Is there a guided tour Munich for the Third Reich sites?

While many companies offer group options, this self-guided walking route allows you to explore the same historic locations independently. You can start exploring with Zigway at your own pace without following a group schedule.

Are the sites on this walk free to visit?

Most of the sites are public squares and outdoor memorials that are free to visit. The NS-Dokumentationszentrum usually charges a small admission fee for its permanent exhibition, though some groups or ages may be eligible for discounts.

What is the best time to start this walking route?

We recommend starting in the morning around 10:00 AM. This ensures you have plenty of daylight to see the ground-level memorials and allows you to visit the Documentation Center during its standard operating hours.

Is this walk suitable for children?

The route is educational but deals with very heavy and somber historical themes. It is generally suitable for teenagers and older children who have an interest in history, but parents should exercise discretion for younger children.

Where does the Third Reich walking route begin?

The walk begins at Viscardigasse, located just off Odeonsplatz. The nearest transit hub is the Odeonsplatz U-Bahn station, which is easily accessible from anywhere in the Munich city center.

Can I see the White Rose memorial at any time?

Yes, the leaflet memorial is embedded in the pavement outside the university and is accessible 24/7. However, the internal atrium of the university where the leaflets were thrown is only open during university operating hours.

How much walking is involved in this route?

The total distance is approximately 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles). The terrain is flat and follows standard city pavements, making it a moderate walk for most fitness levels.

Zigway - The Guide Follows You

About This Tour

Munich is often celebrated for its beer gardens and Baroque palaces, but beneath the surface of this Bavarian capital lies a complex and sobering history. This self-guided walk explores Maxvorstadt, the district that once served as the administrative heart of the National Socialist movement. By following this walking route, you will uncover how Munich earned the title 'Capital of the Movement' and see the physical remnants of a regime that changed the world forever. The journey begins in the winding alleys behind the city's grandest squares and moves toward the monumental architecture used for mass propaganda. You will visit sites of quiet resistance, like Viscardigasse, where citizens took subtle risks to avoid honoring the regime, and stand in the massive expanse of Konigsplatz, once the stage for torchlight rallies and infamous book burnings. This exploration isn't just about the architecture of power; it is also a tribute to the human spirit. The walk concludes at the Ludwig Maximilian University, where the courageous White Rose resistance movement stood against tyranny. This neighborhood stroll offers a profound educational experience, allowing you to engage with the city’s dark history at your own pace. Whether you are a history enthusiast or a first-time visitor, this walking tour Munich provides a necessary perspective on the events that transpired here between 1923 and 1945. Exploring independently allows you the time to reflect at each memorial and museum, ensuring a deeply personal connection to the narratives of Munich's past.

Highlights

Viscardigasse: The secret path used to bypass the Nazi salute.

Feldherrnhalle: Site of the failed 1923 Beer Hall Putsch.

NS-Dokumentationszentrum: A modern center for remembrance on the site of the 'Brown House'.

Führerbau: The building where the 1938 Munich Agreement was signed.

Konigsplatz: The former site of Nazi rallies and book burnings.

White Rose Memorial: Honoring the student resistance at Munich University.

Tour Stops (6)

Viscardigasse

Start your self-guided adventure in this narrow alleyway located behind the Feldherrnhalle. During the Third Reich, a memorial was placed at the Feldherrnhalle to honor those who died during the failed 1923 putsch. Passersby were legally required to give the Nazi salute when walking past it. To avoid this, many Munich citizens took a detour through Viscardigasse. If you look at the ground today, you will see a trail of gold-colored cobblestones snaking through the pavement. These stones serve as a memorial to those 'shirkers' who chose this path as a quiet act of civil disobedience. It is a powerful reminder that even in the face of total control, small gestures of resistance persisted.

Feldherrnhalle

Standing at the edge of Odeonsplatz, this monumental loggia was modeled after the Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence. While it was built in the 1840s to honor the Bavarian army, it became a central site for Nazi iconography. It was here that Adolf Hitler’s 1923 Beer Hall Putsch was halted by the Bavarian police in a deadly confrontation. After the Nazis seized power in 1933, they transformed the site into a sacred shrine for their movement. Every year, elaborate ceremonies were held here to commemorate the 'martyrs' of the putsch. Today, the site has been reclaimed as a public space, but the scars of its misuse during the 20th century remain a vital part of the city's historical narrative.

NS-Dokumentationszentrum München

As you walk toward the heart of the former Nazi administrative district, you will encounter a stark, white cube-like building. This is the Documentation Center for the History of National Socialism. It stands on the exact site of the 'Brown House,' which served as the national headquarters of the Nazi Party. Rather than rebuilding what was destroyed, the city chose to create this modern educational space. It focuses on why Munich became the cradle of the movement and how the city has dealt with its legacy since 1945. The surrounding area was once filled with bureaucratic buildings that managed the regime's operations, making this spot the literal 'brain center' of the party's early years.

Arcisstraße 12 (The Führerbau)

Located just steps from the Documentation Center, this imposing Neoclassical building survived the war largely intact. Built in the 1930s, it served as the 'Führerbau,' or Hitler's office building. Its most significant historical moment occurred in September 1938, when the leaders of Britain, France, Italy, and Germany met here to sign the Munich Agreement, an act of appeasement that allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland. Today, the building houses the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich. If you look at the architecture, you can still see the heavy, intimidating style favored by the regime, though the building has now been repurposed for art and education, signaling a shift from destruction to creation.

Konigsplatz

Konigsplatz was originally designed in the 19th century as a 'European Athens,' intended to showcase Munich’s cultural aspirations. However, the Nazis paved over the green grass with granite slabs to create a massive parade ground for rallies. Two 'Temples of Honor' were built here to house the sarcophagi of those killed in the 1923 putsch; these were later blown up by the US Army after the war. This square was also the site of the 1933 book burning, where students and officials destroyed literature deemed 'un-German.' Today, the grass has been restored, and the square is once again a hub for museums and summer concerts, though the foundations of the demolished Nazi structures are still visible if you look closely.

Geschwister-Scholl-Platz

The final stop on this walking route brings you to the front of the Ludwig Maximilian University. This square is named after Sophie and Hans Scholl, siblings who led the 'White Rose' resistance group. In 1943, they were caught distributing anti-war leaflets from the balconies of the university atrium. Their subsequent execution made them symbols of German resistance. Look closely at the ground in front of the university entrance; you will see ceramic replicas of the leaflets scattered among the cobblestones as if they had just fallen from the sky. This moving memorial honors those who risked everything to speak truth to power, providing a hopeful conclusion to a journey through a dark era.

Frequently Asked Questions

The walk typically takes between 2 to 3 hours. This includes time to stop at the six major sites and explore the outdoor memorials, though you should allow extra time if you plan to go inside the Documentation Center.