Dachau Visit

May 18, 2013 by · Leave a Comment

Today we went to Dachau, the concentration camp outside of Munich. I have already visited the camp before. This was my second time, but it was still just as powerful as the first time I went there. The first time I visited Dachau, we were behind schedule on our itinerary, so we had to cut the trip short, which means I didn’t get to see the whole camp. I’m glad that this time I got to see all of it.

It’s so weird to think that we were walking in a place where such a horrible event occurred. It’s unfathomable even. We were able to see reconstructions of the barracks and it was just awful how prisoners were piled into wooden bunks that were meant for a much smaller capacity. That part always gets me, imagining 100s of people jam packed into on room.

We were also able to see the memorials for the Jews, Catholics and Protestants. Following that, we went to see the gas chamber and the ovens that bodies were burned in. Last time I was at Dachau I did not get the chance to see these parts. Imagining the herding of people into the gas chambers and then pushing the dead ones into the ovens really got to me emotionally.

Lastly, we went into the museum and saw film on Dachau. The museum always has an emotional affect on me. The part which affects me the most is seeing how gaunt and skeleton-like the prisoners all were in the camps. The film gets me very emotional too. Again, it’s seeing the prisoners in such a horrible unhealthy state.

Filed Under: Andrea Karsesnick, Blogs ·

On to Munich

May 18, 2013 by · Leave a Comment

We arrived safe and on time in Munich Friday, a blessed change from our journey overseas from Pittsburgh. We met our new tour guide, Arnoud Beck, who is originally from Amsterdam, and made our way into the city.

Arnoud gave us a nice introduction to the city once we dumped our luggage at our new hotel. He was kind enough to bring a wheelchair for Carson. Lots of walking here, and he stunned us with the most amazing feat: He held on to that wheelchair as we rode the escalator up to the Marienpletz. (We found out on the way back there is indeed an elevator to transport her down the underground mall that led to the square. Thank goodness! I could see her rolling back down the escalator and the two of us back in a hospital ER again.)

I don’t know what I expected to find in Munich. I knew it would be different from Berlin, but I didn’t expect it to be the tourist attraction that it is … so many people here! We’re also arriving on a holiday weekend, but really! Just throngs of people walking through this center of town, looking around, shopping in stores, eating in cafes and restaurants, and just having a great time.

Lots of churches, beautiful architecture and buildings to see. Much of Munich, like Berlin, had to be rebuilt after the war. More construction is going on here, but not nearly as much as in Berlin.

We ended with a traditional German dinner — sausages and sauerkraut, pork and pretzels. Most of us came right back to the hotel to sleep. I did fall asleep quickly once I got settled into my tiny, tiny room (I call it the cheese wedge, as that is how it is shaped).  Unfortunately, I am above a street lined with a number of hostels. Lots of noise last night. That and an upset stomach meant I tossed and turned for quite a while.

Today we traveled to Dachau, the concentration camp I had listed as a must-see on this trip from the start. Arnoud led us around the buildings with good authority. Seeing first hand the barracks, the memorials, the crematorium and more brought back so many memories of world and American history classes.  He told us we would get emotional, but I already knew I would.  The museum exhibition, the film, the re-created rooms and the stories just were heartbreaking. How could people do this to fellow human beings? Why could this happen? Fear and a quest for absolute power is the answer, along with economic conditions that provided the excellent backdrop for such butchery. I won’t get those photographs out of mind for a long time, and I bought two books to learn more.

I had looked up Dachau’s website and knew there was an photography  exhibition of Dachau survivors who returned to visit. The nun who took those portraits, Sister Elija Bossler, lives in the convent right behind it. The exhibit of 30 portraits of the 100 she took was striking in it simplicity and display of her talent. I bought the catalog and will read it carefully. She knew recording these survivors would maintain the camp’s history.  She didn’t treat them as victims but brave survivors who came to confront their past.

Looking at the site, its museum and information center, visitors can see the care that has been taken to maintain this camp, striving to keep it as a reminder of the evil that inhabited this planet. We have so many genocides and wars tearing apart countries, killing innocent people, and ruining lives right now. Why does this occur and how can they be stopped? Difficult questions with no easy or simple answers.

Jan Getz and I spent the shopping leisurely and enjoying Marienplatz on our own. We ended the excursion by attending a special Mass and candlelight service at St. Peter’s Church, a lucky find as we searched for some small gifts. Jan said it best: It was almost necessary to find some solace and comfort in a church ritual after our morning visit to Dachau. Just beautiful singing and music in a beautifully rebuilt church that had been bombed in World War II proved to be that perfect complement.  We couldn’t understand much but relished this small look into German culture and religion. And exchanging hugs and handshakes at the sign of peace took on a special meaning for us today.

