Somber and Sad

While our friends, Jeff and Jo, visited Auschwitz-Birkenau yesterday (Tuesday), today we set our sights on Le Struthof, the only Nazi concentration camp established in French territory.  It is located way up in the Vosges mountains not far from a village called Natzwiller (a somewhat ironic name!). It took about an hour to drive there from Rhinau and all of us, including Emmy, were committed to seeing it.  One thing for sure, we knew this would not be an easy experience.

The scenery as we drove up the long and winding mountain was beautiful - not unlike mountain roads in British Columbia.  In fact, we found out later that the site for the camp had previously been a ski resort.  We climbed and climbed and then, turning a corner, we were there.  One of the first things that struck me were the number of tour buses in the parking lot - lots of them.  It quickly became apparent as we approached the ticket centre that most of these buses carried school children and it wasn't lost on us that the classes were speaking equally French and German.  This is not first time have I been impressed that the Germans keep this horrible part of their history at the forefront of the school curriculum.  They appear to be determined to learn from that part of their past - an approach some other countries might want to try.

Le Struthof is not a large camp but it contains a microcosm of the horrors of other camps.  There were tortures, beatings, hangings, medical experiments, hard labour and even a gas chamber where the Nazis tried to determine the most "efficient" way to exterminate people. 

Wikipedia gives a good synopsis of this place:

Natzweiler-Struthof was a German-run concentration camp located in the Vosges Mountains  close to the Alsatian village of Natzwiller (German Natzweiler) in France, and the town of Schirmeck, about 50 km (31 mi) south west from the city ofStrasbourg. Natzweiler-Struthof was the only concentration camp established by the Nazis on present-day French territory, though there were French-run temporary camps such as the one at Dreancy.  At the time from 1941 to 1944, the Alsace area in which it was established was administered by Germany as it was an integral part of the German Reich.  The camp operated from 21 May 1941 to early September, 1944, with prisoners.  A small staff of Nazi SS remained, found when the camp was liberated by the French First Army under the command of the US Sixth Army Group on 23 November, 1944.  About 52,000 prisoners were estimated to be held there in its time of operation.  The prisoners were mainly taken from the resistance movements in German-occupied territories.  It was a labor camp, transit camp and as the war went on, a place of execution.  Some died from the exertions of the labor and the poor food.  There were an estimated 22,000 deaths at the camp, including the network of sub-camps.  Many prisoners were moved to other camps; in particular, the former head of Auschwitz concentration camp was brought in 1944 to evacuate the prisoners of Natzweiler-Struthof to Dachau as the Allied Armies neared in 1944.  August Hirt conducted some of his efforts in making a Jewish skeleton collection in this camp.  A documentary movie has been made about the 86 named men and women who were killed there for that project.  Some of the people responsible for atrocities in this camp came to trial after the war ended.  The camp is preserved as a museum in memory of those held or killed there.  The European Centre of Deported Resistance Members is located at this museum, focusing on those held at this camp.  The Monument to the Departed stands at the site.  The present museum was restored in 1980, after damage by neo-Nazis in 1976. Among other notable prisoners, the writer, Boris Pahor, was interned in Natzweiler-Struthof and wrote his novel Necropolis based on this experience.

With that description, I will let the attached photos speak for themselves, including some that were information plaques in the museum.  You don't need much imagination to understand the horrors that took place here.

 

The juxtaposition of the gallows overlooking such beautiful scenery was not lost on us. 

We spent a couple of hours there but did not visit the gas chambers.  However, we saw enough to understand that this was, like the other camps, a place where so much evil was perpetrated on so many innocent people.

We left there early afternoon and the road back down the other side of the mountain got us to the valley very quickly.  From there, it was a short drive to Offenburg where Emmy was catching a train to Frankfurt to visit friends there and near Mannheim for the weekend.  She'll re-join her grandparents Monday.  I will reconnect with her (and them) in London in a couple of weeks.

