Our family of eight kicked off the adventure aboard the ICE train from Wiesbaden to Dresden, gliding smoothly across Germany’s rolling countryside before arriving in a city often called “The Jewel Box.” It’s a fitting name — Dresden gleams with baroque beauty, from its grand palaces and cathedral domes to the lively streets filled with street musicians, outdoor cafés, and summer festivals. After checking into our hotel, we joined the crowds wandering along the Elbe River, the sound of violins and jazz blending into the warm evening air.
One of the highlights — though sadly not one we could photograph — was the Green Vault (GrĂĽnes Gewölbe) inside the Royal Palace. This glittering treasure chamber houses one of Europe’s most stunning collections of jewels, gold, and ivory — and also made headlines in 2019, when thieves pulled off a real-life “Italian Job,” stealing priceless diamonds in what became one of Germany’s most daring art heists. Standing there among centuries of craftsmanship and history, it was hard not to imagine both the splendor of the past and the intrigue of that modern-day crime. We also visited the children’s science museum and playgrounds.
While driving east toward Rakotzbrücke, we began noticing something charming at every crosswalk — the Green Walking Man, or Ampelmann. This cheerful little figure with his hat and confident stride was once unique to East Germany, designed in 1961 by traffic psychologist Karl Peglau to make road signals more engaging and easy to understand, especially for children.
After reunification, many of East Germany’s symbols disappeared, but locals fought to save Ampelmann — and won. Today, he’s become a beloved cultural icon, representing not just traffic safety, but also the resilience and identity of the former East. Seeing him light up at the intersections on our drive was a small but meaningful reminder of how Germany’s history — divided and reunited — still walks alongside you in everyday life.
For all its royal elegance, Dresden is also a city of resilience. Nearly destroyed in World War II, it was painstakingly rebuilt — a fact not lost on visiting Americans, as U.S. air raids were part of its wartime story. Today, it stands as a symbol of recovery and unity, filled with music instead of sirens, light instead of fire. By nightfall, as we watched the city glow along the Elbe, it was clear why Dresden continues to capture hearts — not just as a monument to history, but as a city beautifully alive in the present.
