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As can be seen, the English translation of the title of this magnificent German-language book, is "Bamberg - Truly the Beer Capital", this being true. The author, Dr Christian Fiedler, published it himself (216 pages (220x235mm), ISBN 3-00-013723-8, www.bamberger-bier.de). The book's subject is Bamberg brewing establishments, past and present. It is lavishly illustrated with photos and document reproductions for the places featured, accompanied by superb maps pinpointing them. Christian assembled all the illustrations himself, and laid them out amongst his text, i.e. he has done far more the job of a mere author: the book is a labour of love that shines through from every page. Details of how to get a copy of this essential book are to be found on the book's website. The wonderful Baroque city of Bamberg currently has ten official breweries/brew pubs, these being covered in the seventy-seven page White Beer Travels guide to Bamberg, that is available from the Downloads page, which can be reached by clicking here. Click here for a White Beer Travels Web page covering Bamberg's most famous brewery, Heller, and its Schlenkerla tavern (www.schlenkerla.de and www.smokebeer.com (English-language pages)), which, of course, is also fully covered in Christian's book. The book was first published in September, 2004, but proved so popular that a second edition was published in April, 2005. The second edition (same ISBN) has twelve extra pages; it additionally covers the Bamberg suburbs of Gaustadt and Bug. The book is available in most of the outlets in Bamberg that are featured in it, which still serve beer.

The photos on the cover of the book, shown above, are respectively; a brewery dray outside the Bamberger Hofbräu Brewery, that closed down in 1977, after opening in 1895; workers at the Kaspar Schulz factory, see below, alongside a brew kettle that they have built for the Bürgerbräu Brewery (now called Kaiserdom, www.kaiserdom.de), in the Bamberg suburb of Gaustadt; workers at the Wilde Rose Brewery, in Bamberg, which is now the Hotel-Gasthof Wilde Rose (Keßlerstraße 7, www.hotel-wilde-rose.de); and the present day Brew Pub, the Brauerei Spezial, see below. These photos are typical of the many illustrations in the book itself. The Bamberger Hofbräu Brewery was at Pödeldorfer Straße 75, i.e. on the same street as the present day, don't-miss, Café Abseits, which is covered below. Most of the current brewing establishments in Bamberg have an elaborate sign (Ausleger), often above the entrance. There are many examples in the book; the one in the top right hand corner of the cover, with a lion in the middle, is from the Brauerei Goldener Löwe (Golden Lion Brewery), at Siechenstraße 7, which is the Northern extension of Untere Königstraße, see below. This closed in 1991; today, it is the Intermezzo" night club, but it still carries badging from its brewery days, although the sign is elsewhere. Note that the names of many pubs in Germany are preceded by "Zum", this meaning "At the sign of the", although this is often simply translated to "The", in English.

This White Beer Travels review of Christian's book is clearly based on reading the book, but, although I have reasonable German, it is not my mother tongue, and, thus, I have sought clarification, as appropriate, from Christian, who repeatedly responded magnificently. As a consequence, some of the description of the content, and explanation of it, comes from this communication; I am extremely grateful to Christian for answering such queries so swiftly and in amazing depth.

The breweries included in the book are the sixty-five breweries that were operating in the city in 1817 (the list compiled by the Bamberg Biertaxator, Johann Albert Joseph Siefert, which is one of the book's illustrations), plus those that came into existence after this date, such as Bamberger Hofbräu, the Brauerei Doppel (which lasted just ten years from 1971, at Oberer Kaulberg 39), Maisel (www.maisel-braeu-bamberg.de) and Keesmann (www.keesmann-braeu.de), i.e. seventy-three breweries are covered in all. The only present day one missing is the Gasthausbrauerei Ambräusianum (www.ambraeusianum.de), which opened in August, 2004, i.e. after the book went to print, in June, 2004. Click here for a White Beer Travels Web page covering Ambraeusianum.

I originally assumed that the name Biertaxator, mentioned in the previous paragraph, meant that Johann Albert Joseph Siefert was a Beer Customs and Excise Man. However, Christian put me right on this, pointing out that the Taxator part of it derives from the verb taxieren, which means to estimate, i.e. in this context to test whether a beer was good or not. A Biertaxator was a profession, who for his/her work had to taste beer. His/Her judgement could result in a brewery losing its licence to brew, if the beer was not deemed to be good enough. An alternative name for a Biertaxator is a Bierkieser, Kieser meaning to choose or select.