France's Most Preferred Village in 2013

Today we visited Eguisheim which was voted France's most preferred (or favourite) in 2013.  It is not difficult to figure out why.  This is one of those places which looks too pretty to be real, more like a fantasy.  The town has three concentric walls which form the village's fortifications.  It can be seen more or less in this photo from the Internet:

The following is from the Office of Tourism website:

Eguisheim, the birthplace of winegrowing in Alsace, has 1850 inhabitants and nestles between gentle hillsides covered with 339 hectares of vines.  In the heart of the Alsace wine region, at an altitude of 210m, it is only 5 kilometres from Colmar and close to the European capital of Strasbourg, Freiburg and to Basel.  Some of its vineyards have been officially been designated as "Alsace Grand Cru".  Pope St Leo IX was born here, and Eguisheim enjoys an international reputation.  [The sign outside the chapel reads:  He was a mighty traveller, diplomat and conciliator crossing the length and breadth of Europe in his quest for peace among Christians.  He was committed to reforming the church notably positioning himself ageing the marriage of priests.] 

Fortified in 1257, Eguisheim is proud of its picturesque and concentric narrow streets lined with half-timbered houses and rich floral decoration (French "4-flower" rating and National Grand Prix award holder since 1989 and European "Entente Florale" gold medal winner in 2006). Its 16 tithe courts, fountains and a church (containing a Callinet organ) all contribute to the historic personality of the village.

The parish church is dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul.  Rebuilt in gothic style in 1220, the only surviving part of the original Roman Church is the belfry.  The lower castle of Eguisheim, on the Saint-Leon square, is built against the distinctive 13th century octogonal ramparts of bossed stone.

I think the first time I came here was about 20 years ago and not many tourists knew about it.  Over the years, its popularity, not to mention fame, have grown and it is easy to see why.  We had considered visiting here on Sunday but that would have been nuts.  It was Mother's Day in France plus it was a 4 day weekend in Germany.  I am sure the place would have been over-crowded.  Today (Tuesday), it was close to empty which made photo-ops perfect.  This village is so photogenic that to get a great shot all you have to do is point and shoot!

 

The above shots are from our walk between the outer wall and second walls.  What can I say?  It is just too damn pretty and charming for words!
 

Eguisheim's village square

The Chateau and the chapel

One of my favourite wine tasting places in Alsace (maybe in France); oh yes, for buying wine too!

Em having a drink with a wooden man at Freudenreich!

One thing I have never done during the large number of times I have come here is the little "train touristique" which takes you around the village and up through some of the vineyards.  The narrative along with it is very informative giving the history of the town and a lot of information about the vineyards on the hill above it.  The "train" took us up into the vineyards where the views across the plain, the lowlands between the Vosges and the Black Forest with the Rhine flowing through it, were fabulous.

 



 And did I mention the temperature?

Thankfully, or not, on the drive back we encountered a thunder and lightning storm and the heavy rain made driving close to impossible.  However, we got home safely.  The air seemed less muggy after the storm.  A good thing!  We were so pleased to have visited this almost perfect Alsatian (and French) village.  What's not to love?

 

A Day in the City

Monday, we decided to head into the city of Strasbourg.  Getting there is pretty easy.  We drove about 20 km north to one of the Park and Ride lots.  The 4.10 Euro cost to park for the day includes a tram ticket for up to 7 people to go into the city.  Too easy! 
 
The first thing we did was head for the Batorama, the tour boat that takes you around the island that basically forms the older part of the city.  Strasbourg dates from before Roman times and has a long history of being punted back and forth between France and Germany.  The architecture is amazing and there are too many historic buildings here to try to list them.  The boat trip took an hour and gave us a good overview.

 

 

The Old Customs Building

Going through the lock to get to the Tanner Quarter

The tanner quarter - the open windows on the upper floors were to help dry the hides

Following out boat tour, we headed for some lunch and then to visit the cathedral.

Square in front of the cathedral with Maison Kammerzell

It was so hot both Eileen and I bought hats!

 

The side of the cathedral

Poster explaining the evolution of the building

One of the amazing stained glass windows

 

The cathedral organ

We then walked to La Petite France, the quartier where the Tanner District is.

