Author: Maxwell Dobrushkin

Fourth Blog Post – Berlin

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For me, my expectations for Berlin were distinctly different than those I had for the first two big cities I was able to experience, London and Paris. London and Paris were cities renowned for their history and beauty, and not that Berlin is not, but it simply isn’t thought of as on the same level. As for Berlin, I was most excited to see what remnants remained from World War II and the Nazi regime, as well as how the war and how it was fought by the Germans would be portrayed in the various museums I knew we would be visiting. After experiencing French museums and their glorification of resistance during the war, I was interested to see if in Germany I would see the same thread of glorified resistance, and if the museums we would visit would truly give an unbiased look into what happened in Germany under the Nazis. In this, I was surprised, in a positive way.

After seeing the, in my opinion, total over-glorification of the French resistance, I was very pleased by how the Nazis, their crimes, and those who resisted have been portrayed in Germany. The first museum we visited, and my favorite one in Germany, was the German Historical Museum. The portrayal of the progression of Germany from the Weimar Republic, through the rise of Hitler, World War II, and the end of the war, was not only completely unbiased, but arguably the most thorough and factual display of information I have seen throughout the entire trip.

Among the most powerful experiences of our entire time in Europe has to be our visit to the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, situated just outside Berlin in the town of Orienburg. Knowing that most of the concentration camps throughout Nazi-Europe were destroyed totally, it was incredible to see one as preserved as Sachsenhausen. Beginning with the gate, indorned with the iconic “Arbeit Macht Frei”, ironically meaning “work makes you free”, Sachsenhausen was a humbling experience.  Although most of the barracks no longer exist, their exact placement in the camp was marked off and made it easy to imagine what the camp once looked like. The hardest part of the camp to see, and the most humbling experience of the trip thus far was walking through where the gas chamber was, and seeing the extremely well preserved crematoria. Knowing I was standing where so many lives ended was chilling. Even more chilling is the thought that amongst all deaths in the Holocaust, Sachsenhausen is truly just a drop in the bucket. Having learned so much about the Holocaust throughout the course of the trip, having been to Wannsee and numerous museums, it brought it all full circle being at Sachsenhausen, and it was an experience I will never forget.

Third Blog Post – Paris

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Having never been to Europe, Paris, the city of light, is somewhere I’ve wanted to go my entire life. The famous landmarks, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Louvre to name a few makes Paris one of the most special cities in the world, and it did not disappoint, my experience in Paris was everything I could’ve hoped for and more.

First and foremost, Paris’ and maybe Europe’s most distinguishable landmark, the Eiffel Tower, was an incredible sight to finally behold, especially at night. Glowing bright in the Paris night, and visible from almost anywhere in the city, possibly my favorite night of the trip was sitting with the group under the bright tower, and seeing the light display at the top of every hour. It was such an experience to relax on a Sunday night on the Champ de Mars with my group mates and hundreds of other people simply enjoying the city and the experience.

Another one of my favorite experiences in Paris was walking through the Louvre, arguably the most famous museum in the world. Of course I, along with seemingly everyone else in the museum went to see the Mona Lisa, but it was the rest of the museum that was truly striking. I decided to go to the museum by myself, and walking through the different exhibits and seeing the beautiful works of art as well as the beauty of the architecture of the Louvre Palace with its incredibly detailed and ornate ceilings was breathtaking. Despite the fact that the Louvre is so known for it’s paintings, I found its sculptures, especially from the Greek and Roman periods to be fascinating and under appreciated. Overall, although I do think there was entirely too much to see in the museum as a whole, the Louvre, to me, lived up to its billing as one of the greatest museums in the world.

Finally, to round out my Parisian experience, I was able to attend the Paris Saint-Germain soccer game on Saturday night. Having been a fan of european soccer since coming to college but never having seen it but on television, my experience at Parc des Princes was something I’ll never forget. Although nothing compares to Buckeye football games at the Horseshoe, it was incredible to see the passion and energy a sold out stadium brought to the last game of the season. Unknown to those of us that went, PSG had won the league title, and being the last game of the season, they had an hour-long trophy presentation complete with a huge fireworks display and one-by-one introductions of each player. It was the perfect night to complete my time in Paris.

