Over the last five days, I have explored various museums and memorials within the limits of Berlin, Germany and its suburbs. Examples of such places include the Soviet War Memorials, the Wannsee House, the Topography of Terror Museum, the Olympic Stadium, Sachsenhausen concentration camp, the German Historical Museum, the Russian/German Museum, the Fuhrer-bunker, and the site of the Potsdam Conference. Compared to its counterparts in England and France, the Berlin sites concentrated much more heavily on not only the early consolidation of National Socialist power but also the expansionism of the Third Reich through annexations and invasions. Particularly, I found both the Topography of Terror Museum and the Wannsee House to be the most fascinating of all places our group visited.

Built on the ruins of the former Gestapo/SS headquarters, the Topography of Terror Museum thoroughly documented the rise of Heinrich Himmler and his Schutzstaffel to national prominence. Having extensively studied Himmler and his SS/police task force for our seminar class, I already had an intellectual head start on my fellow students going through the exhibit. Despite this advantage, it took me almost twice as long as everyone else to get through the numerous displays because of the abundance of documents regarding the Nazi leaders that I did not have available during my research. While the museum did not really teach me anything new regarding either Himmler’s ascent or the establishment of the Reich Main Security Administration, it did bring to the light the horrors committed by the SS and Police in individual countries. This successfully portrayed just how deadly and brutal World War II was for every European country in terms of the racially prejudiced German invaders.

Additionally, the Wannsee House, the infamous location of the conference regarding the implementation of the Final Solution, impressed me. This was mostly due to the wonderful tour guide that led us through the grounds. The Final Solution to the Jewish Question constituted a significant portion of my thesis on Himmler’s impact on the Nazi regime. Therefore, I had a premature belief on the significance of the Wannsee Conference. I found myself stifled by the opinions of our tour guide regarding which Nazi she believed was most responsible for the Holocaust. Because her choice of Joseph Goebbels contrasted to mine of Heinrich Himmler, I took what she said incredibly serious as to see where her proof was. She never supported her hypothesis, so I intend to email her as soon as time permits. Seeing the actual room in which Heydrich, Muller, and Eichmann stressed the logistical implementation of the Holocaust to other Nazi officials was surreal. Earlier in the semester, I read a wonderful book by Christopher Browning on the Final Solution, and Wannsee Conference was a central focus. It was indeed frightening to see the actual location in person rather than just reading about it thousands of miles away in Columbus.

The Wansee House

Himmler and his SS

Remnants of Berlin Wall

Former Site of Gestapo Headquarters

The Reichstag

Overall, I considered the historical museums in Berlin to be the most interesting because they showed a more nationalistic interpretation of the Nazi war machine and its influences on the Holocaust. Furthermore, the post-war influences of the Soviet Union within a divided Germany were evident through both the memorials to fallen Russian soldiers and the presence of a German/Russian museum, which focused on the unstable relationship of the two powers in the mid twentieth century. While Berlin may not have been the prettiest or most lively of cities we visited, it definitely had historical museums with the most thorough and accurate information.

Driving through the French countryside, the majority of our merry Ohio State group was fast asleep during the three-hour trip from Bayeux to Paris. However, once we reached the outskirts of the French capital, every red-eyed student keenly observed the sights and sounds of the massive city. As an experienced traveler, my father has vacationed in Paris several times; he often told me stories about the city’s beautiful buildings and extraordinary food. I was very eager to have firsthand experience in Paris and form opinions on the famous European city.

Almost immediately upon arriving in Paris, I noticed that there were a wonderful variety of buildings throughout the area. The majestic and towering palaces and military schools of the past century could be found scattered amongst the more modernistic skyscrapers. Iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triumphe immortalized France’s fascinating history, while the modern buildings portrayed a new age based around corporatism and aggressive economic systems. In a sense, I found this scenario quite fascinating as architecture quite literally blended different periods of French history together. Furthermore, it provided a means for both Parisians and tourists to remember not only France’s rich history but also how the nation has developed over the last three hundred years.

In terms of Parisian culture, I deemed that the city thrived in respect to its beautiful architecture, expansive culinary options, and hospitable residents. Foods associated with Parisian culture, including snails, duck, pastries, bread, and seafood, were definitely found in almost all traditional restaurants. Despite this, almost every kind of international food group was represented throughout the city; I could not walk more than a quarter of a mile without seeing an Italian restaurant or gyro stand. Regarding the residents of the French capital, I considered most to be very proud of their national identity and romantic language. Additionally, they greatly appreciated any attempt by an American tourist to speak in French. Being considerably bad with directions, Parisians helped me find various locations as well.

The Eiffel Tower

The Arc de Triumphe

Great view of Paris

In conclusion, I strongly believe that the culture of Paris is centered on both a unique appreciation of the past and the proactive search for modern prosperity. Also, Paris was full of babies, dogs, and young children; this leads me to believe that it is a family-friendly European city. My favorite element of Paris, however, was its openness. The city did not feel as cluttered as London and seemed very spread apart in terms of area. This, in turn, helped me to greater appreciate its landscape and architectural design. I definitely plan on returning to Paris, as it has been my favorite part of the trip thus far.

