Go East, Young Man

This past weekend, I took my last big trip of the semester.  Through the Lüneburger Auslands-Studium Studierenden Initiativ (Lüneburg Study-Abroad Studying Initiative, abbreviated L.A.S.S.I.), I spent three days traveling to two of the most-important cities in the former East Germany: Dresden and Leipzig.

We boarded the train in Lüneburg at 6:30 Friday morning, a little too early for most of us.  The group of around 25 students was almost entirely ERASMUS (a European exchange student organization) students; I was the only USAC member, and the only American.  Four-and-a-half hours later, we arrived at the Dresden Hauptbahnhof.  After checking into the Hostel Mondpalast (even nicer than the Sunflower in Berlin, and there was hot water for the showers!), we took the S-Bahn (for Straßenbahn, "street train") into the city for lunch at the Sophienkellar cafe, in what used to be the basement (German "Kellar") of the Taschenbergpalais.  L.A.S.S.I covered the food, which for me was Sächsiche Sauerbraten (roast beef), Rotkohl (red cabbage), and a large Kartoffelknödel (potato dumpling).

The Frauenkirche
The dark stones are from the original building.

Having finished our delicious lunch, we walked through the Altstadt (Old City) to the Frauenkirche.  Originally constructed in 1743, the Frauenkirche was among the first large Protestant churches in Germany.  Today, a statue of Martin Luther stands outside one of the entrances.  Like almost 80% of Dresden, the Frauenkirche was destroyed on February 13, 1945, during the Allied bombing attack on the city.  The ruins remained until 1994, when the reconstruction project started, funded by over 20 nations.  The exterior was rebuilt historically correctly, using photographs and sketches as guides, and even incorporating some of the original stones.  There were no such depictions of the historical interior, however, and so that part of the Frauenkirche has been lost.

Measured to the top of the cross atop the cupola (German "Kuppel"), the Frauenkirche stands 91.23 m above the Dresden Altstadt.  At 67.06 m is an observation platform, reached by an elevator and stairs that spiral around the cupola, offering views of the sanctuary.  At the top, the view of the city was gorgeous, especially because we were blessed with sunny blue skies.

We returned to the hostel for a while, so those who hadn't slept on the train could get a little rest.  Later that evening, we visited the Dresdener Striezelmarkt, the oldest Christmas Market in Germany.  Since 1434, people from the Dresden area have met at the Striezelmarkt to eat, drink, and be merry.  Dinner for me was two Kartoffelpuffer (fried potato pancakes) covered in Apfelmus (applesauce).  Drinking the requisite glühwein (spiced wine, served hot), I also sampled lebkuchen (German Christmas gingerbread) and stollen (iced bread made with nuts and raisins).

After the hostel's breakfast, our Saturday program started with a walking tour of the historic Altstadt.  We each received headphones, and our tour guide spoke using microphone over a specific radio channel.  That was really nice for hearing everything, even when I stopped to take a picture there was another group in the area.  Our first stop was the Zwinger, the "party palace" of Frederick Augustus I (Augustus the Strong), elector of Saxony and king of Poland.  Built in the early 18th Century, the palace is now home to muesums.  Renovation is a constant process at the Zwinger (like painting the Golden Gate Bridge).  The stone's natural lead content oxidizes, turning the beige stone black.  One wing or another is always covered in scaffolding, cleaning the oxide away to reveal the Baroque-style beauty beneath.  Much of the Zwinger, too, was reconstructed after World War II in its original style and form.

We then walked along the Fürstenzug (Procession of Princes) towards the city center.  Made of over 24,000 ceramic tiles, the 335-foot-long mosaic depicts all the rulers of Saxony from 1123-1904.  We passed the Frauenkirche, but were unable to go inside.  We stopped briefly at the Albertinum, also home to art museums.  Dresden is know in as the "Florence on the Elbe," because the monarchy there collected nearly as much art of all kinds as the Medici family did in Italy.  A stroll along the Brülscher Terrace (named for its designing architect) offered wonderful views of the reconstructed Baroque city.

The Fürstenzug

View from the Brülscher Terrace

Our tour ended in front of the Semperoper (Semper Opera House).  The only theater in Germany to be called by its architect's name, the house was built in the 1870 according to the plans of Gottfried Semper, and was rebuilt in 1985.  Across the square is the Katholische Hofkirche (Catholic Cathedral).  The largest church in all of Saxony, the Hofkirche was built in the mid-18th century as a private basilica for Dresden's nobility.

