Author: irvine.47

Enigma Chatter: The Word on Berlin

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The last portion of our study tour was spent in the city of Berlin, Germany.   Immediately, I got a feeling for the immense culture throughout the city, just by viewing all the graffiti, people, and buildings through the window of the bus. Once off the bus, I was able to immerse myself into the Berlin culture, and absolutely fell in love.

The graffiti was unlike anything I have ever seen. It was not just your everyday, run of the mill graffiti, but an actual art form. An example of this was along the longest standing portion of the Berlin Wall, known as the East Side Gallery. Each portion had a different illustration from different artists. Each painting was so different, yet somehow they all ran so fluidly together.

Portion of the East Side Gallery

Portion of the East Side Gallery

Not only did I love the street art, but I also loved the street food. On the first night in Berlin, our professors took us to a traditional German restaurant, which was absolutely delicious. Having German heritage, I was no stranger to pork and sauerkraut, but this meal was much better than anywhere in the states. Aside from this meal, my diet mostly consisted of bratwurst and currywurst from little roadside stands. These brats were quick, easy, and undeniably delicious.

German trash can that says "Thank you for the Hot Dogs"

German trash can that says “Thank you for the Hot Dogs”

While in Berlin we visited many German and Soviet museums and memorials. It surprised me how objective the German museums were, as opposed to the other museums we have seen in London, France, and Poland. The museums such as the Topography of Terror Museum and the German Resistance Museum simply stated the facts, as opposed to being blatantly one sided. Not only were these places objective, but it also surprised me how accessible they made the memorials and museums. This goes to show how trusting the German culture is, and also how they have taken responsibility for their past. School age children are required to visit a certain amount of Holocaust and war related sites in order to complete their curriculum, which I think is a great way to educate the German people about the events of the war. Another difference I noticed between German museums and others I have seen on the trip so far was that they were largely text based. Museums I had seen up until Germany were largely based on pictures and physical items, so while walking through museums, I wouldn’t see a large wall of pictures or war souvenirs, but a large wall of text that was occasionally accompanied by a few pictures.

Portion of the Berlin Wall outside the Topography of Terror Museum

Portion of the Berlin Wall outside the Topography of Terror Museum

Ohio State’s motto is “Education for Citizenship.” I believe that from my experiences here in Berlin, and throughout this trip, I have gained a worldly perspective that I would have never been able to get if it weren’t for the amazing people, places, and professors that I had the opportunity to learn from these past three weeks. The knowledge I have gained from this study tour, both about myself and about World War II, are not something that can be taught from a classroom, but are things that needs to be felt and experienced. I have come out with life long friendships, and a greater understanding of where I fit in this larger than life world. This trip has been everything I thought it would be and more, and I could not be more thankful.

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Danke,

Amelia

Auschwitz

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Photo of the entry gate at Auschwitz (Picture taken from www.auschwitz.org)

Photo of the entry gate at Auschwitz (Picture taken from www.auschwitz.org)

The pebbles crunched under our feet as we walked under the infamous “Arbeit Macht Frei” gate into Auschwitz. Large green trees accompanied the lines of brick buildings as we made our way to Block 4, the first of many stops along our tour. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. But even on such a beautiful day, I couldn’t help but to think about all the torture and torment so many innocent people went through in this exact spot.

Auschwitz was the largest death camp in Nazi Germany during World War II. It was here that between 1.1 and 1.3 million Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, political prisoners, and many more fell victim to Nazi violence and cruelty. Since the closing of the camp, it has opened to the public for viewing. In 2014, 1.5 million people visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camps. Since the year 1945, the site has had over 44 million visitors.

Going into the tour I had no idea what to expect, but I definitely did not expect Auschwitz to be such a tourist attraction. On one hand, it was great to see that so many people have an interest in visiting such an important site of suffering. But on the other hand, I was not expecting a grand commercialization of such a sacred place.