In 1817, Johann Albert Joseph Siefert wrote a book that was published in 1818, called Das Bamberger Bier, which was reprinted in 1992 (Augustus Verlag, ISBN 3-87525-057-5). This is one of a number of books that are listed as being sources of information in Christian's book. Indeed, he quotes directly from the 1818 book (the source of the 1817 brewery list mentioned above), including an attributed quote in big letters in one of the frontispiece pages, below foaming Steins, against a backcloth of a view of the city: "Der eigentümliche Charakter des Bamberger Bieres ist seine Geschmacks-Milde, seine Klarheit, seine Stärke und berauschende Kraft." (The defining characteristics of Bamberg Beers are their mild taste, their clarity, their strength and their intoxicating power.) In the preface to his Bamberg Beer book, Johann Albert Joseph Siefert describes himself as a Biertaxator "ex officio" (Beer Taster by virtue of one's office); certainly Christian states that at some point in his life Johann was a Registered Beer Taster. Interestingly, Biertaxator appeared on the Internet only once (according to www.google.com), until I produced this particular Web page, and even its root, Taxator, is not in most German-English dictionaries, although the verb from which it is derived, taxieren, is.

Incidentally, Christian believes that Das Bamberger Bier was written in 1817, rather than its publication date a year later, since, the author, Johann Albert Joseph Siefert, states that the Goldenes Einhorn im Steinweg burnt down in October; he does not mention the year, but it is known that this place burnt down on the 31st of October, 1817.

Next is the main bulk of Christian's book: ten chapters covering former and existing breweries, each chapter covering one geographic area of the city. For example, the first of these chapters is called "Die Braustätten entlang der Königstraße" (The Brewing Establishments on Königstraße).

Fässla Brewhouse	Spezial Brewery's Courtyard

Those who are familiar with Bamberg's current breweries/brew pubs, will know that there are "only" two operational brewing establishments on this street's Obere (Higher) and Untere (Lower) sections, these being two famous Brew Pubs facing each other: the Brauerei (Brewery) Fässla (Obere Königstraße 19-21, www.faessla.de); and the Brauerei Spezial (Obere Königstraße 10, www.brauerei-spezial.de). The above photos featuring Fässla and Spezial, were taken by John White, in October, 2006, during the tour conducted by Christian, for White Beer Travels Beer Hunters, see below. Fässla and Spezial are covered in the Königstraße section of Christian's book, but so are: the Goldenes Einhorn (Obere 4, 1817, i.e. at number 4 on Obere Königstraße, and it closed in 1817, the "Betriebsaufgabe" quoted in the book); the Brauerei Schwarzer Bär (Obere 8, 1875); the Brauerei Schwarzer Ochse (Obere 16, 1857); the Brauerei Engel (Obere 20, 1864); the Brauerei Brehm (Obere 38, 1894); the Brauerei Mohrenpeter (Obere 40, 1947); the Brauerei Goldene Rose (Obere ?, 1872); the Brauerei Großkopf (Obere 5, 1922); the Brauerei Albertgäßner (Obere 35, 1857); the Brauerei Sonne (Obere 41, 1877); the Brauerei Pfau (Obere 43, 1876); the Brauerei Schwarzer Adler (Untere 2, 1860); the Brauerei Rösslein (Untere 8, 1855); the Brauerei Weißer Ochse (Untere 10, 1857); the Brauerei Weißes Lamm (Untere 28, 1815); the Brauerei Prinz Karl (Untere 11, 1916); the Brauerei Roter Ochse (Untere 13-15, 1873); and the Brauerei Lukas (Untere 17, 1859). The above are in even and odd street number order for the two halves of Königstrasse, to facilitate finding them on your Bamberg Brewing Establishments Hunt. As can be seen, no street number is quoted for the Golden Rose, which was where the junction with Luitpoldstraße now is, but the building was lost when this street was modified to provide a route to Bamberg's railway station (Bahnhof). In 1817, there were twenty-three brewing establishments on the kilometre-long Königstraße; by 1900, there were "only" five.

All these places on Königstraße are pinpointed on a map on the inside front cover, of Christian's book, using numbered circles, there being a list in numeric order alongside the map, with the name of the brewery and the page in the book where its entry is to be found.

Christian gives two reasons for this concentration of brewing establishments on Königstraße, which means King Street. The predominant reason is that the street, which is named in honour of the visit by King Ludwig I (1786-1868) of Bavaria in the 19th Century, was a particularly important highway.

