-Hi. I'm Rick Steves, back with more
of the best of Europe. This time, we're in Saxony -- the great cities
of Dresden and Leipzig. It's eastern Germany, and you're in for some
monumental travel experiences. Thanks for joining us. ♪♪ Saxony is a proud region
of Germany with a long and rich history. Its two leading cities
are Leipzig and Dresden. Each had a tough
20th century history, and today they're coming back
with a special vibrancy. In this episode, we'll visit
two great German cities bombed and then rebuilt
after World War II. After visiting a beloved church
that rose from those 1945 ashes, we'll go further back in time and brush up
on some Saxon history with its royal palaces and their porcelain, jewels,
and armor. We'll ponder
a massive war memorial from the time of Napoleon. Then, after peeking into
a secret police headquarters, we'll recall how people power
brought down communism -Chanting at the top of their
voices, "We are the people." -...and see how people today
are enjoying their freedom. After World War II, Germany was divided
by the Iron Curtain into the free West
and communist East. With the fall of communism
in 1989, Germany was reunited. In the historic region
of Saxony, we tour Dresden and Leipzig. We start in Dresden with fanciful
Baroque architecture and some of the best
museum-going in all of Germany. It's a city that mixes
a dynamic history with a delightful-to-stroll
cityscape. At the peak of its power
in the 18th century, this wealthy capital of Saxony ruled much of eastern Germany from the banks
of the Elbe River. Saxony's greatest ruler
was Augustus the Strong. To embellish his capital, he imported artists
from all over Europe, especially from Italy. Dresden's grand architecture
and dedication to the arts earned it the nickname
"Florence on the Elbe." In spite of its resurgence, Dresden is still known for
its destruction in World War II. American and British planes
firebombed the city on the night
of February 13, 1945. The bombing was so fierce it created its own climate --
a "fire storm." More than 25,000 people were
killed in just one night, and 75% of the historic center
was destroyed. Memorials, while understated,
remember the horror of war. This simple inscription recalls
that after the air raids, "the bodies of 6,865 people
killed in the bombing were burnt on this spot." For 40 years,
through the Cold War, Dresden was part
of communist East Germany. It was in what was called
"the Valley of the Clueless" -- one of the only places
in East Germany that didn't get
Western television. Under the Communists, Dresden restored
some of its damaged buildings, left others in ruins, and replaced many with modern,
utilitarian sprawl. Prager Street, a bombed-out ruins
until the 1960s, was rebuilt as a showcase
for Communist ideals. Its vast,
uniform apartment blocks goose-step up the boulevard
to this day. The design is typical
of Soviet-Bloc architecture -- from Moscow to Bucharest. Today, after a thorough update, they've become
desirable places to live. After German reunification, the rebuilding of Dresden
accelerated. The transformation
has been impressive, and the city's
once devastated historic center has been reconstructed. The Frauenkirche,
or Church of Our Lady, is the symbol and soul
of the city. When completed in 1743, this was Germany's
tallest Protestant church. Then, in February of 1945,
after the city was bombed, in the last months of the war,
the Frauenkirche collapsed. For a generation, it lay there,
a pile of rubble. Then, Dresdeners
decided to rebuild it completely and painstakingly. With the help
of international donations, Dresden's most beloved church
was rebuilt and finally reopened
to the public in 2005. Stepping inside,
you're struck by the shape -- not so wide but very tall. The color scheme is pastel, to emphasize the joy of faith and enhance
the uplifting atmosphere of the services held here. The curves help create
a feeling of community. A Lutheran church, but built at the peak
of the Baroque period, it seems the artistic style
of the age trumped the Lutheran taste
for simplicity. The church's twisted old cross, which fell 300 feet
from the tip of the dome and burned in the rubble, caps an inspirational story. Climbing to the top of the
