Cologne – Between Ruins and New Beginnings

A Story of Destruction, Survival and the Rebuilding of a City

  • Blick über die Hohenzollernbrücke zum Kölner Dom

How did the people of Cologne experience the darkest years of the 20th century? What happened to their city, their neighbors and their everyday lives? And how did they manage to make a fresh start amid the rubble and ruins after the war?

On our walking tour through central Cologne, we discover the visible and invisible traces of the Nazi era and the Second World War. Behind seemingly ordinary façades, on inconspicuous street corners and in familiar squares lie stories of persecution, destruction, courage and survival.

The Stolpersteine – small memorial plaques embedded in the pavement – remind us of the people who were persecuted, deported and murdered under the Nazi dictatorship. Yet not all traces of the past are visible. Some lie hidden beneath modern buildings or behind reconstructed façades, while others have long faded from public memory.

The EL-DE House, once the headquarters of the Gestapo in Cologne, bears witness to the horrors of Nazi persecution. Traces of Jewish life around the medieval mikveh tell the story of Cologne's Jewish community, whose history stretches back centuries, and the persecution its members faced under National Socialism.

We learn how bombing raids reduced large parts of the historic Old Town to rubble, how the bridges across the Rhine were destroyed and how people struggled to survive in a devastated city.

But the story does not end with the war. We also explore the difficult years of recovery, the enormous challenges of reconstruction and the decisions that continue to shape Cologne's appearance today.

A moving journey through destruction and hope, remembrance and new beginnings – filled with personal stories, hidden histories and traces of a past that continues to resonate in our city.

Classic Discovery Tour | 2.5–3 Hours

Discover traces of the Nazi era and the Second World War at selected locations in Cologne. Personal experiences, moving stories and visible evidence of destruction and reconstruction offer a different perspective on the city's more recent history.

Group size: 1–10 people
German: €290 · English: €320

In-Depth Discovery Tour | 4–4.5 Hours

This extended tour allows more time to explore additional places of remembrance, personal stories and historical background. We take a closer look at Nazi persecution, the destruction caused by the war and the challenges of rebuilding the city. There is also more flexibility to accommodate your individual interests.

Group size: 1–10 people
German: €450 · English: €480

All prices listed are per group and include 19% sales tax.

Larger groups are also welcome upon request. I would be happy to provide a personalized quote. Larger groups are also possible upon request. I’d be happy to provide you with a customized quote.

Tailor-Made Tours | On Request

Do you have specific interests, or would you like to tailor your city tour entirely to your personal preferences? I’d be happy to put together a tour tailored to your wishes. We’ll agree on the duration, focus, and price on an individual basis.

Meeting Point and Optional Extras

If you wish, we can begin our tour with a visit to the KölnTriangle viewing platform. The regular admission fee, currently €5 per person, is not included in the tour price and must be paid separately by guests. The visit is subject to opening hours and weather conditions.

An interior visit to the EL-DE House, home to Cologne's NS Documentation Centre, can also be included upon request. Admission is €4.50 per person and is not included in the tour price.

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Photo Credits

  1. Hohenzollern Bridge and Cologne Cathedral – Photo: Bas Linders / Pexels (Pexels Licence). Pexels (Pexels-Lizenz).
  2. Memorial to the Grey Buses, Cologne-Deutz – Photo: Elke Wetzig / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Memorial to Gay and Lesbian Victims of National Socialism – Photo: Jörg Lenk / Wikimedia Commons (public domain)., CC BY-SA 4.0.
  3. Mahnmal für die schwulen und lesbischen Opfer des Nationalsozialismus – Foto: Jörg Lenk / Memorial to Gay and Lesbian Victims of National Socialism – Photo: Jörg Lenk / Wikimedia Commons (public domain). (gemeinfrei).
  4. Memorial to the Victims of the Deutz Exhibition Camp – Photo: © Raimond Spekking / CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons). CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Memorial to Gay and Lesbian Victims of National Socialism – Photo: Jörg Lenk / Wikimedia Commons (public domain).).
  5. Trail of Remembrance, Hohenzollern Bridge – Photo: © Raimond Spekking / CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons), image cropped. CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Memorial to Gay and Lesbian Victims of National Socialism – Photo: Jörg Lenk / Wikimedia Commons (public domain).), Bildausschnitt verändert.
  6. Wartime Ruins of Old St. Alban – Prisoners of War Memorial – Photo: © Raimond Spekking / CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons). CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Memorial to Gay and Lesbian Victims of National Socialism – Photo: Jörg Lenk / Wikimedia Commons (public domain).).
  7. Entrance to the EL-DE House, Cologne's NS Documentation Centre – Photo: © Raimond Spekking / CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons). CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Memorial to Gay and Lesbian Victims of National Socialism – Photo: Jörg Lenk / Wikimedia Commons (public domain).).
  8. Stolpersteine for Max and Elsa Reichhardt, Appellhofplatz 1 – Photo: © Raimond Spekking / CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons). CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Memorial to Gay and Lesbian Victims of National Socialism – Photo: Jörg Lenk / Wikimedia Commons (public domain).).
  9. Deserters' Memorial at Appellhofplatz – Photo: CPallaske / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. Memorial to Gay and Lesbian Victims of National Socialism – Photo: Jörg Lenk / Wikimedia Commons (public domain)., CC BY 4.0.