From Jewish Ghettos to Lover's Hill

Post by: Maeve Adam
Location: Prague, Day 7

We began our day with a tour of the Jewish Museum in Prague. The museum has the richest amount of artifacts of all the Jewish museums in the world due to the sheer amount of Jewish people in Prague before World War II. The Jews were only allowed to bring 50 kilos of personal belongings with them to the work camps in World War II. All of the belongings that were not brought to the work camp were donated to the already existing Jewish Museum. This was allowed because the Nazis were willing to let the Jews in Prague preserve their culture. However, about two thirds of the Jews that were sent to the work camps were killed and never returned to Prague solely because of their religion and culture.

The artifacts were housed in six different synagogues in the ghetto, an inner city area where the Jews were only allowed to live. Each synagogue was unique to the group of people that built it. The most intricate, detailed synagogue (and my favorite) was the Spanish Jewish synagogue that was adorned in exquisite designs all over the walls and ceiling. These six synagogues are now surrounded by new, expensive shops and flats because the ghetto was so dilapidated, it had to be torn down. The ghetto was a strong reminder of all the persecution the Jewish people have suffered from, even before the war began.

In my opinion, the most emotional parts of the museum were the Holocaust memorial and the children's art pieces. The memorial consisted of a list of all the Jews from Prague who were murdered in death camps. The names were written on the walls of the synagogue in three different rooms. This display showed the magnitude of the Holocaust in a tangible, overwhelming way. In this same synagogue, pictures drawn by children in the work camp were shown. Some colorful pictures showed happier times in the ghetto while other darker pictures showed life in the work camp. This exhibit shared the specific lens of the Jewish children which touched me deeply.

Our tour was led by a Czech man who was raised Roman Catholic by his parents, but had Jewish ancestors. His parents did not tell him and his siblings that he was Jewish until he was 18 because they were so afraid of the Holocaust happening again. Our guide's parents were actually in the work camp during the war and only survived because they put on plays. His remarkable story reminded me of how personal and recent the Holocaust is especially in this area.

We finished our day with sight seeing and a beautiful dinner on top of Lover's Hill. As we basked in the views from the restaurant and reflected on the emotional morning at the Jewish Museum, we are reminded of the horrific history of the area and hope for a better future in this beautiful city.

Photo 1: The dinner entertainment 

Photo 2: April with her dinner from the IWL! Dishes included: venison, duck, wild boar, and smoked salmon. 

A New Day, A New City

Post by: Leah Ranta
Location: Prague, Day 6

The tour of Prague was very different from those we took in Berlin. Instead of looking through a bus window, we had the opportunity to experience Prague along side the locals. Our tour guide picked us up from the front door of our hotel and we walked to the metro station. From there we ran to see the changing of the guards at the Prague Castle, which holds the current office of President Milos Zeman. This visit was nothing like going to Washington D.C., or even the parliament buildings in Berlin. Street performers and cobblestone walkways surrounded the building, not a single back was checked by security, and the view overlooking the city was breathtaking.

Some other highlights of the day included seeing the oldest town square in Prague, viewing memorials from protesters that contributed to the fall of communism, and walking through the former Jewish ghetto.  We have seen many historic sites, but my favorite part has been witnessing the contrast of the two cities, Prague and Berlin. Though the bus ride was only a few hours away, the equivalent of traveling from Minnesota to Wisconsin, the two countries could not be more different. The architecture, atmosphere, local food, forms of transportation, people, pace, and even pubs, could not be more different. That being said, one day is not nearly enough to begin to understand this beautiful city.

Though the weather is more rainy and cold than Berlin, I am excited for what today has in store for us!

Photo 1: Touring the oldest town square in Prague

Photo 2: View of the Charles Bridge at night

Photo 3: Street performers in front of the presidents office

Photo 4: Group picture in front of the Prague Castle

Danke Schoen, Deutschland

Post by: Josh Rebholz
Location: Travel Day from Berlin to Prague, Day 5

Today marked the end of our stay in Berlin. We packed our bags and headed south with a short (depending on how long you slept in the van) ride to Dresden, the capital of the German state of Saxony. Located on the Elbe River, Dresden has been a hotspot of German Culture for hundreds of years. Our time in Dresden began with a brief tour of the town square. Some key buildings in the square include the Opera House, the Royal Castle and an art museum known as Zwinger. Much of the square has been destroyed during World War 2, but the constant restoration and renovation of the destroyed building had them in tip-top shape. After a break for lunch, we took a guided tour of the Zwinger. Some highlights of the museums art collection were Rafael Sistine Madonna, Rembrandt’s Prodigal Son in the Tavern and Vermeer’s Letter at an Open Window. The entire collection was quite impressive despite not having all the pieces on display due to the museum renovations.

Following some time for individual exploring, the group loaded on to our bus as we began our journey to the Czech Republic. Our poke-faced driver, Nioklai, managed to navigate the autobahn despite the pesky rain.

As we zipped through the rolling hills of Eastern Germany, I was lucky enough to reflect on the good times I have already experienced and for that I say, “Danke Schoen Deutschland.” Keep the history alive, the culture arresting, and the pilsners cold.

Photo 1: Touring Dresden in the town square

Photo 2: Touring Zwinger grounds

Change of Pace

Post by: Lizzy Sloan
Location: Berlin Day 4

Today was slower pace then the previous days here in Berlin but we got to experience something very rare. First off, we toured a company that specializes in prosthetics called Ottobock. We got to see the different technology they use in order to create the best prosthetics possible for the person in need. The building was very modern and the systems they used were absolutely amazing.