The tour guide took us through the different blocks at the camp, we were able to see all of the belongings that people brought with them, their typical living quarters, and punishment cells. The personal items on display included real human hair, glasses, shoes, suitcases, prayer shawls, and pots and plans. Our tour guide mentioned how the Nazi’s would profit from the deaths by using the victims’ hair to make thread. This made my stomach churn thinking about how absolutely everything was exploited from these innocent people. The punishment cells were located in Block 11. In the basement were regular cells, dark cells, or standing cells. The prisoners would be put in these for ridiculous reasons, and for some the punishment cells meant certain death.

Seeing the places where the Jews were housed, the gas chamber and crematorium, and many blocks, I could not imagine how awful the conditions were and how they must have felt. Up to 700 people could be held in one building at Birkenau and the conditions were horrendous. Cockroaches would cover the prisoners as they slept at night, with no protection from the extreme heat or extreme cold.

I think the most eye-opening fact presented by the tour guide was that the prisoners had to be tattooed because they would be so starved and beaten down in such a short amount of time that the guards wouldn’t be able to recognize their picture. To be stripped of all belongings and of your identity has to be one of the most dehumanizing acts one could face. From the time the prisoners walked through that same gate I did on that perfect May afternoon, they were no longer a human being, but instead a number. It definitely hit me to think about the unimaginable struggle the Jews and other prisoners had to go through during their time at Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp. The experience of seeing Auschwitz in person will forever change my perspective of the Holocaust and of World War II.

Vive la Bayeux

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The second stop on the trip was Bayeux, France. This quiet town was like stepping onto the set of a fairytale movie. Medieval style buildings lined the streets as well as quaint little shops and restaurants. The town atmosphere was very relaxed, as seen in the flexible hours of the shops and the friendly people walking through the streets. This set the scene for our activities of the tour.

Bayeux, Normandy

Bayeux, Normandy

In Normandy, we visited the beaches where the D-Day invasion occurred, which was an absolutely humbling experience. Getting to be on the beaches where such important events took place was more of a meaningful experience than any book could teach me. Not only did we see the beaches, but also the German, American, and English cemeteries. Going into the trip, I knew that the Normandy portion of the trip would be very personal and moving, but I didn’t think it would have as significant of an impact on me as it did. Seeing these cemeteries in person put into perspective for me how many men lost their lives for the war effort. Many of these men were around my age, and I cannot even fathom putting myself in their shoes and the anguish they must have felt.

Being at all the cemeteries, especially the American Cemetery at Normandy, and seeing what 9,000 graves looked like, made me think about the human devastation of the war on the largest scale and just how many that was.  The cemetery was made up of ten sections, but seemed as if it went on forever.  It was located on a hill overlooking the beaches, which was a popular place to sit and take in the views. Yes, I know that millions lost their lives, but just seeing the vast cemetery of 9,000 really put the number into perspective for me. Reading about the numbers in textbooks and hearing it in lectures made me rather numb to it. But the experience of these cemeteries was eye opening and now I understand just how much human life was sacrificed during the war.

View from the American Cemetery at Normandy

View from the American Cemetery at Normandy

We also had the opportunity to plant Ohio State flags at the graves of twelve fallen Ohio State students and faculty members who lost their lives at this time and are buried at the American Cemetery at Normandy. This was a deeply personal moment, and it was so amazing that we got to the chance to honor these twelve men. Laying the flags at their grave stones got me thinking that every single soldier has a unique story that deserves to be honored, even though this is quite the impossible task when a war of this size, or really any war for that matter, takes place.

Moving on to towards the end of our week in Bayeux, I gave my site report at Mont Saint Michel, which is an abbey and monastery built in the tenth century, and which served as a shelter by the Nazi’s during World War II. The view of Mont Saint Michel is absolutely breath taking because it is an island monastery building that seems to pop up out of nowhere. After my presentation we were fortunate enough to have a tour guide lead us through all the different levels and up onto the terrace where you can look out and watch the tides come in (which come in at the amazing speed of five meters per second) and look at views of the sea.

