Herr Mike in Deutschland

As Sunday's football was an evening kick-off we used the time beforehand to do something we had been meaning to do for a while - visit the DokumentationsZentrum. It is a museum documenting the rise and fall of Hitler, focusing on the role Nuremberg played in the rise of the Nazi movement.

Nuremberg was somewhat of a Nazi capital and the party's annual rallies were held there every year. Much of the museum's exhibitions focus on 'Die Reichsparteigelände' - The rally grounds of the Reich. The remnants of these are still clearly visible around Nuremberg and the musuem itself is situated in the 'Kongresshalle' an ampitheatre-like building which Hitler never quite finished. It's huge (see pic).


Not far away is the huge expanse that was the Zeppelin landing field which was used for the massive parades. At the end of the field (now football pitches) the bulk of what was the grandstand from which Hitler addresses the assembled hoardes still remains. You are able to climb up the remnants and stand at the very spot where Hitler made his speeches. It's a sobering experience. The pictures show the very place both then and now



It is the first time I have ever actually really linked the Germany I live in with the Germany against whom we fought in the war: it was a sudden realisation. It is crazy to see what Hitler was trying to build, the enormity and the scale of the nazi machine in its heyday.

You can find out more about the rally grounds by clicking on the following link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_party_rally_grounds