Bayerntrips.com: Bavaria Blog

Pope Franziskus

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 15:53:00 +0100

Papal Flag on the Frauenkirche Though sad to see their Bavarian Pope leave office, the Catholics in Munich are all very excited about the new Papst Franziskus. I went back to Alter Peter to see if they have move the crown back to its proper place and was surprised to see that they had not yet done it! Since the church is dedicated to St. Peter and he was the first Pope, it is custom to remove this triple crown (the work of the Munich goldsmith Johann Michael Ernst, from the 1720's) when no Pope is in office and to put it back once a new Pope is elected. Today all the main churches flew the Papal flag from up high - a very unusual site in Munich! It seems like Bavarians are also excited about a Pope from the "New World" and all the firsts he brings. Most everyone, it seems, is excited about a new chapter in church history and are looking for some bold modernization. The news coverage ran for hours and the newspapers all had to be reprinted last night. Tomorrow's paper comes out the night before - around 6:00 PM and that point there was still no Pope.

Max Raabe & The Palast Orchester

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 09:29:00 +0100

Max Raabe & The Palast Orchester

The music of Max Raabe takes us back to the time between the two wars when entertainment when cabaret and big band was king. His baritone voice and crystal clear enunciation make for a magical listening experience as he presents so many songs we all know, regardless of our nationality. Though Raabe is the front man, he carefully ensures that his band, the Palast Orchester, gets plenty of credit. Each of the twelve members is a gifted musician and many play several instruments while some are gifted singers in their own right.

The best news of all is that audiences in North America will soon have the chance to see them live. They kick off their short USA tour in Chicago on April 4, and are in Madison, Wisconsin on April 8^th. Then it’s off to California April 10-14 with LA, San Francisco, and Santa Rosa on the agenda.

We appreciate a variety of music, but the big band sound is special for us. Raabe recreates the sound that takes us back to the time we met on Mackinac Island, where we spent many years listening to Bob Snyder and the Grand Hotel Orchestra. Along with that, he presents the music of Germany’s famous Comedian Harmonists is a fresh way, but ever so traditional.

If you want to explore more, here are a few links:

· Für Frauen ist es kein Problem (It’s no Problem for Women)
· Mein kleiner grüner Kaktus (My little green cactus)
· Max Raabe Documentation with English Subtitles
· Max Raabe Wikipedia entry
· Official Web PageThe Harmonists 2007 DVD and 1997 DVD

2013 Oktoberfest Motif Released!

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 11:13:00 +0100

“The same procedure every year!”

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 17:02:00 +0100

Germans love to celebrate “Silvester,” so named for the fourth century Pope Sylvester’s feast day on December 31^st. They go at Silvester with gusto with lots of big parties but the celebration is punctuated by eating carp, shooting off fireworks and watching the short movie, Dinner for One.

Dinner for One is a great comedy and is completely done in English. The English phrase, “the same procedure as last year” is common to the German Lexicon, but few native English speakers have ever even heard of the film. Have a look at it on YouTube and make it a part of your family’s annual procedure! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1v4BYV-YvA

Guten Rutsch!