Prior to the King's visit, Königstraße was called "Steinweg", which literally means Stone Way, indeed, its Eastern extension is still called this today, see the photo, to the left, of its sign, which was taken by John White, in October, 2006.

As is implied by the literal translation, Steinweg was not a dusty street, but was covered with stones. This was very unusual in those days, this signifying that it was an important and well-used road. It was on the main route from the Baltic via Erfurt to Nürnberg (Nuremberg) and then to Prague, indeed, Steinweg runs into Nürnberger Straße. In Steinweg, the large numbers of travellers were catered for: stabling for their horses; food; overnight accommodation; and, of course, drink, the drink of choice naturally being beer. Hence, the amazing concentration of establishments offering beer to their guests that they produced themselves. Clearly, they were Brew Pub/Restaurants/Hotels rather than stand-alone breweries. When Bamberg became more industrialised, the number of outlets producing beer dramatically reduced; Bamberg was connected to the railway system and to the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal, i.e. the former Steinweg lost its role as the main trade route, and the brewing establishments "died". The second main reason for the preponderance of breweries on the street was its proximity to the River Regnitz, which provided water, and, in the Winter, ice, the latter being collected for use in the Lagering (Maturation) of the beer, in the Summer, see below.

Note that the pub referred to as the Goldenes Einhorn im Steinweg, by Johann Albert Joseph Siefert, in his Das Bamberger Bier, see above, was at the present day Obere Königstraße 4. In the list in this 1818 book, it appears as "z. Einhorn im Stwg.", this being short for "zum Einhorn in Steinweg"; all the places in the list are preceded by "zum" (At the sign of the), see above.

The remaining "Brewing Establishment" chapters in Christian's book are in the same format as the one covering Königstraße, i.e. the next one is called "Die Braustätten im Sandgebiet", which covers the "Sand" area of the city, this including the Schlenkerla. Here, one discovers, for example, that, at Obere Sandstraße 18, that there was once a place called the Brauerei Grüner Wald. As per all the entries, there is the same heading mentioned above for the year it stopped brewing (1915), this being late enough for there to be a photograph of it available when it was still a brewery, as is the case with this place, see the photo above left; if these exist, as per this one, you can be sure that Christian will have tracked them down and used them in the book, along with anything else appropriate, such as photos of brewery workers, old bottles and bottle labels, Steins, pub signs, interior shots, etc, etc. This is what I mean by a labour of love, above.

Like all entries, this one for the Grüner Wald Brewery, at Obere Sandstraße 18, has a paragraph headed "Heutige Nutzung", this meaning "Current Use", i.e. for this entry, Christian's book tells you that the brewery's tap (Gaststube) is now a Kneipe (bar) called Stilbruch, www.stilbruch-bamberg.de, this being featured in the photo above right, which was taken by myself in August, 2004, i.e. the two photos alongside each other here are before and after photos. The book also tells you that the former brewery's Lagerkeller (Beer Maturation Cellar) is now a Jazz-Keller (Jazzclub Bamberg), www.jazzclub-bamberg.de. I cover both of these excellent places in the downloadable Bamberg guide mentioned above. It is most enjoyable and instructive walking round Bamberg, with Christian's book in hand, matching the photos of these former brewing establishments with present day buildings, based on the "Current Use" information in the book.

Other sections common to each entry are "Gründung" (the year when it commenced production) and "Felsenkeller", this literally meaning Rock Cellar, these being beer lagering facilities dug into the sandstone hills around Bamberg; see the White Beer Travels Schlenkerla page; the present ones that function as Beer Gardens are covered in the White Beer Travels downloadable guide to Bamberg, mentioned above. There is a map showing the position of these Felsenkeller on the inner back cover of Christian's book. Here, if one knows, for example, that the present position of the Heller/Schlenkerla brewery is on the Stephansberg ([St.] Stephen's Hill), on the corner of Oberer Stephansberg and Sternwartstraße, you will see that it is above the Felsenkeller for the former Brauerei Eckenbüttner, which from its entry in the book, you will discover that this brewery was one of Bamberg's oldest, having been founded before 1371, that it closed in 1906, and that it was at Maxplatz 2. There is, of course, a photo in the book of the brewery before it folded; the book also informs you, as already stated above, with appropriate photo, that, at Maxplatz 2 today, one will find a branch of the "Parfumerie Douglas" cosmetics chain.

I love all this cross-referencing that one can do with Christian's book and all the extra information that I have learnt from it on my favourite beer town bar none: Bamberg.

