Author: Tess Lewis

Bye Bye Berlin: My Final Days Abroad

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Well, the last leg of the trip has come to a close. It’s such a bittersweet feeling to be finished with such an amazing adventure. I truly have had the greatest experience during my time with the World War II study abroad program and could not have asked for a better learning opportunity. Berlin was a very interesting city to travel to. It was not, at all what I expected. Having enjoyed the quaintness of German Village in good old Columbus Ohio, I thought that Berlin would have the same feel; old, traditional, and rustic with cobblestone streets and people playing the polka while you enjoy some schnitzel. However, I found it to be quite the opposite. Berlin is a booming metropolitan city with skyscrapers, modern buildings, and Turkish Donor places on every corner. I was surprised to see people of many different cultural backgrounds either working in or visiting the city. You could see graffiti or street art around every corner, on buildings, bridges, pieces of the Berlin wall, or even on the subways. Underneath all of this fresh and vibrant façade however, is a deep and rooted history of turmoil, destruction and war. Everywhere you looked in Berlin, you could spot a reminder of World War II, whether it be the entrance to an old train station left as it was after bombings, bullet holes in fronts of government buildings, little stepping stones to remember those who where arresting during the holocaust, and many other small reminders of the devastation left behind.  I found it interesting, and humbling to see these small reflections of the war. If you walked through Berlin but did not really look, you would feel the same as if you were walking through Chicago or New York City. But, when you really stopped to observe, the history of this place was ever present.

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One of the most eye opening and sobering places we’ve visited on this trip was Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp just outside Berlin. Learning about the Holocaust in books and movies and classes is one thing. Seeing the actual places where these atrocities occurred is something I will never forget. Walking through the gates of Sachsenhausen made my stomach turn. Looking out, I saw where the prisoners stood for hours a day during roll call, expose to the elements, I saw the tight and insufficient quarters where thousands lived and worked and suffered, and I saw where many were marched down, into the unknown trenches to never return. This experience provided me with a sense of reality. It is hard to put into context the atrocity that was the Holocaust, but seeing where these events occurred made it more real and really made me think. I feel this this example is why we went on this trip and why this program is one of the best Ohio State has to offer. You can read and learn about history, events, and peoples all you want but actually seeing these things, these places, first hand provided me with a deeper appreciation and understanding of World War II and the history that made the world what it is today!

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A Stroll Through Paris

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Paris has been my favorite destination on this study tour so far! I loved the sights, sounds, food and, overall, the general atmosphere of the city. My philosophy for taking on Paris was to simply do; do as many activities, see as many sites, take in as much culture and experiences as possible. By following this philosophy, I feel I got a small taste of what Paris is all about. First of all, I discovered my newfound love for escargot! Though to many the thought of eating snails covered in butter and garlic is appalling, I found it delicious and could not help from ordering them at least once a day at a local café. The dining experiences in Paris exemplified the Parisian way of life; enjoy every minuet, savor and relish in it, and take as long as you like. The French have a way of taking a fashionably long time to do things, which I enjoyed. It was nice to not feel like a burden but rather be encouraged to sit and enjoy the atmosphere and people around you. My favorite part of our time in Paris was just walking around and seeing what I could see. Paris is such a beautiful city with lovely, classic style buildings, apartments with cast iron balconies, and intricate architecture. Everywhere I went, I felt immersed in French culture and aged style.

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One of my favorites parts of Paris was the seeing the Eiffel Tower all lit up, with the lights twinkling. It was such a beautiful sight to see. The Eiffel Tower is such an iconic Parisian landmark. It was mind blowing to be sitting on the lawn and gaze up at this massive, beautiful structure that I’ve only see in movies. It was such a surreal experience and I am thankful that this trip has allowed me to do and see things I could have only dreamt about previously. After visiting Giverny, the location of Claude Monet’s gardens, I was inspired to see Monet’s work in person. On Sunday, I stumbled into Musee Orangerie, a small yet very interesting art museum. This museum held several Monet paintings, including ones that spanned the entire length of the museum walls. Monet acquired inspiration for these paintings from the gardens I had just visited. At one point, I compared the pictures I took at Giverny to the paintings on the wall. It was incredible to compare Monet’s depictions of the gardens, the ponds, the trees, the sky, to the actual site itself. All in all, I loved Paris and would go back in a heartbeat. Though I’m sad to leave, I know Berlin is going to bring such great knowledge and experiences. Until next time!