November 9: Germany's Date with Destiny

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 15:46:00 +0100

Often called Germany’s “Date with Destiny.” Many people already associate November 9 with Kristallnacht, or the “Night of Broken Glass.” On Kristallnacht windows of Jewish-owned establishments were smashed and approximately 100 Jews were killed, 7,500 Jewish businesses damaged, and some 30,000 Jewish men were arrested. Hundreds of synagogues, homes, schools and graveyards vandalized. An estimated 30,000 Jewish men were arrested. During the Nazi reign of terror, November 9 was always a key date. In 1923, Hitler staged a Putsch against the Bavarian Government. The brown shirts marched from the Bürgerbräukeller near Rosenheimer Platz until they were stopped near Odeonsplatz by the Bavarian Police. Shots were fired and 16 Nazi’s were killed along with 4 Bavarian policemen. After the Nazi’s did come to power, November 9 became a special date in the Nazi calendar to commemorate their fallen – in 1933 November 9 was declared a national holiday. It was also during this “celebration” in 1939 that Georg Elser tried to assassinate Hitler with a bomb in the Bürgerbräukeller. Unfortunately, Hitler cut his speech short and the bomb’s explosion missed him by just 13 minutes. A memorial to George Elser was erected last year in Berlin. In 1989, The Berlin Wall fell Consider also some of the “lesser” events that occurred on November 9 (Source: Humanitas International, R.H. Perez) 1907 November 9 Baron Claus von Stauffenberg is born at his family's estate. In July 1944 he will personally attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler and put an end to the Nazi regime. 1917 November 9 Lenin (Vladimir Llyich Ulyanov) officially forms the world's first Communist government in St. Petersburg, Russia, and soon afterwards asks Germany for an armistice. (Compton's Encyclopedia) 1918 November 9 After losing the support of his generals, Kaiser Wilhelm II is forced to abdicate and the Second Reich collapses. Chancellor Prince Max von Baden quickly turns over the German government to Frederich Ebert who later that same day officially proclaims the formation of a new German Socialist Republic at the Reichstag in Berlin. 1918 November 9 Bavaria proclaims itself an idependent republic. 1918 November 9 Adolf Hitler, a 29-year-old messenger from the Western Front temporarily blinded in a mustard gas attack, hears the news of the Kaiser's abdication and suffers a relapse of blindness. In his book Mein Kampf, Hitler claimed that during that same night he experienced what he called a "supernatural vision" and recovered his sight only after vowing to God that he would dedicate his life to politics. (Toland, pgs XIX, 71, 72) 1921 November 9 Partito Nazionalista Fascista (Fascist Party) is formed in Italy by Benito Mussolini among others. 1925 November 9 German NSDAP officially forms the SS (Schutzstaffel - Protection Squad). 1933 November 9 Hitler officially declares November 9th an annual German national holiday. A huge Blutzeuge celebration is held in Munich. At midday, the march from the Bürgerbräukeller over the Ludwig Bridge to the Feldherrnhalle -- which had ended so badly in 1923 -- is reenacted. Hitler and the surviving members of the original march, including the Freikorps fighters (without General Ludendorff) silently trod the same fateful path through the streets of Munich. The Carillon in the city hall played the Horst Wessel Song, when the marching columns reached the Marienplatz. A small bronze memorial honoring the dead of 1923 was unveiled by Hitler after a moving speech. Plans had already been made to make this commemoration ceremony a permanent annual event. (Domarus) 1933 November 9 At 9 PM, Hitler conducts an oath ceremony for 1,000 recruits of the SS Leibenstandarte Adolf Hitler, 100 men of the Stabswache Goering and fifty members of the Stabswache Roehm. This, too, was now to become an annual event. On the evening of every November 9th, SS recruits would gather and, at Hitler's orders, pledge their oath before the memorial to be willing at all times to give their blood and their lives for him. (Domarus) 1934 March The Blutorden (Blood Order) medal is instituted by the Nazi party. Originally named "The Sign of Honor for November 9, 1923" it is awarded only to veterans of the Munich Putsch. Later it will be presented to a very select few for outstanding personal achievement. (Photo at very bottom) 1934 November 8-9 The second annual celebration in memory of the failed putsch of 1923 is held in Munich. The incidents of June 30 (Roehm Purge) cast a dark shadow over the festivities. Hitler gives a speech at the Bürgerbräukeller -- explaining the significance of November 9 to the Nazi Movement -- past, present and future. (Blutzeuge) Speech 1934 November 9 Hitler cancels the "annual" commemorative march to the Feldherrnhalle, but decrees the institution of an "Endowment for the Martrys of the Movement." That night, he speaks to the youngest members of the Party who have now left the ranks of the Hitler Youth and are being sworn in that night. Speech 1938 November 9-10 Enst vom Rath dies and a massive pogrom, known now as Kristallnacht (the night of glass) is launched against the Jews of Germany. 191 synagogues are set on fire and 76 others are completely destroyed, along with hundreds of Jewish shops and schools. 91 Jews are killed during the night of November 9th alone and 35,000 male Jews are arrested, herded into concentration camps and their property seized. (Atlas) 1939 November 9 Goebbels, on Hitler's instructions, cancels the Day of National Solidarity (Blutzeuge) in Munich after an assassination attempt on Hitler's life (Georg Elser) the previous day, saying, "In these times, it is too dangerous." (Goebbels) 1940 November 9 Sir Neville Chamberlain dies. Rumors within the Nazi Party hint that there was more than mere coincidence behind the fact that he died on "Gedenktag für die Gefallenen der Bewegung" (the Day of Remembrance for the Fallen Martyrs of the Nazi Movement) - 9 November. 1940 November 9 Germany troops invade Norway and Denmark. 1943 November 9 The 20th anniversary of the Munich Putsch. Hitler gives a speech at the Lowenbräukeller in Munich, which is recorded for a later radio broadcast. (During the speech Hitler announced that the German people had inflicted such suffering and destruction on the peoples of Europe that they could expect no mercy in case of defeat. If Germany was defeated, he, Adolf Hitler, would not shed a single tear, even if all the cities of Germany were laid waste, and every German man, woman and child put to the sword. The German people would only have themselves to blame. The censors deleted this outburst, but a Turkish press official was there, who later passed it on to British intelligence.) (Architect) 1949 November 9 The East German Parliament in Berlin unanimously passes a law restoring full citizenship rights to ex-Nazis and army officers. From now on any Russian Zone Nazi - unless he has been convicted of war crimes - can vote, hold public office, and pursue almost any profession. East German Deputy Premier Walter Ulbricht explaining the civil rights law for Nazis and militarists, said that "anti-Fascist forces were sufficiently consolidated," and besides, "many have repented." (International Herald Tribune, Nov. 10, 1949, Nov. 10 1999.) 1970 November 9 General Charles De Gaulle dies at age 79. Ge Gaulle for many years had been aware of ODESSA and Neo-Nazi activity within the CIA and had his agents keeping him informed. The coincidence of his death should not be overlooked. 1989 November 9 Without warning the Berlin Wall suddenly comes down. The swiftness of its fall stuns the world and many find it suspicious that this remarkable event coincides with the date of Hitler's most "sacred Aryan" holiday. (November 9th was a date connected with the National Socialist movement from its very beginning and with Adolf Hitler as far back as World War I.) (Blutzeuge) 1992 November 9 Helmut Kohl, Michail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan are made honorary citizens of Berlin for their contributions to German reunification.