Being the city I looked forward to visiting the most on our trip, Paris didn’t disappoint. Whether it was sitting beneath the Eiffel Tower at night, relaxing at the Trocadero with my feet in the water, climbing to the top of the Arc de Triomphe, or walking through the Louvre, my Parisian experience was an unforgettable one.

Second Blog Post – Normandy – American Cemetary

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Being a World War II enthusiast, and having seen Saving Private Ryan, I knew that the American Cemetery at Normandy would be a sight to see. However, I truly had no idea how powerful actually walking the grounds would be. Turning the tree-lined corner and finally getting the whole view of the cemetery was breathtaking, and it was everything I had expected it to be and more. The picturesque cemetery itself, overlooking a beach and beautifully manicured, is such a contrast to the fate of those 9,387 men buried there.

Walking amongst the white headstones, both Crosses and Stars of David, it truly hit me the absolute courage and selflessness of the heroes whose war ended there. Coming so far across the sea to fight for and liberate a people who they didn’t know is the greatest example of selflessness. Putting myself in their shoes was arguably the most powerful experience I’ve had in Normandy. Knowing that they all had hopes of getting through so terrible a war alive, yet knowing that they may not come home and yet undertaking the massive task of liberating Europe anyways takes courage I don’t know I have. Thinking about these men crossing the English Channel on ships and planes to fight for our country and the fact that they would never return gave me chills.

Originally walking the grounds with a few members of the group, I eventually split off to walk alone among the headstones. The American Cemetery at Normandy is truly a place where one has to be alone with their thoughts to experience the power of the sacrifice and heroism of the men buried there. It truly makes one proud to be an American knowing our country undertook the great task of liberating the world from tyranny, coming to the aid of all those freedom-loving people of Europe. Putting their lives on the line to ensure the freedom of people they would never meet or know, these men are nothing short of heroes.

The most powerful moment of my whole experience at the American Cemetery at Normandy was at the top of the hour, where the National Anthem was played, as well as the first few verses of “Taps”. Having never seen or experienced a military funeral in person, hearing that famous song and being where I was sent a shiver down my spine. These men were truly part of the “Greatest Generation”.

First Blog Post – London – Westminster Abbey

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Having spent a full week now in Europe, both in Dublin and in London, and seeing all the sites each city has to offer, I can confidently say that Westminster Abbey has by far been the most captivating and interesting place I have seen to date. Standing in the shadow of Big Ben and the British Parliament building, a stunning architectural work and arguably London’s most recognizable landmark, at first Westminster Abbey did not catch my eye, or my attention. Walking in however, that changed almost immediately. Initially, I was awed by the huge ceilings and intricate effigies dotting the walls. Although stunned by the beauty of the Abbey, its significance in history dawned on me when our tour guide pointed out that William the Conquerer was crowned King of England in 1066. It struck me that one of the most recognizable names in medieval history not only walked the very same steps I was walking, but was crowned king nearly a thousand years before in the very same building.

As I continued my walk through the Abbey, I had no idea that William the Conquerer would just be one famous name among many. Seeing the graves and tombs of men who shaped not only England but all of mankind, Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens, Geoffrey Chaucer, to name a few, was a humbling experience. On top of that, seeing the incredibly detailed and intricate effigies of countless Kings and Queens of England, dating all the way back to King Henry III who died in 1272, and including Queens Elizabeth and Mary Queen of Scots to name just two, was something I will not soon forget.

Experiencing being in the same room as some of the most notable and famous men and women of the past thousand yeas was incredible in and of itself, but the Abbey’s architecture was something else to behold entirely. It isn’t hard to understand why the coronation of England’s monarchs has been held at Westminster, from William to Conquerer to the present Queen Elizabeth, coronated in 1952. Westminster has hosted many royal weddings as well, including the recent wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton, probably the most famous wedding of recent memory. With its huge ceilings and incredible stained class, Westminster Abbey is absolutely one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.

Having been in London for almost a week, and seen all the landmark sites one of the oldest and greatest cities in the world has to offer, Westminster Abbey and the experience I had there has stuck with me, even as we leave for France. Not only is it one of the most beautiful buildings I have even been in, but the fact that it is the burial for hundreds of history’s most prominent and influential people, coupled with the fact that it is almost one thousand years old, makes it the highlight of my time in London. I can only hope the rest of our European experience offers what London has offered us.