European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 24, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The romantic Road Middle othe Burgand beyond walled cities Greet tourists and astronauts on this stretch a Wax figurine is part of an 18th-Century office display in the Rothenburg City museum. A biker rides past the Wall of the inner City of Rothenburg. By Mark Kinkade staff writer Rothenburg of Der Tauber owes its Long existence Toone very important moment in 1631 a chugging contest to save the City. The Story goes that a Catholic league general named Tilly and his Happy band of partying villagers stomped into town on oct 30 during a round of marauding an destruction. " the general in the fashion of the Happy go Lucky Swiss catholics who had gone about bashing German. Protestants for being contrary to the Church told the town leaders that he would spare the waited City if someone could gulp a 3.25-liter Tankard of wine. Former Burgermeiste George Nusch stepped up an started chugging. Ten minutes later so they say Tilly left in a Huff As Nusch polished off the Tankard. Nusch promptly passed out for three Days. True Rothenburg has survived More. In fact in its nearly 900-year existence the City has managed to get through several sieges the thirty years War a busted Economy and an onslaught of tourism sweeping Over the City. Rothenburg has become a sort of tourist Mecca i Germany. People from around the world make the living museum of the City part of their travel plans. And with Good reason. Rothenburg is perhaps the Only fortified City in Europe where the original Structure remains intact without additional modern buildings. In fact the double Wales that once served to protect the villagers from marauding catholics now hold Bac the 20th Century. The nearly 30-foot-High Walls that ring the City forbore than two Miles offer a View that is More time machine than casual viewing. Look one Way and see the 20th Century bearing Down on the City. Look the other and see the\l3th Century holding on tenaciously and hoping the Walls Don t Cave in. The list of things to see and do in Rothenburg is  the 13th-Century franciscan Church to a Witch s Chakhn the medieval torture museum the City has something of interest on every corner., the two Premier places to visit Are the  a retail store and the torture  Christmas Market is a year round fest dedicated to obviously Christmas. Like a carefully planned Disneyland ride  opens from a narrow doorway to several winding rooms of Holiday cheer. Children lose themselves in the stacks of wooden toys dolls paper ornaments and bows. Parents cautiously Finger pocketbooks As they see the children grasping at the goodies. The torture museum properly called  or criminal Justice museum is the other Side of the Coin. Here children Are passive an quiet. Parents and adults make nervous jokes about the chastity belts thumbscrews and other torture instrument that line the hallways. Like the  the torture museum is Builtin different Levels. But unlike the feeling of descending o stripes Magazine november 24, 1994