beautifully reconstructed dome, you're rewarded with a commanding view
over Dresden and its river. The rebirth of the city
is evident everywhere. This central square was once ringed by the homes
of rich merchants. It's once again
the heart of the city, alive with people and cafés. Dresden's delightful terrace was originally
a defensive rampart. Today, it's a welcoming
promenade overlooking the Elbe. Its nickname --
"The Balcony of Europe." And a fleet
of 19th-century paddleboats tempts visitors
for a lazy river cruise. Getting around the city
by tram is easy, and a quick ride over the river takes us into a lively district called Neustadt,
or the "New Town." Its inviting
and tree-lined main drag, Hauptstrasse, opened in 1979. It was a showpiece
of communist urban design -- a landscaped,
utopian workers' district filled with affordable
apartments and the best shops. Because World War II bombs
missed most of this district, the New Town has a retro charm. This well-worn area has emerged as the city's
trendy people zone. Passages between apartment flats are enlivened by art galleries,
cozy pubs, and crazy decorations. While the New Town
boasts no great sights, it's fun to explore,
especially after dark. The Parade of Nobles is a mural painted on 24,000 tiles
of local porcelain. It was built
to soothe the pride of Saxony after it was incorporated into the newly formed country
of Germany in the 1870s. It celebrates
Dresden's Saxon heritage and its Wettin family dynasty. The artist carefully studied
armor and clothing, accurately tracing the evolution
of weaponry and fashions through the centuries. Way up at the very front
of the parade, an announcer with a band
and 12th-century cheerleaders excitedly heralds the arrival
of this wondrous procession. There are commoners -- from miners and farmers
to carpenters and students. And ahead of them, the royals, with 35 names and dates marking 700 years
of Wettin family rule. At the year 1694
stands Augustus the Strong, the most important
of the Saxon kings. The Saxon ruler was one of the most powerful
people in Germany. He was one of a
handful of nobles who elected
the Holy Roman Emperor. In the 18th century, the larger-than-life
Augustus the Strong kicked off Saxony's Golden Age. His royal festival complex,
called the Zwinger, is an example
of how the king's extravagance made Dresden
a European capital of culture. Here at the Nymphs' Bath, aristocrats relaxed with royals
among cascading waterfalls. Today, the Zwinger
is filled with fine museums. The Mathematics
and Physics Salon features scientific gadgets
from the 16th to 19th century. Finely crafted and incorporating
new discoveries with exuberance, the instruments are displayed
like dazzling works of art. Imagine whipping out your
pocket sundial in the year 1700, or a new-fangled pocket watch
in 1760 -- with a risqué painting. This calculator from 1650, claiming to be the oldest
surviving mechanical calculator, could carry the tens. European royal families aspired to have
their own porcelain works. And the Wettin family
had one of the best at nearby Meissen. In those days, a king portrayed
in porcelain was a happy king. Augustus the Strong
was obsessed with the stuff. He liked to say
he had "porcelain sickness." Here you can enjoy
some of his symptoms under chandeliers
in elegant galleries. You'll see fine table settings. He had a veritable porcelain zoo of exotic animals
and beautiful birds. According to legend,
for 151 of these Chinese vases, Augustus traded 600 soldiers,
complete with horses, to Prussia. And here at the Zwinger, it just makes sense
that the glockenspiel comes with 40 bells
made of Meissen porcelain. The delightful chimes are far
sweeter than your typical bell. [ Chimes playing ] In the nearby Royal Palace, the official residence
of Saxon rulers since 1485, is Dresden's
historic Green Vault. This glittering
Baroque treasure collection is the sightseeing highlight
of the city. The collection was begun
by Augustus the Strong -- featured here surrounded
by ancient Roman emperors on the base of an obelisk. It grew into the royal family's
exquisite trove of ivory, silver,
and gold treasures, displayed in rooms as opulent
as the collection itself. Its purpose?
