C-SPAN 2014 Cities Tour and WJU Historians

As part of the C-SPAN 2014 Cities Tour, two historians from Wheeling Jesuit University -- Associate Professors Dan Weimer and Jeff Rutherford -- were interviewed about their respective publications. The C-SPAN series highlights the history and literary communities of various American cities, with recent stops in Waco and Austin, Texas, as well as Madison, Wisconsin and Lafayette, Indiana. While in Wheeling, C-SPAN will investigate the history of National Road, look at the importance of Wheeling as an entrance to the western frontier, and examine the life and legacy of Earl Oglebay. In addition to focusing on the history of the region, the program also interviews local authors of non-fiction.

WJU Historian at Work, Part III: Combat and Genocide on the Eastern Front: The German Infantry's War, 1941-1944

In keeping with the History Department's emphasis on maintaining an active scholarly agenda, Jeff Rutherford, Associate Professor of History, recently published the monograph Combat and Genocide on the Eastern Front: The German Infantry's War, 1941-1944 with Cambridge University Press. The book was released simultaneously in hardcover, paperback, and electronic form. David Stahel, author of four books on Germany's 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union, has written in War in History that the book is "[a] pioneering new work. . . It is an impressive achievement which underlines the potential for future research into the many unknown divisions of the German Ostheer. Wherever such research takes us, Rutherford’s concept of ‘military necessity’ will require substantive engagement. . . "
   

WJU Students, Berlin, & its History: An Appraisal, Part VI

Gardens in Potsdam

The outgoing President of the History Club, Kayla Mason, class of '14, offers these observations on Germany and its engagement with its history.


Traveling offers visitors the opportunity to learn about the history and culture of other regions. For me, one of the most interesting aspects of this experience is examining how these countries choose to remember their past – including the good and the bad. German history is unique and through the exploration of the city of Berlin, visitors are directly confronted with every aspect of this nation’s past.

WJU Students, Berlin, & its History: An Appraisal, Part V

Our series on WJU students in Berlin  picks back up . . .

Jake Zirkle, class of '14, wrote the following assessment of Berlin and its engagement with German history.

Around every corner, one can find something of historical significance in Berlin. From the Imperial period to the fall of the Berlin Wall, Berlin’s history is just waiting to be explored. Germany has all of its history on display for everyone to see, some of which instills a great sense of pride for the German people, while other events bring shame. 

WJU Students' Photography on Display

Photographs taken by participants on the Classrooms without Borders' trip to Poland this past summer will be displayed in the Stifel Fine Arts Gallery from November 3 through November 6. The gallery is open from 9am to 5pm daily. Included in this exhibition are photos taken by two history majors from Wheeling Jesuit University: Jake Zirkle, class of '14, and Marque Marry, class of '15. The exhibition documents the group's travels throughout Poland, from Warsaw to Lublin and Krakow. Included in the group's itinerary were stops at the Treblinka, Majdanek, and Auschwitz extermination camps. All are welcome to visit this chronicle of Wheeling-area students and educators grappling with the history and memory of the Holocaust.

The White Rose Movement: an Exhibition at WJU

In conjunction with Classrooms without Borders, WJU is hosting an exhibition dedicated to the student resistance movement, the White Rose, which challenged the Nazi regime and called upon other Germans to resist National Socialism.

The exhibition is displayed in the Art Gallery (attached to Kirby Hall) and will remain there until November 14. It is open from 12-4 and by appointment. A special invitation is extended to all Wheeling-area middle and high school teachers who would like to visit it with their students.

Through the use of text and images, the exhibition details the growth of the White Rose movement, a group of students from the University of Munich, who struggled against the Nazi state and its demands that German society fight a genocidal war of aggression. While the movement ultimately failed and its main protagonists were either executed or arrested by the German state, it nonetheless demonstrated that even during a period of real violence and brutality, individuals possessing traditional notions of morality, ethics, and true heroism could emerge and challenge a criminal state.

The exhibition opened on November 2. Approximately 55 people attended the opening reception and listened to Associate Professor of History Jeff Rutherford give a talk on the White Rose movement and its place in the history of the German resistance to Nazism. For more information on the White Rose movement and the White Rose Foundation, please visit its website.