Ads in Beer Advocate & Draft Magazines

Sun, 05 Aug 2012 17:40:00 +0200

Both the Starkbierfest and SpringFest are designed with the ultimate beer connoisseur in mind. Starkbierfest celebrates the arrival of the Doppelbock season, which coincides with Lent. A number of festivals are planned in Munich, and we round out our itinerary with a pilgrimage to Bamberg. This trip runs March 1 – March 10, 2013. Check out the full itinerary here or see my article here for further details behind the Starkbierfest tradition.

Springfest is my newest tour and was created around the May 1^st holiday when small Bavarian towns raise up their new May Pole. Together with the Frühlingsfest in Munich, we will also visit several other major festivals as well as the beer capital of Bamberg. This tour runs from April 27 – May 5, 2013. See the full itinerary here.

Get your official Tour Shirt now!

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 20:31:00 +0200

Show your Bavarian colors with our high-quality T-shirt with a multicolored graphic on the back. The shirt features a map of Bavaria showing the best locations which many of the BayernTrips Tours cover: Munich, Bamberg, Fuessen, Berchtesgaden, and Rothenburg ob der Tauber. On the front breast is the White & Blue BayernTrips crest. Warning: When you wear this, you'll be peppered with questions about your trip to Bavaria! This is a high quality, preshrunk T-shirt from Gildran printed with a high color graphic. Visit our page on E-bay to purchase yours today! http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300744927927 Sizes Available: Medium, Large, Extra Large, 2XL, and 3XL Shipping: FREE!

