We are currently enjoying the best of Bayern in the thousand year old city of Dinkelsbühl, my husband's German home town! Be sure to follow on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter for daily photo updates while I am enjoying an otherwise "unplugged" vacation.
It's been 275 days since we were in Germany, and we still have 68 days until we return (yeah, yeah, I have a thing about countdowns...). So indulge me while I moon over these bewitching photos of Bavaria until I can see them in person once again!
One of the best things about the Bavarian region of Germany is just how darn cute and photogenic it is. You turn a corner and bam! picture-perfect, half-timbered houses practically scream "look how quintessentially German I am!" It's enough to make a grown man squeal with glee.
There's no need to seek out big name cities such as Munich or Rothenberg o.d. Tauber to experience Bavaria. In fact the smaller towns and dorfs (the uber cool German word for "village") will provide a less touristy, more genuine experience. We found the college town of Eichstätt to be a pleasant way to spend the afternoon away from the hustle and bustle of big name sites and simply enjoy the laid-back Bavarian life.
We had no agenda for the afternoon. We wandered. Ate a delicious meal (I was pregnant and craving all the foods at that time). Visited a chapel dedicated to Saint Walburga. And attempted to visit the castle Willibaldsburg until we realized there wasn't enough time left in our day.
Example of a medieval torture device.
While I wouldn't necessarily recommend going out of your way to visit Eichstätt (although the castle Willibaldsburg is probably worth it!), there's enough charm and little eateries to keep yourselves well-occupied for a few hours enjoying the slow pace of Bavarian life!
Who in the world tells Michael Jackson to "Just beat it!"
According to local legend, the residents surrounding Harburg Castle in Bavaria, Germany, did! The singer was enamored with the Harburg and called it "the castle of [his] dreams." He attempted to buy the castle, but was thwarted by the owners and locals who did not want the castle, one of the best preserved and among the largest in Germany, belonging to a foreigner, no matter how famous he might be.
So the castle remains in the possession of the Wallerstein family as it has since 1731. The House of Wallerstein is actually one of the oldest lineages in Germany, and Wallerstein patriarchs and matriarchs still retain titles of "Prince" or "Princess" to denote their longstanding rank in Bavaria's history. It is perhaps fitting that such a prominent German family should control such a prominent and enduring castle in Germany's history. While historians and archaeologists have not been able to pinpoint the exact date of Harburg's construction, 10th and 11th century documents offer the earliest mention of the castle, and Roman remains have been found on site, which indicates that there has been a presence on that site possibly as far back as Caesar's invasion of Germany in 55BC.
The Harburg is located on an imposing and steep hill above the Wörnitz River overlooking the town of Harburg. It boasts impressive walls and ramparts, and for its inhabitants, there is a spacious ballroom, an aesthetically-pleasing courtyard, and beautifully-appointed living quarters, a stark contrast to the formidable defenses in place.
Have you visited Harburg Castle? *All photos by S.W.
Americans have a fascination with reenactments - and not just those that pertain directly to American history! While Civil War and Revolutionary War reenactments are more common on the East Coast of the U.S., medieval and renaissance fairs can be found throughout the entire country. These fairs are characterized by attendees and organizers alike dressed in costumes, drinking beer, eating smoked meats, showing off copious amounts of cleavage, and participating in medieval fight sequences, usually hosted in large fields where medieval-style tents have been erected for an appropriate backdrop.
Ye beautiful beer maiden.
But these American Renaissance Fairs simply cannot top attending a Mittelalterfest (Middle Ages Festival) hosted just outside a medieval town in the heart of Germany's Bavaria - it's the legit renaissance fair experience!
As with American Ren Fairs (as they're so lovingly shortened in American slang), there is usually a small fee to attend a Mittelalterfest. While costumes are not mandatory, they are highly encouraged and can elicit praise from random strangers, especially if you're sporting an impressive beard as an accessory. At Wassertrüdingen's Mittelalterfest in 2012, we began by walking through a recreation of a medieval village, replete with blacksmiths, basket-weavers, woodworkers, farmers, and of course an area with long tables and benches for some good ol' fashioned, medieval-style beer swigging and slogging. You can imagine which part of the "village" proved to be the most popular.
A German renaissance festival is also similar to its American counterparts in that not all the costumed attendees are sporting authentic-looking medieval garb. Kilted bagpipers, the 18th century clothed boys' marching band of a neighboring town, and a few people who looked like they just wandered in from Comic Con could be found throughout the festival, spicing up the crowd as it were.
While the beer and wurst (sausages) were certainly popular, once the festival's Beer Queen finished serving the masses, attention turned to the Ritterspiele or Knights' Games, which were held towards the end of the evening. Hello, men in tights! Oh, and sporting fancy armor, large swords, and beautiful horses. If you forget about the lack of indoor plumbing, that life expectancy was roughly age 30, and unless you were a merchant or nobility, your life pretty much sucked, the middle ages were kind of sexy, weren't they?
Of course, the entire tournament, like the festival, will be done in German, which means that any humor created by the tournament master or contestants will be completely lost on you if you don't sprechen die deutsch as I did not back in 2012. However, it does lend an other-worldliness to the festival, making it seem that much more authentic, especially when the hand to hand combatants and jousting knights start screaming at each other. You'll be utterly terrified and thrilled - because you have no idea what's going on!
So in short if you're ever in Germany and just so happen to see a Mittelalterfest or Ritterspiele being advertised, go find yourself some tights, a tunic, or a busty bustier and join in on the medieval fun. Make some German friends over a tall one at the beer tables and cheer on your favorite knight as he tries to wallop the other guy off his horse. You'll have a blast, guaranteed!
