Berlin Day 2

 After spending our first night in Berlin, our group headed downstairs to breakfast, enjoyed a quick meal, and walked to the U-Bahn (German metro), which took us to our first location for the day: The Wannssee Conference House. 






In 1942, the house had been the meeting point for German leaders tasked with providing a succinct answer to the "Jewish Question" that would spell genocide for millions across German-occpuied Europe. The religious, seemingly righteous, and noble architectural style of the home contrasted with the inhumanity associated with Wanssee resonated with me deeply. In times of rising nationalism across Germany, effective acknowledgment and preservation of the past serve critical to granting a favorable future.



Next, we visited the John F. Kennedy International School, a German-American school offering both U.S. diplomas and the German Abitur for students.



We were able to speak to the students, who seemed primarily to be born in the United States, about their experiences with being global citizens. Almost all courses at the high school level are taught in either German or English, with instruction switching from one to the other year to year. The school also boasts a strong Model United Nations program.







From JFK we took a short S-Bahn ride to Grunewald station to find the Platform 17 memorial.





The final place that we visited was the Teufelsberg Spy Tower, a manmade hill constructed from the rubble of the former city of Berlin where, during the Cold War, a spy-tower was erected on top as a way for American-occupied West Berlin to keep a close eye on the East. Our group navigated through the several flights of stairs to the top of the grafitti-covered tower, ending the night with a great view of the entire city of Berlin and the surrounding forests of rural Germany.








We look forward to seeing what the rest of the trip will bring as we embark on our third day.

- Greg '25 & Jackson '25







Comments

  1. RcaragherJune 11, 2024 at 6:06 AM

    Greg, what a powerful and stirring day for all of you- one that you won't forget. Yes, the Wannsee Conference House is a chilling reminder of the Nazis deliberate and concerted effort to murder the Jews of Europe; while many soften, deny or alter the acts of the Nazis, this museum reminds us of the overwhelming evidence proving the Nazis' methodical and diabolical Final Solution. So glad you were able to connect with peers- ones that live in Berlin and speak with and hear from them about living overseas.

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