Dresden and the Frauenkirche

I don't quite know where to start tonight, I have seen so much that is wonderful, I don't know what to say.  The rebuilt Fraunenkirch is wonderful, very pink, green and yellow and must look as it did when first built in 1726.  I sat in the pews for an hour wondering how on earth the place was built in the first place with primitve building methods.  Lifting huge blocks of stone with modern cranes has it problems, imagine doing it with rope and pullies. 

The building was completely destroyed in February 1945, and the idea of rebuilding it started soon after.  It remained a heap of stones until 1993 as a reminder of the foolishness of war.  After the reunification a local musician founded, "Dresden's Cry" with a group of 14 people who started searching for funds from all around the world to rebuild the Church of our Lady.  The German Ministry for the Protection of Ancient Monuments, local people,  groups in American, Great Britain, France and Switzerland formed action groups and started raising money, selling gifts, fragments of stones, commemorative watches and coins and in 1993 enough money was raised to clear the rubble.  

I could go on,, but there is too much information for my Blog.  Film of the rebuild can be seen on YTube, and Wikipedia has all the info.  I will write again tomorrow, I have seen and done so much today, I am unable to write at the moment. , Dresden is twinned with Coventry, both having suffered similar fates during the last war.

Dresden, am I Really Here?

Ahhhh, it is lovely, just as I thought it would be.  I had an easy journey, only one change at Dresden Central for Dresden Mitte, which took me across the River Elbe and to my hotel. Today was Whit Monday and  I arrived when the reception was closed and had to fight my way in via Visa Card, Payment, reservation number and door number, it was like trying to get into Fort Knox.  It is a nice little hotel, very modern with everything I need and I am happy.

I could not settle until I had seen the main reason for my visit, "The Frauenkirche."  I could see the dome well before I reached the building itself and gasped when it came into view.  I cannot believe I am here!!   It is open daily and there is a regular service with organ music, so I will visit every day.

The old Squares with their buildings have been restored using amongst other resources, Canaletto's paintings.   In several places in the city are viewing areas, framing the scenes that he painted with an X marking the spot where he stood.  (see the bottom photo)  I will make sure I visit them all.   There is a pleasant mixture of old and new builidings and I am very impressed.  Tonight I plan my itinerary.

Dresden Here I Come.

Today I catch the 12.19 train from Braunschweig and arrive in Dresden at 15.39.  I'm staying at the Hotel B&B, Weisseritzstrasse 10, D1067 Dresden.   The site of the hotel can be seen on Google Earth, near Dresden Mitte railway station.  The hotel was built after the aerial photos were taken.

Hopefully I shall have an internet connection in the hotel, but if I am silent for four days, I will catch up on Friday 17th.  Take care everyone, back soon.

A Picnic in the Park with Beer, Crisps and Currywurst.

I drank too much beer today, ate two Currywurst (no fish and chips to be had anywhere) and half a tub of Pringles and now I feel delicate!   But it was a lovely afternoon and worth the suffering.   The Braunschweig City Orchestra, together with singers from the City Opera  sang and played the classics on a stage in the Burger Park and the scene was relayed around the Park on huge screens (you can see the dismembered head of a violinist playing behind the trees.)   Monika and I spent too much time talking, then we had to lie down and rest as it was very hot and beer settles more quickly when the body is horizontal. 

The picture below shows some of the audience, families and friends out enjoying the free concert and eating too much.  The Currywurst stall can be seen in the centre of this photo and did a roaring trade all afternoon.

Now to finish packing for Dresden for my visit to the Frauenkirche, hopefully to hear some music by my beloved Herr JS Bach.

A Medieval Market in the Burgplatz.

The day started with rain, which put a bit of a damper on the Medieval Market.  I would have gone in, entry cost 4€, but didn't really feel like getting wet  wandering around looking at dead animal pelts and the tools of torture.  What a shame, after weeks of hot, sunny weather we get rain at Whitsun to spoil the holiday.  It did cheer up this afternoon, the sun came out and it was hot.  I walked the last mile back home in the warmth.

A band of assorted pipers and drummers marched around the site making a rackety noise and were followed by a lot of men carring sticks who looked appropriately unwashed, unshaved and medieval.  The women were busy cooking the evening meal.

I did a bit of shopping, bought some beers and crisps for tomorrow's Picnic in the Burger Park, complete with a concert of Love Songs.   I'm meeting Monika and Ralph at "Europaplatz" tram stop and we shall go and listen to the music. Fingers crossed for no more rain.

I've mostly packed my suitcase for Dresden next week, I catch the 12.10 on Monday from Braunschweig to Dresden Mitte Station, arriving at 15.39 and my hotel is just around the corner.  I am so looking forward to this trip, as I've wanted to visit Dresden for years.  The recently restored Frauenkirche is a must, I just hope I shall get to hear the organ being played.  The forecast is for cool, dampish weather, just about right for me.  I come home on Friday 17th via Leipzig.  I will only see the station when I change trains, but I would like to visit this city too one day.

The Till Eulenspiegel Fountain.

 Today I found the Till Eulenspiegel Fountain, I'd set out once before to find him but got sidetracked.  Till is a character from German folklore, who was    supposedly born near Braunschweig in 1300.  He was a vagrant who travelled Germany and Low Countries playing mischievous tricks on the unsuspecting.  He was supposed to have played a trick here on a baker, in place of loaves, he baked owls and lemurs instead.  The baker threw Till out into the street, where he sold his wares at great profit.  He died near Luebeck of the Black Death in 1350

                    The fountain was cast in 1906 and financed by the Jewish Banker Meyersfeld.  Until 1944 it stood amidst old half timbered houses and was unscathed by the bombing of October 14th/15th  1944  when all around was demolished.  Till sits merrily on his plinth surrounded by owls and lemurs with water spouting  from  their mouths.  He is first mentioned in German books around 1500.

Richard Strauss wrote a tone poem in 1894, "Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks."  Eulenspiegel translates as "Owlglass."  The picture below suggests that Till has a bit of a leak!

Historical Films of Pre-war Braunschweig.

Every Wednesday afternoon in the Film Theatre at the City Museum a programme of historical films of old Braunschweig is shown.  It was a city of half timbered houses and narrow streets, and the short films show everyday life as it was before and just after the war.  Also shown are films of the bombing on the nights of 14th/15th  October 1944, when 90% of the inner city wooden buildings were destroyed.

The films were fascinating, I was glued to the screen and especially interesting was a film that showed the RAF plans for the flight to Braunschweig, the names of the crew and film of the actual bombing.  The commentary was given by a man, who, as a child remembered the nights he spent with his parents sheltering in a bunker.  The family emerged each morning to find nothing left of their home.  There were some still scenes of the destruction, and then, taken from the same place, the present day scene with new buildings. 

I felt a mixture of sadness and fascination.  I know the city very well, and to see film taken from an RAF flight over the city five days after the bombing was sad.  I could see all the places I visit, the bombed churches, the damaged Town Hall, the Old Town Hall and the Schloss.   I know "All's fair in love and war," but I am always sad that we wrecked one anothers' homelands and destroyed so many beautiful buildings.