Rothenberg ob der Tauber

The last time I was in this small city was in 1973.  My dad took the fam on an excursion to this charming town, reknown as a medieval walled city.  I got a little nostalgic remembering this as one of the last times every member of my family traveled together.
 

Unfortunately, nearly 40% of the city center was destroyed during World War II.  (Photo of Rothenburg after WWII ) I thought I understood Leonore to say that the city fathers were able to rebuild the town with donations from the United States.  Ironically, I read a number of documents claiming that the town had been untouched.  One scholarly article in a geographic journal alluded to a number of sources as suggesting that the town had survived the war unscathed.  Clearly, that was not the truth. 

A number of buildings escaped damage, including the St. Jacob's Church and that was well worth the visit.


My memories from visiting back in the '70s are of crowds and crowds of people.  I remember eating my first "real" German Bratwurst, and loving it!  I think I had it in a bun like a hotdog, but I could be dreaming.

I also remember the shops.  My mom was a real "Hummel" figurine fan, and these were in abundance here.

I think the number of shops appealing to tourists must have increased since the '70s.   The town (like many throughout Europe) has a Christmas fair, but also has the very large Kaethe Wohlfahrt stores.  This particular store is like Christmas on steroids.  My friends Leonore and Sue LOVED it.  Sue was taking pictures until she saw the sign requesting no photos.  This, of course, was not a problem for me since I didn't have a functioning camera.

The wall around the city is quite extensive.  We enjoyed walking through part of it and seeing the many name plaques on the wall from all over the world.









While preparing this blog, I learned that the town has a Jewish history as well.  We didn't have time for museums on this trip, but if I get the chance to come back, I would enjoy learning more about it.

Quoting from the town's website:  

"Following the first mention of a Jew in Rothenburg in 1180, the town experienced a blossoming of Jewish culture. This is where the famous Talmud expert Rabbi Meir ben Baruch von Rothenburg taught for over forty years. He founded a Yeshiva on Kapellenplatz, a school of Talmudic studies that attracted scholars from all over Europe. A bronze plaque at Kapellenplatz No. 5 commemorates Meir von Rothenburg.

"After the complete expulsion of the Jews in 1520, the synagogue and cemetery (now Schrannenplatz) were leveled.

"The community hall on the corner of Judengasse / White Tower, known as the 'Jewish Dance House' is a reminder of the Jewish community. Like the Rabbi Meir Garden, the building is a reproduction. Replica Jewish gravestones are set into the walls of the garden.

"Original gravestones from the 13th and 14th centuries can be found in the Judaica Department of the Imperial Town Museum in the old Convent Courtyard.

"Lined with half-timbered houses, Judengasse has borne its name since 1371. Here Jews and Christians lived side-by side. This is the only surviving late medieval Jewish street in Europe.

"The house at no. 10 (not open to the public) still contains a Jewish ritual bath, known as a mikvah, which is still filled with groundwater. There is a reproduction in the Imperial Town Museum.

"The Judaica collection in the Imperial Town Museum includes medieval Jewish gravestones from the 13th and 14th centuries.

"The collection also includes valuable ritual objects, a seal belonging to the Jewish community dating from 1410, an oven crook and a tin plate Hanukkah candleholder."

That's something to look forward to in the future.

I borrowed the images in this blog from the RodT website, as well as the Hummel figurine site.