WJU Students and Classrooms without Borders: Starachowice

Following our visit to Lublin, we again boarded buses and began our drive to Krakow, the last stop on our trip. Before we reached the city, however, we visited Starachowice, a small Polish city that was once home to a thriving Jewish community. The fate of the region's Jews has been detailed in Christopher Browning's outstanding study of the camps established by the Germans, Remembering Survival: Inside a Nazi Slave Labor Camp. The book is based on the stories of survivors of the camps and, fortunately for those on the trip, we were accompanied by one of those survivors, the previously mentioned Howard Chandler.

WJU Students and Classrooms without Borders: Majdanek

 The following post was written by Marque Marry, class of '15.

The Monument at Majdanek

   The acts implemented by the Nazi SS in the creation of both concentration and death camps caused the degradation, humiliation, and deaths of millions of innocent people. Throughout the years of the Holocaust, the Germans attempted to turn individuals into numbers, shipping them off to camps never to be seen or heard from again, except for their ashes rising to the heavens or their screams heard bellowing from the gas chambers. One camp in particular saw the needless deaths of 18,400 in one day: Majdanek.
This first concentration and later extermination camp located in Lublin was a site for the intended destruction of a population by the Nazis. Unlike Treblinka, this camp was not hidden away from

Majdanek

the eyes of bystanders; rather it was present for everyone to witness the true evil of mankind. While at this camp, however, I witnessed several events that proved  the Nazis were in fact unsuccessful in their aims at the complete and total destruction of a peoples' mind, body, and spirit and erasing them from history completely.

WJU Students and Classrooms without Borders: Lublin

Our third installment was written by Jason Totty, class of '14.

Old Town Lublin

  On the second leg of the Classrooms without Border’s Holocaust study seminar, the group visited Lublin, Poland's ninth largest city. Lublin possessed the city center of a traditional medieval city, as evidenced by the two city gates that surrounded the square. The age of this city was evidenced in its Baroque architecture. Unlike most cities, which suffered heavily at the hands of Blitzkrieg and the subsequent Nazi occupation, the old town of Lublin remained relatively unscathed. The medieval flare and its unique Holocaust history made for a worthwhile experience and attraction.

WJU Students and Classrooms without Borders: Treblinka

Map of Treblinka Camp

Our second post on WJU's trip to Poland with Classroom without Borders is writtem by Si Gammache, class of '15.

Situated in a remote location, Treblinka, part of Operation Reinhard, oversaw the deaths of some 870,000 to 925,000 European Jews between its opening in November 1941 (July 1942 for the death camp) and its closure in July 1944. The camp was staffed by 25-30 German SS officers and 90-150 auxiliary guards, who were mostly former Soviet POWs or Ukrainian and Polish civilians. The prisoners came primarily from the Warsaw ghetto (265,000), the Radom District (346,000), and the Bialystock District (110,000). After the task of killing of these Jews and those from other areas was completed, the Nazis dismantled the camp before the advance of the Soviet Army, who were pushing their way westward, reached it.

WJU Students and Classrooms without Borders: Warsaw

Over the next few days, we will be taking a break from our series on Berlin and posting some observations from our trip to Poland with Classrooms without Borders. Our first stop on the trip was Warsaw and here we examined pre-war Jewish life before examining the fate of the city's Jews under Nazi rule. This segment of the study seminar ended in Treblinka, the Nazi death camp that murdered the overwhelming majority of the city's Jews. The following post was written by Jake Zirkle, class of '14.

The contrasting architecture of Warsaw

When we arrived at our hotel in Warsaw, we were greeted by a section of the city that consisted of sparkling modern buildings and drab post-war architecture. On our second night in Warsaw, we decided to go to a sports bar and watch the United States play Belgium in the World Cup. With fans of both countries in attendance, we had a great time watching the game. Once the game was over, we enjoyed conversation with some of the Polish and Belgian football fans who were happy to speak with us.

As it turns out, this beautiful section of the city that we were having a great time exploring was actually, at one time, the Warsaw Ghetto. It was unbelievable that the area we were having such a fantastic time in was once an area of tremendous suffering.

WJU Students, Berlin, & its History: An Appraisal, Part IV

Soviet Memorial in Tiergarten

Our fourth installment in our students' look at Berlin and its presentation of German history is written by Emily Teachout, class of '14.


