Dresden
Dresden is a beautiful city along the Elbe river in south eastern Germany, in the state called Saxony (Sachsen). During WWII it was demolished in a series of bombing that destroyed much of the cities. These bombings are still controversial; even Germans who believe the war agains the Nazis was absolutely necessary to get rid of the evil National Socialist regime question the mass bombing of civilian targets in Dresden, which served no real military purpose (Cologne suffered a similar fate, as did Tokyo, Japan). Some say these were nearly as bad as the nuclear attacks, even if they don't get the same publicity. Dresden always has been a cultural center for Germany, but during the time of the GDR (East Germany) it was one of the more isolated places, laying outside the area where western television could be received. After unification Saxony has been one of the more successful regions in its economic transformation, though numerous problems remain. Dresden is one of those middle European cities along with Prague, Budapest and Vienna which reflect a distinct central European flair, beauty, and dignity which is worth seeing. Here are some photos:
Construction -- views leaving the
train station
Old Dresden -- Opera house and looking into the historical
part of the city
Old Dresden II -- views of old Dresden
Old Dresden III -- The Elbe and castles
Synagogue -- the new Jewish synagogue
Memorial -- a small memorial to victims of the holocaust
Frauenkirche -- a famous church in Dresden being rebuilt
Road and renovation -
Note: I have a number of pictures I plan to scan in the coming weeks which should add
to the photos of Dresden. Check back again, hopefully this photo gallery will
be complete with old and new pictures by semester's begin in mid-January