 

 

 
 

By then, the heat had pretty much done us in so we headed out of the city and back to our air-conditioned car.  How do you spell relief?  AC!! 

Look Ma, no cutlery!

One of the culinary "specialties" in Alsace is tarte flambee.  It is a form of pizza made with a thin crust, crème fraiche and topped with lardons (bacon bits), Gruyere cheese and onions.  Sometimes you can get a "forestiere" version that has mushrooms on it.  And, the dish gets its name from the dessert version which arrives at your table flaming with eau de vie. 

In Rhinau, there is a restaurant that specializes in them:  Auberge Roettele Schützestuebl.  So we walked there in the +30 degree heat and, as we approached, we could see the smoke pouring out of the chimney.  Clearly the oven was ready but I cannot imagine what working in that kitchen would have been like.  We had planned to go there last night for Eileen's birthday but it was full so this evening (Sunday) we arrived promptly at 6 pm to ensure we got a table.  As it turned out, it wasn't that busy.  The restaurant itself is very rustic with long tables and I expect if it gets busy you would share a table with others.  It has a certain "je ne sais quoi" and it works.  Doug is ready to come back again before they leave.  The only thing is that it is only open Saturdays and Sundays so we will have to make sure we work that into our itinerary!

 

 We started ordering a savoury tarte flambee - and then had two more.  Following that, we had two dessert ones - apple slices, cinnamon and flamed with brandy or eau de vie.  Yum, yum!  What is interesting is that there is no cutlery on the table other than the knife that comes to slice the tarte.  You eat it with your fingers.  I expect (and hope) if you ordered the escargots and some of the other entrées on the menu, you might get utensils but don't expect them with a tarte!

The owner figures out the bill by how many boards you have stacked on your table.  I have to say this was a very reasonable dinner.  We had 3 savoury tartes, two dessert ones, 3 beers, 2 waters, a bottle of red wine and a bottle of white and the bill was 70 Euros or just over $100.  That was for four people!   We're definitely coming back and it within walking distance of Sue and Keith's house! 

The Long and "Winey" Road

After our sojourn to the "big town" of Colmar yesterday, Sunday we drove more of the Alsace wine road.  We started just south of Itterswiller where we had stopped on Friday.  From there we drove the middle section of the route south to Riquewihr - about 40 km.  We stopped in St. Hippolyte to savour one of my favourite views in Alsace.  Not sure why every time I am here, I take the same photo but I do - it is probably because it is such a perfect spot!

Next we drove through Bergheim which is a walled village with the homes on the outside forming part of the old wall.  You drive through a medieval gate to get into it and, while it was recently restored so the year it was built is missing, I think it was around 1200.

Following our "drive through" there, we drove up a hill to a German military cemetery where over 5000 German soldiers are buried from WWII.  What is astonishing is, like the Allied cemeteries here, the ages of so many of the dead are young.  Emmy saw many that were only 17 or 18 years old and many of the ones in their early twenties had already achieved the rank of lieutenant or higher.  There was a German couple there and the woman had a grandfather buried there.  When I was talking to them, we remarked that it doesn't matter which side, it was such a waste of life.  So many hopes and dreams lost!!

Okay, back to the fun stuff.  We continued along the road - undulating through countless vineyards and kitschy villages until we reached Riquewihr, one of the quintessential Alsatian villages.  You have to see it to believe it is real and then you still aren't positive!

A cute store front - when I was here in the fall of 2015 this was decorated
for autumn and now it has a spring theme

With no neon signs permitted, most of the signage is done in metal and some are very clever

After that, the heat was getting to us, so we got back in the car (God bless A/C) and headed back to Rhinau.  Doug had spotted a decorated garden on the way we had to get a photo off.  It seemed to contain all things Alsatian - except perhaps the dog!

Besides, we had a restaurant that we needed to be at by around 6 or 6:30.  Oh, we have quit counting the storks because we have now seen so many - including some flying.  That is all so yesterday's news!