August 31, 2018
In Salzburg
Capuchin Calvary, Celebrating Books and Anschluss Angst.
August 31 Friday
In Salzburg
Capuchin Calvary, Celebrating Books and Anschluss Angst.
We have a view from our hostel room of the river and the path where, even on this uninviting and chilly day, cyclists and runners fly past. Today for us it’s a quiet day walking about the rather damp city. We begin at the Mirabelle Gardens which look colourful despite the cold morning. We are aware that the low cloud must be obscuring some impressive sights, but c’est la vie. The picaresque dwarf statues in Zwergelgarten (1715) celebrate the entertainers who lived at the court of Prince Archbishop Franz Anton Harrahs. Their expressions perk us up somewhat. We then walk up the Calvary to the Capuchin monastery and then down to the museum with its exhibition on the Anschluss (connection) with Nazi Germany in 1938.
The exhibition looks at the actions of the museum and its support for National Socialism during WW2 and at the time of Anschluss. It’s fair to say they gave considerable support by displaying and emphasising folk lore and customs considered to be particularly Germanic. It’s an exhibition that in a sense is public examination of conscience. There is also a floor of Salzburg stories- myths and legends as well as a display of Roman artefacts- is there nowhere the Romans did not go?
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Out on the platz a curious activity area has been organised. It was here in 1938 that enthusiastic book burning took place. As a move, perhaps to counter this historical blip, the local authorities are celebrating what seems to be a book appreciation day. Beanbags and books abound and the public are encouraged to enjoy.
By three we need lunch and so do supermarketing as it begins to drizzle. Later we cook mushroom Risotto in the hostel kitchen while an Asian family chops up and cooks a massive stir fry. Smells good but they demolish it rapidly.
We then prepare for the following days. Because the weather has turned cold, and we aren’t really equipped for low temperatures, we decide to limit each day to around 30 to 40 Kms and set specific places to head for. Sadly it may mean we don’t do too much camping, but sacrifices must be made.
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