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. 

Schloss Sanssouci

Germans seem to have much pride in their Prussian and, later, Imperial past. For example, the Deutsches Historiches Museum (German Historical Museum) is full of artifacts from the royal family and great war heroes from the early modern period. The Sanssouci Park in Potsdam is home to perfectly restored buildings from the Prussian Era, such as the Sanssouci Palace, which was built in 1747 for King Frederick the Great. Other notable palaces include the Orangery Palace, which King Freidrich Wilhelm IV had built in the mid-19th century, and The New Palace, which was also constructed during Frederick the Great's reign.

Orangerie

All of the palaces are furnished as they were during the Imperial Era, and give a glimpse of the grandeur that Prussia and later Germany enjoyed during that time. 

Brandenburger Tor and WJU Students

Another place of interest from the Prussian years is Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. King Frederick Wilhelm II of Prussia, as a sign of peace, commissioned it in the late 18th century. It is the beginning of Unter den Linden, the historic street that led to the (now being reconstructed) Berlin palace of the Prussian kings. It is now one of Germany's most famous landmarks. Furthermore, Germany has kept its strong sense of culture alive over the years. The streets are filled with traditional fare, such as bratwurst, wiener schnitzel, and brezeln. It is also quite common to stumble upon a biergarten, some with traditional dancing and music, and all with the staples of the traditional German diet: wurst, sauerkraut, and beer. By experiencing Germany through these places, it is quite evident that the country has a sense of national pride for its Imperial Era culture and history.

What is perhaps more interesting are the parts of German history that are not as prominently displayed in the country, such as the First World War. [Editor's note: the Deutsches Historiches Museum's outstanding special exhibition opened the day that the WJU students flew home]. While we were in Germany, we experienced little of this time period in world history, though the Militärhistorischen Museums der Bundeswehr (Military Museum of the Federal Army) in Dresden did examine this conflict from a variety of interesting angles. My best hypothesis on why the First World War is so "forgotten" in Germany is because it is not a period of national pride, like the Imperial Era, nor do Germans feel they need to be transparent about what occurred, as they do for the Second World War and the Holocaust.

In conclusion, Germany is full of fascinating history and presents it in its own, unique way. The prevalence of the Imperial Era show the re-emerging sense of the national pride after the Holocaust and Second World War, while the lack of the First World War's influence shows that it is an event not seen as entirely relevant to the country Germany is today: one where people are proud to live and freedom is abundant.