subdued under the emperor’s yoke. After the war ended with the truce in 1648 among others, Sennfeld and Gochsheim, were awarded back their freedom and ever since the Kirchweih (church or parish fair) is celebrated on the first Sunday of September in Gochsheim. The weather was perfect, warm with a bright sun, and there was a lot of dancing and food (dumplings and pork etc.) and beer.

My wife and I left Slovenia on Sunday morning October 2, 2016 and drove through the tunnel of the Kawanken mountains to Austria and then on to the Munich airport to return our automobile. We were heading back to the United States on Tuesday morning however later that afternoon while enjoying a drink at the hotel bar our waitress mentioned that the final day of the Oktoberfest was extended to Monday October 3, 2016 a national public holiday this year as it coincides with the Tag der Deutschen Einheit (Day of German Unity or German Reunification Day). Ah, sometimes the stars are aligned perfectly, and having never attended the Oktoberfest we joined some of the million visitors who attend the world’s biggest party and largest beer festival (Volkfest). The next morning we hopped the train at the airport and headed into Munich. We didn’t have to ask directions; we just followed the crowd and they led us to the festival gate. FYI, there is no admission fee into the festival grounds, however after that for everything else there is a charge.

The original Oktoberfest in October 1810 was held in honor of the wedding between Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. Today it is held annually in Munich and last about 16-18-days from mid to late September to the first weekend in October. In 1994, this longstanding schedule was modified in response to German reunification.

Known for its beer consumption there is also a variety of traditional German food including sausage, roast chicken, roast pork with sauerkraut and dumplings and one of my favorites grill ham hocks with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. Also I can’t forget the large pretzels that are served with roast chicken and steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick), which I have yet to sample. It is enough to make one hungry.

We walked through the entrance archway and encountered a whirling mass; the midway was loaded with thousands of happy people ladies in their traditional dirndls and men in lederhosen. We observed the many beer halls lining each side of the midway and as we got closer we could hear the music and singing emanating from them. Each hall has its own orchestra/band providing joyous music. The rotisseries supply the hungry partygoers with plenty of chicken and the beer flows like water. In the fairways the many food stalls supply anything one could imagine, such as waffles covered with ice cream, a Kartoffelhaus (potatoes), and the latest fad in Germany, currywurst which is a bratwurst covered with a seasoned spicy red sauce. We first noticed this in Berlin. I tried it by mistake because when I ordered it I just wanted a sausage sandwich (sausage on a hard roll) with mustard. However events were happening pretty fast with all the customers and miscommunication happens. Currywurst seems to be all the rage although I don’t get it. The curry sauce and spices don’t do anything for the sandwich. They detract from the taste of the sausage. From what I gathered, however, the tourists love it.

In addition to eating, drinking and dancing, visitors can enjoy colorful parades, a variety of fairground rides, and for those not themselves in traditional Bavarian gear, admire those that are.

We ventured into a beer hall which was full of people. We walked around inside but were unable to find an open table so we checked outside and were invited to join a family at their table. We ordered a beer and talked with our generous guest. The beer heightened our hunger and we ordered a chicken dinner and a very large pretzel.

Later on we headed back outside into the warm autumn air. We continued down the main thoroughfare playing tourist and checking out the various stalls and items of interest.

The opening day of the festival was marked by a colorful parade of carriages, floats and people in a variety of costumes winding there way through the streets of Munich. The Costume und Riflemen’s Procession takes place on the first Sunday of Oktoberfest; a week later there’s the open-air big band concert.

We entered another beer hall and found an empty table and of course ordered more beer. I later learned that the only beer served comes from the Munich breweries such as Augustiner, Paulaner and Spaten. And the beer is served in one-liter glasses (ein Mas), the German pronunciation. I watched several of the barmaids carrying five or six beer 5 or 6 of them. The crowd in the hall ebbs and flows during the day and people were coming and going. Our table filled with a gregarious bunch, and when the music started everyone started singing and some were seen dancing on the tables.

