Judensau

 A Judensau or Jewish pig is an ancient motif designed to create disgust and hatred of the Jewish people that are still found all around Germany   Usually it consists of a pig with rabbis suckling from it such as the one found on the Regensburg cathedral. It gets worse than that: Jews having sex with the sow, Jews eating excrement directly from the sow Jews digging around inside the pig for the Torah or some disgusting combination of all of the above 

Recently there was a court case in Wittenberg which has especially hideous Judensauen to have them removed. No they won’t be removed. Part of history. They show that the church approves of such hatred. And the Protestant churches were no better, Luther spewed plenty of anti Jewish venom. And despite the many pogroms throughout German history usually after plagues, on the whole, Germany was the most welcoming in Europe especially the early part of the 20th century.  Until Hitler who tapped into this ancient hatred and scapegoating 

Anyway the Judensau in Regensburg was covered up by scaffolding. We did come across a stopple stein near the Dom.  Not a Jewish victim as most we had seen but a priest.  Story in comments 

We had been in Regensburg 3 years ago on our own. a beautiful city

This was a different ship covered in swavorsky crystals which was very flashy. A photo doesn’t do it Justice. At some point in the middle of the night we entered the Danube whose water levels can not be controlled. Europe had a huge drought last summer and although it rained plenty while we were there, it didn’t raise the water levels enough. Two Viking ships got stuck in Regensburg including the one we took last year. The capitán of ours had fun trying to avoid the sandbars in deep fog. As it was a few of our passengers who had gone on an all day excursion couldn’t get on normally as the usual landing was unapproachable. They had to be squeezed in through some makeshift opening in the hull which was a first in Viking history. They had to stand out in the cold for more than an hour while back up plans were being made

The two Bavarian motifs: pretzels and wurst

Fog again when we arrived 

The Americans were just about to arrive in Regensburg at the end of the war. The priest assembled his congregants urging them to peacefully surrender which pissed off the Gestapo still there. Germans were to fight to the end. Anyway they executed him quickly and then fled themselves, rats as they were. The Catholic Church considers him a martyr and he is buried inside the Dom

Some modern parts of town

The old stone bridge. After a few hours the fog cleared 

Romans were here 2000 years ago this is part of their wall

In the middle of the bridge 

Outside a tapas restaurant 

Inside the Dom.  Classic gothic plain but nice windows 

The old and the new

I so much wanted this scarf. The store was closed when I went by but then I forgot about it. I did go back to a jewelry store

Morning fog eventually cleared    On the bridge going to town gate

Nice stained glass 
 

David and Goliath 

Christmas antiques

Worlds oldest restaurant.  Good bratwurst 

The Dom