Entrance to Zeppelin
Tribüne and Golden Hall
(photo taken from the street)
The photograph above shows the rear of the reviewing stand built in 1934 at the Zeppelin Field in Nürnberg, Germany for Hitler's Nazi party rallies. On the far right is the front entrance to the Golden Hall, which has been converted into a museum called Faszination und Gewalt (Fascination and Violence).
Also seen in the photo above is the modern sculpture, constructed out of salvage from World War II and spray-painted battleship gray, which stands in front of the Museum. Hitler favored classical art and deplored this kind of modern art, which he referred to as "degenerate art." It has often been said that the winners write the history of a war; the winners also build the monuments, so the memorial artwork at all the World War II historical places is the opposite of what Hitler admired.
The marble reviewing stand at the Zeppelin Field,
shown in the photograph above, is the place where the Nazi swastika
was blown up by the Allies in a symbolic display of victory over
the Nazis on April 24, 1945.
These stands are where the Nazi dignitaries
sat and enormous flags with the swastika
emblem were displayed. Now the former parade ground has been turned into a soccer
field.
On the central promontory, which is the speaker's stand where
Hitler used to give his speeches, you can still make out the
faint outline of another swastika which was removed from the
marble by the American military.
Inside the Golden Hall, a gold mosaic swastika has been left on the ceiling as a grim reminder of Germany's dark past.
It was an eerie feeling walking up these steps knowing that Hilter walked up them, too.
Standing where Hilter addressed the multitudes.
You can see the stands over a quarter of a mile away.
This is what Hitler saw when he stood at the speaker's stand.
The field that stretched before him was filled with 100,000 marching soldiers and there was a capacity crowd of 340,000 spectators.
The door from which Hilter emerged and walked down the steps to his podium.
In the video below you can see where there was once a large swastika just above that door.
Evidence of previous Nazi symbols having been 'erased.'
The three divisions that fought in the battle of Nuremberg were the 3rd, the 42nd and the 45th Infantry divisions. The 42nd Rainbow Division and the 45th Thunderbird division went on to liberate the Dachau concentration camp on April 29, 1945.
The Battle of Nuremberg was given great importance by the American military because it "was in the eyes of the Americans nothing less than the sacred home of National Socialism."
The destruction of the hated Nazi swastika emblem, encircled by a gold-plated laurel wreath, took place four days after three divisions of the American Seventh Army had captured the city of Nuremberg on April 20, 1945, which happened to be Hitler's 56th birthday.
On the day that the swastika was blown up, the victorius Americans held their third victory parade on the Zeppelin field.
Even though it was a memorable experience to visit this place, there was an ominous feeling surrounding me.
Even the clouds felt it.
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