Hitler: Scary wax dummy or radioactive monster?

by Sean McLachlan on

While this isn’t one of Jeff’s features, only a news piece, it really stuck in my mind. Perhaps it was the surreal nature of the story, or the issues it brings up. How to make a museum about the Third Reich without it becoming a shrine to neo-Nazis? How far should protesters go to make their voices heard? Why didn’t someone rip off the real Hitler’s head?

The trippy photo is cool too, and fits perfectly with the odd subject matter of the story. If you scroll up so that only the top centimeter is showing, it looks like a nuclear explosion. If you scroll down so that only the bottom centimeter is showing, it looks like an infrared image of a naked woman lying on a bed. Or maybe that’s just in my mind. My wife’s out of town, you see, and I’m a bit lonely.

So long, Jeff. We’ll miss your sense of humor and eye for weird detail. You were one of the good ones.

Last year I wrote about the ill-fated Adolf Hitler exhibit at Berlin’s just-opened Madame Tussauds museum.

A man obviously unhappy with the museum’s decision to have a wax likeness of the 20th Century’s most evil leader waited patiently in line on opening day before rushing, tackling the wax Hitler and ripping off its head — all the time shouting, “Never again!” Several security guards were also injured in the fracas.

So, how much will Germany fine you if you decapitate Hitler?

The man known in the local media here only as “Frank L” was in court today, where he was given a suspended sentence and fined 900 euros, or roughly $1,200.

Was he sorry? No. He told the court that he’d do it again.

As for the Hitler statue, it is back at Madame Tussauds, in a more secure location.

Nazi megahotel to be converted into a youth hostel

by Scott Carmichael on

During the Second World War, the Nazi’s had many grand plans. One of their more ambitious was to build the world’s largest beach resort on the island of Rügen.

The Prora complex was not just big – it was absolutely absurdly big. So big in fact, that you can see the complex taking up the entire coastal region on this Google map link.

The main buildings are 2.7 miles long, and every single one of the almost 10,000 rooms faces the sea. The Nazi’s, and Hitler in particular wanted the resort to be where Germans would go for their well deserved beach holiday, and like many of his other plans, the place had to be “the most mighty one to ever have existed”.

The plans also included a festival hall large enough for 20,000 people, two wave pools, a theater and docks for arriving ships.

Portions of the complex were never completed, as Hitler moved troops away from the construction site to work on his V2 rocket program. After the war, the East German army used parts of the complex as a military outpost.

After the German reunification, the buildings were left completely vacant and started to rot away. For years, the complex stood empty, with only a small portion being used as an exhibit center.
Things are about to change, as the village council in Binz has voted to approve a plan to return portions of the complex into its original purpose – a tourist resort. Part of the plan also includes a youth hostel. Construction is scheduled to begin by the end of 2009. Of course, this still leaves large portions of the building vacant, but I’m sure someone will find a good use for it.

This isn’t even the only time a crazed dictator has attempted to build an insane hotel, just ask the poor people of North Korea who have to look at this unfinished monstrosity every day.

(Photo from Wikipedia)

More weird hotels:

Salt mine tours for health and fun

by Jamie Rhein on

Tom Barlow over at Wallet Pop and I started talking about salt mines a few days ago. He mentioned a post he wrote about the health benefits of salt mines and places one can go to see them. An impressive one that neither of us have been to, but agreed that we should is the Wieliczka Salt Mine near Krakow in Poland. It’s a World Heritage site, and part of it has been carved into a salt cathedral. Our talk reminded me of my own salt mine tour in Germany.

Touring the salt mine in Berchtesgaden was a totally funky, touristy thing to do, but one I have remembered over the years as a high point. Perhaps, it doesn’t take much for me to be amused.

We donned mining outfits (over their clothes), put cloth mining hats on our head and gathered with the other English speakers at various points along the way to listen to recorded messages about the history of the mine and how it works. The guides spoke in German. Part of the tour involved sitting, one of us in front of the other, astride two wooden chutes which we slid down to get to a lower section. One of the reasons for the mining outfits was to protect our clothing from the salt. Plus, it was a chance to play dress up and add some ambiance to the experience.

Berchtesgaden may sound familiar. It is also where Hitler hung out at Eagle’s Nest. This area in the German Alps is gorgeous.

Other salt mines to tour:

Also in Poland, there is the Bochnia Salt Mine which is older than Wieliczka, and from the comments people have written about it, sounds like it’s worth a visit.

There are three mines near Salzburg, Austria. Here’s the link that leads to info on all three of them: Salzwelten Salzburg, Hallstaat and Altaussee. There are discount tickets for family travelers. Rick Steves has recommended Hallstaat, according to what I’ve read.

The Kansas Underground Salt Museum in Hutchinson, Kansas. The museum is housed inside a working salt mine where you can learn about salt mining first hand.

Names that don’t travel well

by Iva Skoch on

Whenever I am in a Spanish speaking country, I feel really special. Every time, I get a check, it says “IVA incluido.” That alone isn’t bad news for me, but since everyone else is getting checks with “IVA included,” it makes me feel, you know, a little cheap.

IVA is the Spanish equivalent for the VAT, so I find my name everywhere: from checks to car showrooms. I guess, it is not as bad as running for President with a name like Barack Hussein Obama, but CNN reports that crazy names are totally common for Indian politicians.

Here are a few of the people competing for legislative seats in India: Frankenstein Momin, Billy Kid Sangma, Britainwar Dan, Admiral Sangma, Bombersingh Hynniewta, Laborious Manik Syiem, Hilarius Pohchen, Boldness Nongrum, Clever Marak and Adolf Lu Hitler Marak.

Hitler must be a popular name in Mumbai. The restaurant “Hitler Cross” was forced to change its name, however, after Mumbai’s Jewish community protested.