Sachenhausen, East Side Gallery, Hertha Berlin match

Sorry for the wait guys.  It has been a pretty hectic couple of weeks and I apologize for not sitting down before now to provide an update of all the things I’ve been up to over here.

Sachenhausen

Two Fridays ago, my program went to Sachenhausen concentration camp, located in the town of Oranienburg, just north of Berlin.  Built in 1936 by the Nazis, the camp imprisoned various types of undesirables during the Third Reich, such as criminals, Communists, homosexuals, and Jews.  Unlike purely extermination camps like Auschwitz and Treblinka, Sachenhausen was not originally intended to be a site of mass murder of the Jews.  Later on in the war and as Nazi efforts to kill as many Jews as possible rapidly increased, a gas chamber and ovens were installed at the camp to facilitate the liquidation of large numbers of prisoners.  Following the war, Sachenhausen was used by the Soviet occupiers until 1950 as an internment camp.  Since then, the site has been open to the public as a museum.

Touring the grounds of Sachenhausen was an eerie experience.  There was an ominous silence that filled the place, allowing me ample opportunity to reflect on what I was viewing.  Although most of the camp barracks no longer stand, the buildings’ foundations are still visible, allowing me to visualize how it might have looked like 70 years ago.  My trip to Sachenhausen began with walking through its foreboding wrought-iron front gate, inscribed with the infamous phrase Arbeit Macht Frei (Work makes you free).  Above the gate stands the former main guard tower which once held an omnipresent guard manning a machine gun, instructed to shoot at any prisoner acting suspiciously.  Beyond the gate is an open field that was used for roll call, which was held twice a day and was often a brutal experience for the prisoners.  As I walked around the camp, touring the remaining barracks and buildings, I tried to imagine what it would have been like to be a prisoner of the murderous Nazi regime, stripped of all freedoms and dignity.  Two aspects of the camp were especially appalling.  The first of these was the execution trench, which was used up until the installation of the gas chamber in 1943.  It was sobering to be standing in the same spot where so many people were killed, whether by shooting or hanging.  The second appalling section of the camp was the mortuary.  When prisoners were murdered, they were brought into this building to receive “autopsies” to help determine the cause of death.  Camp “doctors” then cut open the dead bodies, took a quick look inside, and determined the cause of death, such as heart attack or suicide.  Such filthy lies were meant to explain to the objective observer why so many people were dying within the concentration camp system.

My experience at Sachenhausen was somber, but I am ultimately glad that I was able to visit a place that was once an embodiment of hate and be able to bear witness to the memory of the incredible suffering that once occurred there.

East Side Gallery and Hertha Berlin match

The next morning I had the opportunity to walk the length of the East Side Gallery with Günther Schaefer and some fellow students.  The longest remaining stretch of the Berlin Wall, the East Side Gallery is covered in paintings by artists from around the world, painted in 1990 following the fall of the wall.  One of these artists was Günther, whose controversial “Vaterland” painting depicts Israel’s flag on top of Germany’s flag.  Günther explained to us that many of the paintings, his especially, have been the victims of vandalism and require refurbishing every six months.  Most of the paintings involved some sort of peaceful message, usually including a denouncement of war and oppression.

That afternoon, I met up with some friends Berlin’s Olympiastadion for the Hertha Berlin vs. Augsburg soccer match.  Originally built for the 1936 Olympics, the Olympiastadion has played host to several historic sporting events, including Jesse Owens’s four gold medal performances at the Olympics, three matches of the 1974 World Cup, and six matches, including the final, of the 2006 World Cup.  The massive stadium still retains an aura of the Nazi landscape, despite several renovations throughout the years.  Being able to attend my first European soccer match was an awesome experience, one that I will never forget.  Although the game ended in a 2-2 tie, the atmosphere was still rocking from start to finish and I had a lot of fun imitating the diehard Hertha fans.  

I’ve got another blog entry still to write, namely about my trip this past weekend to Munich and its famous Oktoberfest.  Unfortunately, it’s almost midnight here in Berlin and I have early class in the morning, so that post will have to wait until tomorrow (hopefully).  Until then, I hope this satisfies your oh-so-hungry appetite for exclusive insight into my life in Berlin.

