Munich

Visiting Munich brought sad memories of the two global wars.

My grand-father and his two brothers were the veterans of the World War I, and our family was painfully aware of the great havoc and loss of life caused by it.

Munich presents an ironic contrast: the immense power humans have acquired to destroy through war vs. the colossal human potential to re-build and prosper when in peaceful co-existence.

The city was very heavily damaged by allied bombings during World War II, and rebuilt completely after its occupation by Americans in 1945.

Munich is heavily industrialized and has the strongest economy of any German city.

It is a leading location for science and research, and prides itself with a long list of Nobel Prize laureates.

Munich hosted the 1972 Summer Olympics, marred by Palestinian terrorists who broke into the Olympic Village, killing two members of the Israeli team and taking some as hostages.

Near the Olympia park are the headquarters of BMW, the luxury auto-maker company.

Historically, Germany was not permitted to take part in negotiations near the end of hostilities in the First World War.

Germans protested against what they deemed as unfair demands in the peace treaty.

The Chancellor had resigned and it was his successor who agreed to sign the Versailles Treaty.

Of the many terms in the treaty, the important provisions required Germany and its allies to accept full responsibility for the war, and to disarm and make substantial territorial concessions in addition to big reparations to certain countries that had formed the Allies.

German economy was so weak that only a small percentage of reparations could be paid in money.

This caused severe financial hardship that contributed to post-treaty hyper-inflation in the country.

The implementation of the requirements triggered a chain reaction.
The treaty was undermined by subsequent events starting as early as 1922, and it was flouted widely by the mid thirties.

Some historian believe that the seeds of World War II were sown by the way Germany was treated by the Allies after its defeat in World War I.