Everything we own is a copy of an original. Everything man-made stems from an original. If a copy, is not the real thing, but simply a fake, then by extention we must be existing in a fake world.
Following on from the massive destruction of two world wars, most of Europe’s towns and villages had to be rebuilt to some degree. Many almost from scratch. Town councils had to decide whether to build ‘new’, or rebuild the ‘old’. Nürnberg town planners thankfully took the latter route.
Virtually flattened by British and American bombers, it now holds close ties with Coventry after being handed a ‘Cross of Nails” in 1999. As in many Cross of Nails centres around the world, the Coventry Prayer of Reconciliation is prayed at St. Sebald in Nürnberg every Friday at 12 noon.
Knowing Nürnberg only for ‘The Nürnberg Trials’, we are amazed as we cross into the Aldstadt. It seems we’ve walked onto a medieval film set. The stunning architecture peers down at us from all angles. Its beady eyes looking back down. Eyebrows raised. Begging the question “Well? Like what you see?”
It’s hard not to. The immaculate reproductions create a feel good factor. Just the clatter of trotting hooves is missing
We head towards Albrecht Dürer’s old house. Interested in seeing some of his famous works close up. He’s been given super-star status and there are big plans to celebrate the fifth hundred anniversary of his death in 2028. He’s regarded almost as a saint in these parts. It’s Sunday. We’re in luck. No charge.
The first floor houses a dozen or so of his masterpieces. Each with an information board to the side. Each board indicates that the last time ‘this’ painting was held in Nürnberg was in 1818, or 1825, or 1836. Get the picture? It seems the originals are now held in museums around the world. With the knowledge I was looking at copies, despite being masterfully reproduced, my interest dipped in an instant, just as if I’d slipped into an icy plunge pool. Mrs S, with her greater interest, was happy to study and admire these equally masterful copies on their own merits.
We have a two hour walking tour booked for 2pm. Karen Cristenson our guide, is from South Dakota. She’s lived in Germany since 1972 when she met, fell in love with and married her husband, who hails from Wimborne, Dorset! Again we’re in luck. There’s only four of us on the tour. We walk and talk. Karen eager to answer every question we pose, but it’s more like a conversation.
The locals love their ice-cream, more then the Italians we think. The gelato houses are full to overflowing. We stand in line. Our wait rewarded. Aching feet rest while our tongues take over. We choose not to indulge in the top of the range on offer at 25€ per pot. Our 21€ gets us these two.
We can’t leave Nürnberg without visiting the place where the most infamous meglomaniac in history strove to create Germany as the greatest super-power of all time.
A twenty minute walk from camp and we’re looking out across a beautiful scene. Situated as the centre for the huge Nazi Party rallying grounds of sixteen square kilometres, the great Kongresshalle does its best to appear as splendid as the Colesseum. Unfortunately most of the area is subject to massive reconstruction, so we spend an hour in the temporary museum, which details the complete history of the Nazi Party in vivid and honest detail.
Even the Garden of Eden wasn’t safe from the power of Evil.