While in Germany, I noticed that the Germans seem to face their past head on. There is no denial of any events from the past, especially of Germany’s participation in World War II. Even though it would obviously be hard for Germany to deny anything that happened during World War II, they certainly did not ignore it or make their actions more opaque. I felt like this was the most discussed part of Berlin’s history. At numerous museums were Nazi uniforms, pictures, and propaganda posters. 

WJU and Classrooms without Borders

Next week, four WJU history students and one faculty member will have the opportunity to travel to Poland and visit the sites of the Holocaust. The Pittsburgh-based organization Classrooms without Borders has been bringing students and educators to Poland for several years now, in an attempt to ensure that the lessons of the Holocaust are transmitted on to future generations, and it graciously invited WJU to participate. We will be updating the blog during our week in Poland, so be sure to check back with us next week.

WJU Students, Berlin & its History: An Appraisal, Part III

The Kaiser Wilhelm Gedaechtniskirche

Our next post comes from Marque Marry, class of '15.

As a country, Germany has gone through many incarnations during its existence. While being fortunate enough to attend a Jesuit University that recognizes the importance that culture plays on shaping an individuals mind, body, and spirit, I along with other WJU students received the opportunity to see the many different rebirths that Germany has gone through, as reflected in its political leaders, architecture, and history. Two periods that were portrayed vastly differently from one another while we toured lush and vibrant palaces or dug through the hidden and secretive histories of Germany during World War II, were the Prussian/Imperial Period and the era of the Third Reich (the Second World War and the Holocaust).

WJU Students, Berlin & its History: An Appraisal, Part II

The next post in our continuing series on WJU's Berlin trip comes from Falon Weidman, another member of the class of '17.

Gendarmentmarkt

One of the most valuable experiences of traveling to a foreign country is the opportunity to gain a better understanding of how that country views its past. By understanding the past, it is possible to realize why events occurred, and how better decisions can be made now and in the future. Germany is no exception to this, and the way Germans view their history is especially interesting. The country has a rich cultural, political, and historical background, full of events of both great pride and shame for the country. 

WJU Students, Berlin & its History: An Appraisal

Over the next few weeks, Wheeling Jesuit University students will be posting on how they perceived Germany, its history, and how the German state portrays its history based on our wonderful visit to the German capital in May. Berlin is our favorite city to visit due to its rich and, at times, overwhelming history, as well as the energy and vitality that pulsates throughout its streets and neighborhoods.

These observations will be written by all levels of WJU history majors, from those who just completed their freshman year to graduating seniors. Our first author is Rebekah Valentine, class of 2017.

Berlin Day 9: The Return Home

After having one of the best nights together in Berlin, we all woke up the following morning very early in order to start our journey back home. While nothing too exciting happened during our flight or in the airport, the time was spent reliving the best moments of the trip, which made it so much more enjoyable!

Berlin is such a fun, exciting, and unique city, which makes it difficult for one to not have a great time. It is also filled with such an important and intriguing history that is easy to see while simply walking through the streets. Berlin was an excellent choice for this trip because the information that we learned at the numerous museums, monuments, and sites we visited throughout our stay in Germany complemented what we have learned in our various history classes at WJU.

During our flight home, we spent our time recalling stories from the trip. These stories made it clear that we all learned so much about the long history of the city while also having a great time filled with excitement and laughter. We joked about our tour guide from the Olympic Stadium, discussed our favorite food from the city as well as our favorite meals, laughed about Dr. Liedel being run over by a bicycle, and, of course, spent time playing the official game of the trip: charades. While reminiscing made leaving even more difficult, it made us realize how much fun we had and how many memories we created!

During the trip, we all grew closer and became friends with people we didn’t know well before. It was exciting to meet and learn about one another throughout the week and share some great moments together. As students, we all learned innumerable things about Berlin's unique history as well as those of other city's such as Potsdam and Dresden. Overall, the trip was an amazing and rewarding experience that we are all thankful to have had!

Berlin Day 8: A Dreary Day at a Dreary Place: Sachsenhausen

Today, on a fittingly dreary day, we visited the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp.

 

After a S-Bahn ride and a relatively long walk, we arrived at the camp. Armed with rain jackets, umbrellas, and cameras, we ventured into the massive complex. 

While wading through large puddles of water and trekking along the mud covered paths, we made our way to the various buildings within the site. One of the first areas we visited was a reconstructed barracks that housed an exhibition on Jewish prisoners at Sachsenhausen. While the camp never functioned as a site of extermination, Jews were held there during the late 1930s and early 1940s. This hall contained a reconstructed barracks replete with bathroom.

