Point Park University’s International Media Class gets a touch of culture in Salzburg, Austria

Mirabell Gardens all photos courtesy of Johnie Freiwald

Mirabell Gardens
all photos courtesy of Johnie Freiwald

by Johnie Freiwald
Point Park University students and faculty visited Salzburg, Austria, on Sunday, May 19, on a side trip as part of this year’s International Media class.  Salzburg has a rich history of musically talented people.  The students dodged raindrops to see the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and where the famous singing Von Trappe family lived, a real family made famous by their story’s retelling in the widely known film 1965 film “The Sound of Music.”

When the Point Parkers arrived in Salzburg, they met Ursula, their tour guide for the day. The tour began at the intricately designed Mirabell Gardens.  The garden is near the steps made famous by the Trappe family children singing “Do, Re, Me” in “The Sound of Music.”  Next to these beautiful gardens, the tradition of music continues, in the Mozarteum.  This music university hosts musicians from all over the world and takes pride in training today’s musicians and theatre arts students. The Mozarteum is also home to the Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra, one of Austria’s most well-known orchestras and a longtime participant at the Salzburg Festival in July.

The tour included brief stops at the two houses where Mozart lived – where he was born and where he lived as a teenager before leaving for Italy and finally Austria, playing for kings and queens during his brief but prolific career as a composer and musician.

Lovelocks on the Makarsteg Bridge

Lovelocks on the Makarsteg Bridge

The Point Park students then crossed the Makarsteg Bridge, which is home to many lovelocks. A lock is placed on the bridge by a couple to symbolize that their relationship will last forever.  After the lock is placed on the bridge the key is thrown into the Salzach River. As the group proceeded on their tour of Salzburg they saw vendors selling goods by the river.  Many generations of Austrians have had the pleasure of enjoying these open air markets.  They are now visited by citizens and tourists alike.

On a Sunday, many residents strolled the streets dressed in their traditional Austrian garb, something Ursula said is very common and evidence of pride in their heritage.

One of the most prominent features of Salzburg is the vast number of churches. One specific church, Sebastianskirche and Friedhof, which has been repeatedly rebuilt due to deterioration and natural disasters, features the classic baroque style that is so iconic in Gothic architecture. The church contains a crowded but very beautiful cemetery that is the resting place for hundreds of late Austrians.

Salzburg Cathedral

Salzburg Cathedral

The last stop on the tour was the Salzburg Cathedral.  The church was lit up with brilliantly colored lights to celebrate the Catholic youths convening that weekend in Salzburg. There were rows of flickering candles surrounded by groups of prayerful churchgoers, young and old. Outside, the group admired the grand architecture and marble stairs. Even near the church there were plenty of street vendors and money to be made by musicians and buskers, especially across the street where an army of horse-drawn carriages stood in waiting for tourists to purchase their services and ride through the Salzburg streets.

The group finished its visit in Salzburg with free time to explore the collection of shops, cafes, and street vendors followed by some traditional Austrian dining. The Point Parkers then embarked for their train and returned safely, yet exhausted, to Munich.

Lecture: German Media During World War II

Dr. Elfriede Fürsich speaks to the group during a walking tour of Freie Universitat  (photo by Alexa Blanchard)

Dr. Elfriede Fürsich speaks to the group during a walking tour of Freie Universitat
(photo by Alexa Blanchard)

by Sara Tallerico

Dr. Elfriede Fürsich, a visiting professor at Freie Universitat in Berlin, specializes in issues of media globalization and journalism. Her lecture, “German Media During World War II” offered visiting Point Park students an insight on how German media structure originated.

Fürsich’s lecture featured various prominent figures in German media that allowed students to grasp how certain media operations developed

“A lot of media structure today is because of World War II,” Fürsich said, and no censorship edicts stand in direct opposition to what occurred back then.  The Nazis also contradicted what was a very liberal media policy during the Weimar era in the 1920s, which she said was “very liberal and advanced.”       She explained how the no censorship rules that now exist that came about because of the loathing to return to those days.

She offered a brief history of how media worked during World War II.  The main principle of German media was Gleichschaltung, meaning “making the same.”  This is a Nazi term for the process by which the Nazi regime successively established a system of totalitarian control over all aspects of society. Standard acts in Germany prior to World War II no longer applied.

Freie Universitat is home to an impressive library.

Freie Universitat is home to an impressive library.
(photo by Katie Pflug)

Germany’s main strategy for spreading ideas and information was propaganda. Fürsich spoke of two prominent figures who largely spread propaganda throughout Germany during World War II. She spoke about Joseph Goebbels first. Goebbels was a German politician and the minister of public enlightenment and propagranda. He was one of Adolf Hitler’s closest associates and most devout followers. His main role was to centralize Nazi control of all aspects of German cultural and intellectual life, particularly the press and radio. A great speaker, Goebbels believed in the power of the radio as his propaganda machine. Radio broadcasts were heavily utilized to spread the ideas of the Nazi regime, which caught fire because of the dire economic situation Germans found themselves in at that time, a result of the war and the worldwide Great Depression.

