The Drückebergergasse is an alley in the old town of Munich, Southern Germany, that tells the story of those who resisted and defied the Nazi era.
The Story of the Alley
To understand the tale of the Drückebergergasse (translated, shirker's alley), you need to understand the previous history that explains it all.
Munich is the city where Adolf Hitler and the Nazis, NSDAP (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei), came to power in 1933.
What not many know is that he had attempted a political coup just 10 years prior to that, on the 9th of November, 1923.
This coup, known as the Beer Hall Putsch, was 2000 Nazi followers strong, but they were stopped by a line of police at the Feldhernhalle, a monument hall, on the Odeons square, which is adjoining the famed alley. 14 Nazi followers died on that day.
Hitler escaped, was caught, was brought to trial while gaining popularity during the trial, dictated Mein Kampf in prison, was released from prison after 9 months, and then took over the German government, but this time with a legal approach.
Towards the Residenz palace on the Odeons Square, he turned these 14 Nazi followers, who died during the coup, into martyrs by erecting a memorial in their honor.
The eagle sitting on an encircled swastika had a wording in German that said, “Und ihr habt doch gesiegt”, which means “and you triumphed after all”, which referred to their fallen followers.
At the same time, the structure was constantly guarded by two SS guards, and all visitors were required to salute with the Hitler salute (aka the German salute). There was no exception.
The courageous people who resisted the Nazis and who didn't want to salute, took the shirker alley next door to avoid the political pressure.
In time, the locals started to call this alley the Drückebergergasse, to point out that these are the ones who are avoiding the memorial salute. Drückeberger means "shirker" (someone who avoids something), and Gasse means "alley" in German.
Memorial of the Drückebergergasse
To commemorate the quiet act of defiance, the city of Munich commissioned the artist Bruno Wank with an art piece in 1995.
He poured a thin lane of molten bronze in an S-form over the cobblestones, over 440 cobblestones on 18 meters in the alley, and named it “Argumente” (arguments in English).
People walk over it, and over time the bronze has turned into a shiny golden hue.
Interestingly, the city of Munich bought the art installation from Bruno Wank for €100.000 in 2013.
Where is it located?
The Drückebergergasse is the Viscardigasse, which is the official name of the alley.
It's situated behind the Felderhernhalle (Bavarian Army Monument with the lion) on the Odeonsplatz, and it joins the Theatiner road with the Residence road.
The Theatiner church and the Residenz palace are nearby.
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