This t-shirt has been treated with a water-based pre-treatment coating. The garment may be safely worn immediately; it is not necessary to wash the garments prior to wearing. The pre-treatment area can be seen, ever so slightly, over the print areas and will wash out in the first few washes. If you are going to GermanFest in Milwaukee or Cincinnati's Oktoberfest, the price for hand-delivered & C.O.D. is $25.00 per shirt ($2.00 extra for 3XL).

Call-a-Bike in Germany

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 02:19:00 +0200

Munich is home to what is consistently rated as one of the best public transportation networks in the world. Whatever you destination a subway, tram, train, or bus can be found a short distance away. Even with this convenience, however, there are situation where a more direct form of transportation is just the ticket: A bicycle! Wouldn’t it be great if you could walk out your door and find a bicycle at the ready for you to hop over to the beer garden, visit a museum, or do a quick errand? Munich, and many other German cities, offer this service. It’s run by the German railway systems, the Deutsche Bahn (DB), and hundreds of bicycles are scattered throughout the city each summer. They are a heavy duty affair with extra durable everything. They aren’t light, but the ride well and the five gear selection can get you down to the Granny gear if you need to tackle a tough hill. Whether Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, Karlsruhe, Cologne, Munich, Stuttgart or at one of the numerous ICE stations – wherever you see one of the DB bikes, all you have to do is make a quick phone call, or use the new iPhone or Android app and off you go. So, how does the system work? After you have registered as a customer, you can check out a bike by calling or using the smart phone app. You can drop off the bike anywhere inside the designated boundaries of the city. Register: If you have an international plan on your cell phone, you can easily make this work. From the USA, you call 011 49 345 292970 to set up your customer ID and place your credit card on file. There is a website for this as well at www.callabike.de , but it’s only in German. If you have a smart phone, download the Call-a-Bike application which is also offered in English. From there, you can more easily set-up your account. Check-out: Once you are registered, checking bikes in and out is a breeze, especially when using a smartphone. The application has a locater service which brings up a local map and shows you where bikes are located. When you see a CallBike you wish to use, call the telephone number in the red box on the cover of the CallBike lock and confirm that you wish to rent the bike. Open the cover of the lock, touch the display and follow the instructions. The lock will be released and you can set off. If you wish to take a break, you can use the bolt to secure the bike. The opening code you were given remains valid. Return: Park the bike at the nearest major road intersection, bier garden, or major building and use the bolt to lock it. In Berlin, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and at ICE stations, bikes can only be collected from and returned to the rental stations. To lock the bike, press the button to the right of the lock. Read the receipt code shown on the display, phone the number on the lock cover again and follow the instructions. In Berlin, Frankfurt, Karlsruhe and Stuttgart you do not receive a receipt code or have to phone to return the bike. Cost: Each minute of use costs € 0.08, but the maximum daily tariff is just € 15.00. If you have a DB BahnCard, it’s even less. Even at the maximum tariff, that’s a cheaper rate then you’ll pay at the bike rental places. Granted their bikes and better, but once you consider the convenience of being able to leave the bike pretty much wherever you want, the DB option is excellent.

