Berlin and Dresden
Optimally, I’d be writing every day, I know. I hope I don’t
look back on this trip and regret how little I write, but at the same time I’ve
felt like I barely even have time to breathe! I’m currently watching videos
about grammar for my writing class and attempting to have a coherent thought
line at the same time..I don’t know if it’s working. We have five Biochemistry
lectures in three days time this week. We have a paper due on Friday. I also
have no clean clothes from our extensive traveling last week so there’s that.
Life feels a little chaotic right now, but I’m hoping that tonight will be a
good chance to regroup and feel a little more organized about everything.
This past week, we went to Berlin, Dresden, and Prague. Even
thinking back over the cities is amazing, because I don’t think the
significance of the history, people, and locations start to sink in until after
you’ve come back home. Berlin is the epitome of a city that has a huge, unique
history that truly stares you in the face and demands analysis and reflection.
We walked through the city to the very steps of the building where Hitler often
rallied his Nazi troops. Even some of the buildings themselves were
intentionally reconstructed with the original bullet-riddled stones, proudly
displaying their battle scars like Berlin itself. We also walked past some
still-standing pieces of the wall, and walked through Brandenburg gate like the
East Germans did when they were finally reunited with the West. And even as
beautiful as the historical sites were the modern ones—the Reichstag, the
capitol building of Germany, has an open glass roof where Germans can watch the
Bundestag (parliament) and make sure the government knows that the people hold
them accountable. The cranes litter the skyline, showing that reconstruction
from the war and communism is still occurring even today.
The first day, we went on a bike tour through the city and
saw most of these fantastic sights. I, of course, was a big klutz and fell off
my bike standing still…fortunately, I’ve mastered the tuck and roll (thank you
horseback riding!) so apparently it looked “graceful”. I don’t believe it, but
I’ll take it! And also Hazel ran into a car so I don’t feel as bad. J We also had to take a
physiology test in the hotel room that night, which was also a new and unique
experience. It was actually an ok testing environment, although definitely not
ideal. What can you do, though?
The second day, we took a trip out to Dresden. This
absolutely beautiful, lavish city was actually completely decimated during
World War II, with ~10% of buildings remaining available for use after the
bombing. But, with brilliant foresight, the Germans realized their precious
city was probably going to be bombed and had photographed many streets before
the decimation. So, after the war, Dresden was pieced back together based off
the pictures! Some of the “old-fashioned” apartments in the main square are
actually a Disney-esque front with modern amenities on the inside, but the
church and palace grounds were totally reconstructed and look great. The
Dresdner Schloss is the oldest building in Dresden and absolutely beautiful. We
learned about how the emperors would often marry for blood and then have a
totally culturally acceptable mistress that would actually host significant
royal events and help manage the castle. One even earned her own palace because
she was such an awesome mistress! And then it was really awesome to marry the
king’s mistress, so when the king got tired of his mistress she definitely had
some fallback options. I guess it was a good profession, if you’re into that
kind of thing. I also really liked this mural, the “Procession of Princes”,
that was on one of the castle walls outside of the jousting area. The mural
showed a history of all the rulers of Dresden by them parading chronologically
on majestic horses (of course that’s why I liked it). It was originally a
fresco but that washed off the building with the sun and rain. So, the mural
was repainted on Meissen porcelain, hand painted, then re-glazed. The best part
about a glazed porcelain mural is….heat won’t destroy it. So the mural actually
survived the WWII incendiary bombs. I’m glad, because it would have been a
shame to lose such a work of art. We also ate at a very authentic-style German
restaurant that was built in an old gunpowder room type of thing. I had puff
pastries, which are one of the best things mankind has ever invented, and it
was super good. Also I love the pfiercheschorle, which is a drink where you
combine peach juice with sparkling water. It’s not too sweet and very
refreshing.
After Dresden, we went to Sachsenhausen concentration camp.
This concentration camp is about half an hour outside of Berlin and was used
from 1936-1945 by the Nazis (but even after that by Soviets). I’ve always
wanted to visit a concentration camp, which sounds really bad, but I think it’s
an important part of history to review to understand how easy it can be to allow
evil to run rampant if one does not stand up to it. Walking into the camp felt
very surreal as your brain tried to comprehend the fact that thousands of
people had been systemically killed in the same places you were standing. The
grounds were relatively bare, even though verdant grass and trees surrounded
the complex. Memorial gravestones for the cremated prisoners were placed around
the edges of the complex by the walls, and they were covered with small, smooth
stones that various people had placed in remembrance. The camp buildings were
small, squat, and ugly, much like the kind of buildings you’d see at a crappy
summer camp. Except for the entrance gate that boldly proclaimed “Arbeit machen
frei” or “work makes you free”. An ironic phrase to put at the doors to one of
the death camps, but Sachsenhausen was also one of the “model” camps shown to
visiting dignitaries to show that Nazi Germany was putting useless citizens to
useful work. We saw the medical barracks, the Jewish living quarters (even
worse than everyone elses’ living quarters), and a huge Soviet memorial erected
after the war. The memorial only has red triangles on it, which was the
concentration camp patch for Soviets. So, even today, the focal point of the
camp is drawn to this giant memorial, but we remember everyone that was subject
to such torment. I’m really glad that I got to see the concentration camp and
understand the terror of the Nazi era, but I don’t think I’d want to see
another one. It’s the kind of place that leaves a bad taste in your mouth.
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