Potsdam and Deutsches Historisches Museum

Cecilienhof courtyard with Soviet star flowers

Last Friday my program had a daylong excursion to the city Potsdam, located about 15 miles southwest of central Berlin.  I was looking forward to this trip for several reasons.  For one, I had yet to actually leave Berlin's city limits since arriving in Europe a few weeks ago and was excited to see another place in Germany, even if it was so local.  Secondly, I was excited to visit Schloss Cecilienhof, the site of the famous 1945 Potsdam Conference following the World War II, and soak up all of its history.  Finally, I was especially looking forward to seeing Sanssouci, the summer palace of Prussian King Frederick the Great.

Completed in 1917, Cecilienhof was built for Hohenzollern (German ruling family until the end of World War I) Crown Prince Wilhelm in honor of his wife Duchess Cecilie.  After World War II, the palace lay abandoned until the conquering Soviets refurnished it in preparation of the upcoming Potsdam Conference.  Held in late July and early August 1945, representatives from the United States, United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union met to decide the fate of Germany.  Participants at the conference included President Harry Truman, Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin, and British Prime Ministers Winston Churchill and Clement Atlee.  It was at this conference that Germany was split up into four occupation zones: a Soviet zone to the east, an American zone to the south, a British zone to the north, and a French zone to the west.  Among other agreements, Germany's industrial and war potential was to be dismantled and all of Germany's European annexations prior to and during World War II (most notably Austria, Alsace-Lorraine, Sudetenland, and western Poland) were to be reversed.  Some say that the beginnings of the Cold War can be traced to this very conference.  The division of Europe into Soviet influence in the east and American influence in the west began to take shape with the partitioning of Germany, eventually leading to the formation of two separate German governments.  It was also at Potsdam that President Truman learned of the successful atomic bomb testing at Alamogordo, New Mexico and authorized its usage against Japan.

Being able to tour such rooms as the great hall and Stalin, Truman, and Churhill's offices was an experience I will never forget.  The palace has been preserved with all of the furnishings from the conference, making it feel like I had stepped back in time when I entered.  One such original furnishing is a large red star of flowers in the courtyard, which was planted by the Soviets in anticipation of the conference.  Supposedly the Soviets placed Truman's office next to the courtyard so that every time he entered and exited the palace he would have to look at the red star.

Sanssouci 

After Cecilienhof we headed to Sanssouci, which was completed in 1747.  French for "without concerns", King Fredrick the Great would come to this palace for relaxation during his summers.  Despite its imposing facade, the palace itself is actually not that large, containing only 10 rooms.  Compared to the Palace of Versailles in France and its 700 rooms, to which it often is, Sanssouci is much more like a large villa.  The interior of Sanssouci is beautiful and extravagant.  The guest bedroom often reserved for the French Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire, for example, has bright yellow walls and carvings of apes, flowers, fruits, and birds throughout the room.  The most spectacular aspect of Sanssouci, however, was the incredible terraced gardens that lead up from Sanssouci Park to the palace.  Although I have seen pictures of the palace looking up from the fountain in the garden, actually standing there and taking in the majesty of the palace was simply breathtaking.  If I never return to Sanssouci again in my life, that image will still remain imprinted in my memory.  Following our visit to Sanssouci, I grabbed a bite to eat with some friends in old town Potsdam, which was quaint and very old-European looking.

Deutsches Historisches Museum on Unter den Linden

Posters urging children to join the Hitler Youth

This morning I visited the Deutsches Historisches Museum on the famous avenue Unter den Linden ("Under the Linden Trees"), right down the street from the Brandenburg Gate.  This impressive museum chronicles the history of Germany from its early roots up until present day.  Divided into two main sections, I spent around 3 hours closely examining the exhibits in the section covering German history from 1918 to today.  Included in this section of the museum were various artifacts pertaining to Germany's hardships following its defeat in World War I, its stabilization during the late years of the Weimar Republic, the rise of Hitler and the Third Reich, its experience during World War II, the period of occupation after the war, the years of divided Germany from 1949-1990, and its history since reunification of West and East Germany in 1990.  For a nation with such a troubled past, the DHM does a great job to present German history in an objective and fair way.  I partially expected a more restricted view into some of Germany's most guilt-ridden memories, namely the rise of the Nazis to power and their implementation of the Holocaust.  The museum, however, did not try to shirk such ugly stains on Germany's past, something that I certainly appreciated.