At the very heart of the site, sits a monument that immediately catches the eye of the visitors.

 

Another exhibition details the history of the camp in what was once the camp's kitchen. In the cellar of this building, artwork drawn by the prisoners remains. 

As one makes his way around the complex, one of the most disturbing areas comes into view: the extermination pit, where numerous victims were executed.

The pit also serves as a symbol of more than 20,000 Soviet prisoners of war murdered at the camp (even though they were killed in a different area). Next to the pit, the crematoria complex has been unearthed and a monument constructed following German unification stands within its borders.

Finally, the camp also had a very interesting look at the Soviet use of the complex as a place of imprisonement and repression during the immediate years of Red Army occupation.

While the rain spoiled our planned trip to the zoo, we nonetheless concluded our visit on a high note. The group went to the Hofbrauhaus for great German food, desserts, and drinks. The live band, which played both German and English songs, led many students and even a faculty member out onto the dance floor. This was an enjoyable night for everyone and ended yet another outstanding trip for the students of Wheeling Jesuit University. 

Berlin Day 7: A Trip to Dresden

Today we awoke with an early start to catch a two hour train ride to Dresden.

Many of us used this time to catch up on some much needed rest. Arriving in Dresden, we traveled by S-Bahn to reach the Bundeswehr Museum of Military History.

Here we learned about the influence of warfare on German culture from the 1300s to the modern day. One painting depicted a period of the Wars of Liberation with the tagline of "The Prussians are Coming" signaling the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo, on June 18, 1815.

In addition to the chronological examination of German military history, various thematic exhibits that included a depiction of how animals -- such as elephants, horses, dogs, cats, and even bees -- were used in warfare or for scientific advancement were found throughout the museum. Further on we were exposed to exhibits that showed how warfare influenced culture in the form of music, clothing, multimedia, and even toys as well as ones that highlighted the theme of suffering and how cultures deal with the loss of loved ones inherent in war. A central theme to this museum was the idea that war has served as catalyst both for protection and destruction, a contrast which can be seen through the various bunkers and bombs.

On the top floor of the museum you could look out across the city of Dresden and take in the magnificence from afar of what we would soon see up close.

Following a short S-Bahn ride into the city we walked to the Frauenkirche, which had been destroyed by allied air forces during the Second World War.

The East German government left the church in ruins as an example of British and American barbarism. The rubble itself had been left untouched and as much of the original building as possible was used in the reconstruction. Like many old churches in Europe, the grandeur of Frauenkirche far surpasses that of anything found back home.

After this, we were free to explore Dresden for the remaining four and a half hours that we had. Unfortunately during this day trip out of the Berlin, the weather decided to take a turn for the worst and we were caught up in quite the thunder storm! There was heavy and persistent rain for the better part of the day, but we braved it nonetheless and discovered a taste of what Dresden has to offer. Even the could not ruin the splendor that is the city of Dresden.

Some of our group went to see the Otto Dix exhibition in the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden. Dix was a soldier during the war and portrayed his experiences through his paintings and drawings. His most famous work, The Dresden Tryptich, served as the exhibition's centerpiece.

Others chose to partake in some of the shopping that Dresden had to offer. Here one could find shops filled with beautiful but expensive goods, such as ceramics, fine scarves, cuckoo clocks, and intricately detailed figurines. Of course a trip to Germany would not be complete without picking up a Christmas ornament or two! Supper was also enjoyed by most at various different restaurants. Personally I had a coffee macchiato with a few bits of Toblerone chocolate to sweeten it up, and a flat bread pizza-like thing with Hollandaise sauce, asparagus, ham, and cheese on it.

It was all extremely delicious and the atmosphere of the restaurant was great! We would once again end the day with a train ride, though this time it would take three hours! Some fun R&R occurred on the train ride back to Berlin when everyone took time to have some fun, visiting each other’s cars, singing, playing games, or discussing the relative small size of our accompanying super-hero.

Berlin Day 6: The East German Police State in the AM and Museums in the PM

Stasi Headquarters. An unadorned building right off the metro.

Its benign exterior belying its central role as a source of coercion, espionage, and terrifying enforcement. Established in 1950 and modelled after the KGB, the Ministry for State Security, or Stasi, was the official state security agency in the East German state. With nearly unlimited authority and a bevy of unofficial informants, the Stasi were responsible for stamping out dissidence within the German Democratic Republic.