World's Largest Weissbier Producer

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 12:23:00 +0200

Billed as the world’s largest Weissbier brewery, Erdinger Weissbräu produces over 1.2 millon barrels of beer each year. With some 480 employees, Erdinger Weissbier can be found around the globe in at least 70 different countries. A relative newcomer in Bavarian terms, the brewery was established in 1886 and in 1935 it was purchased by 1935 by its business manager, Franz Brombach. Since 1975, the brewery has been led by his son, Werner Brombach. In 1983, the brewery moved from its traditional location in the center of Erding to a modern brewery on the outskirts of the city. In 1989, a new bottling plant, capable of filling 110,000 bottles per hour, and a new computer-controlled warehouse were added. The technology is stunning and its location just a few miles from Munich’s airport, make it a leader in logistics and efficiency. Erdinger is also one of the few breweries that offers a regular guided tour to individuals. Tuesday through Saturday, public tours are offered at 10:00 AM, 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM. On Saturdays, tours are available at 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM. The € 10 per person charge gets you a detailed tour of the brewery, a Bavarian snack, and all the beer you can drink in about 60 minutes. Detailed information on the tour can be found on-line at http://www.erdinger.de/en/erdinger-weissbier-company/brewery/brewery-tour.html I recently toured the brewery myself with an old friend, Robert Jahny, who is now working for the brewery. The tours begin in the Fanshop which is filled with all kinds of Erdinger clothing, glasses, and knickknacks. The clothing items are high quality and offered at a fair price. Individual guests pay for their tour there and the tour begins inside the visitor center, which is decorated as a traditional Bavarian Wirtshaus. After the service team introduces themselves, a 15 minutes film is presented. At the end of the film, all the blinds on the left side of the visitor center are raised to reveal a clear view of the Sudhaus. After this the tour begins and the true scale of this large undertaking becomes clear. The highlight of the tour is definitely the technology. The bottling line, automated packaging, and the modern warehouse system are amazing. The warehousing system features several automated cranes that keep the Weissbier in storage for the prescribed 4 weeks aging time. When a truck driver arrives to pick-up an order, an employee directs the system to pick the order and load it on to the truck. The cranes whizz into action, picking various palettes at break neck speed, all without human intervention. At the end of the tour, we were offered Weisswurst, pretzels and as much Weissbier as we could handle in about 90 minutes. Erdinger offers a number of great products: Erdinger Weißbier – the traditional Erdinger WeissbierErdinger Weißbier dunkel – the dark version with roasted malty flavor. Erdinger Urweiße – brewed with a completly different yeast strain and according to a classic recipe. Erdinger Pikantus dunkler Weizenbock – the stronger Weizenbock Erdinger Weißbier kristallklar – The beer completes its second fermentation and is filtered before bottle filling. Erdinger Weißbier leicht – half the alcohol and 40% fewer calories. Erdinger Alkoholfrei – the number 1 Alcohol free Weissbier in the world.Erdinger Schneeweiße – available only from October to February. Erdinger Champ – designed tob e consumed directly from its .33 l bottle, this weissbier has less CO2 and is offered for festivals and celebrations. Erdinger Festweiße – a slightly higher alcohol version. If you’ve made it this far through my report, then you deserve the most valuable tip of all. If you enjoy Erdinger Weissbier, join its 75,000 member strong fan club and you’ll receive a host of valuable benefits which include: A free brewery tour and a 10% discount on all articles in the Erdinger Fanshop. For more information, have a look: http://www.erdinger.de/en/erdinger-weissbier-fan-club.html#Single%20member

Happy Birthday Munich!

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 10:20:00 +0200

June 14, 1158 is recognized as Munich’s founding year and Munich celebrates its 854^th birthday this weekend. Before Heinrich der Löwe founded the city, there was a small settlement of Monks located here near the Isar River. The place was referred to as “near the Monks” which turned into “München” over time. Looking for a new revenue source, Heinrich der Löwe set his sights on the valuable salt road which crossed the Isar near Freising. Naturally the Bishop of Freising wasn’t happy to lose his valuable bridge, but Emperor Frederick Barbarossa brokered a deal whereby Heinrich would pay off the bishop and the city of Munich was officially recognized. This weekend the city will celebrate by turning the city center into a large beer garden filled with various events. At Marienplatz, Mayor Christian Ude will kick of the celebration right after the 11:00 AM Glockenspiel finishes on Saturday. Black powder pistols will be fired and a group of Morisken Dancers will perform, followed by more music and traditional dancers. At the same time, Odeonsplatz will come alive with a little more modern music including Jazz, Swing, Blues and more. Meanwhile, there will be activities for the kids behind the Rathaus and inside the Alter Hof. If you wish you were here in Munich but can’t be, tune in Bayern 1 Radio on the internet at 3:10 PM Central European Time for live reports from the festival. And, as usual, you can keep an eye on my Facebook page for photos from the event! For detail information, have a look here: www.stadtgruendungsfest-muenchen.de Happy Birthday Munich!