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The Beauty of Bayeux

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From London to Bayeux! Two completely different cities yet both just as beautiful and interesting as the last. Bayeux France was one of the quaintest and quietest places I have ever visited. It embodied the spirit of a small city tucked away in the French countryside. In Bayeux, we got to experience some of the beauty of France as well as some delicious food, including my first taste of escargot! From Bayeux, we made our way to the Normandy Beaches, where the United States troops fought over 70 years ago to liberate France from the German Occupation on D Day. First, we went to Utah Beach, the most successful of the beach landings. This is, in part, because the troops actually landed off target and therefore avoided the heavy bombardments set up by the German defense. We also saw Omaha beach, where the bloodiest part of the battle with the most casualties took place. It was difficult to stand there and remember that thousands of men gave there lived in this exact spot 70 years ago. It is hard to believe today that such a tragic battle was fought on these grounds. Seeing both of these beaches and learning more about the events of D Day was a very intense experience. The strategy and tactics employed by Eisenhower and his men to decided where and when to invade in order to weaken the Germans and take Cherbourg (one of the largest ports to bring in supplies) must have taken immense time and intelligence.

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One of my favorites D Day sites we visited was Pointe Du Hoc. Pointe Du Hoc was the scene of one of the landings during the D Day invasion. It was a point between Omaha beach and Utah beach that the Germans occupied and planted six heavy artillery guns that could seriously hider the Allies’ efforts. It was the job of US rangers to scale these 90 foot cliffs under German gun fire and destroy the German artillery. After learning about the mission at Pointe Du Hoc and then seeing it, I could not believe these men could accomplish such a task. I had the pleasure of meeting a man whose father was one of those Rangers on D Day in 1944. He told of how his father scaled the cliffs as a medic ranger and helped save several men in his battalion. His father passed later in the war but kept a journal that told of his experiences during D Day. This man was able to meet some of his father’s fellow rangers and they told storied of how he had saved their lives. His father is commemorated on a plaque and Pointe Du Hoc today. I loved hearing this story after seeing Pointe Du Hoc. It was amazing to see the huge craters created by the overhead bombs and the German bunkers left in shambles. I have learned a ton so far on this trip and cannot wait to see what’s next.

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London at a Glance

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So far, my trip to Europe with the World War II study abroad group has been amazing. These five days have been packed with exposure to culture, several museums, days of sightseeing, strange food, many tube rides, and already some great friends. There have been many highlights thus far. I thoroughly enjoyed walking and exploring the sights of London like Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and Westminster Abbey. It was unreal to see these iconic sights firsthand and the beauty in them was something that you do not see as often in America. After watching the film The Imitation Game on the plane ride here, Bletchley Park peaked my interest. I enjoyed seeing where Alan Turing broke the enigma code and thousands of other code breakers worked tirelessly to uncover information that impacted the outcome of World War Two in such large way.

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       On Tuesday we visited the Imperial War Museum. I felt this museum was brilliantly set up. The way in which they displayed different aspects of each war highlighted for the visitors what England’s role was and how much of an impact each had on the country as a whole. The World War I exhibit was unlike any I have seen before. The attention to detail and comprehensiveness helped those like me who are not as familiar with WWI, understand how grand it was and the major impact it made on an entire generation of Englishmen. In the World War II exhibit, I really enjoyed looking at all the different propaganda posters used to rally troops and those at home to aid in the war effort. I found, however, that these messages were conflicting for women of the time. In some posters, you saw a beautiful woman, adorned in diamonds with a drink in her hand, and encouraged not to talk about the war for fear of enemy spies. Yet, in another poster, women were encouraged to make do and mend their clothing, not to dress in excess, and go to work in the factories. When reading these, I found myself wondering what message I would have listened to in this time. Would I have made do and gone to work or would I have continued an exuberant lifestyle, going out to clubs and wearing the latest fashions. For me though, the highlight of this museum was the Holocaust exhibit. I found the British take on this horrid time in history was very interesting. This museum gave the visitors a more technical analysis of the holocaust. It focused on the machine behind the power, how Hitler’s ideals and anti-Semitism grew, and how these systematic killings were carried out. I look forward to the Shoah memorial museum in Paris to see if the French depict the Holocaust in a similar manor. Overall, my experience in London was one Ill never forget and I am excited to see what the rest of the trip has in store.