Semperoper

Given some time to explore on our own, I also visited the Kreuzkirche (Church of the Holy Cross).  Built in the early 13th century as the Nikolaikirche, the church was renamed in 1388 upon receipt of a supposed piece of Christ's cross and the discovery of a cross of unknown origin in the Elbe River.  Destroyed or severely damaged five times in its history, the Kreuzkirche was completely rebuilt in 1955, when the interior was purposely left rough and unfinished.

Our next scheduled visit was to the Festung Dresden (Dresden Fortress), under the Brülsche Terrace.  Guiding with a personal auto tour, the museum shows the progression of Dresden's protective fortifications.  Originally constructed in 1180, the city walls continued to grow and expand until 1593.  Preserved under today's Altstadt are one of the city gates (the Ziegeltor, "brick gate," not for its construction material, but for the carts of bricks that regularly passed through it), guards' quarters, parts of a foundry, and even the remains of a drawbridge.

Our last group event of the day was a walk through the Historisches Grünes Gewölbe (Historic Green Vault), where what remains of Augustus the Strong's treasure is on display.  Security at the Green Vault is understandably very high: a limited number of visitors are allowed inside at one time, the entrance is a double-door airlock to reduce dust, and of course no photos are allowed.  The exhibit is divided into nine rooms, each featuring a different medium: amber, ivory, white silver, silver gilt, precious objects (ostrich eggs, nautilus shells, rock crystal), copper coats-of-arms, jewels, bronze, and Renaissance bronze works.  The treasures, many of which are displayed without protective glass (as the vault would have existed in the days of Augustus the Strong), are described by a personal audio tour guide, and represent only a fraction of the Elector's former wealth.  The Green Vault is housed in the Residenzschloss (Royal Palace), along with other historical and art museums.

The Residenzschloss, as seen from the Zwinger.

The Residenzschloss courtyard

I returned to the Striezelmarkt Saturday night, to do a little Christmas shopping and get another helping of Kartoffelpuffer.  There, I met a few German girls, friends from the area who had met at the market.  After noticing and making fun of my American accent, they invited me to spend the evening with them.  Even though they all spoke English well, we conversed in German about music, TV, music, and differences in Christmas traditions between Germany and America.  I even got to learn a little Sächsisch, the regional dialect.

Sunday morning we took the train to Leipzig, about an hour-and-a-half away.  L.A.S.S.I. hadn't planned any activities for the whole group there, so we were free to explore on our own for a few hours.  I followed my Daytrips book to the city's top highlights.  My first stop was the Altes Rathaus (Old City Hall), and the Christmas market in the square out front.  Originally built in 1557 in German Renaissance style, it was given a clock tower in 1744, and rebuilt in the same style (with new materials) in 1907 as it prepared to house the Leipzig City History Museum.

Just around the corner is the Mädler Passage, which leads to Auerbachs Kellar.  The 16th-Century tavern figures prominently in Goethe's Faust, probably the most-famous German literary work.  The entrance is flanked by statues of scenes from the work.  Today, Auerbachs Kellar is an attractive, classy, and expensive restaurant.

The main attraction in Leipzig for me was the Thomaskirche (St. Thomas' Church).  Constructed in 1212, the Thomaskirche boasted Johann Sebastian Bach as its cantor from 1723-1750.  The composer is now buried under the altar, and honored with a special exhibit in a side chapel, as well as a stained-glass window.  The church's organs, though not the originals used by Bach, were built to imitate the organs of Bach's 18th Century.

The Nikolaikirche (Church of St. Nicholas) is the oldest in Leipzig, dating from 1165.  Though its exterior is relatively plain, inside the church displays beautiful columns topped with palm branches.  All of the interior, in fact, is exquisitely ornate.  The Nikolaikirche was the starting place of the 1889 Peaceful Revolution, which led to Germany's reunification the following year.

After only a few short hours in Leipzig we were back on the train to Lüneburg.  I finished reading Visitation, Susan Bernofsky's English translation of Jenny Erpenbeck's Heimsuchung, and wrote a couple postcards.  I spent most of the time talking with the other exchange students on the trip.  Checking in with my family on Skype was a great way to end another wonderful weekend in Germany!