Munich's colourful history has had its darker moments, none more so than the birthplace of National Socialism and the ensuing Nazi regime. It is a recent and painful past which the city has come to terms with, and today there are several tours of the city taking in the ever-present reminders of the rise of Adolf Hitler in Munich.
One of the most acclaimed is by Curt Milburn from Big Hat Tours, just one of his selection of walking tours of the city. In the video below, Curt gives an overview of the Third Reich Tour:
A neat addition to Curt's tour is a wondeful collection of old photos stored on his iPad, allowing tourists to relive the atmosphere of the time in numerous locations. Coupled with his expert knowledge, this is why he is (at time of writing) ranked number 3 on TripAdvisor for Munich tours. Curt describes his Third Reich tour thus:
"It was in Munich (not Berlin) where Hitler rose to power. Here Hitler's shrapnel-pocked buildings still stand where you'll see Swastikas, Nazi helmets and the largest Nazi Eagles in Germany. Curt's tours are ongoing discussions of more than "when", but how and why it all began in Munich. He covers the military, economic and social aspects of Hitler’s Germany.
"You'll see sites of mass rallies, book burnings and the Haus Der Kunst, the palace to Fascist Art. This is also the only tour in Munich to look behind Hitler's bizarre personal life. You'll view historic photos on an iPad and see before-and-after pictures of the mass destruction of Allied bombings on the city.
"Nazi Myths: Did Hitler design the VW Beetle? Was he Jewish? Was he gay?
"Get facts behind the legends."
For more information on Big Hat Tours, visit their website.