Tag Archives: WW2

Germany

Historischer Kunstbunker Overview

We booked a guided tour of the Historischer Kunstbunker which is a secret facility used during World War II to protect valuable artworks. If we hadn’t known what we were looking for, we would have walked right past it.

Doorway into the Art Bunker

The entrance to the Historischer Kunstbunker is hidden in plain sight, appearing as nothing more than an ordinary door set into a building that looks just like the rest on the street. There are no dramatic signs to suggest that behind the doors lies one of Nuremberg’s most important wartime hiding places.

entrance from street into the underground art storage areas

That quiet, almost secretive entrance set the tone for the entire experience. When the door opened and we descended the stone slope into the underground, the air grew cooler and heavier. Our guide explained that these tunnels were originally medieval beer cellars, later transformed during World War II in 1940 into a secure bunker for priceless works of art.

Generator and infrastructure of the bunker

We came to a section which branched off into areas where art was stored. It was easy to imagine wooden crates stacked along the walls, filling the chambers from floor to ceiling. Our guide described how paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, and religious objects were carefully wrapped, labeled, and stored, with temperature and humidity closely controlled to prevent damage. The bunker extends approximately 78 feet (24 meters) underground.

The guide was asked who did all the labour and paid for the bunkers and she explained that Jews from the local war camp did the labour. That was a somber thought of how many people died and suffered for the creation of this hidden bunker. 

Some of the stollen art images on display.

There was a section of the bunker fortified with vault like doors. Behind these doors were artifacts and art of immense value. 

Vault like door in the Bunker

Perhaps the most powerful moment of the tour came when we learned that the Imperial Regalia of the Holy Roman Empire, including the Imperial Crown had also been hidden here.

There were several different areas of storage with fortified doors. During the war, the Nazis systematically looted art from occupied territories and Jewish collections. An estimated 20% of Europe’s artwork was stolen, with many pieces stored in the Kunstbunker for protection.

Some of the notable artworks stored here were Veit Stoss’ Annunciation: A significant altarpiece. The Erdapfel: A globe created by Martin Behaim in 1492 and the Codex Manesse: An important manuscript.

The idea that objects representing centuries of history and identity were stolen and concealed behind an ordinary door on a normal street was astonishing. 

“bis zum nächsten Mal, “

Germany

Nuremberg Trials

Located in the Palace of Justice, The Nuremberg Trials Museum, also known as the Memorium Nuremberg Trials, preserves the very place where the Nuremberg Trials were held, and where the world first attempted to hold leaders accountable for crimes against humanity.
Nuremberg Palace of Justice
When we arrived at the front of the building, we were surprised at just how ordinary it appeared. It looked like a typical government building. There was nothing about the exterior that hinted at the gravity of what had taken place inside. However from the moment we entered the building, there was a quiet weight in the air. This was not a museum meant for casual wandering, it was a place of Justice and for reflection.
Courtroom 600 where the Nuremberg Trials took place
We began by going into Courtroom 600 and we sat on one of the courtroom benches.  We looked at the layout of the courtroom and imagines how the court process that would have taken place.  It felt  surreal sitting in the actual courtroom on the actual bench. A few minutes later there was a semi transparent screen which lowered slowly down and the curtains closed and lights dimmed.
Courtroom 600 location of the Nuremberg Trials
The screen covered the whole front of the courtroom although we could see through the screen to the courtroom. There was a hush  and then original footage from the actual Nuremberg Trials began to play. Seeing the real defendants, hearing their voices, and watching the proceedings unfold in the very room where we were seated made the experience deeply personal. What was truly unique was that the courtroom layout was visible through the screen and if gave a sense that we were witnesses there in real time.  After about 20 minutes the screen lifted and we continued onto the next section which contained different displays. We gained a deeper understanding of the complexity of the trials, the legal challenges, the moral questions, and the lasting impact on international law and human rights. The Museum did not shy away from difficult truths, nor did it sensationalize them. Instead, it presented history with honesty and respect. It took us about two hours to slowly go through the different displays and read, watch historic video clips and see the entire displays.
window on the second floor where news cameras were located during the trials
By the end of our visit, we felt emotionally drained and it was a somber experience. While “enjoyable” may seem like an unusual word for such a place, it fits in the sense that the visit was enriching, educational, and deeply moving. “Bis zur Nistzeit”
Poland

Tour of the Oskar Schindler’s Factory Museum

We went to the Schindler Factory museum, which is located in the former administrative building of the Schindler factory.

Entrance into the Oskar Schindler Factory Museum

We entered through the main entrance and began walking through the museum. The exhibit began about the initial invasion of Poland by the Germans.

Map of the invasion forces progress of Germany into Poland

As we went through the museum there was more information about Krakow and how the occupation impacted the Polish and Jewish people.

Photo of the Nazi occupation in Krakow, Poland

The exhibit was more about the occupation of the Nazis in Krakow and how the people were treated. As we went through the exhibit we saw different exhibits about the life in Krakow and how the people were persecuted and forced into labour camps or worse.

The band forced to be worn by Jews in Krakow

The Nazis rename the square to Adolf Hitler Platz

One of the many exhibits of WW2

We came across some of the exhibits of Oskar Schindler Factory.

Office desk from the Oskar Schindler Factory

Pots and pans from Oskar Schindler Factory

The Schindler museum was interesting but also disappointing. There were very little information and exhibits directly concerning  Oskar Schindler and the events that took place at the factory.