Filed Under: Blogs, Helen Fallon ·

Day Six

May 18, 2013 by · Leave a Comment

We awoke bright and early at 4am to prepare for our flight to Munich.  We had a quick breakfast and were soon on our way to the airport.  We boarded the plane and off we went.

Thankfully, we landed safely and all of our luggage was accounted for.  We hurriedly met with our new tour guide and hopped on a bus.  He pointed out some of the things that Munich has to offer on our way to the hotel.  After storing our luggage in our rooms, we went on a brief walking tour of the city.  We went to Marienplatz, visited a church and ate lunch at a German restaurant.  We finished our small adventure and went off to our first Munich media visit.

We visited the Munich Tourism Office and spoke with the Public Relations Representative Isabella Schopp.  Isabella told us about the different festivals and projects that the tourism office organizes.  She also told us many facts about the city of Munich.  She was such a sweet woman and seemed as if she really loved Munich and everything it had to offer.  After her presentation, I had the opportunity to speak to her on a more personal level.  I find it amazing that she is only 23 years old, she seemed so mature and well represented for her age.

We ended the night with dinner at Cafe am Marienplatz.  Here we tried various sausages and meats, which are a really big thing in Germany.  After a long, eventful day, we headed to the hotel and went to sleep.

Filed Under: Sara Tallerico ·

Day Five

May 18, 2013 by · Leave a Comment

Sadly, today was our last day in Berlin.  We began the day with our media visit to Axel Springer.  Axel Springer is one of the most aggressive journalism schools in Germany.  We had the opportunity to speak with Rudolf Porsch.  He gave us an in depth explanation on the academy and the responsibilities of the students.

After he gave us a brief history lesson, a few of the students came in to talk to us.  They were really down to earth and had a lot to say.  They explained their current project to us and told us a little bit about themselves.  What struck me the most was the age difference between the students.  One student was 18 while another was 31.  They were vastly different in age but they all seemed like they meshed really well together.

Following lunch with the students, we met with Leeor Englaender.  Mr. Englaender is the assistant to the editor in chief for Die Welt.  Die Welt is one of the most prominent newspapers in Germany.  Mr. Englaender explored the history of Die Welt and how far they have come.  They are an extremely innovative team and are constantly thinking about the future.  What surprised me the most was that Die Welt is on the top ten most paid for applications for an iPad.  Germans really seem to trust Die Welt, which is very important in the success of their company.  Overall, this media visit was by far my favorite.

We had a farewell dinner at a very nice place in Berlin.  It is the oldest standing restaurant that the city has to offer.  We bid our goodbyes to our beloved tour guide and headed home for a long night of packing and sleeping.

Filed Under: Sara Tallerico ·

Day Three

May 18, 2013 by · Leave a Comment

We had some free time this morning to explore Berlin.  We decided to venture to the East Side Gallery.  It was on my bucket list to see the Berlin Wall, so I was really looking forward to it.

It was really surreal to stand at the wall and think of what it once represented.  To us, it looks like a simple concrete wall with mural paintings.  However, to Germany it represents a division.  That wall kept people away from their loved ones.  It kept them away from living a free life.  It was a really emotional thing to see.

The East Side Gallery is a portion of the wall that various artists decorated with murals.  They helped morph something that was once a hideous, horrible thing, into a beautiful masterpiece.  The murals were amazing.  There was a wide range of different kinds of paintings.  Some were thought provoking, some were tear-jerking and others were colorful and gave words of hope.  I wish we would have more time to explore the entire length of the East Side Gallery, but what we were able to see was really breath taking.

Afterwards, we visited Deutsche Welle.  Deutsche Welle is a public broadcasting station whose mission is to give German visions of life to the rest of the world.  What was astonishing to me was that they broadcasted in four different languages: German, English, Spanish and Arabic.  This company was extremely impressive and have accomplished a great deal of achievements.

We ate dinner at a small Italian place close to our hotel.  After a delicious meal we snuggled up in our beds and went to sleep.

 
Filed Under: Sara Tallerico ·

DAY 6 – Munich adventures

May 18, 2013 by · Leave a Comment
street

A beautiful cobbled street in Munich.

DAY 6 – Munich adventures

Munich is just what I imagined. When I think of Europe, I think of what Munich looks like – there are beautiful old churches and monuments and there is a diverse collection of people crowding the cobble stone streets lined with souvenir and chic shops. But I’m planning on exploring those later. Today we focused on eating some authentic German food!

We started out our day with a very early flight to Munich from Berlin. Despite some strict baggage issues, the flight wasn’t so bad. I ended up sitting next to a young guy from Chicago. He said he is in Munich for two weeks with some friends and they are celebrating his 30th birthday by visiting 16 bars.

