On the Trail of German Literature

2015

Getting our luggage at Frankfort Airport

After finding our guide, Stephanie and then the bus we drove to Mainz

and offloaded our luggage at our first hotel.

We went uphill and then down to a park on our way to town.

Everyone went down the slide we found in the park.

Even I went down although the hard part was climbing up the windmill to the top of the slide.

Stephanie told about some of the sites we passed.

We went into the St. Stephan Church

Someone was playing the organ.

The architecture is always interesting in Europe.

There is a lot of public art as well.

I really liked this fountain.

The fountain’s detail was surprising.

Schiller stood nearby.

Love those homes.

Found in a courtyard.

The Nail Pillar was part of a donation action in WWI. The inauguration took place in July 1916. People could buy nails for he amount of one Reichsmark (simple) and 20 RM (gold plated). The nails were pounded into a wooden pillar, giving artfully arranged pictures. The money was used to finance recreational holidays for children of poor families and for the support of the soldiers' spouses.

In about seven weeks an amount of 700,000 RM was collected, which compares today to about 800,000 Euro,. In 2007 the Nail Pillar was dismantled for restoration.

Ate lunch nearby in a curry wurst place and then went to see the Gutenberg Museum. No pics allowed but we saw several of the original bibles.