The Stories Old Towns Tell : A Journey Through Cities at the Heart of Europe

**A fascinating journey through Europe’s old towns, exploring why we treasure them—but also what they hide about a continent’s fraught history** Historic quarters in cities and towns across the middle of Europe were devastated during the Second World War—some, like those of Warsaw and Frankfurt, had to be rebuilt almost completely. They are now centers of peace and civility that attract millions of tourists, but the stories they tell about places, peoples, and nations are selective. They are never the whole story. These old towns and their turbulent histories have been key sites in Europe’s ongoing theater of politics and war. Exploring seven old towns, from Frankfurt and Prague to Vilnius in Lithuania, the acclaimed writer Marek Kohn examines how they have been used since the Second World War to conceal political tensions and reinforce certain versions of history. Uncovering hidden stories behind these old and old-seeming façades, Kohn offers us a new understanding of the politics of European history-making—showing how our visits to old towns could promote belonging over exclusion, and empathy over indifference. A journey through Europes old towns, exploring why we treasure thembut also what they hide about a continents fraught history [A] fascinating chronicle.Benjamin Balint, Wall Street Journal Historic quarters in cities and towns across the middle of Europe were devastated during the Second World Warsome, like those of Warsaw and Frankfurt, had to be rebuilt almost completely. They are now centers of peace and civility that attract millions of tourists, but the stories they tell about places, peoples, and nations are selective. They are never the whole story. These old towns and their turbulent histories have been key sites in Europes ongoing theater of politics and war. Exploring seven old towns, from Frankfurt and Prague to Vilnius in Lithuania, the acclaimed writer Marek Kohn examines how they have been used since the Second World War to conceal political tensions and reinforce certain versions of history. Uncovering hidden stories behind these old and old-seeming faades, Kohn offers us a new understanding of the politics of European history-makingshowing how our visits to old towns could promote belonging over exclusion, and empathy over indifference. A fascinating journey through Europe’s old towns, exploring why we treasure them—but also what they hide about a continent’s fraught history  Historic quarters in cities and towns across the middle of Europe were devastated during the Second World War—some, like those of Warsaw and Frankfurt, had to be rebuilt almost completely. They are now centers of peace and civility that attract millions of tourists, but the stories they tell about places, peoples, and nations are selective. They are never the whole story.  These old towns and their turbulent histories have been key sites in Europe’s ongoing theater of politics and war. Exploring seven old towns, from Frankfurt and Prague to Vilnius in Lithuania, the acclaimed writer Marek Kohn examines how they have been used since the Second World War to conceal political tensions and reinforce certain versions of history.  Uncovering hidden stories behind these old and old-seeming façades, Kohn offers us a new understanding of the politics of European history-making—showing how our visits to old towns could promote belonging over exclusion, and empathy over indifference. Contents 7 Illustrations 9 Introduction: Seven Symbolic Quarters 13 WARSAW 27 Chapter 1. Market to Monument 27 Chapter 2. Soldier-Architects 32 Chapter 3. Go to the Forests, or Get to Work 55 Chapter 4. A Brigade of Goldsmiths 70 Chapter 5. The Whole Nation Is Building Its Capital City 84 Chapter 6. The Stones Speak Polish 106 Chapter 7. We Will Come to Believe in It Ourselves 113 WÜRZBURG 125 Chapter 8. Christmas Trees in Lent 125 Chapter 9. The U-Boat Cathedral Roof 144 ROTHENBURG OB DER TAUBER 153 Chapter 10. A Wall Round the Whole Place 153 Chapter 11. Half-Timber Angst 168 Chapter 12. What the Iron Wolf Meant 181 Chapter 13. Wilno, Vilna, Vilne, Vilnius 191 MIDDLE EUROPE 213 Chapter 14. Stumbling Stones 213 LUBLIN 229 Chapter 15. We Patiently Explain 229 PRAGUE 259 Chapter 16. If the Twentieth Century Had Not Happened 259 FRANKFURT AM MAIN 273 Chapter 17. The New Old Town 273 MIDDLE EUROPE 289 Chapter 18. What Stories They Could Tell 289 Acknowledgements 296 Notes 298 Bibliography 319 Index 334