The next prominent figure Fürsich discussed was filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl.  Riefenstahl was a huge fan of Hitler. She often was part of the retinue for Hitler’s mass speeches and created documentaries regarding them. Her documentaries were showed at movie halls in Germany, and students were required to watch them. The documentaries always featured the latest technology, a patriotic style and they never sounded emotional.

Despite the subject matter, she has been emulated. “She developed an aesthetic used to this day in film and advertising,” Fürsich said.

Fürsich explained that with Riefenstahl’s documentaries came propaganda films. Most of these films were produced at the Universum Film AG, better known as the UFA. During the Third Reich, many propaganda films were produced such as “Derewige Jude” and “Münchhausen.” She said they were terrible depictions of Jews and Hitler’s opponents, and the only other  films shown then were comedies, stories and musicals.

Post war, two media systems were created: one model for West Germany and another for East Berlin in keeping with the Allies control over the conquered country.

West Germany’s model was known as the Social Responsibility Model. This model consisted of a mixed system. The government did not control the media but checked on it in a responsible way.

In East Germany, Soviet officials relied on the Marxist-Leninist Model. This model utilized the media and journalists to educate the masses. The government completely controlled the media. With little to no freedom regarding media, journalists began a method referred to as “reading between the lines.” East Berlin housed many newspapers, and  journalists were constantly being told what to write about from the government. However, journalists would often change words around to let the public know what was really going on, and West Germans continually interfered with the other side’s television broadcasts. Along with newspapers and TV news programs, East Berlin also had various television shows. One popular television show that Fürsich discussed was “The Black Channel.”  This television show included recorded extracts from recent West German television programs re-edited to include a Communist commentary, but many areas – including Dresden and Neubrandenburg – couldn’t get it. She called them “The Valley of the Clueless.”

When the Berlin Wall fell and Germany underwent a reunification process, many East German journalists – those who covered art, music, sports, culture and more – “stayed great journalists,” she said. “But the political journalists had to go.”

Today, Germany has a legal framework that guarantees its media and journalists freedom of expression, and laws state there will be no censorship. The goal is more reporting for the people as opposed to reporting for government, though, and privacy is very important with libel laws not very different than what exists in the United States, she said.

In her first address, she explained Germany’s dual broadcast system – public and commercial – and noted that most papers in Germany are regional, although there are major national newspapers, two of which – Die Welt and Suddeutsche Zeitung – the Point Park group visited. The media have suffered a loss in advertising, but automatic subscription renewals for newspapers and some government funding for broadcast places them in a more solid position, she said. Tabloids like Bild have also become very popular and have taken the lead in political coverage.

While the advertising declines mirror the states, Fürsich said the media are turning to digitalization, but Germans haven’t taken to the Internet and social media as Americans and others have done. Germans are still readers; there are bookstores in all towns. She cited the fact that 72.4 Germans said they used the Internet in 2012, but while they will use Facebook, they don’t like Twitter.

Recent Point Park graduate Richelle Szypulski stated, “Dr. Fürsich’s lecture provided a wonderful understanding on the different media systems after World War II.  She explained them in a simple, straightforward way that made it really easy for us to grasp.”  And the lecture prepared the students for the media visits in both Berlin and Munich.

Alexa’s Blog – Day 12 – Farewell

Today is our final day, travel day. Our flight to Paris went smoothly and even arrived a little early. Now, we are in the Chaux-de-Gaulle Airport waiting for our 2:00 pm flight back home to good old Pittsburgh. I’m sad to leave Europe but at the same time I’m ready to be home and dig in to summer. This weekend is going to be a blur; I’m taking a Megabus to State College early on Friday morning, where one of my parents or my brothers will pick me up and make the hour-long journey back to Watsontown, PA. Then, on Saturday relatives will be in town, on Sunday I have my final shift at work, Monday is Labor Day festivities, and on Tuesday I start my internship. Whew.

This trip has far exceeded my expectations and opened my eyes to a new way to look at media and culture. There were a lot of odd things I didn’t expect from Germany, like the fact that you have to pay to use a lot of the bathrooms, the lack of trashcans and ice, and the abundance of sparkling water. It’s a funny thing.

I’m so happy I had the opportunity to travel and hopefully I’ll have similar chances in the future. I’ll always remember our crazy Point Park adventures in Deutschland. Auf Wiedersehen!

Alexa’s Blog – Day 9

The following events transpired on 5/20/13.

The adventure to Neuschwanstein Castle has arrived. We took a two-hour train, much like the one we took yesterday to Salzburg. The train ride was highlighted by the stunning view of the snow-capped Alps, an image that eclipsed yesterday’s limited view on the Salzburg train. Unfortunately I was unable to fix my camera so I missed out on the entire day! Luckily that’s what social media is for.

