It was another moving day with a deep Christmas meaning. Randy and Melisa spent the morning at the Documentation Center in Nuremberg while Kathy and I browsed the markets.

Documentation Center, Nürnberg

The Documentation Center records the rise and fall of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist (Nazi) Party and its deathly affect on the world and ultimately Germany. It records the evil perpetuated, especially during the Holocaust. As you wind your way through all the displays and watch the vivid movies of the period, you finally end up high above the massive rally grounds where the Nazis held their spectacular events as Hitler egged them on to a false glory. You stand there, in a glass promontory above the exact spot at which Hitler spoke.  It is eerie and sad. You leave realizing evil is real and mesmerizing.

Kathy and I enjoyed the Christmas markets. Lebkuchen, a type of ginger cookie, is a specialty of Nuremburg and is on display in a multitude of ways. Children were singing and brass was playing. We enjoyed the Nuremburg sausage, a centuries old protected recipe.

As we visited the important St. Sebald Lutheran Church we noticed that a large brass choir was assembling. A concert! We contacted Randy and Melisa and gave the “get here now” text. St. Sebald is the most important church in Nuremburg since it houses the remains of an important eighth century saint, Sebald, and was the church of the leading musician of his day, Johann Pachelbel. Randy and Melisa used his music, the Canon in D, for their wedding.

The brass choir was outstanding. The Advent and Christmas music filled the magnificent church to the delight of the large crowd. It was a “pinch me, is this real, and am I really here” moment. 

Our evening meal was in a very nice, atmospheric German restaurant. The food: sauerbraten, rouladen, beef roast—all with different sauces (one gingerbread), red cabbage with apples, sauerkraut with caraway and bay leaves, potato dumplings, and dumpling soup with parsley and a dessert with apple strudel, cream torte and ice cream. We were satisfied for our walk back to the apartment just on the outskirts of the old town. WEG