Follow the history of National Socialism in Germany at the Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds (known in German as the Dokumentationszentrum Reichsparteitagsgelaende or Dokuzentrum). The museum’s setting within Congress Hall and its immense rally grounds provides a vivid insight into the power and horror involved with the former regime. Explore the museum’s permanent exhibition, Fascination and Terror, and learn about the social and political impacts of the Nazi Party through eyewitness interviews, multimedia exhibits and informative audio guides.
The former Congress Hall’s colossal architecture is testimony to the tyranny of the Nazi Party and its powerful political actions. While it was never completed, the hall’s grand design was intended to show the party’s power. It successfully drew about 1 million people annually to rallies between 1933 and 1938. Approach the north wing of Congress Hall and investigate the symbolic addition built into the enormous structure in 2001. The northern face of the building has been pierced with a large glass-and-steel passageway, which appears to puncture the building like a spear. Walk up the passageway into the large exhibition space.
Follow the Fascination and Terror exhibit in chronological order. In the 19 different exhibition rooms, learn about the Nazi Party’s rise to power and the publicity used to spread the National Socialist agenda. Find out about Nuremberg’s role in the party’s regime, including the rallies, political movements and trials that occurred in the city throughout the mid-20th century. Watch videos of eyewitness accounts of atrocities committed by the party, as well as informative films following the Nazi Party’s narrative in Nuremberg and the world. The exhibition concludes with the Nuremberg Trials against Nazi war criminals and questions about how the city can deal with the party’s architectural legacy.
The Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds: Fascination and Terror is located in southeast Nuremberg and is open every day. Reach it easily by bus or rail. Investigate the museum’s education program and special exhibitions or book an English-language tour for your group. Purchase a day pass for access to this and Nuremberg’s other municipal museums.
