Documentation Centre Nazi Party Rally Grounds

The Documentation Centre museum was opened in 2001 in the north wing of the Congress Hall which is a building originally intended by the National Socialists to hold 50,000 people, but which was never actually completed. The museum houses a permanent exhibition entitled Faszination und Gewalt (Fascination and Terror) and deals with the causes, relationships and consequences of the National Socialist tyranny. The exhibition focuses on topics directly related to the city of Nürnberg and includes information on the history of the Nazi Party Rallies, the buildings at the Party Rally Grounds, the Nürnberg Laws of 1935. As well as post-war events like the 1945-46 trial and the difficulties of dealing with National Socialist architectural legacy after 1945.

The museum has photographs, films and other exhibits. When you buy your ticket you choose the language you want and are given a handheld unit which contains the soundtrack. Punch in the number of the exhibit and listen to the text. I had the German version and my fellow traveller had the English one. The English 'tape' seemed a little out of sync with some of the films at times, but what I caught of the translation was good. The museum suggests you allow one and a half to two hours for your visit, but we watched and listened to just about everything and didn't really dawdle and it took us about three hours. I suppose it depends on your level of interest and the way you like to do things.

You can also take a walk around the remains of the Rally Grounds which were placed under Denkmalschutz (protection of historical monuments) in 1974 and the museum guide suggests an hour and half for this as well (I can't give you any personal experience on this as we had to rush off to get the train back to Munich – so we'll save that for another trip – I have done the walk once before as a teenager, but that was half a lifetime ago and my memory is a little hazy).

Opening times:
Monday-Friday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Price: 5 euros for adults, 2.50 concessions

Address:

Faszination und Gewalt
Dokumentationszentrum Reichsparteitagsgelände
Bayernstraße 110
90478 Nürnberg

Information:
Tel.: (0911) 231-5666
Fax: (0911) 231-8410

Email: dokumentationszentrum@stadt.nuernberg.de

How to get there:
Don't be put off by the fact that it appears to be out of town – it is very easy to get to.
From Nürnberg Hauptbahnhof get Tram number 19 to the Doku Zentrum stop (end of the line), hop off the tram and you'll see it in front of you. The trams run every ten minutes and the journey itself only takes ten minutes (if you've travelled from out of town on a BayernTicket, your ticket covers you on the Nürnberg transportation system).

The English version of museum website has more information: Nürnberg / Reichsparteitag

How to get to Nürnberg:

From Munich – Get a BayernTicket and hop on the train to Nürnberg, journey takes just under two hours.

Want to stay overnight in a hostel, try Lette'm Sleep which is five minutes walk from the main station.

http://www.backpackers.de/index-n.html

One of the amazing things about the rally grounds is how symmetrical everything is - if you stand at the podium, even the sun sets in the parting of the trees at the other end.
It was specifically designed for the visual impact mainly by Albert Speer.
No mention of the location can be complete without reference to Leni Riefenstahl's dazzling images in The Triumph of the Will.

The Rolling Stones used the grounds as a concert venue in the late nineties, the 2006 FIFA World Cup had matches played in the stadium next door and used the rally grounds as an administration and entertainment centre.
N'berg's Volksfest also takes place on part of the site.
Quite fitting really that some good things also happened in a location known for hate.

It's also part of the site where Rock Im Park is held every year, the annual car rally, the Volksfest (Fairground...short explanation if your not familiar with 'Volksfest') and it's a great place to inline skate around at the weekends...

Agreed that it's good that such a vast area is put to such 'great' use...a complete rebellion to it's original intended purposes.

Would love to see Rammstein play there with Laibach as support.

I think Rammstein probably did play there in the past, most big bands have...

OK. don't laugh but I've always assumed Docu-Center was maybe a big complex for Xerox or something. (ok, now you can laugh).

Lexicon!!! to think it is one thing, to type it is another

Good information there koala. I was in Nuremberg last weekend and that's one of the things I didn't get to check out. Seems like there is a ton of stuff to see/do. Not trying to derail your thread here, but I checked out the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Kaiserburg, the hauptmarkt, the city wall/moat walkway, the numerous churches. Wow.

sounds interesting. next time in the Munich area i definately want to go.

It is cool that for a city this size there is a lot to do and see here. Plus Franconian beer is REALLLLY good!

Might have a wee bit of a difficult time since it's actually in Nuremberg.