The Munich Oktoberfest justly lays claim to being the world’s largest folk festival (yes, it’s not just about drinking beer). Over the past decade it has attracted an average of around six million visitors a year, who between them consume almost seven million liters of beer and munch their way through thousands of grilled sausages, chickens, giant pretzels and – for those really wanting to soak it all up – wild oxen.

7-Day Munich Oktoberfest and Best of Bavaria Overnight Package

If You Go:

Getting there

There are many direct flights from the United States and Canada to Frankfurt or Munich, Germany. The fares range from $1,000.00-$1,500.00 and the business class fares appear to have decreased in price.

Where to stay

A Gasthaus is a modest country inn serving home cooked meals. There is no hard and fast rule but many Gasthaus have sleeping arrangements and usually include breakfast in the morning. If there is a picture of a bed hanging out in front of the establishment then they usually have sleeping accommodations. You can spot those places by searching for the signs that read “Zimmer frei” or “Zimmer zu Vermieten,” or use the web link from Berchtesgadener Land. Holidayflats are very popular please search under Ferienwohnung.

Besides hotels and Gasthaus there are many bed & breakfast (sobes) that are common in Europe. There are signs along the roadsides advertising them. The local tourist bureaus usually have list of sobes with prices and further information. They are highly recommended as a delightful way to meet the people and make new friends. We have been very fortunate to find some very charming sobes in our travels. We are thus able to meet the people, get acquainted with those from other cultures and learn about them and their way of life.

Usually the price can be negotiated. Prices average about $45-$80 per night and they are much cheaper than hotels and normally include breakfast. We have stayed in sobes in Germany, Austria, Sloveniaand Croatia and have revisited them on several occasions.

About the author:
Larry is a freelance travel writer, an avid and dedicated traveler, and recurring visitor to Europe, the Caribbean, Hawaii, and the United States. He writes about the various people that he has met and places that he has visited during his travels. Larry is a regular contributor to Travel Thru History.

All photos by Larry Zaletel:
Bamberg, Germany
Bratwurst stand
Roman Catholic Church of Bamberg
The Entrance to the Oktoberfest
Festival in Gochsheim
Inside a beer hall

Mad King Ludwig’s Dream Castles

Bavaria, Germany

by Leslie Hebert

Taking wrong turns is an unavoidable hazard of travel. But, as I discovered while in Bavaria, a wrong turn may sometimes lead to a delightful detour.

I had come to Bavaria for the Oberammergau Passion Play. On the day of my unanticipated detour I woke up planning to explore the picturesque village where I was staying. But dark grey clouds hid the peaks of the nearby mountains threatening rain, and it was obviously a day to head indoors.

I decided to visit the most famous castle in Bavaria. Most people would not recognize the castle’s name, Neuschwanstein, but they would probably recognize its iconic turrets and spires. This fairy tale castle, which inspired Cinderella’s Castle in Disney’s Magic Kingdom, soars into the air from a spectacular perch atop a mountain ridge, appearing to defy gravity as it commands the valley below.

I caught the local bus into Oberammergau and headed for the bus terminal. A bus pulled up and I asked the driver if he was going to the castle. He gave a curt nod, so I climbed aboard and rode to the end of the line.

The day was not starting well. After a dreary ride in the rain my destination was disappointing. We were not high in the mountains but down in a valley. Following a crowd of tourists along a wide gravel path through the trees I turned a corner to see not soaring spires and turrets cresting a mountain peak but a rather unimpressive white house atop a small hill.

There was, however, a very impressive double staircase set into the hill. So having spent a good hour riding on the bus to get there, I decided to climb the three flights of stairs up the hill to check things out. As I got closer, the squat building at the top gradually began to appear more beautiful and ornate. When I arrived at the top, I paid the admission fee and waited for the English-speaking tour.

As it turned out, the tour was absolutely captivating. I had accidentally discovered Schloss Linderhof, built by Bavaria’s “mad” King Ludwig II between 1869 and 1886. I had never heard of King Ludwig but discovered that he was one of history’s great eccentrics. He was a fascinating study in contrasts. He was a shy and sensitive soul trained from birth for a very public royal role. He was a petty vassal owing allegiance to Prussia who, because he was born on the day Louis IX was canonized, felt an almost mystical connection to the great French House of Bourbon. He was also a modern constitutional monarch with very limited powers who wished he could have been one of history’s absolute rulers.