My site report location: Mont St. Michel

My site report location: Mont St. Michel

My French experience was one I will definitely remember for a lifetime. The views were absolutely beautiful and the learning experiences are ones in which I will never forget. I have gotten way more out of this trip than I thought was possible, and Bayeux is a major part as to why.

 

 

Life as a Londoner

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London is an absolutely amazing city that is so full of history and culture.   The hustle and bustle of the city added an element that made exploration so exciting. We started the study tour off with a bang when we were given the task of finding our way to Trafalgar Square by using the Tube (London’s underground subway system). The Square was absolutely beautiful, with views of the National Gallery, Nelson’s Column, and amazing fountains. This excursion sparked my excitement to explore as much of London as I could in the short amount of time I was there.

 

Sitting on the fountain of Trafalgar Square

Sitting on the fountain of Trafalgar Square

While in London, I was surprised by how I felt like I was in a foreign country, yet I also felt very comfortable at the same time. Through my time in London, I realized what Professor Steigerwald was saying when he told us it was ok to make mistakes. It is through making mistakes that I learned how to be self-sufficient in an unknown city, while also (hopefully) not sticking out like a sore thumb as a tourist. For example, a few of us missed our stop on the tube, and we had to regroup in order to figure out a way to get back to the hotel. It ended up working out for the better, but this was just one of the problem solving situations I faced that helped me to become more confident in getting around the city.

The museums were stunning both inside and out, and they enhanced my experience by helping me to learn more about World War II in ways I could not at home in the United States. First and foremost, London actually played a significant role in the front lines of the war. This gave an authentic feel to the museums that I would not be able to get if I were at home in the states. The museums had so many different things to offer from a tour through the Churchill War Rooms to walking through the Imperial War Museum, I had the opportunity to see so many exhibits for the war. As I saw all of these exhibits I got to put all the little details of the war together into a big picture of how the war went, what it was actually like, etc.

 

Photo of the beautiful Imperial War Museum

Photo of the beautiful Imperial War Museum

I came to London with an idea of what I was going to see in terms of all the sites, places, and museums, but the culture of the people was very interesting to observe in person. Smoking is very popular, which took me by surprise actually. Young or old, you could not walk down the streets of London without passing multiple people who were smoking a cigarette. I was warned about the restaurant etiquette and how it is different in Europe, but it was still very different than I was expecting. For one, I had to ration my drink to last a whole meal because there are no free refills. Being so used to not having to pay attention to details like this, I had to make a conscious effort if I wanted my drink to last. Another thing that was interesting was the fact that once you got your food, the waiter did not come back and you had to flag them down in order to get your check. Then once you got your check, it was all together instead of separate. It was actually very nice not having the waiter bother you

Overall, London was a wonderful experience that enriched my knowledge of World War II events, while also getting to experience as much of the modern aspects of London as possible in the five days we were there. Now off to Normandy!

Introduction

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My name is Amelia Irvine and I am a junior at Ohio State. I am majoring in Speech and Hearing Science with a minor in History, thanks to this opportunity to study abroad.  I have been intrigued by the World War II time period since I can remember, so I am very excited to visit the places in which so many significant events took place.  It will give me an understanding on a much deeper level those who fought, where they fought, and what they were fighting for.

I have never travelled outside the country so this will be a trip of firsts for me. Before the program begins I will be visiting Dublin, where I will be able to explore the country while getting to know my peers who are also in the study abroad program. During the program, I am particularly excited to visit the Normandy beaches where the Allied powers invaded and began the liberation of Western Europe. It will be extremely moving to be able to visit Poland and see first-hand the places in which the Holocaust happened. I have been to the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C., but to be able to see Auschwitz in person will be a meaningful experience.

I am quite excited for the opportunity to learn more about the events of World War II from the sites in which they actually occurred.  I believe it will bring a whole new dimension and meaning to learning about the events of World War II, and I can’t wait to get started!