Above is a further example of a lost brewery, the Brauerei Schmäußer, at Hauptwachstraße 4, just off Maxplatz It was founded in 1487 and closed in 1893. It then became a bar called the Münchener Hof, after which, in 1936, it became an outlet, for the Brauerei Krug, a brewery in Ebelsbach, which closed in 1996. Today, the building houses a branch of the Nordsee (North Sea) Fish Shop/Restaurant chain (www.nordsee.de); the lettering declaring it to be a Krug Brewery outlet remains to this day; it can be seen above the blue NORDSEE, in the photo, above left, and more clearly in the photo alongside it. When the NORDSEE place is open, the lettering in the photo on the right is hidden by a poster advertising what is on offer, this being on the right edge, in the middle, in the photo on the right. Both photos were taken by John White, the first on the tour conducted by Christian, see below, in October, 2006, and the other a month later.

The photo of the plaque to the left was also taken by John White, during Christian's tour in October, 2006. It is on a wall in a relatively modern, well modernised area of the city, the pedestrianised development called Theatergassen, between Lange Strasse and Zinkenwörth; it has shops, bars and a budget hotel, the Ibis, which is opposite today's Zinkenwörth 20, although it has the address, Theatergassen 10. This is the site of the Brauerei Weiße Taube (White Dove Brewery), at Zinkenwörth 17-19, which was founded after 1588, and closed in 1917, although its tap remained open after this, retaining its name, whilst selling beers from Bamberg's Hofbräu Brewery, which itself closed in 1977. The Weisse Taube was a large brewery, with an adjoining, upmarket beer garden and music pavilion, in what was then, the Jewish quarter of the city. There is no trace left of the brewery itself, but the plaque featured in the photo, above left, reminds one of the darkest period in European history; the wording on it reads "Auf diesen Areal stand 1664-1910 die Bamberger Synagoge. In der Nähe befand sich das Gasthaus 'Weiße Taube', das 1941-1942 Juden aus Stadt und Umland als Ghetto vor dem Abtransport in die Vernichtungslager dienen mußte. In English, this is "In this area between 1664 and 1910 stood the Bamberg Synagogue. Close by, the 'Weisse Taube' tavern was to be found, which in 1941 and 1942 served as a ghetto for Jews from the city and its surrounding area, before they were transported to the extermination camps." The plaque is close to an antique shop, which is next to a more prominent Travels Agency, badged "Basel Reisebüro" (www.basel-reisen.de), at Generalsgasse 15, within Theatergassen.

The last chapter of Christian's book covers the two present day maltings in the city, Bamberger Mälzerei (www.donau-malz.de) and Weyermann Malz (Malt) (www.weyermannmalt.com (English pages), www.weyermann.de (German pages, with links to pages in many other languages), White Beer Travels Web page), and the world's oldest manufacturer of brewing equipment, Kaspar Schulz (www.kaspar-schulz.de) (established 1677), who are based in the Hafengebiet (Port Area) of Bamberg, at Kaspar-Schulz Strasse 1 (the NE pointing section of Coburger Strasse on some maps). In the photo, above, taken inside the Brauerei Fässla's Brewhouse (Sudhaus), the plaque on the pillar on the right states that this famous Brewhouse was built by Kaspar Schulz, as are many others in Bamberg and beyond.

The source of all the photographs is given at the end of the book, for example, Matthias Trum provided old photos of the Schlenkerla tavern and the Heller Brewery, two particularly interesting ones of the latter being of its former Beer Garden, above left, and the entrance to it, above right, from which it can be seen that this was just up the hill from the present entrance to the brewery. The wording on the outside wall of the Beer Garden is: "Grosser schattiger Garten. Besitzer Michael Grasser. Eingang." (Large Shaded Garden. Proprietor Michael Graser. Entrance.). Michael Graser - the sign painter spelt his surname wrong - took over the Schlenkerla in 1907, the Beer Garden being closed, never to reopen, during WWI.

Even if you have little German, but are interested in the beer scene in Bamberg , this book is a must. One can readily work out the present utilisation of all the places featured and you will not fail to find them using the superb maps and the full addresses given for the entries.

If you have some German, you will learn a great deal about both former and existing Bamberg brewing establishments. I thought that I had a good knowledge of Heller/Schlenkerla, but I have amassed loads of new information on them from this don't-enter-Bamberg-without book.