We were given the incredible opportunity to tour the archives at the former Stasi Headquarters, officially known by the (very German style) name as the Federal Commisioner for the Records of the State Security Service of the former German Democratic Republic. After a brief overview of the agency’s history and the efforts of modern archivists, we were led into the archives by our wonderful guides Dagmar and Gunter.  The first item of interest we encountered were the Pater Nostra, or Our Fathers.  Named for the tendency of passengers to pray for their safe delivery, these glorified dumbwaiters took us two-by-two up to the fourth floor.  

Here we were introduced to the card  system. This proved to be a rather complicated system, replete with vague cross-references and “simplified” name spellings that had required significant effort to decode.  We were then taken to one of the nigh endless archive rooms. Here we had the chance to peruse a mock Unofficial Collaborator file, complete with handwritten commitment statement and activity logs. This was followed with a look at the the bundles of records that the Stasi had been working on when the headquarters was raided.

These documents, which had survived the large scale shredding and burning initiatives, still require extensive cataloguing.  Some of the destroyed documents, which filled several thousand bags, are being reconstructed through the use of advanced pattern matching algorithms.  

Alas, the current scanning technology is not yet sufficient to render properly unique tear matching points for all the paperwork under investigation.  

We then traveled to the Berlin Wall Memorial at Bernauerstrasse. The memorial covers some three city blocks and details the history of the wall on this street. The exhibit traced the development of the wall between 1961 and 1989 as well as detailing the numerous escape attempts -- including tunnels that were marked with stones on the memorial's grounds.

  The memorial culminates with an elevation platform that allows one to look at the entirety of the wall complex: the inner wall to the east, the outer wall to the west, and the so-called death strip in between, complete with watchtower.

 After our examination of the GDR, we looked for a place to eat. A couple classmates and I saw a small Turkish restaurant that was very close to the museum, so we decided to stop there and get a quick bite. After taking a small bite out of a chicken döner we all felt the same way. We all thought it was one of the most amazing things we ate in Berlin so far. More immigrants from Turkey are coming into Germany so that type of culture is becoming very popular in this country. The biggest mistake I have made in Berlin so far would probably be going to McDonalds the first day here. The food in Germany tastes different then the food in America but it is a good different. This is going to be one of the several things I will miss about Berlin: the amazing variety of different food from different types of cultures.

The images below are the döner that we all got the privilege to eat and the restaurant where we ate. 

 

 

 

 

Jewish Museum:

 

​When walking into this beautiful big yellow building, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. When inside, we found out that this museum is one of the largest Jewish Museums in all of Europe. Right then and there I knew we would all have a great experience. When we started our individual tour, I first saw many families’ personal items such as letters, silverware, cameras, and other such things. What really affected me were the many stories about the lives of Jews in Central Europe. An example of one of these stories was a love story between a Jewish woman and a German soldier’s wife. To think that these two completely different women can somehow diverge from societal norms and help each other out in a time of need is pretty amazing. The architect Daniel Libeskid created another part of the museum which many of my classmates found interesting. It was a room where 10,000 faces covered the floor, representing all the innocent victims of war and violence. The last thing our group had the chance to see was the Tower Terror. It was a room where the light only came from the sun and it was later interpreted as a commemorative space for the victims of the holocaust. This museum was a great experience and the provocative design of the building only contributed to the experience.

  

Kufurstendamm or popularly known as Ku’Damm:

 

​After visiting the Jewish Museum, we decided to go to one of the most popular shopping district in all of Berlin. This place had sports shops, quality clothing stores, and restaurants. There were even two cages filled with tropical birds in between a square-shopping plaza. At the end of our shopping experience, each person in our small group had at least two bags of souvenirs, clothes and even athletic ware. The Kufurstendamm was one of the biggest shopping centers I have ever been to and it was a lot of fun to be there with all my friends.

 

 

We concluded the day with a visit to the Reichstag dome. After walking around the top of the building, we were able to ascend to the top of the dome, where we had an outstanding view of Berlin at night. It was a fitting conclusion to a great day.

 

Berlin Day 5: Wannsee and Potsdam

​Today our travels took us to Wannsee and Potsdam. For our first stop of the day we toured the Wannsee House where the infamous Wannsee Conference took place.

