| During the middle of the afternoon in June, Rothenburg ob der Tauber may be one of the most crowded places on earth. The tour buses come in about ten in the morning and don't depart until late in the day. But in November, many times the traveler can find empty streets and the town is transported back in time. My favorite times in Rothenburg are late on a foggy night or early in the morning. At those times, the sound of the cars is gone and Rothenburg becomes a magical place. | 
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One of my favorite stories
of Rothenburg is the story from World War II. As American troops were advancing
through Germany near the end of the war, Rothenburg was threatened with
destruction (and actually did suffer quite a bit of damage from aerial bombing),
but because of the intervention of John J. McCloy who had visited the city
prior to the war and loved it as much as we all do today, the city was saved.
At the center of Rothenburg, on the Marktplatz, stands the Renaissance Rathaus. If you visit Rothenburg, you will surely learn of the story of the town mayor who saved the city during the Thirty Years War. In the picture at the left, the Marktplatz can be seen from down Obere Schmiedgasse. On Obere Schmiedgasse, just a few steps from the Marktplatz, our favorite hotel is located, the Gasthof Greifen. |
| The Gasthof Greifen is run by the Klingler family. Over the years, Frau Klingler has shown great hospitality to all our groups, and Brenda and I have stayed at the Greifen a couple of times on our own. Our favorite rooms are in the old part of the hotel, directly above the restaurant and facing Obere Schmiedgasse. We can sit in the windows and take in the all the views. It fascinates me the way that the people of Rothenburg have simply absorbed the tourists into their daily lives. | 
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