Speaking of bars – after listening to the Munich public relations representative talk, I was surprised as to how many tourists, especially journalist, come here just for the beer. There are millions more tourists than locals here, so then it made sense that all the restaurants have English menus and the waiters speak it as well.

She also said that her organization doesn’t work with social media because Munich hasn’t gotten there yet – or something to that effect. This relates to what I wrote about in my research paper; many Germans are still not familiar with all the Internet has to offer. It seems like Germans from Munich are technologically behind those in Berlin. It will be interesting to see if the media organizations are like that in any way.

I wasn’t a fan of what I ordered at the first German restaurant we went to. There is just something about it – must be the extra salt. I feel bad saying this, but I could really go for a nice angus burger with Heinz ketchup. I think I have eaten sausage every day on this trip so far! But I am glad I tried everything!

The tour we had today was wonderful, but I feel like it is just a prequel to the castle we are visiting later along with other parts of Munich. Our new tour guide seems very down to earth and has a “no fluff” attitude. He will tell us how it really is, which means we can get the most out of the experience.

It was interesting to know that the glockenspiel is still standing in Munich after World War II only because soldiers used it as a landmark to bomb other entities in the city. It makes me wonder what the city would be like today if 90 percent of it were still in existence.

I was happy we stopped in front of the glockenspiel for a few minutes to wait for some of the group. There is so much to take in as the building is incredibly intricate and large. I asked Aimee if the monarchs of the past stood up there to look down at their people and if the figures at the top were something symbolic of that. Of course the answer was no, and she said something else interesting – these structures are so elaborate because the monarchs wanted to intimidate people and create a sense of power and also to attract them to the churches and religion. Yes, these structures are incredible, but then again, how many people under horrible conditions were forced to build them stone by stone!

Despite the weather, today was a great introduction to the city of Munich. There is so much to handle at once! Sometimes I wish my eyes could take pictures!

Filed Under: Blogs, Marina Weis · Tagged: ,

A Day to Remember the Past

May 18, 2013 by · Leave a Comment

Saturday May 18, 2013

 

After resting up from the first half of the trip I feel refreshed and ready to go!  Good thing I feel that way because we did a lot today, and much more is coming later this weekend.  Today was a very moving day, which was followed by some shopping.

 

This morning we were privileged enough to visit Dachau Concentration Camp.  I figured that the experience would be very emotional and moving, but it was much more than just those two emotions.  Seeing all site that so many people died on had a very chilling effect.  Knowing that we were all walking on their ashes, even if they were covered by stone, made the whole thing really emotional.  To know that so many people died in one area is heart-breaking.

 

We had a tour of Dachau, which included the sleeping area, gas chambers, crematorium,  and memorials.  The sleeping areas held so many people in one section and I could never imagine having to live like that.  It really makes you thankful for what you have.  Many people complain about how small their dorm rooms are, but after seeing what conditions the concentration camp victims lived it I will never want to complain about a living situation again.

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The museum and movie were also informative and interesting.  I have always had an interest in Holocaust history and it was great to learn more about it at an actual concentration camp.  The main part of the museum that stuck out to me was pictures of the survivors.  Each one of them were smiling in their picture even after everything that has happened.  That really showed me to never give up and there will be a light shining at the end of a dark tunnel.

The landscape around the concentration camp seemed very quite and desolate.  It was very flat and the trees were very tall.  The landscape of Dachau gave the area a very spooky feeling.

Later in the day, Andrea and I went on a little shopping adventure.  We both work at Abercrombie and we wanted to go find the one in Munich.  It was quite the sight to see!  We heard a rumor that if you show your employee card to the model working the door you will not have to stand in line, which was somewhat true.  I went up to show my employee card and the model told me to go ring the door bell on the next door over.  We did just that, but little did we know that only works if you are an employee at that particular store, oops!  We waited in line just like everyone else and were very impressed with the inside.

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Our shopping trip was pretty successful and full of exploring.  Later at night the whole group of us decided to meet up with some of the other Point Park students that have their internship abroad this summer.  Their hostel was right down the road from our hotel so it was really great to see all of them!  One of my best friends, Jordan, was there so it was nice to see him for the last time this summer.

 

Xoxoxo

Katie

Filed Under: Blogs, Katie Pflug ·

Day 8 – Dachau

May 18, 2013 by · Leave a Comment
barracks

The rock beds represent the former barracks that have been destroyed.

We took a train to Dachau to visit the museum of the first concentration camp today, and I will preface this post by saying it’s going to be very hard to describe. The weather was absolutely beautiful, which almost made it even more sickening. The sky was a vibrant blue and the sun was bright and warm. But there was still a chill in the air. We entered through a gate with the wrought iron promise of “arbeit macht frei” which translates to “work makes free.”

Our guide, Arnoud, said a question that he gets from a lot of groups is “Am I allowed to take pictures?” “No,” he answered. “ You have to take pictures. You have to show the world what happened.”