A synthesis of the arts as an expression of wealth
and absolute power. The Amber Cabinet
shows off what you can do with fossilized tree sap -- for example,
this exquisite bowl from 1659. The Ivory Room does the same
for elephant tusks, with some
strikingly delicate carving. In this amazing ivory frigate, tiny sailors climb
the gold wire rigging, all supported
by Neptune and his horses. In the aptly named
Hall of Precious Objects, amid mother-of-pearl, ostrich-egg,
and snail-shell goblets, is the ultimate coffee service. This "golden coffee service"
from 1700 is pure gold iced with enamel, crusted with thousands
of precious stones, and crowned by a coffee pot
filled with symbolism. Coffee was exotic
and trendy back then, and this extravagant
centerpiece, while never actually used
to serve coffee, certainly made an impression. This captivating ensemble depicts a Grand Mogul
on his birthday. He ruled India
when Augustus ruled Saxony. And among earth's rulers, he was the embodiment
of absolute power and endless wealth. Like royal Legos
on a silver stage, the figures, made of gold
and glazed with enamel, were movable
for the king's pleasure. And the finale,
in a place all its own, is this dazzling green diamond, one of the largest
ever discovered. The adjacent Royal Armory fills a long room
with centuries-old armor. The biggest space in the palace, this room was the scene
of medieval war games. Today, its exhibits
of jousting models recall those breathtaking
pageants of the 16th century. Back then, jousting was
something rich guys did when there was no war to fight. The collection
offers an unusual chance to see armor
not standing at attention but displayed in action. This ensemble -- designed for formal parades,
not actual battle -- is considered
the prize of the collection. And the little princes
needed their armor, as well. Connecting German towns
is easy these days on the country's
fine train system. And after a relaxing hour or two
on the train, we arrive in Leipzig. Leipzig once had
the cobblestoned charm of many other German cities. But long a leading trade center,
in the late 19th century, city leaders
decided to modernize. They replaced
the quaint medieval townscape with a grid of grand
and efficient buildings dedicated to trade and commerce. World War II bombs
destroyed much of Leipzig, and the Communists followed that
with four decades of neglect. That left the town center
a dreary urban wasteland. But in the generation
since 1989, the people of Leipzig have
dramatically remade their city. Augustusplatz
is a busy people zone and a hub for the city's trams. Overlooking that
is the university center, rebuilt in a playful
and modern echo of the pre-war buildings
that once stood here. Towering high above
is a skyscraper, built in the 1970s. An erection like this was
a big deal in communist times. Locals and tourists alike
gather on its rooftop terrace to enjoy a drink
and the best view in town. As they rebuilt the city center,
one feature that survived was the tradition
of inviting shopping galleries that burrow
through office blocks. Some of the galleries
retain an Old World elegance with venerable shops
and restaurants. Others are playfully decorated
by contemporary local artists. Leipzig's
Renaissance-style Town Hall, with its fine arcade,
overlooks the Market Square. Tonight the fruit
and vegetable merchants have made way
for a big open-air concert with music... ♪♪ -♪ You can leave your hat on ♪ -...and lots of sausages,
kraut, and beer. As a traveler, don't be shy. Share a table
and strike up a conversation. An event like this is
a perfect chance to meet locals. [ Cheers and applause ] [ Organ playing
classical music ] Leipzig is famous
for its music heritage. It was the hometown of the great composer
Johann Sebastian Bach, shown here with his favorite
instrument, the pipe organ. In the early 1700s, Bach was the organist
and choirmaster right here at St. Thomas Church. Inside, the clean,
stripped-down interior reflects
the Protestant aesthetic of an uncluttered church. Stained glass celebrates
how in 1539, Martin Luther came here to perform Leipzig's
first Protestant service and how, for nearly 30 years,
Bach directed the boys' choir. Bach's tomb,
adorned with flowers, is like a pilgrimage [site]
for music lovers. Leipzig remembers
its tough 20th century with a little whimsy. This statue represents
how East Germany endured two harsh dictatorships
in succession -- the flat-palmed "Sieg Heil!"