Just as Bourbon queen Marie-Antoinette built a play village in the grounds of Versailles because she dreamed of living like a peasant, Ludwig built play castles to realize his dreams of regal self-indulgence. Neuschwanstein is a fairy-tale vision which immortalized medieval fantasy and earned Ludwig the nickname “Swan King” (Neuschwanstein means “new swan stone”). In contrast, Linderhof is a re-creation in miniature of Marie-Antoinette’s Versailles where he could become the “Moon King” in imitation of the great Bourbon monarch, Sun King Louis XIV.

Although the exterior of the building appeared fairly unassuming, the interior, as befits a re-creation of the excesses of the Sun King, was absolutely over-the-top. There did not seem to be a square inch of wall or ceiling that was not ornately decorated with mirrors, gilt carvings, painted tapestries, silk, or embroidery.

The tour started in the vestibule, an elegant space decorated with rose marble pillars which pays tribute to the Sun King. Our guide then led us through a series of rooms, each more opulent than the last, to Ludwig’s massive bedroom where he slept in an enormous four poster bed covered in royal blue, gold-trimmed velvet.

We then entered the dining room. Here, we were told, Ludwig always ate alone and unseen. No servants entered the dining room to serve the king. Instead, his food was brought up on a mechanical table which rose up as if by magic from the kitchen below.

According to our guide, this reclusive monarch was ashamed of his bad teeth. However, I thought this was a rather odd explanation. After all, the servants would have been expected to show their king the greatest respect and would certainly not have been allowed to mock his poor dental health. So I did some checking on the Linderhof website. Here I discovered a much more interesting explanation. According to the memoirs of a royal cook, the table was always set to serve “at least three or four people” so that Ludwig could enjoy entertaining imaginary guests such as Louis XIV and Madame Pompadour with his brilliant and witty conversation.

The grand finale of the house tour was the Hall of Mirrors. Have you ever looked into a mirror that contains a reflection of a mirror behind you, and you see reflections of reflections going off into infinity? Imagine that phenomenon magnified a hundredfold in a room where every inch of wall seems to show a dizzying, mind-blowing reflection of a myriad other reflections. Now combine this vision with another tidbit of information I found on the Linderhof website. King Ludwig slept all day and stayed up all night. This room would therefore have likely been his nocturnal retreat. At night, illuminated by hundreds of flickering candles reflected over and over again in the room’s hundreds of mirrors, it would have presented a truly hypnotic vision. What dreams, I wondered, did the Moon King play out in this magical room?

After the house tour, I wandered around the palace grounds through artfully designed gardens which were definitely not at their best on this dark, sunless afternoon. It began to rain just as I saw a sign to The Venus Grotto, a cave in the hillside which offered a dry escape.

For King Ludwig, the Venus Grotto was much more than a simple escape from the rain. It was a total escape from reality. The King, it seems, was quite a patron of the arts. He commissioned private theatrical and musical performances in his very own theatre. He was also a great admirer and major sponsor of the great composer Richard Wagner, and the Venus Grotto was a man-made cave, a private retreat where Ludwig could enjoy Wagner’s music in blissful solitude.

The Grotto was lit by colored electric lights. While I assumed at first these were a modern addition for the benefit of tourists, I was surprised to learn that they were actually installed by Ludwig himself, who used one of Germany’s first electric generators to power them. In the cave, a waterfall fed a small lake on which floated a shell-shaped boat. The far end of the grotto was dominated by a large mural featuring a scene from a Wagnerian opera. Ludwig used to love spending time here, floating around the lake in the boat with Wagner, listening to stirring performances of Wagner’s music.

But Ludwig would have been better spending less time at the Venus Grotto and more time worrying about how to pay for his building projects.

