Hello All,
Today we boarded our train for Germany's best-preserved walled town.It was a long and at times arduous journey to Rothenburg ob der Tauber which required 3 changes of train and a bus to train but the journey was worth it as the town proved to be just as we had read the king of medieval German cuteness and historic value
According to Wiki even the Allied forces during WWII could see the significances and importance of Rothenburg ob der Tauber so they took a softly softly approach in there destruction of the place!!!
In March 1945 in World War II, German soldiers were stationed in Rothenburg ob der Tauber to defend it. On March 31, bombs were dropped over Rothenburg ob der Tauber by 16 planes, killing 39 people and destroying 306 houses, six public buildings, nine watchtowers, and over 2,000 feet (610 m) of the wall. The U.S Assistant Secretary of War John J. McCloy knew about the historic importance and beauty of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, so he ordered US Army General Jacob L. Devers not use artillery in taking Rothenburg ob der Tauber. The local military commander Major Thömmes ignored the order of Adolf Hitler for all towns to fight to the end and gave up the town, thereby saving it from total destruction by artillery. American troops occupied the town on April 17, 1945, and in November 1948 McCloy was named Honorable Protectorate of Rothenburg. After the war, the residents of the city quickly repaired the bombing damage. Donations for the rebuilding were received from all over the world.
We have read that some people think that Rothenburg has turned into a medieval theme park and maybe to some extent it has but it still manages to maintain an undeniable charm that appeals to even the hardest of hearts . It is an extremely easy place to like and as you wander along the streets and look into the windows you can´t help but smile to yourself and wonder whether you have been transported back to a Christmas tale from a children´s book.We are approaching Christmas that is true but in Rothenbury it is Christmas every single day of the year for it is here that Kathe Wolfahrt's shops can be found. Take a peek for yourself if you are lover of Christmas lovers .www.wohlfahrt.com/.Scroll down the bottom for translation into the English Version .Note to shopaholics they do have online shopping.
Rothenburg is more than shops that twinkle at you and bäckerei´s that try to entice you in for a sugar hit.We were almost tempted to try a schneeballen, which are egg dough fried and then either sprinkled with powered sugar or covered with chocolate,but we resisted and had some gingerbread instead.It is a place that is so full of history that you can´t help but be captivated and charmed by it . As you wander along the cobbled streets of the old city gazing up at the timbered houses ,fortified walls and castles you can´t but want to keep exploring and looking around the next corner and into the next garden.It is so beautiful located on a plateau overlooking the Tauber river that you could walk in the surrounding area for days and not be bored so we think that is worth more than then the 40 minutes that the Japanese tourists on the tour buses are given. Fortunately we didn´t get to spend enough hours here either as darkness fell upon us and we were forced to retreat back to our train.Maybe one day we will return to explore again.......
Bye,
David and Vanessa