of the Nazis and the proletariat's raised
fist from the communist era. This poor fellow, repressed by both regimes
with his head scrunched down, seems to represent
individuality under siege. Somehow,
he'll get through it all. To learn more, step into Leipzig's
Contemporary History Forum, which tells the 44-year story
of communism in East Germany. After the devastation
of World War II, the line between
East and West was drawn, and Leipzig ended up
in Stalin's camp. In those
desperate post-war years, the stability and security provided by East Germany's
Communist government was appreciated. Out of the squalor
came a forced uniformity, and, if you played by the rules,
life was not miserable. Housing was a major priority, as so many were homeless
after the war. Locals recall
how there wasn't a lot, but people had what they needed. Generally what they had
was what their neighbors had. Children all had
the same blocks, books, and cuddly stuffed pets. Western pop music, while reined in and certainly
controlled, was allowed, from the Beatles to Jethro Tull. But of course, people
eventually insist on freedom. To learn more, I'm joined by Leipzig tour guide
Gisa Schoenfeld. The hated secret police force
in communist East Germany was the Stasi. Its old headquarters
now houses a museum dedicated to telling
the Stasi's dirty deeds. It offers a fascinating look at what it took
to control the people. -This is the symbol for the Ministry
for State Security, "Staatssicherheit -- Stasi." -"Stasi" -- state security. Modeled after the Soviet Union's
secret police, the notorious KGB, the Stasi recruited
over half a million informants from every walk of life. It collected mountains of data
on its citizens. The former offices
contain tools of the trade -- a small camera that could be
concealed in a briefcase; easy-to-hide microphones, including one hidden
in a button; disguises, and forged documents. -The Stasi officers sat people
on chairs with a piece of cloth, and the piece of cloth
would absorb the smell when the suspects sweated
during the interrogation. And then they placed the cloth
into these jars, preserving the smell. And whenever something
suspicious turned up -- for example, a leaflet -- they brought in the dogs. The dogs smelled the item,
then smelled the jars. -So the dogs
would match the smell? And that would be enough
to send somebody to jail? -That would be enough. -All mail and packages coming into the country
were searched. These machines enabled agents
to steam letters open, read them, then reseal them. The Stasi stole millions
in West German hard currency, sent to struggling East Germans
by West German relatives. And they confiscated
piles of cassette tapes which contained forbidden
Western pop music. These cassettes
which were then reused to record
interrogation sessions. After freedom, people were free
to look at their personal files? -Yes, but it was was
an agonizing decision to make. The Stasi had hundreds
and thousands of informants, so there were colleagues,
friends, family members spying on people, and then it was
very difficult to choose: Do I want to know what information
the Stasi kept on me, but I would also find out
who spied on me. -So you could look at your file, but you might find your uncle
was informing on you, and maybe you just
better not go there. -Exactly. -Leipzig's beloved
St. Nicholas Church played a pivotal role in the people's successful fight
for freedom. In the 1980s,
this venerable church hosted weekly prayer meetings
for peace. These turned political, making St. Nicholas
a staging ground for the Peaceful Revolution that would ultimately topple
the Communist regime. A column in the church square celebrates the church's
contribution to German freedom. So eventually these Monday
prayer services for peace spilled out of the church
and into the city at large? -Yes, they got bigger and bigger
every week. The largest demonstration
here in Leipzig was 450,000 protesters. But they all remained peaceful, and that's
the biggest accomplishment. That's why there was
no reason to shoot them. -So, what eventually happened? -Eventually,
the wall came down in Berlin, and the borders were opened, and the people had gained
their freedom. -The Peaceful Revolution. -Very much so. [ Tram bell dings ] -Just outside of Leipzig is a gigantic monument
to an earlier struggle. It commemorates
a pivotal battle in 1813 that involved forces
from all over Europe. Called the
"Battle of the Nations," it pitted France's army
under Napoleon against a coalition of Prussian, Austrian, Russian,
and Swedish fighters. With half a million soldiers
and 100,000 casualties, it was the largest battle
in European history until World War I. The Battle of the Nations
marked a turning point in the fight against Napoleon. He was routed here
and forced to retreat to France. Basically, it was Germans who
turned back the French invaders. And exactly a century later,
in 1913, during a surge of nationalism following the unification
of Germany, Leipzig inaugurated
this towering memorial on the site
of this bloody battle. The archangel Michael
straddles the main door with the same message that accompanies
most military monuments -- "God is on our side." Entering the monument, you stand under
a towering atrium. It's ringed by more soldiers,
in front of giant death masks, heads respectfully bowed to honor the sacrifice
of those lost in battle. Above them,
four enormous statues represent the virtues of the
German people during wartime. And high above, in the dome, hundreds of life-sized soldiers
on horses return from battle. It feels religious,
but it's strikingly secular -- a powerful monument
to more than a battle, to the power of nationalism and to the fact that
war leaves even the winners saddled with grief. Traveling through Saxony
with its rich heritage, exquisite culture,
and hard lessons, it's an inspiration
to see the accomplishments of the people
of Dresden and Leipzig. Thanks for traveling with us.
I'm Rick Steves. Until next time,
keep on travelin'. "Auf Wiedersehen." -In the 18th century, the larger-than-life
Augustus the Strong kicked off Saxony's golden age. Yeah! [ Laughs ] It's a city
that mixes a dynamic history with a delightful-to-stroll
cityscape -[ Laughs ] Get that thing away from me!
