Dresden in Hollywood – Again!

Recently, just a few days ago, the Hollywood movie "Grand Budapest Hotel“ won 4 Oscars. It was was shot in a town east of Dresden called Görlitz and some part of it was also set in the famous Dresden Zwinger.

Dresdeners may find themselves rubbing their eyes in disbelief if and when they see the film Cinderella that will be released on the 12. March 2015. This is because the setting of it is in a castle that will remind them of their Zwinger. For a moment they may ask themselves..."Hey, wait a minute! Isn't that our..?!"This is because the castle in the film is not just strongly inspired by the Zwinger, but is also based on a digitalized image of it.

As far as the original building goes, it was built more than 300 years ago as an open-to- the-air venue for sumptous celebrations. The Saxon Elector who was also the King of Poland, Friedrich August, also called August the Strong, comissioned it. Needless to say, this masterpeice of baroque splendour is one of the tourist attractions in Dresden.

Rebuilding Dresden after 1945

Rebuilding Dresden after 1945: A new orientation and new constructions

Although the streets of Dresden were quickly cleared and opened for traffic soon after the bombing on 13th and 14th February 1945, the people of Dresden had to live for almost a decade in a city marked by ruins and rubble. Portions of houses, mostly facades, rose like skeletons out of mountains of rubble and the citizens had to manage without enough homes, water, electricity and food.

Yet the Dresdeners, spurred by their need for survival remained undeterred in their resolve to see the city restored. In the immediate aftermath of the war they worked together to restore at least the city centre. 

And so the reconstruction of some of the buildings was started soon after the end of the war.  But several ruins that could have been easily rebuilt because enough of their original material was still available, were also demolished or dynamited. As were historical landmarks and structures that came in the way of a new city plan. This continued till the 1960s. Streets became unrecognizable as everything was levelled and cleared for the quick building of new residences, mostly apartment blocks, to address the severe shortage of homes. While this was similar in both East and West Germany, the east was also determined to re build according to contemporary ideals and standards that reflected the new ideology. 

So it came to be, that in Dresden only a few of the historic buildings were left. These included the Semper Opera, Zwinger, The Royal Residence, the Taschenberg Palace and  the Royal Cathedral. Many of these were rebuilt only several decades later, and mostly because of the unwavering efforts and the engagement of many Dresden citizens.

The Frauenkirche, or the Church of Our Lady, a symbol of reconciliation was rebuilt and reopened as late as 2005. The donations for the effort came from all over the world, most significantly from Great Britain, the USA and Germany.

These experiences- of destruction and reconstruction, death and survival, tragedy and hope define the city of Dresden till today. From the moving stories that come to us from witnesses that lived through that time, we are reminded, time and time again, that one fact is never to be taken lightly or for granted: The fact that we have lived in peace for the past 70 years. The longest period of peace in Europe since the Middle Ages.

Dresden Peace Prize 2015 to be awarded to HRH. The Duke of Kent

The awarding of the 6th Dresden Peace Prize will take place on the 14^th February at 11:00 hrs in Dresden’s Semper Opera.

This building has a very special story that began with its construction according to the design of the famous architect Gottfried Semper. The Royal Court Theatre as it was then called, opened in 1878, only to be devastated a mere 67 years later by the bombing of Dresden in 1945. After the end of WW II, the difficult question of when and how it was to be restored faced the GDR regime and was resolved, surprisingly and thankfully, in the favour of rebuilding it according to the spirit of the original design by Semper. And his name was adopted for the renamed Opera House which was reopened on the 13th February 1985, exactly 40 years after its destruction.

To commemorate the destruction of Dresden an award ceremony is held annually in the Semper Opera. This time the honour will go to no other than His Royal Highness, The Duke of Kent for his invaluable and decade long efforts towards the reconciliation between Great Britain and Germany.  

Since 1994 The Duke of Kent has been a patron of the British Dresden Trust, which amongst other things presented Dresden with the gold cross steeple that sits atop the ‘Frauenkirche’or the Church of Our Lady. The gift of this pinnacle cross and orb by The Duke of Kent, patron of the Trust and it’s president Dr. Alan Russel, on 13. February 2000, the 55 Anniversary of the destruction of Dresden, marked a significant moment in the reconciliation process between the two countries. The pinnacle cross is a symbol of suffering and forgiveness.

The eulogy will be delivered by Prof. Dr. Kurt Biedenkopf. The British pop band, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), will perform live at the ceremony and naturally on stage in the Semper Opera.

Tickets can be bought for 10 € and for 5€ for students at Visitor Centre of the Semper Opera, in the Schinkelwache, Theaterplatz 2.

Contributed by Heike (trans. by Seema)

How desolate lay the city: Events on the 70th anniversary of the destruction of Dresden

On the 13th of February this year the city of Dresden will remember and ponder its destruction that took place 70 years ago. Many events are being organized to commemorate this date and the the dramatic trials of that time.

Dresden Walks wants to draw your attention to what we consider the important or 'must see' events from those being currently planned: 

On the 5th February a special exhibition titled "Slaughterhouse 5" - The Destruction of Dresden through literary evidence. It lasts till the 12th May 2015. 

On Sunday the 7th February a memorial concert will be held in the Kreuzkirche, or Church of The Holy Cross. The compositions of the former choirmaster Rudolf Mauersberger ("How desolate lay the city" and A Requiem for Dresden") will be performed.

On 13th February, the actual anniversary of the destruction, several events have been planned. 

Amongst them is a large Memorial Event where numerous representatives, inlcuding the German President Joachim Gauk and Bischop Bohl, the bischop of the Saxon Lutheran Church, will attend. Music will play an important role as well; The Dresden Choir and the brassensemble will perform the Virtuosi Saxonia conducted by the musical director Ludwig  Güttler.

This will continue into a formation of a human chain around the historic old Dresden City and Inner Neustadt as a visible symbol and sign of rememberance and involvement of citizens for freedom and reconciliation.
At exactly 6 pm the chain will complete itself by people reaching out to each other nd holding hands. This will be accompanied by the ringing of the church bells.

More information can be found at: 

www.forum13-februar.de

www.13februar.de

Bloggers welcome!

As the Dresden walks team sat around the table a few days ago with cups of steaming hot chocolate and coffee, we came up with many brand new ideas for the coming year. And one of them was to do with travel bloggers.

Are you a travel blogger? If yes, you are welcome to join our walk for free. We assure you it will be comprehensive, well informed and also interesting.

Here is a link to our website. Let us know when you joining in: http://www.dresdenwalks.com/

And do look up the reviews on Tripadvisor about us:
 http://www.tripadvisor.de/Attraction_Review-g187399-d3428307-Reviews-DresdenWalks-Dresden_Saxony.html#mtreview_246310449

And if you are not a blogger come walk with us anyway. It will be worth it!