School History Trip To Munich

Close to the Marienplatz, this modern museum gives an insight into Jewish life and culture in Munich and provides a wealth of information about Jewish Heritage and religion. The Permanent exhibition “Voices_Places_Times” considers the diverse aspects of Jewish identity and Munich’s Jewish history. Seven installations give insight into Jewish life and feature the voices of contemporary eyewitnesses.

This modern documentation centre opened in 2015 on the site of the former headquarters of the Nazi party to inform and educate visitors about the Nazi period and its crimes. Topics include the rise of the Nazi movement in Munich and the role played by the city in its terror system. It also examines the difficulties faced by the city in dealing with its National Socialist past after 1945.

This is a circular tour designed to take visitors past places that are of particular significance in the history of National Socialism.  There is a booklet and audio version which provides background information to the History of the National Socialist Movement.

The small permanent exhibition inside Munich’s Ludwig-Maximilians-University remembers the passive student resistance movement against Nazi dictatorship which started at the University in 1942. Several students and a professor distributed leaflets protesting against war, oppression and the crimes of the National Socialists. Many of those involved were arrested and executed in 1943 (guided tours are available).

The camp for political prisoners served as a model for later concentration camps. 200,000 people were imprisoned here and in the subsidiary camps and 41,500 people were murdered. Today an exhibition gives an overview of the history of the camp and explains the original use of the exhibition rooms. The grounds can be visited together with a model barrack, the crematorium and other exhibitions.

Nuremberg’s historical old town has been restored, where the former Nazi Party Rally ground to the south of the city covers an area of 11 square kilometres. At the Documentation Centre located in the north wing of the congress Hall there is a permanent exhibition titled €˜Fascination and Terror’ that examines this dark period of modern history including the post-war Nuremberg Trials.

The Dokumentation Obersalzberg is a permanent exhibition about the history of Obersalzberg and of National Socialism, recognising the importance of this mountain village which became a closed area for Hitler and party officials. The exhibition displays a collection of photos, documents, posters, film and sound recordings and, there is also access to part of the bunker complex.

The Eagles Nest, a gift to Hitler for his 50th Birthday, located on a rocky peak over 2,000 m above sea level, can be visited by special bus. It is now a mountain restaurant. (Eagles Nest usually open May – October)

Marienplatz is dominated by the New Town Hall built in Flemish Gothic style in the 19th century. At 11.00 am, 12 and 5pm visitors watch the famous Glockenspiel or carillon, where figures perform a dance, originally performed in the Middle Ages, to mark the end of the plague. The Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus) was originally built in the 15th century, and was reconstructed in the original style following destruction in WWII.

This impressive Royal Palace in the city centre is a complex of buildings of different architectural styles, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, and Classical. It was the residence of the rulers of Bavaria for five hundred years.  Now a museum 130 rooms display period furniture, paintings, tapestries and porcelain. The Treasury contains a unique collection of gold dating from the Middle Ages.

The impressive royal Palace was built in 1664 for the Bavarian Elector as a gift to his wife on the birth of their son and heir. Visitors can enjoy the magnificent State rooms, banqueting hall and Ludwig 1st Gallery of Beauties. Highlights are the bedroom where King Ludwig II was born, fine ceiling frescoes by Johann Baptist Zimmermann and extensive gardens.