Musings in Munich – A Memoir

During my time in Munich, I felt an ancestral connection with my grandmother, who passed away when I was too young to fully understand the permanence of death. I can still remember her quirky, cow-themed kitchen and her soft smile behind oversized glasses, but the snippets of childhood memories I have with her feel as hazy as the slow, humid afternoons in Florida that I usually spent with her.

My grandmother was an American who had the opportunity to live in Munich when she was young after World War II. My mother says it was a city she held dear to her heart. Upon my visit, every lively beer hall, peony-filled flower stall, and remarkable landmark reminded me of her. I often wondered if she frequented any places I visited and what she thought of German culture. Did she laugh with friends over beer in Hofbräuhaus? Did she enjoy the paintings at the Alte Pinakothek? What is the proper way to pronounce “Danke”? What were her opinions on the popular “spargel” season?

There’s a certain melancholy that comes with grief for a grandparent who passed during childhood. There are not many ways to feel connected with them, and there’s a tinge of regret for not remembering more. However, being in Munich compelled me to think of her. Like me, she was a traveler living abroad in an unfamiliar land, and we would have many stories to share if she were alive today. This is not to say that my time in Munich was dark; it was quite the opposite. Despite the shadowed nature of death, I felt warmed by this connection and am glad to have experienced a city she valued so profoundly.

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Before my husband and I traveled to Munich for a weekend in early summer, I had somehow conceived the notion that it was an industrial city without much to do for visitors outside the weeks of Octoberfest. I can’t say where I got this idea, but I was ignorant. It only took our first afternoon gawking at the intricately crafted edifice of the New Town Hall in Marienplatz, smelling the fluffy flowers and aged wine in the vibrant Viktualienmarkt, and drinking beer at a long table in the famous Hofbräuhaus to realize that Munich is entirely more fantastic than I had given it credit for.

While our first afternoon in Munich introduced us to its day-to-day charm, our second day revealed both the extravagant and brutal sides of German history. We started the morning at The Residenz, a former palace that housed Bavarian monarchs. From the outside, it’s incredibly unassuming. The sturdy columns and baroque trimmings associated with royal palaces are painted blandly on a flat, grey building. We later learned that its exterior extravagance was destroyed in WWII, and the budget to restore the palace post-war was not generous. Luckily, many of the inside intricacies were stored away for safekeeping. What the palace lacks in outside flair is made up for in its opulent interior. A dizzying number of rooms and halls are outfitted from floor to ceiling with frescos, gold trimmings, rich color, fine art, and lavish décor. Despite my opinions on ostentatious displays of wealth, I found it hard to not become entranced by the detail in almost every room. There were many moments when I caught myself spinning in slow, wondrous circles with my eyes to the ceiling to capture it all.

However, the glittering gold that danced in my mind was later dulled by our walking tour in the afternoon called Hitler and the Third Reich. During this tour, we learned about how Hitler came to power and saw many landmarks throughout Munich relating to the Nazi party. This included a few of their main offices, sites where harrowing speeches were given, and other significant landmarks. The guide was informative while remaining honorable to the victims of the war. It should go without saying that this tour was sobering, but it was essential to participate in. Being educated on the uncomfortable truths of the past is how we can create a better future, and this tour gave me more insight into how atrocities like the Holocaust were able to become reality.

We ended that evening at a beer hall called Donsil. We ate here because it was where our tour finished in the Marienplatz, and we were at the point of hunger where we’d eat a crumb if someone threw it at us. Thankfully, our rash decision ended up being delightful. The ambiance was cozy, and we watched a waiter in Lederhosen hammer beer barrels open. We sipped on a few pints from the barrels and chatted with an older German couple who joined us at our table. 

On the last morning of our stay, we visited Alte Pinakothek. Much like The Rezidenz, what it lacked in elegance on its exterior was made up for by the value of its interior. While I could ramble on about the fantastic collection hosted here, I’ll keep it short and say I thoroughly enjoyed the German classic and romantic paintings. Johan Christian Clausen Dahl’s The Day after a Stormy Night and Caspar David Friedrich’s Summer are just two of many that stuck out to me. Moreover, because it was Sunday, admission was only 1 euro for each person, so I felt we got a great bargain. 

Overall, Munich is a multi-faceted city that exceeded my expectations and resonated with me on a deeply personal level. After having the privilege to spend some time there, I can see why it was a place my grandmother talked about long after she left. I will always cherish the fact that I have been able to travel in her footsteps.

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