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.

 

 

 

 

Berlin Day 3: From the 16th Century to the Bundesliga

Today we went to Spandau, a community on the western edge of Greater Berlin. We first visited the Spandau Citadel, a fortress built in the 16th century.

It is an enormous structure built for defense featuring a moat, tower, wall, and all the other fixtures you could expect from Renaissance-era architecture. Outside in a courtyard, there was a gallery of centuries old statues of knights and noblemen. The inside of the fortress contained a museum that displayed artifacts from the Renaissance and the Middle Ages, such as tapestries, tools, and armor. There were also more modern objects-a motorcycle, cars, artillery, and boats.

 The museum was full of fascinating oddities, all highlighting the the greater Spandau region, but one of the best highlights of the area is the natural beauty surrounding the fort. The water was so clean and flowers, trees, and bushes flourished everywhere. We found a particularly special alcove of trees. They were enormous and ancient! We spent some time climbing them, and the Peduto twins had a hilarious pull-up contest; unfortunately there were no winners. After our adventures in nature, we headed back to the main area of the fortress and saw a wedding party taking photos.

 

This goes to show that places such as Spandau Citadel are not just for us history buffs, but can be enjoyed by everyone.

​Next we went on a tour of the inside and outside of Olympic Stadium, home to the 1936 Nazi Summer Olympics in Berlin and presently home to the Bundesliga team Hertha. 

One of the first things that the tour guide told us was that the Nazis claimed that the one tree within the stadium's grounds was a 200-year-old German oak tree to show their national pride.

In reality the tree was only 50 years old and was from southern Europe; therefore it has been nick-named "the liar's tree". We then visited various rooms throughout the complex before being allowed to go down on the field itself. Later on during the tour we discussed Japanese marathon runner Son Kitei who won the gold medal and broke the Olympic record in the 1936 Olympics. Son was born in Korea, but competed for Japan because Korea was under Japanese occupation. The stone used in the construction of the stadium gives it a powerful and seemingly permanent presence.

​Along with all the educational aspects of our trip, several of us (including two of our professors) had quite the adventure when we got split up from the main group. While we indulged in some AMAZING eis (ice cream), we witnessed two of our esteemed professors not mentioning any names (cough, cough  Dr. Rutherford and Weimer) stroll by us without even a glance walking in the opposite direction [editor's note: the ice cream is really good]. We started to head back to the meeting place when we ran into two other trip leaders who told us to wait with them because the meeting place had changed. We waited for quite some time when we decided to start walking to the S-bahn station in hopes of meeting the remainder of the group there. We sat on a completely empty train in eerie silence, and then the train started to go backward and came to a complete stop in the middle station with no way to exit. It was a very alarming situation that made us a little nervous. The train eventually started and we arrived back to the station where we found Dr. Rutherford leading the group of WJU students. We pounded on the windows to get his attention, and received a very exasperated look. Lesson learned: always follow Dr. Rutherford.

Berlin Day 2: The Ups and Downs of German History

On day two in Berlin, we visited several spots that highlighted the dramatic ruptures in German history and finished at one that gave us a dramatic view of the city in its entirety.

We started at the German History Museum where we were able to view as much history as we could in two hours. Germans have a tough history to deal with and while the museum clearly emphasizes the criminality of Nazi Germany's war, especially in the east, in other cases it portrays Germans as more the victim than the perpetrator.  On one description of a painting, the writer said that Germans suffered during 1918 while people in the US and Britain lived luxuriously. While Germans certainly did suffer from disease, malnutrition and even starvation in the post war period, it is equally clear that the majority of Britons and Americans did not live lives of luxury. In general, however, the museum did an excellent job detailing Germany's tumultuous history and it's collection of election posters from the 1920s is simply outstanding. 

During our lunch break, we were escorted to an Italian restaurant by a lovely waiter passing out flyers. We all enjoyed our meal and the special attention we received from the staff. After our meal we were able to get a picture with our waiter and he even blew us kisses from across the street. 

Our next, more sobering, stop was the Memorial to the Murdered European Jews.

The memorial approached the issue from two standpoints: first, it provided a statistical approach by detailing the number of Jews murdered in each country. Second, and more importantly, it personalized the Holocaust by utilizing primary source documents --letter & diaries-- written by victims from various countries that told of their reactions to being deported or about knowing their death was imminent. Some wrote warnings, while others wrote last love letters, pleading for their relatives to flee. The memorial also focused on several families drawn from across Europe and examined their fate during the Holocaust. By giving the unimaginable numbers of the Holocaust a name and face, the memorial succeeds in portraying it as a human tragedy.

We then visited the Topography of Terror, a documentation center at the site of the notorious headquarters of the Reich Security Main Office, which included a Gestapo prison and interrogation center. Our group was split into two tours. Each tour guide utilized primary source documents --primarily photographs-- forcing us to examine the images carefully, while variously looking for how their meaning could be used for promoting Nazi ideology or for grappling with the men who carried out such enormous crimes. Each tour was quite valuable in trying to understand the Third Reich. 

Our final stop was the TV Tower. 40 seconds were needed take us more than 600 up to the observation level where we had a great view of the city lit up at night and relaxed in the company of good friends. 

Berlin Day 1: From Alexanderplatz to Potsdamer Platz

After a long day of traveling, we set out into the city to begin our walking tour of Unter den Linden, the spine of central Berlin.

Our first stop was the Berlin Dom (or Cathedral), a Protestant church located on Museum Island. The cathedral was beautifully decorated with gold and marble, with striking paintings on the ceiling. 

Once we finished touring the inside of the cathedral, we were able to climb a seemingly endless amount of stairs to the outdoor catwalk and witness a breathtaking view of the city.

Brandenburg Tor has served as backdrop to much of modern German history. Probably the most famous historical symbol of Berlin, it stood silent witness to the events such asthe Nazis' torchlight parades and the building of the Berlin Wall. This gate was completed in 1791 by King Fredrick William II of Prussia. A top the gate, a statue of Victoria, the Roman goddess of victory, can be seen driving a chariot.

After walking through the Brandenburg Gate, we crossed into the former West Berlin and visited the Soviet Monument dedicated to the Red Army's sacrifices in conquering the city. 

This monument was very impressive and contains two T-34 tanks and two pieces of artillery. It sits on top of the remains of some 2,000 Soviet soldiers. 

Consisting of series of buildings, including the only skyscrapers in Berlin, the radically designed Sony Center, and a mall, Potsdamer Platz allowed everyone to pick their own meal for night. For some, this meant the trip's first spaghetti ice. The Berlin Wall ran directly though Potsdamer Platz and sections of it are still standing there today.