The original barracks had been dismantled and a mock one was rebuilt to exact replica for viewing, but everything else was authentic. Including the Krematorium. We entered through the disinfecting rooms where they surrenders all of their personal possesions and their human dignity. From there we went into the holding room, where they were told they we’re going to be able to shower.

There was a museum with stories of survivors and of those who weren’t so lucky. I found a man from Poland who shared my last name who died in 1940, Thomas Szypulski. I’ll have to ask my grandfather about it.

 

Jewish Memorial

Jewish Memorial

Filed Under: Blogs, Richelle Szypulski ·

Freight Train

May 18, 2013 by · Leave a Comment

Today was a day I have been looking forward to and dreading for a long time. We had the chance to visit Dachau this morning, a concentration camp used by the Nazis to separate, and eventually exterminate, undesirables from the rest of the German population. To say it was surreal to be there would probably be the understatement of the century. Growing up, I went to the Jewish Community Center for preschool and daycare until about 4th or 5th grade. Not only then do I have many Jewish friends, but I was also taught about the Holocaust at a very young age. It has been something I have cared deeply about and had a strong connection with all of my life even though I’m not Jewish or necessarily related to anyone who was imprisoned in a camp. I have however met many Holocaust survivors as a result of going to the Jewish community center and know countless people who had family persecuted and killed in Nazi concentration camps. This aspect of my life has always made me feel it necessary to visit a camp, which this trip allowed me to do.

Honestly, ever since we arrived in Munich, thoughts of this day have been lingering in my head. I felt slightly uneasy and a little nervous because I wasn’t sure how I was going to react to seeing this. In any case, the train and bus rides to Dachau were tense for me. Being on a train on the way there was interesting because, although I was not packed into a dark, damp cattle car like prisoners of Dachau would have been, that’s how the prisoners arrived at camp. All I could think about the entire ride was all the reading I had done about this topic, all the stories of evil I have heard first hand and second hand, all the pangs of sadness that this topic bring me. It’s not something I was prepared for and I was very much wishing I had someone close to me there to help me through it.

When we got to the camp, my discomfort level skyrocketed. Our guide led us to the front of the gate that so relentlessly locked these innocent victims in their hell. The gate, as with all concentration camp gates, was labeled “Arbeit Macht Frei” or, in English, work makes you free. After standing outside for a while, avoiding the daunting idea that I needed to go in, I finally walked through the gate and into the main yard.

Freight Train. A freight train of emotion slammed right into me. It was suddenly real, suddenly not just a story in a book. It was right before my eyes and in my face and clawing at my heartstrings and memories. The funny thing is, it doesn’t look like the deranged torture complex that it once was. The day was beautiful; sun, sky, breeze and all. That may have been what made it even more moving and troubling to me; the sick juxtaposition of this day and this location, and of the past and present.

In that juxtaposition however, comes something beautiful and inspiring. After reading all the books I’ve read and talking to all the people I’ve talked to, I’ve come to stand in awe of hope. Hope. Just a simple emotion with the power to go against all odds no matter how troubling. In a place as evil and hate-filled as Dachau or any other concentration camp, hope can be hard to find. To think that gorgeous days like today with these same chirping birds definitely happened when this camp was filled with innocent prisoners is a conflicting thought. Days like today could have given some of these victims the hope and strength to carry on even after physically they should not be alive. That, to me was a beautiful and profound realization.

What makes me absolutely sick to think about is the idea that the stories and memories of the victims of the Holocaust be forgotten. There were other aspects that I encountered walking around the camp that were horrendous and sickening that I don’t need to get into. History tells that story for me in great detail.  What I will say, is that visiting Dachau gave me a sense of peace and understanding that I will never, ever forget or fail to appreciate the intensity of their struggle. Their deaths although tragic, are not in vain and it is vitally important that as the last of the survivors pass on, future generations continue to tell this story and educate others so we can work towards making genocides and Holocausts merely things of history.

 

Today brought with it the full spectrum of emotion and it was exhausting. The freight train left me reeling and raw but also with a better understanding and acceptance of this tragedy and myself. Eye opening and moving, Dachau is an absolutely necessary experience for people traveling in this area.

 

May the lost souls of the millions known and unknown rest in peace with the knowledge that I will never forget their struggle.

 

Michelle

 

Filed Under: Michelle Graessle ·

Day 7 – CM

May 18, 2013 by · Leave a Comment

5-18-13

 

I don’t have much to say about today.  Seeing Dachau is an experience that is hard to relate to others, so the photos will have to suffice.  “If I could tell the story in words, I wouldn’t need to lug around a camera” – Lewis Hine

Filed Under: Blogs, Connor Mulvaney ·
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