The printing of Christian's book was sponsored by the Bayerischer Brauerbund (Bavarian Breweries' Association) (www.bayrisch-bier.de or www.bayerischerbrauerbund.de), and permission to reproduce photos in the book, such as the one above, from Bamberg's Municipal Archives (Stadtarchiv) (www.bamberg.de/stadtarchiv), was given by the City of Bamberg (www.stadt.bamberg.de) without the normal requirement to pay a licence fee. Their logos appear on the rear cover of the book (first edition), which is shown just above, which, as can be seen, also has on it the logos for all the current breweries in Bamberg, its two maltings, and its famous brewery equipment manufacturers, Kaspar Schulz, see above. The rear cover of the second edition has photos and sketches of Bamberg breweries and beer gardens.

John White & Christian Fiedler outside a lost Bamberg Brewery

In early October, 2006, Christian lead a tour of White Beer Travels Beer Hunters along some of the streets covered in his book. I can't thank Christian enough for travelling from his home in Frankfurt to conduct what was a most memorable tour, which was enjoyed immensely by all the White Beer Travels Beer Hunters, including myself, who were very privileged to take part in it.

We started on the street that once had the highest concentration of breweries, Königstrasse, visiting two Brew Pubs, mentioned above, in a section covering this street, that are still in operation: the Brauerei Fässla and the Brauerei Spezial, the latter being Bamberg's oldest producer of Rauchbier (Smoke Beer) still in operation, having been established in 1536. The above photos, featuring yours truly, John White, and Christian, were taken at the start of the tour by Joyce White, and "second petal", Sylvia Clow, in October, 2006. In the one on the left, I have Christian's book in my hand, and in the one on the right, are my gifts to Christian for conducting the tour: the don't-enter-Germany-without Good Beer Guide Germany (www.german-breweries.com, White Beer Travels Web page), by Steve Thomas, and the White Beer Travels Guide to Bamberg, which can be obtained from the Downloads page. An explanation of the chalk characters above Christian's head, in the photo, above left, which are a common sight in Bamberg, is given below.

Members of Hans Grosskopf's family founded or were involved in other brewing establishments on Steinweg, such as: the Brauerei Spezial, at Obere Königstraße 10 (stop five of sixteen on the tour), which was founded by the Cooper, Linhard Großkopf, in 1536; and the Weißer Ochse, at Untere Königstraße 10, which was founded in 1510 by Michael Fuchs, but was purchased by the Cooper, Karl Grosskopf, in the same year.

Of course, some of the former brewing establishments are now bars, so we went inside one or two of them! On this walk, time prevented us going inside the Maisel Weissbierhaus (White/Wheat Beer House), at Obere Königstraße 38. This was the original Maisel brewery, but before that it was the Brauerei Sperber, which was acquired by Rudolf Maisel, in 1894. Today, the Bamberg Maisel Brewery (www.maisel-braeu-bamberg.de) is at Moosstrasse 46. On the same part of Obere Königstraße as the Maisel Weissbierhaus, is a bed shop, Betten-Friedrich, but the Peacock on the front of it, is from its days as the Brauerei Pfau (Peacock Brewery), which closed in 1876, after opening after 1536. Its Keller, the Sperber-Keller, Oberer Stephansberg 33, was purchased by Heller/Schlenkerla's Andreas Graser, in 1896.

Other places visited included the site of the former Brauerei Polarbär (Polar Bear Brewery), at Judenstraße 7 (7 Jews' Street), a well-known producer of Rauchbier, until it closed in 1935, after being founded in 1599. You might wonder why a brewery in Bamberg is named after a Polar Bear. Of course, the answer is in Christian's book! In 1678, the place was taken over by a Cooper called Pankraz Behr; at this time it was called the Schwarzen Adler (Black Eagle). Pankraz's first name became corrupted to Panger or Pohla, which led to the place being called, in 1732, the Pohla Bern, and in 1833, it had become the Pola-Bären, and in 1870, Polabären, which later became just Polabär, an alternative name for the more commonly used word for a Polar Bear, in German: Eisbär (Ice Bear). The Polar Bear is now a Spanish Restaurant: Bolero (www.bolero-bamberg.de). The Brauerei Polarbär lettering and stone Polar Bear above the Bolero's entrances, see the above photos, which were taken by John White, in October, 2006, are relics from its brewing days. Interestingly, Bolero is a further variant on its name from its Polar Bear days, Bollabär. Bolero's sign, in the photo, below left, is badged Kaiser-Bräu Pils, which is brewed by Kaiser-Bräu (www.kaiser-braeu.de), in Neuhaus an der Pegnitz.

