Category: Hamburg for the Holidays
There Really Is a Bürgermeister
Not speaking German, my only knowledge of the word bürgermeister stemmed from Christmas special from my childhood, Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (1970). Thanks to a walking tour of Hamburg, I now understand that bürgermeister essentially means mayor. I sort of prefer bürgermeister. —Lori Tripoli
Reason to Visit Hamburg: WWII Bunker Transformed to Green Energy Plant
The IBA Energy Bunker in the Wilhelmsburg section of Hamburg, Germany, officially opened this week. The monstrous bunker, built by slave labor during World War II to shelter residents from Allied air raids and to defend Hamburg, was an imposing—and crumbling—reminder of darker times. With walls thicker than a man’s wingspan, it was too big…