Marie-Antoinette was guillotined for the excesses of Bourbon royalty. Ludwig’s end, although more prosaic, was also a consequence of his profligate lifestyle. It also holds a tantalizing element of mystery.

The king borrowed heavily from foreign banks to finance his fantasies, and in 1885 the banks began demanding repayment. The government, considering Ludwig unfit to govern, had psychiatrist Bernhard von Gudden diagnose him as insane. They deposed and imprisoned him. Three days after his internment, Ludwig went for a walk along the shore of Lake Starnberg with von Gudden. The two were later found dead, floating in the lake.

There were rumors of an accidental drowning or suicide, but these scenarios seem to be ruled out by the fact that there were two bodies. Murder was more likely, but who murdered Ludwig and von Gudden and why? Were they murdered to stop von Gudden helping the king to escape? Could it have been part of a government conspiracy? After more than 130 years, the jury is still out.

Royal Castles Tour from Frankfurt: Neuschwanstein Castle and Linderhof Palace

If You Go:

By Road:

Take the A95 motorway and then the B2 to Oberau. Look for road signs to Ettal (Ettaler Strasse, B23), drive through Ettal and turn left onto St2060. When you arrive in Linderhof turn right to the palace. You can find a trip planner at https://www.inspirock.com/germany/ettal/schloss-linderhof-a17253631

By Public Transport:

From elsewhere in Germany, take the train to Oberammergau. If you are staying in a village outside Oberammergau, take the local bus into town. Catch bus 9622 from Oberammergau station to Linderhof.

References:
Neuschwanstein Castle
Linderhof Palace
Study Claims Bavarian Monarch Was Sane

About the author:
Lesley Hebert is a graduate of Simon Fraser University. Now retired from teaching English as a second language in the classroom, she teaches ESL to international students via Skype. She also writes on-line articles which reflect a lively, inquiring mind and a love of travel, language, history and culture.

Photo Credits:
Print of Neuschwanstein Castle, ten years after its completion. US Library of Congress: Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Clouds over the Bavarian mountains: Photo by Lesley Hebert.
Linderhof Palace. Photo by Mike Hebert.
Bedroom, Linderhof Palace. Karl Gritschke (1923-1990), uploaded by: Moros (Own work) Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
The Venus Grotto, Schloss Linderhof. By Softeis. Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Ludwig II, the Swan King (ca. 1864). M Jacob (ARTQUID.com). Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

An Historical Christmas Market In Rural Bavaria

Prien, Germany

by Inka Piegsa-Quischotte

I came to Prien am Chiemsee in the south of Bavaria, half way between Munich and Salzburg, by accident. Or rather because of these spur of the moment decisions, only born travelers are capable of.

It was the second week of December and I sat on the train from Munich to Salzburg with the intention to visit the Austrian Christmas market and to do some shopping. The sky was blue, snowflakes were falling softly, dusting the dense pine forest on both sides of the line.

Then, the train went around a bend and I was greeted with – forgive the cliché but there is no other expression for it – a picture postcard perfect scene. The vast expanse of the Chiemsee glittering in the sun and partly covered with ice, spread out on my left and a small utterly romantic town nestled on its shore. Some signs read: Prien am Chiemsee, visit our Christmas Market. You guessed correctly. Salzburg can wait, I thought, this looks much more promising. I grabbed my bag and got off at the next stop.

On the forecourt of the small train station I was greeted by the green cars of the Priensee Bahn, as it turned out, the world’s oldest steam operated tramway continuously in use since 1887.

History in Prien starts as soon as you get off the train and continues with many more aspects. The Priensee Bahn operates only in the summer months, so the snow covered cars were stationary and I made my way on foot towards the town center, which, of course is around the market square, following a rather modest sign indicating the Christmas Market.

Actually, no sign was needed. I only had to follow the wafting scents of Gluehwein and Bratwurst and the sounds of Bavarian horns and German Christmas carols to find the market.

It must be one of the tiniest Christmas markets in the world. About 15 stalls were cozily arranged between the church and, as I notice with delight, a colorful Heimatmuseum. The museum was my first port of call to learn more about this lovely place and its traditions.

