Day 3 in Munich

Today was really fantastic. We started with student tours. One group -- led by Albert Vaughn and Christina Brosius -- took a Science, Technology and Design in Post World War II Munich Tour. Their tour included the following:

Tour Description:
Germans are well known throughout history for being leaders in chemistry (Walther Nernst), physics (Albert Einstein, Max Planck), engineering (Karl Benz, the car guy) and architecture (Leo von Klenze). The domination of these disciplines are manifest in every walk of German life, from the layout of the Munich public transportation system to the clever architecture used in modern day. The tour objective is to highlight two major museums of science, technology and design and one of the premier scientific and technological research institutions in Europe. Combined, these institutions will showcase the drive for perfection and intellectualism that made possible Germany’s bounce back from the devastation of WWII to become a world leader in modern science, technology and design.

Tour Sites:

1. Pinakothek der Moderne
This museum represents a conglomeration of four major museums under one roof, two of which are the Die Neue Sammlung, the world's first museum of design, and the Architekturmuseum der TU München. Representing a wealth of design and architectural technology exhibitions, both historical and modern, this museum offers us the opportunity to see how design developed through the second half of the 20th century. Notable permanent exhibits include "Motor Vehicle Design," "Design Vision," and "Computer Culture," and several famous photography exhibits. The building itself is a shining example if modern design and architecture. Entrance to the Pinakothek der Moderne is €1,00.

2. Technische Universität München
Conveniently located just a block from the Pinakothek der Moderne, Technische Universität München (TUM) is among the most highly acclaimed universities in Germany, having produced 16 Nobel Prize winners since its founding in 1868. TUM is consistently ranked among the top German institutions in architecture, business administration, chemistry, civil engineering, computer science, electrical and information engineering, geosciences, mathematics, mechanical engineering, physics, and process and chemical engineering. Much of TUM was heavily damaged from WWII; from 1949 to 1954 the main building of the university was reconstructed under the direction of famed architect Robert Vorhoelzer (one of TUM’s alumni). TUM administration has been contacted to request a special tour for our group. We are currently waiting to hear back from them. If we do not hear back from TUM, we will take a quick foot tour of the campus before heading to the next tour stop.

3. Deutsches Museum
This is the world's largest museum of technology and science and the largest museum in Munich. It houses exhibitions on over 50 fields of science, totaling nearly 28,000 exhibited objects. It was built in 1903 by the request of the Association of German Engineers (an organization dating back to 1856). Since this time three other museums have been build and affiliated with the Deutsches Museum. Unfortunately, the museum which specifically highlights according to their website “Research and Technology in Germany after 1945” is located in Bonn, about four hours away from Munich. By the end of WWII, much of the museum and its exhibits were damaged from allied bombs. The history of the reconstruction of the museum has become part of one of the exhibits: “Exhibition on the History of the Deutsches Museum”. To those attending our thread we highly recommend they visit this exhibit. We will end our thread here; entrance to the museum is free for students.


The second student tour this morning was led by Michael Allen and Andrew Phillips and was designed to feature 1972 Olympics and Its impact on Germany and Munich. It included the following:

The tour examined the impact that the 1972 Olympics, had on Munich, and it included a visit to the Olympic stadium and park as well as the Olympic village. The 1972 games saw the conflict of the cold war being played out in the sports arena. The games are also infamously known for the terrorist attack by a group of Palestinian radicals who took hostage and killed eleven Israeli athletes. While this event obviously had an affected the relationship between Israel and Palestine, it also changed West Germany’s foreign relations policy, as it became more aggressive in its foreign policy. The tour will also look at the economic impact that the Olympics had on the city and how it has had a lasting effect.

Olympic Stadium 2
The Olympic Stadium was visited because it was the center point for the games.
Olympic Village This is where the Munich Massacre started. It gives the participants a better understanding of what went on during the hostage situation

Olympic tower
The Tower was visited because it gives the participants the opportunity to see the path the Terrorist took on their way to the airport. It also gives the participants a view of the entire city show how the city as a whole affected by the games. This is where the economic impact on the city will be discussed.