The Brauerei Polarbär's beer garden, the Polarbären-Keller, was at Oberer Stephansberg 12-14, on the opposite side of the road to what is today, an excellent bar called the Stöhrenkeller, at Oberer Stephansberg 11; the Stöhrenkeller was one of the sixteen main stops on the tour. The Polarbären-Keller's beer garden's walls can still be seen. Bamberg did not suffer much Allied bombing in the Second World War, but a number of people sheltering in the building here in 1945 were killed by a bomb. There is now housing, where the building once stood. The Stöhrenkeller is on the corner of Alter Graben, one corner down the hill from the Heller/Schlenkerla Brewery. Note that the Keller map in the inside cover of Christian's book shows that the Keller at Oberer Stephansberg 12-14 was owned by the Brauerei Schwarzer Bauer, which was operational at Lange Strasse 19, from 1491 to 1868; this is a reminder that Christian's Keller map represents the situation in 1850; as has been exampled elsewhere in this Web page, such Kellers changed hands from time to time.

We had lunch in a third brewery still operating, the Brauerei Klosterbräu (Monastery Brew Brewery, at Obere Mühlbrücke 3, (www.klosterbraeu.de). Despite its name, it was never a monastery. Prior to 1790, it was called the Fürstbischöfliches Braunbierhaus, the Prince-Bishops' Brown Beer House, Klosterbräu is Bamberg's oldest brewery, that is still on the go; it was established in 1533, as can be seen from the date below the crest, above its entrance, in the photo, above right; the crest is that of the Prince-Bishops. The photo, above left, was taken during the meal in the Klosterbräu. Christian is on the left, with his back to the camera. Holding a plate up, third from the left, is Michael Link, a Bamberg local, who, with his girlfriend, Evl Anders, joined us on the tour. Both photos were taken by John White, in October, 2006. Michael is with the Palaeontology Department of Erlangen University; click here for some of his work on dating (doing stratigraphic determination of age) of very young sediments in Franconia with beer bottles!

We ended up in the world's most famous producer of Rauchbier, Heller/Schlenkerla Brewery, at Oberer Stephansberg 27-31, for a visit there. The Heller Brewery was founded in the Schlenkerla tavern, at Dominikanerstraße 6. Christian gives the date for the commencement of brewing in the tavern as "from 1485", this being based on evidence that there was a Cooperage (Büttnerei) on the site in this year. The brewery eventually had a Keller (Lagering Facilities) on the Kaulberg (Laurenzistraße 28) (the same address as a later occupant, Grosskopf, its former brewery being the tour starting point, as detailed above). Heller Brewery later moved to its present location, above its Keller, on the Stephansberg, the hill adjoining the Kaulberg, from as late as 1901. Brewing was moved from the Schlenkerla, in Dominikanerstraße, to the present site on Oberer Stephansberg, from 1936, with the Maltings being moved in 1971. From Christian's book, one learns that the Kellers below Heller Brewery were previously owned by two former Maxplatz (Maximiliansplatz) breweries, these both featuring in the tour: the Brauerei Ströberla (Schuberth), at Maxplatz 14; and the Brauerei Eckenbüttner ("Büttner in der Ecke") (Cooper in the Corner), at Maxplatz 2, see above.

Click here to see the full tour itinerary, which was one of the handouts that the White Beer Travels Beer Hunters received, along with maps, and one from Christian, who also supplied the Beer Hunters with photos of the places highlighted in his wonderful tour, all these appearing in his book.

20*C + M + B + 06

The title of this section consists ofthe number and letters that are chalked on the top of the door, in the photo, above left, at the top of the section of this Web page covering the Christian Fiedler tour, are quite commonly seen, both outside and in, a number of establishments in Bamberg, and elsewhere in Germany, including, for example, in the main bar in the Schlenkerla. Many believe that, the "C", "M" and "B" are the first letters of the names of the Three Wise Men, Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar (or Balthasar), however, with the "20" and the "06" the official Catholic Church view is that they mean "Christus Mansionem Benedicat 2006" (Lord, bless this house, in 2006). For a more detailed explanation, click here. Such blessings take place, each year, on the eve of January, the 6th, which is 12th Night or Epithany); doorways are sprinkled with holy water and the master of the house or "Star Singers" write, as above, with chalk, and say: "Caspar, Melchior, Balthasar, behütet uns auch für dieses Jahr, vor Feuer und vor Wassergefahr." (Caspar, Melchior, Balthasar, protect us again this year from the dangers of fire and water). This gets special emphasis in Germany as the relics of the Three Wise Men are to be found in Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) (www.koelner-dom.de).

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