I got lucky insofar as I was the only visitor, the majority of people were enjoying the market and its delights, something which I reserved for later. The lady who sold me the ticket and acted as curator was so pleased to have something other to do other than sit at her desk, that she personally lead me around and told me story after story about the customs and traditions of this part of Bavaria.

Prien, it turned out, has always been famous for its skilled artisans and craftsmen. In centuries past, people mostly made a living from fishing, but otherwise, they were (and are) carpenters and wood sculptors as well as the makers of the most gorgeous often hand painted tiles which decorate massive Kacheloefen, many of which found their way into castles such as King Ludwig’s nearby Herrenchiemsee.

The 16th century wardrobes, carved with the finest details, are called Chavari and were used to store a bride’s trousseau. One such chavari is kept in the museum and filled with traditional clothing as well as examples of another art: gold embroidery. Bridal headgear and lace is made from real gold thread, an art which my friendly guide herself is skilled in, as proven by a growing strip of gold lace which she was working on whilst waiting for visitors.

“Today, there are only four women left who know how to work real gold thread, my grandmother is one of them and she taught me”, she explained.

“Will I be able to buy a piece of gold lace outside in the market?” I asked. ”I doubt it,” she replied. “The pieces we make are all to order, often from museums and collectors and they are very expensive. But, look out for the Rauschgoldengel. You won’t find more beautiful anywhere and the dresses of some of them are embroidered with silver thread” .

Then, I was allowed to have a close look at the exhibits and she even took some of the valuable hats out of the showcases for me to try on. Finally, she made me a cup of hot chocolate and then sent me on my way to explore the Christmas market.

Plenty of visitors were around, but it felt rather like a huge family. Everybody seemed to know everybody else and as soon as they noticed that I wasn’t ‘einheimisch’, they explained the specialties to me and directed me to the stalls with the Rauschgoldengel and other beautiful Christmas decorations.

Naturally, I couldn’t resist a particular angel and that went into my bag together with hand knitted woolen slippers, bee wax candles and glittering baubles to hang on my tree. Food and drink are a big part of any Christmas Market and Prien was no different. As I don’t drink alcohol, I was delighted to discover a stall selling Childrens’ Gluehwein, which tastes just the same but without alcohol.

Next was Dampfnudel, which literally translated means steam nudel but has nothing to do with pasta or steam. It’s a huge lump of sweet dough, covered with vanilla custard, whipped cream and chocolate sauce. I could never have managed one on my own, but my new best friends from Prien, standing next to me and putting the sweet away in incredible amounts, gave me a spoon and let me have a few mouthfuls.

With the exception of a few modern touches and the clothes, I could well imagine that the atmosphere and the people would have been much the same 100 years or more ago. Tradition is highly valued in Prien am Chiemsee and commerce plays second fiddle. I was very glad to have followed my whim and got off the train where and when I did. The angel will be with me for many Christmases to come.

If You Go:

♦ Prien is a sought after destination in summer as well as in winter. Boat trips on the Chiemsee with stops at Herreninsel and King Ludwig’s castle as well as the famous convent on Fraueninsel make a great day trip from Munich.

♦ In winter there is skiing in and around Prien. It’s easily reached from Munich or Salzburg by train or motorway, the train runs every hour and takes 1 ½ hours from each end.

♦ If you want to stay in Prien there are several good hotels as well as self catering apartments.

About the author:
Born in Germany, Inka Piegsa-Quischotte trained as an international lawyer and ran offices in Marbella/Spain and London for over 20 years. A few years ago, she turned novelist and travel writer. Her second novel, The Househusbands’ Club won Reader’s Favorite Award 2009 in its category in the USA in 2009. Her travel articles have been published in literary traveler, GoNomad, travel with a challenge, Smithsonian magazine, Europe up close, Europe a la carte, Lighthouse Digest, Off Beat Travel, and BBC/Travel. Her blog is called: www.glamourgrannytravels.com. After several years in Turkey, she now lives near Alicante on Spain’s Costa Blanca.

All photos are by Inka Piegsa-Quischotte.