The golden path in Viscardigasse | Photo by Mark Swearengen ()
Ever heard of a path of gold in Munich? Yes, you read that right. This easy-to-find road is filled with history and shouldn’t be missed!
Most visitors to the city eventually find their way to Marienplatz to observe the glockenspiel high on the tower of the “Rathaus” (city hall). A short distance from there, one can walk north on Residenzstraße and notice a distinct gold path leading left along Viscardigasse just before coming to the Feldherrnhalle (Field Marshal Hall) at Odeonsplatz.
The east side of the Feldherrnhalle | Photo by Mark Swearengen
The reason for the gold path relates to an act of non-violent opposition in the Third Reich era. After Hitler came to power in 1933, he established an elaborate memorial in honor of his 16 Nazi supporters killed 10 years prior in a shootout with Bavarian State Police. The shootout occurred Nov. 9, 1923, at the corner of the Feldherrnhalle, and ended Hitler’s attempted coup known as the “Beer Hall Putsch.”
The memorial, named “Mahnmal der Bewegung” (memorial of the movement) was on the east side of the Feldherrnhalle where the shooting had occurred and was guarded day and night by an honor guard of soldiers.
Pedestrians passing by the memorial were required to give the symbolic raised-hand Hitler salute. Failure to make the salute was considered disrespectful and could result in beatings or arrest.
Eventually, many citizens avoided walking past the memorial by taking a short detour along Viscardigasse, then turning right toward Odeonsplatz.
Reminiscent of those citizens, the city of Munich commissioned sculptor Bruno Wank in 1995 to design a gold path, actually made of bronze paving stones, to be placed on Viscardigasse.
The memorial on the Feldherrnhalle was removed after the end of World War II. Today the path on Viscardigasse is there as a reminder of those citizens who were considered “Drückeberger” (shirkers), yet had the courage to act with their conscience.