Faces of victims of Auschwitz death camp

This upcoming weekend is sure to be an exciting one, with scheduled excursions to Sachenhausen (Nazi concentration camp just north of Berlin), the Berlin Wall's East Side Gallery, and a soccer match between Hertha Berlin vs FC Augsburg of Germany's Bundesliga.  Next post should come sometime after this weekend.


Thanks for reading, keep it up.  

Weekend Review: Sam Bennett crushes Berlin

Sam, the Berlin Bear, and I in front of the Brandenburg Gate

After a program dinner last Friday night at a restaurant on the Freie Universität's campus, I made my way over to the Berlin central bus station to meet my girlfriend Sam upon her arrival from Copenhagen.  Following a 7.5 hour bus ride that included a ferry trip across the Baltic Sea, she reached Germany's capital city one exhausted trooper.

Nazi bomb shelter

Saturday morning we woke up early and met up with other members of my program for an excursion to two different art sites in Mitte (most central area of Berlin).  The first of the two sites was located in a former Nazi bomb shelter built in 1942.  Although the modern art collection housed inside was, in my opinion, incredibly stupid (since when was a blue collared shirt hanging on a wall considered art?), the bunker itself was really awesome.  Unique because it was actually built above ground, the shelter held as many as 3,000 Germans during Allied bombing in World War II.  After a tour of this art collection we had a short break during which time I experienced my first currywurst.  For those unfamiliar with this Berliner cuisine, currywurst consists of a hot pork sausage covered in curry ketchup and cut up into little pieces, usually served with pommes fries.  Not too different from a classic American hot dog, the key to good currywurst is in the sauce.

Tacheles

The second art site that we visited was called Tacheles.  Originally built as a huge department store, the building was heavily damaged during World War II, with only the front section of the builiding remaining.  Upon the building's scheduled demolition in the early 1990s, a group of artists occupied the building, managing to delay its destruction by registering it as a historic site.  Today, the space is shared by many artists and their work.  We had the opportunity to meet with one of these artists, Roman Kroke, who has gained recognition lately for his work as an art designer for the 2008 Hollywood movie Defiance, starring Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber.  Roman told us about his work, the history of Tacheles, and the potential future of the building, which has been purchased by a German bank looking to turn the space into upscale condominiums.  Although the building was a bit dilapidated and reeked of urine, meeting with Roman and listening to his passion for his work was a great experience.

Brandenburg Gate

Following this program excursion, Sam and I visited several of Berlin's most famous sites.  First on our list was the Brandenburg Gate, arguably the most recognizable symbol of Berlin (and even Germany).  Built in the late 18th century as a gate to the city, the gate has been the site of many important events throughout history.  Badly destroyed during World War II, the gate was partially restored in the following years by both West and East Berlin governments.  In 1963, President John F. Kennedy visited the Brandenburg Gate, during which time Soviet banners were hung across it to prevent him from looking into East Berlin.  The gate was also the location of President Ronald Reagan's famous speech in which he called upon Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall.

