We visit
Palace Schoenbrunn
on our way to Vienna.
The history goes back to the beginning of the 14th century. It's the oldest
of its kind in the world and as such part of the Unesco Heritage List.
The Chinese Cabinets
alteration of around 1770.
The park has numerous fountains and statues, there is even a zoo. German
emperors lived there and even the French emporer Napoleon Bonaparte
"occupied" the Palace twice.
The Gloriette and viewing terrace.
Most of all the emperor Franz Jozeph and his wife the empress Elisabeth,
known as Sissy lived here.
2004
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AUSTRIA.
Welcome to Vienna for a sightseeing city tour.
Vienna panorama with on the background the Millenium-tower
Surrounded by 7 other countries, it was once a large country ruled by the
Habsburg family. Even Poland and Italy once belonged to Austria. Still
today many traces of its multicultural history and various ethnic races can
be found. Vienna the capital of the country is a cosmopolitan city where
important international meetings take place.
Holocaust Memorial Statue of Vienna
An early painting of the palace:
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Radisson SAS Palais
Hotel
in town center.
All guestrooms are fully airconditioned, provide a working area with desk
and Internet access.
Guests are also invited to take advantage of additional services such as 3
hour express laundry, 24 hour room service, overnight shoe shine service and
Grab & Run breakfast.
Non-smoking and anti-allergy rooms are available throughout the hotel and
several rooms have been adapted for our physically challenged guests. |
Video on the bus for a 3 hour visit at Camp Mauthausen.
In March of 1938 the "Anschluss" took place, Austria joined Germany. That
same year the Mauthausen concentration camp was established close to the
city of Linz, which was designated as the "Führer" town. 300 Inmates started
the construction of the camp which reached completion around 1942. Most of
the inmates were forced to perform extreme hard labor in the quarry, which
often led to their physical breakdown. On May 5, 1945 Mauthausen was
liberated by the U.S. army.
Introductory video on the bus. |
Don Giovanni Hotel Prague.
2 nights
Evening at leisure.
Room Service is available 24 hours a day. |
|
Camp Mauthausen
After lunch further to Prague.
2004 |
| Bus to Prague Castle and walk to Karlsbridge.
Group Lunch ! |
CZECH Republic.
This Republic has many mountains, highlands, but also canyons, lakes and
lowlands. We will stay in the Bohemian part
of Czech.
Prague, the capital of Czech. The Vlatava river crosses this city and it has
numerous old and marvelous bridges. In addition, the center is one open-air
museum of almost a thousand years of architecture. We will visit the Jewish
Quarters in the Stare Mesto, the old town, the Karlsbridge and also
Hradcany, the Castle district. |
Don Giovanni Hotel Prague
second night.
Evening at leisure.
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National Theatre Prague
2004 |
The Clocktower Square
The astronomical clock |
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Terezin
Visit to the Ghetto museum with a permanent exhibition on
its history. And to the small fortress, the former camp and the Jewish
Cemetery with an exhibition and a memorial.
Ghetto residents were interned here until the Nazis dispersed the ashes in
an attempt to cover their crimes.
Terezin memorial
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Lidice,
we visit the village that was destroyed by the Nazis in June, 1942 after the
assassination of the Nazi governor Reinhard Heydrich.
We'll visit too the museum and movie in commemoration of the population of
this Catholic village of which all men were killed and woman and their
children deported in 1942
It was destroyed much like the French village we visit on the Southern
tour:
Oradour-sur-Glane
Of the 503 people who once lived in Lidice, 340 perished. 143 women
returned from Ravensbrook after the war; and after two years of searching,
17 of the children were recovered. To this day, some of the children of
Lidice who were adopted and raised as Germans have no idea whom they really
are.
A new town of Lidice was built a kilometre away from the original site.
There is a National Park there now, where stone markers indicate the site
where the Horak farm, the church, and the cemetery once stood. A series of
Soviet-sponsored wall sculptures depict the tragedy, turning it into
Communist propaganda.
2004 |
But the most powerful reminder is a statue erected on the 50th
anniversary of the destruction of the village. It depicts the 82 children
standing resolutely, their various faces expressing courage, terror, and
absolute innocence. After our visit to Lidice we go to Nurembourg, with
nazi trial film en route. |
| Novotel.
The hotel is located outside the city center. All important places such
as theaters and sights can be reached within 10-20 minutes by car. An
underground station is located near the hotel.
Rooms are all equipped with radio, bathroom, telephone, minibar cable-TV,
alarm clock, Pay-TV, hairdryer and bathtub. Non-smoking rooms and rooms for
disabled persons are available.
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Nuernberg
.
The place where Hitler stayed, Deutscher Hof hotel then (above) and now
(below)
The enormous never finished stadium Luitpold Arena wtih
seatings for more than 400.000 people.
around 150.000 soldiers above
It's now a memorial for all the victims of war and National Socialism.
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Every September from 1933 untill 1938 the NSDAP
held its annual rallies in Nuremberg. This place was seen as the city
richest in German history.
Nuernberg Main Headquarter The Hauhaus on the Marienplatz:
As Nazi headquarter.
As Newspaper office now.
The Zeppelin Airfield used as Rallyground. Thousands and thousands
gathered here.
Now visitors can stand at the same place, where once Hitler stood. |
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Hotel
De Witte Bergen.
Group dinner and Evaluation.
2004
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To Schiphol for flight back to the USA and connecting planes home.
We hope you enjoyed this "webtour" and we assure you that the real tour
next year will be even more overwhelming (but less scrolling) than you can
imagine. Please read our feedback at the link testimonials which will be
extended too in the future to become a page with endless scroll down.
November 1 2003
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