The third student-led tour was Medieval Munich. Since Tony and I went on that tour, that is where some of our pictures come from. In included the following:

Medieval times of Munich are critical to the understanding of Munich, as it was during this period that Munich was established. In the 8th Century, what is now Munich was a monk settlement. The city gets its name from this origin, "ze den munichen" which means "home of the monks." In 1150, it was Henry the Lion, Duke of Bavaria, that put Munich on the map. Henry destroyed the bridge that was controlling the salt trade and built a bridge over the Isar. He then granted the monks the right to mint and establish a marketplace in this area. In 1180, the Wittlesbach family was given Munich by the Emperor of Germany, which caused Munich to grow into a thriving city. It was established as the capital of Bavaria in 1255 and major elements of a city were constructed. It was Ludwig IV of the Wittlesbach family that expanded Munich's territories and attracted scholars and merchants from around Europe. Ludwig IV became the Holy Roman Emperor in 1328, and Munich became an Imperial Court. However, after Ludwig IV's death, the Bavarian territory was divided and the strength of the Bavarian territory was weakened. Munich was further weakened in 1348 when the Black Death arrived. It was towards the end of the Medieval period in the 15th Century that Munich saw the construction of amazing architecture, now icons of the city such as the Frauenkirch and the Altes Rathaus. The remnants of Medieval Munich are the building blocks of modern day Munich, a city built on trade and strengthened by leaders with great ambitions for Bavaria.


Alter Hof (1253-1255).
Old Town (North)
Fortified residence built for the Wittelsbachs to protect from both outside invaders and rebellious citizens. Legend states that in the Monkey Tower Ludwig IV was carried off as a baby from a monkey from the royal menagerie. After a long time of coaxing the monkey, baby Ludwig was returned. In the later Middle Ages, the Alter Hof was used for administrative offices.

Peterskirche (12th century)
Old Town (South)
The Mönchen basilica formed part of the monastery from which Munich received its name. In the late 13th century, it was replaced with a Gothic style church. It was not until the 14th century that the famous single tower was built, which is the highest point of the Old Town.

Altes Rathaus (1464)
Old Town (South)
The original town hall, which was built in 1310, was replaced by the building which stands today in 1464. Since 1983 it has been the home of the Spilzeugmuseum (Toy Museum).

Isartor (1337)
Old Town (South)
This gate is the entry point on the southeast side of the city and the only reminant of the city’s original fortifications. The arcades (built in 19th century) are decorated with friezes depicting the triumphal procession of Ludwig IV of Bavaria after his victory at the Battle of Ampfing in 1322.

Karlstor (Neuhaus Tor)
Old Town (South)
Originally known as Neuhauser Tor, this gate stands at the western entrance. The gate’s new name is in honor of Elector Karl Theodor, who recommended that the towers be preserved during the demolition of the old walls in 1791.

Frauenkirche (1468-1488)
Old Town (South)
The largest Gothic building in southern Germany, the Frauenkirche is one of the oldest and most notable sites in Munich. The twin towers can be seen throughout the city. By law, no new construction can block the view of the church. It is also the site of Ludwig IV’s grave, which is surrounded by the figures of four kneeling knights.



Tony led a tour late this afternoon entitled, "Hitler's Beer Hall Putsch." It included stops at the a plaque honoring an electrition who tried to kill Hilter, the Hofbrauhaus, and the Odeonplatz. The tour is described as follows:

The putsch was an attempted coup by the Nazis in Munich in November 1923. If the putsch had been successful, Hitler and the Nazis might never have come to power in Germany. The consensus of historians is that, even if Hitler had succeeded in taking over Bavaria, he would quickly have been put down by the Weimar government, resulting in his disgrace and the end of his political career. The failure of the putsch made Hitler something of a cult hero in Germany. His trial for treason in 1924 gave him a venue to publicize his socio-political views, especially his contempt for the Social Democrats, Communists, and Jews, who he believed “stabbed Germany in the back” (a view shared by many Germans) and caused Germany to lose the First World War along with her empire and colonies. Most importantly, it made Hitler realize that he needed to use the political process (and his talents for oratory and political instinct), not force, to achieve power.


The tour included a stop at the former site of Burgerbraukeller)then re-enacting Hitler's march to the Hofbrauhaus on the other side of the Isar, about 9/10ths of a mile (along the route taken by the marchers, or as close to it as possible). Hofbrauhaus is historically significant as Hitler made a number of speeches there. At the Hofbrauhaus, Following dinner and beer, a continued march from Hofbrauhaus to the Odeonsplatz, about a quarter of a mile. The Odeonsplatz was the location of the Bavarian Defense Ministry, which the Nazis attempted to take over but were stopped by the Bavarian police. There Tony discussed the events that took place in the square and the aftermath of the coup attempt (particularly how it affected Hitler’s political future).

Today a included a victory rally of soccer hooligans and lots of riot police out in force in a clear attempt to contain them. So far, my only disappointment is that when I went to see the Easter Bunny Museum and Chamber Pot Museum (yes, there is such a place, and it features over 2,000 chamber pots!) it was closed. I was really looking forward to writing about the various chamber pots in the museum for the blog. But SexyLand and Erotic World are just downt the street, so I know there are still opportunities for creativity on the blog if I so desire. In any case, Tony and I worn and are crashing early tonight.

Thanks for continuing to follow us!

Joanie and Tony