On the ferry ride from the coast of England to the beaches of northern France, the cultural shift had become quite pronounced. French-speaking cafe hostesses and the official acceptance of Euros introduced our small cohort to mainland Europe. Coupled with these changes, we quickly spotted the beaches of Normandy and the rural regions of upper France. When the coach driver showed us the beautiful fields and farms of the country, I discerned the sheer multitude of livestock grazing on the land. I can honestly say this scenery reminded me of my hometown in Tennessee. As I later explored the French city of Bayeux with other students, the historical importance of the region revealed itself through a large concentration of tourists and several small antique shops. The town’s proximity to both the beaches of the Normandy invasion and nearby war-ravaged cities such as Cherbourg and St. Lo obviously justified its crucial connection to World War II. However, it was definitely the Bayeux Tapestry museum that most caught my attention.

With the sole exception of the majestic Pointe du Hoc, I found the Normandy beaches, the various historical museums, Mont. St. Michel, and Arromanches 360 relatively mediocre in terms of historical and cultural presentation. While almost every site visited was physically beautiful, I was hoping for more academically enriching experiences. I found that the relative lack of written information present at our various destinations partially smeared their historical value in the eyes of the beholder. Despite these circumstances, the wonderful Bayeux Tapestry exhibit introduced me to a background of the region that I had been relatively unfamiliar with. Through an audio recorded history of the Bayeux Tapestry, a visitor to the museum learns about the interesting ascent of William of Normandy to the English throne nearly a thousand years ago. Furthermore, the actual tapestry is on full display for the audience to view; this, in turn, gave the group the ability to follow its story both prior to and after the infamous Battle of Hastings. Upstairs, weapons and dioramas of the age ingrained observers with the culture of the Norman medieval period. Learning the in-depth history of William the Conqueror and his triumph over Harold brought a new light to this study abroad trip.

Bayeux Beauty

Norman Knights Outside of Tapestry Museum

Due to the World War II connotation of Bayeux, France, I was fully expecting to be inebriated with its involvement in the war and correspondence with the Allied invaders. To an extent, this did happen, but I was far more impressed with the historical interpretation of the region as presented by the Bayeux Tapestry. This just comes to show that traveling to foreign countries brings an extensive amount of history that easily surpasses that of the United States. Additionally, I also learned through the Bayeux Tapestry that one should not come to a new country with a mind set solely on World War II. In conclusion, the Bayeux Tapestry museum surprised me with its thorough representation of the events in 1066; this added a new layer to the cultural experiences encountered in Normandy.

It can be said that my journey to London, England was extremely chaotic. After two flights with a combined ten hour wait time, I finally arrived in an international country on a warm Monday afternoon. With no means to find my way to the Lancaster Gate Hotel except by word of mouth, I managed to receive the aid of a lovely British woman with a GPS-enabled IPhone. Furthermore, I had never experienced such a level of exhaustion; the day upon arriving in London, I moved about sluggishly but persistently. In the coming days, I visited the Imperial War Museum, the Churchill War Rooms, the HMS Belfast, Bletchley Park, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and the Camden Market. Beyond the various historical sites and museums of Great Britain, I experienced new foods, cultures, accents, and traffic patterns. Particularly at Trafalgar Square, I really enjoyed observing the various statues of famous figures in British history such as Horatio Nelson and Lord Halifax. It was one thing to learn about such peoples in high school textbooks but observing their legacies in Great Britain added a new dimension to learning experiences. However, the Imperial War Museum definitely left a lasting impression.

Particularly, my visit to the Imperial War Museum on May 12 had the biggest personal impact. Seeing World War II-related weapons and aircraft helped to cement the past semester at Ohio State. It was one thing to read about V-2 flying rockets and T-34 tanks, but it was far more significant to see such models in person. Furthermore, the British perspective of World War II was evident within the exhibits. For example, the emphasis on the Battle of Britain and the British participation on D-Day pointed to a somewhat skewed representation of the war. Through the museum, Great Britain depicted her hard-fought victory over the evil Nazi Germany. However, the Imperial War Museum did not successfully portray either the American or Soviet involvements in World War II; there was almost no mention of the attack on Pearl Harbor or fighting during Operation Barbarossa in the Soviet Union. In this way, it overplayed the relative military strength of the British Empire after the Battle of Britain. Nonetheless, the museum beautifully displayed wartime propaganda posters throughout the floor exhibits; this gave visitors an inside look into the national need for food rationing, enlistment, and financial donations. I am very excited to travel to France and Germany and gain their perspectives on World War II. I look forward to having the ability to compare and contrast the various outlooks on the war between three cultures.