“Do widzenia i dobry dzień”

Poland

A tour of the Jewish ghettos in Krakow

We took a tour of the former jewish Ghetto in Krakow, which was established by the Nazis during WW2. The tour began with a walk from the main square to the Jewish quarter which took us approximately 15 minutes. We cross the Wisla River on a modern foot bridge called “Father Bernatek Footbridge” which had some unique features. It is a twin design leaf-shaped, 130 meters long structure made for pedestrians and cyclists.

Shelley and Ray in front of the Father Bernatek Footbridge in Krakow

hanging statues on the Father Bernatek Footbridge

We crossed over the bridge and then went into the former Jewish Ghetto.  There were several buildings that has remained basically untouched since WW2.

Buildings in the former Jewish Ghetto of Krakow.

We went to the Jewish synagogue which was a pivotal location in the Ghetto. Nazi’s executed Jews in front of the Synagogue on a regular basis. It is hard to imagine the atrocities that occurred here.

Jewish Synagogue where Jews were routinely Executed by the Nazi’s IN the Krakow Jewish Ghetto.

A monument was erected in the front of the Synagogue to honour the Jews murdered by the Nazi’s.

Monument in front of the Jewish Synagogue in Krakow

We then walked through the streets of the former jewish ghetto and came across another monument. This monument was erected and remembered all the victims during the German occupation in the jewish ghetto.

Monument erected in the Jewish quarter of Krakow

The plaque on the monument was very moving. The thoughts of how many Jewish people were killed and prosecuted here is truly heartbreaking. The plaque reads “Place of Meditation upon the martyrdom of 65 thousand Polish citizens of Jewish nationality from cracow and its environs killed by the nazis during world war II”

We walked along a narrow roadway and came to a small alleyway. Down the alleyway was an area which was used as a scene in the movie from “Schindler’s list”

Area in the Jewish ghetto used in the movie Schindler’s list

Scene from the movie “Schindler’s list”

We walked up a cobble stone street called ulica Szeroka and along side the street is a large brick and stone wall.

A narrow cobble street called  ulica Szeroka in the former Jewish ghetto

This wall separates the Jewish cemetery from the street. The wall is considered a “wailing wall”. During the war the cemetery was destroyed by the Nazis and apparently the tombstones were removed and used as paving stones in one of the labour camps.

The wailing wall separating the cemetery from the ulica Szeroka street

After the war the tombstones were brought back to the cemetery and some of them which were not identifiable were used in the wailing wall.

One of the tombstones used in the wailing wall in Krakow

On the same street was a bronze statue in memory of Jan Karski.

Bronze statue of Jan Karski in the Jewish quarter of Krakow.                                                                         In 1942 he was selected to perform a secret mission to prime minister Władysław Sikorski in London. Karski was to contact Sikorski as well as various other Polish politicians and inform them about Nazi atrocities in occupied Poland. In order to gather evidence, Karski was twice smuggled by Jewish underground leaders into the Warsaw Ghetto for the purpose of directly observing what was happening to Polish Jews.

We walked through the former ghetto looking at the different areas. It was hard to imagine the horror that the Jewish people endured there. We eventually came to the ghetto heroes square. In the square are 33 memorial chairs. Each chair is made of cast iron and bronze.

Bronze chairs mounted throughout the area.

Each bronze chair represents 2000 murdered Jewish people from Krakow and the area.

 

Ray and Shelley in the ghetto heroes square.

We spend the afternoon walking through the former ghetto. It was an interesting and emotional time. We enjoyed the tour and learning the history of the Polish people.

“Do widzenia i dobry dzień”

Spain

Sunday in Benidorm

We went to Benidorm and Polop on Sunday to explore the “Car Boot Sales” which is a traditional used goods sale. We started off early and enjoyed the drive to Polop which is located not far from Benidorm in the  mountains.

View of the “Sleeping Lion” mountain near Polop

Boot Sale in Polop

The people buy a space for five euros and they lay out their items for sale. There are four or five streets full of people selling every type of item imaginable.

view of part of the street in Polop

We walked along the main street looking at different items. They had some Spanish dolls for sale wearing the tradition Spanish dress.

Some dolls for sale in Polop

Some of the items were interesting and others were very common and considered junk by some people.

Used items on display and for sale in Polop

Shelley walking along the street in Polop

They had areas set up for food and drinks. There was even a bar area for people to have a cold beer and a truck selling roasted chickens.

Roasted chickens for sale on the street in Polop

We walked around for about an hour looking at the displayed items.

We found it interesting but did not buy anything.

We then headed to Benidorm where each Sunday they have a large sale of antiques and other used items. There was a permanent pavilions set up where people would sell antiques or other collectables. We walked through the different rows of items checking it out.

Shelley and Felipe looking at some of the items for sale in Benidorm

We came across a vender who was selling millitary items. There were some very interesting items for sale, including WWII books, photos uniforms, etc.

Military uniforms and WWII paraphernalia for sale in Benidorm

WWII books and photos for sale in Benidorm

We headed into the main enclosed pavilion and looked at the antiques. They had a large variety of antique furniture, paintings and other items which were quite interesting.

Some of the antiques on display in Benidorm

antiques on sale in Benidorm

It was an enjoyable day and very interesting looking at items from the European culture.

“Adios y que tenga un gran dia”