There were actually two castles in the area that we were in, with one being the real deal and the other being a remake. Neuschwanstein is the remake of the Mad King Ludwig’s palace. It’s gorgeous, extravagant, and accessible by a long walk up the mountain. It rained very much today – of course the day that we were outside forever!

Luckily, the hike up to the castle wasn’t too bad and the view of the town below is stunning. The castle itself is monstrous up close. The inside is so intricate and detailed, from the walls and ceiling to the furniture and accessories. King Ludwig certainly seems like he was a particular man. I had to laugh when I learned that he loved sweets and was quite obese. Arnoud told us that he drowned when he 40, but evidence suggests that he was murdered. Now knowing that he was obese I could definitely see him drowning. But then again, I’d prefer to think he was murdered – it seems much more kingly.

After touring the interior of the castle, we went exploring for a rickety bridge we had seen in the distance full of tourists. It had the most amazing view of the castle with the town in the background. On the opposite side of the bridge there was a waterfall. It’s something out of a fairy tale – huge and white nestled in the mountains. This is exactly what I expected a castle to be like.

After we had seen what we came for, we made the trek back down the mountain and waited in the rain for our bus to take us to the train station. After we got back to the Munich, Arnoud pointed out a place to exchange US dollars. Finally, with 2 full days of Germany left, I can get to work on spending my money. It shouldn’t be that difficult.

We had our group meeting on the Z floor where I usually pick up wifi. By the end of our discussion I was starving and craving American food.

Carson, Marina, Zack, Connor and I decided to take a break from German food and took a trip to Marienplatz to go eat at Hard Rock Café. I feel like every time I go to a new place I need to go to the Hard Rock Café there. It’s sort of like a compulsion.

Zack pushed Carson in her wheelchair and it’s possibly the most entertaining transportation I’ve ever witnessed.

All in all, it was a very rainy but fulfilling day. Tomorrow we start back with our media visits and are on the go until we leave on Thursday morning. I’m not sure what to think – I’m going to miss Germany very much!

Alexa’s Blog – Day 3

The following events transpired on 5/14/13.

Before our official visits even started for day 3, the students took matters into their own hands. We had free time until 1:00 pm, when we had to meet up for our visit to Deutsche Welle. But first, we took the train to East Berlin and checked out the East Side Gallery, which is a memorial to the Berlin Wall as well as a showcase to the beautiful artwork painted on the remnants of the Wall from renowned 1990s artists. Each and every piece was so unique and beautiful.

Yesterday and today, we spent copious amounts of time riding the train and just as it was starting to get easier to navigate, we were thrown through a loop and I was confused all over again. Thankfully we have some solid navigators in our little group and we arrived back at the hotel just in time to leave for Deutsche Welle. Which, of course, involved more time spent on the train. We ended but being a bit late for our meeting at Deutsche Welle due to a wrong turn and a lot of walking. My feet hurt just thinking about it.

At Deutsche Welle, we had a fantastic lecture from Fabian van der Mark, the Head of office managing director multimedia global (whew!) followed by a tour of Deutsche Welle’s inner workings. We were able to see the news rooms, control rooms, and even hang out in their studio before a broadcast. And – best of all – we went onto the rooftop and were able to catch a glimpse of the beautiful view of Berlin that these lucky journalists get to see every day.

Following the Deutsche Welle meeting, we had a short group meeting and scattered to find food (“scattered” being a word used lightly – seven of eleven of us decided on Italian next to the hotel) and took a stroll through Arkaden, a shopping center in Potsdamer Platz. And finally, our long day ends early. I can’t wait to get some rest. I feel like I’ve never been as tired as I was today. Here’s to looking forward to a very busy tomorrow.

 

 

Alexa’s Bio

IMG_1229Hello, dear readers!

My name is Alexa Blanchard and I am a rising junior at Point Park University where I major in multimedia and minor in marketing. I am so excited to blog about our once in a lifetime trip to Germany!

It’s hard to believe that in a few short days we will be boarding our plane at the Pittsburgh International Airport and headed overseas. I came from college a few days ago and between working, unpacking, and a collection of other responsibilities, I’ve hardly had time to relax. I can’t wait to get to Germany take a break from life for a while, even though we will still be plenty busy with our dizzying amount of media and cultural visits.

What am I excited the most about? I feel like there’s too much to list: tours of Berlin and Munich, a side trip to Dachau Concentration Camp (honestly I’m just going to cry the whole time), visiting Neuschwanstein Castle, taking in the nightlife, sampling the food, and exploring the country, just to name a few. I’m hoping to make it to a sports bar or two – who knows, maybe they’ll even be nice enough to put the Pens game on for me. It’s not like I can take a break from the playoffs.

That being said, I still have to pack, get some money changed, and just take care of business overall. I can’t wait to head back to Pittsburgh on Friday. Then on Saturday I’ll be ready to brave the Port Authority buses and hope they get me to the airport on time. Here’s to strategic planning!

Bis demnächst – until next time,

Alexa