Reichstag building

After checking out the Brandenburg Gate and walking around the corner to view the Reichstag building, Sam and I walked through the Tiergarten, which is Berlin's largest public park.  Originally a hunting reserve for Friedrich I of Prussia, the Tiergarten (which literally means "animal garden") now is a great place to relax and enjoy the natural scenery.  Located just below the Tiergarten is Potsdamer Platz, where we walked to next.  Completely destroyed during World War II, Potsdamer Platz was split during the Cold War by the Berlin Wall.  Since German reunification, the area has experienced an incredible revival and has undergone a lot of new construction.  Today, Potsdamer Platz is a center of commerce with beautiful modern buildings with at its heart the Sony Center, a large futuristic looking center that includes restaurants, hotels, museums, and a movie theater.  After checking out Potsdamer Platz, Sam and I hopped on the U-Bahn and went to Hackescher Markt.  At the center of Hackescher Markt is a really neat shopping district consisting of interconnected courtyards.  Although I wasn't in the mood to spend a couple hundred Euro on a fine belt or tie, I did enjoy peeping into the little shops and scouting out the merchandise.

Fernsehturm

Spree River from atop the Fernsehturm

Located near Hackescher Markt is Alexanderplatz, where Sam and I went next.  A large public square and transportation hub, Alexanderplatz is very close to the Fernsehturm, Berlin's famous television tower.  With a height of over 1,200 feet, the tower is the tallest structure in all of Germany.  About halfway up the tower is a silver sphere that houses an observation deck and a restaurant.  Sam and I had the great opportunity to travel up into this sphere and enjoy dinner, which was an amazing experience.  The food was pretty good and not too expensive and the view was breathtaking.  As we ate, the floor rotated slowly so that over the course of dinner we got to enjoy a 360 degree of Berlin and its surrounding areas.  Be sure to check out my Facebook profile for more pictures from atop the Fernsehturm.

Brandenburg Gate and Tiergarten in the distance

Tons of these hats at the flea market

The next day Sam headed back to Copenhagen via another 7 hour bus trip.  After her departure I met up with some friends at a one of Berlin's several flea markets, which was quite the experience.  I was pretty tempted to buy an authentic Soviet winter fur hat, but then I came to my senses and realized that I ain't no commie.


This Friday my program is travelling to Potsdam, which is just outside of Berlin, to visit Sansoucci (summer home of Prussian king Fredrick the Great) and Cecilienhof (site of the 1945 Potsdam Conference between Truman, Stalin, and Churchill).  I am pretty excited about all the history I will be immersed in during this trip and will check in afterward to let you all know how it went.

Thanks for reading, so long for now.

First week of classes: Complete

So Monday's are basically going to be hell.  I have German class from 9-12, followed by an hour and a half break to go grab lunch at the Freie Universität's mensa (cafeteria).  Since it's about a twenty minute commute to the mensa via bus and walking, I have to rush through my meal in order to get back in time for my next class, Themes and Issues in Transatlantic Relations.  This class runs from 1:30-4, which is followed by a half hour break before my third and final class of the day, German Cinema before 1945.  Scheduled to run from 4:30-7, the instructor informed us that we typically won't be getting out of class until 7:30 at the very earliest because the films we are going to be watching run longer than the allotted time period.  I hope I like these classes because if I don't, Monday's are going to be even longer than they already are.


Luckily I have Tuesday's off from classes to recoup from the beating I'll be taking each Monday.  Wednesday isn't bad either: just one class, The Human Condition and the Totalitarian Experience (which I think is going to be incredibly fascinating), from 4:30-7.  My Thursday class schedule consists of German again from 9-12, a few hour break to get lunch and chill, followed by a class called Media Politics at 4:30-7.  Once this class is over I am officially done for the weekend since my program does not have any classes scheduled on Friday.


Tonight there's a program dinner at an Italian restaurant which I am pretty excited about because I'll take free food over here any chance I get.  But that's not to say I haven't been making out alright for myself in terms of food in my apartment.  After a dismal first few days of Nutella and jelly sandwiches on really cheap white bread, I've upgraded my go-to meal to sliced salami and cheese (sort of like muenster cheese but not exactly the same) sandwiches on toasted baguette rolls.  They're actually quite delicious so I'm going to keep making them until I get tired of them and/or adventurous enough to try something different.


I'm heading out in a few minutes to join a local gym called McFit, which I'm pretty sure has no affiliation with McDonald's, or my last name, or anything else that starts with "Mc", but it's cheap and within walking distance so I'll give it a shot.  Take care everyone and go Phillies!