At this meeting, high-ranking Nazi 

officials discussed how to "solve the Jewish question." Upon first seeing the house, we were overcome by the beauty and tranquility of the villa. The lovely estate was surrounded by beautiful flowers and overlooked the peaceful Lake Wannsee. When looking at this historic place, it is hard to imagine the horrors that were contemplated so calmly behind the walls. Inside the house was a museum that outlined the development of the Holocaust. It also included numerous documents, which related to the conference as well as the crimes committed by these Nazi leaders.

 

​Next we visited Sanssouci.

This palace was the home of Frederick II and is located in a massive complex surrounded by lush gardens, magnificent buildings, and a beautiful church.

As we trekked through the expansive gardens we stumbled upon art and architecture in the Rococo style, which focused on ornate details and asymmetrical lines. The palace was built in the mid eighteenth century and served as a summer home for Frederick the Great. While there, we were able to spend time 

exploring the various palaces and gardens. One group of students walked to the Neues Palais and toured it. 

To finish off our day, we stopped by an Italian restaurant in Potsdam for pizza, pasta, and, obviously, spaghetti Eis!

​

​At first glance, these two locations seem to belong to separate and distinct cultures. Upon further exploration,their histories actually have a connection. Sansoucci was built during the Enlightenment while the Wannsee Conference took place during the Second World War. Ideas from the Enlightenment transformed traditional anti-Semitism into policies of racial “science” that were implemented by the Nazis. Furthermore, the Volkish movement, the idea that pure Germans should be tied to German land, was a response to the Enlightenment. While these events occurred centuries apart, it allows the visitors to consider the evolution of anti-Semitic thinking that culminated in the Holocaust. Together, they highlight the complexity of modern German history.

Berlin Day 4: The German-Soviet War (and some chocolate)

 WJU students traveled to the Deutsch-Russisches Museum Berlin-Karlshorst on day four of our trip. This museum in East Berlin was the main headquarters for the Soviet leadership in Berlin during the Soviet occupation. At the museum site, the Nazis unconditionally surrendered to the soldiers of the USSR in 1945, which ended the war with the Soviets.

The museum is dedicated to German- Soviet relations as well as the fallen soldiers on both sides. In addition, the personal accounts of the soldiers and civilians were very moving. There were many primary source documents from the war such as letters, orders, military clothing, propaganda posters and photographic images that helped us picture the war in our minds. Some of our favorite things at this museum were the tanks. There were several Soviet tanks the outside of the museum, the famous Soviet T-34 battle tank. 

 

After the students finished at the Deutsch-Russische Museum, they headed back into downtown Berlin via subway train, arriving in the early afternoon at the headquarters of renowned German chocolatiers Fassbender und Rausch. Here we sampled the best chocolates Berlin has to offer, a much welcomed treat after days of walking in the 80 degree weather. Students tried all types of chocolate-based products such as cakes, chocolate drinks, and mousse. After the treats were finished, we ventured downstairs to the main level of the store where there were many chocolate delicacies available for purchase as well as massive displays such as a 1:100 scale chocolate Reichstag, the German parliamentary building located in Berlin, as well as the Brandenburger Tor.

 

Once the students had regained their strength from a sugar infusion, took pictures of the chocolate models, and made their purchase, they once again set off on the subway. This time the destination was Treptower Park, south of downtown Berlin. This park is located along the river Spree and is a popular destination for Berliners looking to relax. The park was very lively, but had wide sidewalks moving in every direction like a large spider’s web, and ample shade to stay cool in the warm Berlin summer weather. Located in the center of the park is a massive memorial erected by the Soviet government in East Berlin that both commemorates the fallen Soviet soldiers from the 1945 Battle of Berlin and serves as a cemetery for over 5,000 soldiers.

Upon entering the memorial, one passes through a large gap between two artistic renditions of massive soviet flags.

The memorial also contains 16 large stone sarcophagi with relief work depicting acts of Soviet heroics with descriptions in both the German and Russian languages.

Opposite the entrance at the other end of the memorial is a 12 meter tall statue depicting a Soviet soldier proudly destroying a swastika while holding up a German child. This monument is truly inspiring and shows how much pride the Soviets possessed and what the war had meant for them. Its large scale also serves at a stark reminder of Soviet power in Eastern Germany from 1945-1989.