We have returned from our #EurSoGypsy adventure through Europe! Once I've recovered from the jet lag (and caught up on the hundreds of personal and work emails that piled up while I was gone!), I'll start dishing out on all the great stories and sites that we visited. Until then, please enjoy these photo essays!
Pageantry. Traditional dancing. Sword-fights. Partying. How else should one commemorate a 17th century surrender?!
Every July, the Bavarian town of Dinkelsbühl, located along the Romantic Road, throws a 10-day festival known as the Kinderzeche, or Children's Festival, to celebrate its salvation from the Swedish army in 1632. It is one of the oldest festivals in Germany, and over the past 191 years since the Kinderzeche's beginnings, the celebration has grown larger and grander in size. Over 300,000 people attend the festival each year; but to those of you who have never heard of it before, what exactly is the Kinderzeche?
1. Reenactment of the Town's Salvation
Once upon a time, the Protestants and Catholics waged a Thirty Years' War against each other, devastating various parts of Europe in the process. In the middle of this war, the Protestant Swedes invaded the largely Catholic Germany, and the town of Dinkelsbühl was besieged and threatened with destruction. Lore, the daughter of a gatekeeper, gathered the town children together, and together they sang their way to the Swedish general, from whom they begged mercy. He spared the town for their sake and charged the people of Dinkelsbühl to never forget the children who saved them. From this legend, the tradition of the Kinderzeche finds its roots.
Several times throughout the Kinderzeche, the town reenacts this legend, and once the town has been saved (again!), the Swedes, Dinkelsbühlers, town soldiers, and a grand array of reenactors parade through the town. Proud parents and spectators hand the children a tute, a paper cone full of candies and other treats, and give small bottles of alcohol to the adult participants. (Sorry, kids, no booze for you!)
A giant Schneckennudel (similar to a cinnamon roll)
2. Grand Parade to Celebrate all that is Dinkelsbühl
While a large part of the parade is composed of the 17th century reenactors, it is not limited to celebrating just that part of Dinkelsbühl's history, but everything that makes this town and its region unique. Farmers lead their prize livestock; the Biedemeyer, or little girls in white dresses, prance through town hand-in-hand before performing traditional folk dances later in the day. A division of white-and-red uniformed little boys shoulder their faux muskets and lead the whole parade with rousing marches. Even the more unsavory characters of the town make an appearance, including beggars who harass spectators for beer or money -- all while in "character" of course!
Oftentimes the roles are passed down from father to son or conferred only upon prominent members of the community, such as the portrayal of the town's Bürgermeister (mayor). The selection of each year's Lore, known specifically as the Kinderlore, is decided by way of an audition among 16-year old girls.For other roles, children are chosen from various grades in the local schools. Regardless of how each character is cast or each role filled, the common requirement is residency: only someone from Dinkelsbühl can participate.
The "bloody" gentleman is the local car salesman and happens to have been a classmate of my mother-in-law. (2010)
The Burghermeister and town leaders. One of these gentlemen is a friend of the family. (2014)
3. Pageantry - Folk Dances, Sword Fights, etc
In addition to the parade, several nights of the Kinderzeche are devoted to showcasing traditional folk dances, including the Schwertertanz, or the Sword Dance.
The carefully coordinated sword play is conducted between two young men balanced on a platform of swords held by their peers. And, no, the swords are not capped or dulled. Arguably, the Schwertertanz is the highlight of the traditional dances.
However, the other dances are not to be missed either!
4. Beer, the Schießwasen, and more beer Beer is a national pastime for Germans, and during the Kinderzeche, the taps flow freely. Reenactors are treated to free refills at local restaurants, but spectators can enjoy their fair share, too, especially at the Schießwasen (pronounced "sheezs-vassen"). The Schießwasen is a carnival and features all the traditional carnie trappings: fried foods, peanuts, hot dog (or in this case, wurst) stands, game booths, and rides. At the epicenter of a Bavarian Schießwasen, however, is the beer tent. Under the blue and white stripes of the bierzelt, the beer never runs out, and the band never stops playing except to take a sip of said beer! Everything from polka tunes to contemporary German pop to even a little Kid Rock will be played here while you enjoy a maßkrug of good Bavarian beer.
Many people mistakenly refer to this as a beer stein, but its real name is maßkrug ("mass-kroog") or maß for short. One maß can hold a liter of beer.
5. Celebrating the Ties That Bind
At the end of the day, however, the Kinderzeche is about community and about family. Many residents take time off work for the entirety of the festival, and it's common for family and friends living outside Dinkelsbühl to visit specifically during Kinderzeche time. Remembering what the town has overcome in its past encourages people to look ahead to its future and to celebrate closeness with loved ones.
While the beer and wurst (sausages) were certainly popular, once the festival's Beer Queen finished serving the masses, attention turned to the Ritterspiele or Knights' Games, which were held towards the end of the evening. Hello, men in tights! Oh, and sporting fancy armor, large swords, and beautiful horses. If you forget about the lack of indoor plumbing, that life expectancy was roughly age 30, and unless you were a merchant or nobility, your life pretty much sucked, the middle ages were kind of sexy, weren't they?
Beer is a national pastime for Germans, and during the Kinderzeche, the taps flow freely. Reenactors are treated to free refills at local restaurants, but spectators can enjoy their fair share, too, especially at the Schießwasen (pronounced "sheezs-vassen"). The Schießwasen is a carnival and features all the traditional carnie trappings: fried foods, peanuts, hot dog (or in this case, wurst) stands, game booths, and rides. At the epicenter of a Bavarian Schießwasen, however, is the beer tent. Under the blue and white stripes of the bierzelt, the beer never runs out, and the band never stops playing except to take a sip of said beer! Everything from polka tunes to contemporary German pop to even a little Kid Rock will be played here while you enjoy a maßkrug of good Bavarian beer.
.jpg){kind=icon}