After this we split up and half of us went to a local college and the other half (my half) went and had a discussion with Tatjana König who is the manager of the Falling Walls Foundation. This foundation is a nonprofit organization in Berlin that seems to be comparable to TED talks. They invite people to speak about their upcoming findings and experiments. These topics can range from the human body to archaeological findings. The organization is only five years old and seems to be moving in the right direction. We also discussed topics such as birth rate differences between our countries and health insurance differences as well. Having this discussion taught me a lot about the German economy and ways of life that I was unaware of.

To close the night, some of us took a boat tour in the river around Berlin. This was very fun and entertaining because we got to see the city from a different perspective and see all of the amazing architecture and the modernization of some buildings. This city has been very good to us. For me, I love to experience the different culture. It is very interesting to see similarities and difference in things such as food, night life, restaurants and so forth compared to what we experience everyday back home.

Tomorrow morning we head to Prague and I am so excited to see what that city has to offer and I am ready it be emerged into another culture!

That's all for today!

Photo 1: Interactive exhibit at Ottobock Science Center

Photo: The Berlin School of Economics and Law speaking with representatives from the Harriet Taylor Mill-Institut

Photo 3: The Spree River

The Backyards of Berlin

Post by: Anthony Brask
Location: Berlin Day 3

Lutheran service at 9am. The service was held right downtown at the old church that was bombed in WWII. The mass seemed much simpler than catholic masses but very similar in ways too. My big take away was the "Madonna" piece done by a German soldier at the battle of Stalingrad in WWII. It was a touching piece of art that was done by a German priest for the soldiers on Xmas. The battle was ultimately a huge loss for the Germans and a turning point in the war. After mass we took a bus to another part of Berlin.

After The two story bus ride to Alexander plaz we
The plaz, had a real German sausage, people watched and learned about the history of the plaz. From there we went to the memorial for German women with Jewish husbands. The women were able to get their husbands released from nazi control through protest and some insider connections. The memorial was quite moving. We then went around to the backyards in Berlin and talked history/sitesaw. These "backyards" were areas for people to run little businesses and hangout. They are quiet retreats away from the loud, chaotic city streets. One thing I noticed today were the amount of little kids on bikes.

Little kids learn to bike everywhere, so when they grow up they are use to biking on those crazy busy streets of Berlin. After touring around the city some more we made out way over to the subway. We took a Long S ban ride to have dinner Irmhild Bärend, an amazing German woman who invited out group into her home for conversation and refreshments. Irmhild is a very strong, independent woman who made a name for herself as a writer and editor for Decision magazine in Berlin. She also started Operation Christmas Child in Berlin. A social charity campaign that was a huge success both in the US and Germany. I really enjoyed hearing what Irmhild had to share with us. She was one of those people with such a loving heart, it would be impossible to miss. We learned a lot about history, women's roles, and religion in Germany. Overall I had another great day in Berlin. We capped our night off at a local pub called HeckMeck. The pubs atmosphere was very relaxed and warm. People went there to wind down after a long day to catch up with friends and have a beer. They played a lot of American 80's music which I found to be interesting. Great place with great friends. 

Photo 1: Trying sausage at Alexander plaz

Photo 2:  Rosenstrasse Protest, the memorial showing women who peacefully fought for their husbands 

Photo 3: At the home of Irmhild Bärend

Potsdam

Post by: Taylor Berry
Location: Germany Day 2

Today, our itinerary included a tour of Potsdam, the Sanssouci palace of Fredrick the Great, and Celcilienhof where the Potsdam Conference took place in 1945.

The first stop of the tour was to visit the Wannsee River. The bridge that crosses over this river called "The Bridge of Spies" was the divider between the US district and the Soviet district after the war and reserved only for military officers to cross. Our tour guide said a funny thing about the bridge along the lines of "It symbolizes unification and cooperation between the two places but ironically, the bridge only divided them more."

Some of us discussed the comparison of the twelve districts to what we see different back home, saying that there really is no difference other than a more spread out version of what we see here.  We thought about the various borders or walls we surround ourselves on the topic of diversity, not only by traditional culture groups but with gender and societal class as well. We discusses how relevant it was that we notice the divide, especially now due to the issues dealing with FAMSAK at CSBSJU. Seeing this connection puts the issue into a new perspective on our own experience that we can take back with us.

Photo: Hans Auto Theatre, designed after the Syndey Opera House in Australia

Photo: Bridge over the Wannsee River entering into Potsdam

Berlin, Germany

Posted by: Marisa Meyer
Location: Berlin Day 1

Today, during our tour and academic discussion with Halina, the thing that stood out the most to me was the different barriers that exist in this culture. These barriers include social, cultural and governmental, I.e. In the city.

In the city there are twelve districts of Berlin, each once had their own mayor and borders. This surprised me because I find it hard for a place as small as a city to be split into so many groups and be able to remain united. However, I later realized all these districts that didn't have legal borders, but cultural barriers. There are 'districts' for several backgrounds including a Turkish and Russian districts. This went even deeper with social districts that accommodated peoples interests and lifestyles. The main one focused on today was the 'Gay District' where there are known hang outs for gay and lesbian Germans. In our talk today with Halina she explained that there is more than meets the eye to this district. Many of the people who inhabit the bars and restaurants are not gay, but gays have made it a desirable place because of their modern and hip ideas and entrepreneurships.

The biggest thing I walked away with today was that though Berlin has been looked at more accepting of homosexuality in comparison to the United States, they are still experiencing many other barriers. This trip has already brought my perspective into a new world of understanding for other cultures.

Photo: Discussion with Halina Bendkowski, former board member of The Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany