2018 Eastern Europe trip
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Blogging our way through Eastern Europe

Thursday April 13, 2018--day 2

4/12/2018

19 Comments

 
Wow. What a day. My feet want to fall off and it’s only day 2. After getting no sleep and powering through the jetlag, our day began with a nice breakfast at our hostel. The Nutella and waffles were all the rage.

We then headed to the former Nazi square in Berlin. Once we arrived, we met out lovely guide Aria, a good friend of Ms. Freeman, and her toy poodle Lulu. It was fascinating to hear about what it was like to discuss the Nazi’s in public as a German. Here we got to take a look at some of the places where Nazi buildings once stood.

My personal favorite had to be be how on the grounds of the hotel where Hitler lived was replaced with a weird looking build built by the communist. And to our surprise, this building is now the North Korea embassy. It was so weird seeing the flag of North Korea flying in Berlin. We then got to check out the location of the former Ministry of Propaganda for the Nazis, run by Joseph Goebblels. Aria told us about just how vital Nazi propaganda was for the Nazi war machine, and also some of the methods they used to spread propaganda and get the support of the German people for the war.

While we were walking around, Aria pointed out to us all the bullet holes in the older buildings and how some of them were patched. It was so interesting to try and imagine the city as a war zone, and see its lasting effects in person.

Another stop our tour was former headquarters for the SS and the SA as well as the Gestapo. Aria explained how the groups distinguished themselves as well as how Hitler’s use for each changed over time.

One of my absolute favorite spots for the day was Checkpoint Charlie. Checkpoint Charlie was extremely important in the grand scheme of postwar history because it was the only point in the world where the United States and the Soviet Union shared a border during the Cold War. After the Cold War reaches its end, the checkpoint was destroyed with the wall. It’s fate is quite comical, as now it sites as a tourist trap, complete with fake guards, a fake checkpoint hut, fake signs, and to top it all off, the American side had a McDonald’s, KFC, and Starbucks al directly on top. We also got exposed to a wonderful slice of German tourism, where we got to see a German pickpocket at work, but thankfully Aria had seen him before and warned us to steer clear.

Our final destination was the same as Nazi Germany’s: Hitler’s bunker. We got to stand right above Hitler’s bunker, which now lives in a lovely apartment complex built by the Soviets. The entire tour was really intriguing and showed how so much Nazi history was hiding all around downtown Berlin.



--John


After the walking tour with Arja, we all had lunch at the tremendous, phenomenal food court at the Mall of Berlin! I gorged on some really good falafels, then went shopping afterwards (I got you a souvenir, mom!!!)


We then proceeded to the Pergamon Museum, an art museum housing monumental buildings such as the Pergamon Alter and the Istar Gate of Babylon. It was so incredible, and it felt like I was really in ancient Greece!!


After exploring the wonders of this museum, we then proceeded to the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, where we split into two groups and where we had a tour and learned about the significance of the design of the memorial. Then, we briefly visited the documentation center and read testimonies from survivors, along with stories about families who experienced the Holocaust. Unfortunately, we did not spend much time there (v sad) but it was an incredible, but saddening experience.


--Mindy


After our busy morning and even busier afternoon (as John and Mindy blogged about) we had a jam packed evening. Our group of 53 split into two groups as we prepared to visit the African Quarter of Berlin.


We met with two leaders of a non-governmental organization here in Berlin that strives to brung attention to the lives of Afro-Germans and the history of colonialism. Some of their projects include changing street names from those of perpetrators of German colonialism and the genocide of the Nama and Herero in Namibia, to the names of powerful Afro-German figures.


One example I found incredibly interesting was the street name of a man named for Dr. Carl Peters. Carl Peters was a German stationed in Tanzania who abused the Africans who he enslaved and encountered in the German colony. During the Nazi era, the Nazis erected a memorial in his honor to stand in Germany as a symbol of their “race theory”. The memorial still stands today. The street name, however, has been changed to Dr. HANS peters street instead of carl peters, as hans peters was not a perpetrator of genocide and colonialism. Slick move...


Currently the NGO is working to change the name to one of an african woman and man who fought and stood against the germans during their colonial reign in Africa. The work this organization is doing really struck me. Our tour guide, Christian, said that most German students barely learn about German colonialism and the genocide of the Nama and Herero people in Namibia. Most students and even most adult Germans know little to absolutely nothing about these parts of their history. Imagine that. Not even knowing about an entire continent your country abused and exploited. The work these two men (our tour guides) do also faces a lot of backlash. People simply don’t want street names changed because they either 1) say it is too far back in their history to matter or 2) have racist attitudes in general.


What really struck me at the end of our tour was that a train station and main street and Berlin bear the name of a racial slur used against afro-germans and migrants. Also, a German hotel displays a racist depiction of a black person on their hotel sign. Honestly, living in the United States I thought society had progressed past this point. Evidently, I was very very wrong.


We were extremely lucky that we were the first Eastern Europe group to visit the African Quarter in this manner and learn about what this organization is doing. It is undeniably important. Exposure and recognition is what leads to education and acceptance.


Finally, after our tour of the African Quarter we went to dinner in a neighborhood around our hotel. I stopped for pasta and a Fanta (my favorite European drink) to fuel up for the night. Finally, we took the U Bahn back to our hotel and settled in for another awesome day tomorrow!


-Dasha :)





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19 Comments
Tam
4/13/2018 02:31:32

John, Mindy and Dasha!
Thank you for your blog! What’s a incredible experience day, I learned some more of the history through yours. Can’t wait to read what’s coming next. Thank you Mindy ( for thinking of me❤️)
Take care and enjoy the amazing experience trip!

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Carmen Calderon O'Hara
4/13/2018 03:26:14

Thank you all for sharing your incredible experiences. I enjoy reading what particularly resonated with you and all the food stories. There are so many parallels to the history of this country, colonialism for instance. Great you are learning about this at such a young age. Exposure is key! Keep the stories coming! Thanks again.

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Enrico
4/13/2018 04:39:25

John,
thank you so much for sharing what sounds like an incredible day!
Your summary of all the details and emotions literally gave me goosebumps.
I liked your description of Checkpoint Charlie and how it now evolved into something quite different.
Please keep writing ! We love these pages and they mean a lot to all of us back home.

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Bill Kelly
4/13/2018 04:51:20

Fantastic details. Keep 'em coming... have fun!

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Bob Seifert
4/13/2018 05:08:18

Great reporting. Sorry for your feet; glad for the rest of you.

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Allison Wilkie
4/13/2018 05:30:47

John, Mindy and Dasha, thank you all for your detailed blogs! I visited Checkpoint Charlie back in the 80s (before reunification) and it was so intimidating back then that it's strange to read that it has become a tourist trap. And so glad that you guys were able to visit the African Quarter. Please keep blogging!

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Simon Ringrose
4/13/2018 06:16:39

After reading your Berlin blogs I couldnt help but ask Alexa to blast Summer in Berlin (Alphaville 1984 ) at breakfast this morning.

Memories of freshman year in college and the wall - at the time my main image of the city. Although I have never been to Berlin your notes help me picture the place in a new way.

From a sunny morning in Boston......

" This day's an invitation / And it's just for you / You've got a reservation / For the 17th of June / Open your eyes / And let the Sun break in for a while:

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Jennifer Goren
4/13/2018 06:26:15

I am loving the details! Thank you all so much for being such great reporters.

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Chris Lang
4/13/2018 06:34:57

Thank you for sharing your day with us. An article in yesterday's New York Times quoted a recent survey that said 66% of those surveyed between the ages of 18 and 34 did not know what Auschwitz was. 41% believed less than 2 million Jews died in the Holocaust, and 52% didn't know that Hitler was elected through a democratic process. It is so important for young adults like you to learn the truth, spread the truth, and help ensure that we never allow such horror to happen again.

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Annette Belobokova
4/13/2018 09:22:51

Dear John,

I really appreciated your observations around Checkpoint Charlie. I remember visiting right after the wall came down and being able to take in the sharp contrast between East and West Germany, while today, I am guessing you need to peel away layers and turn over stones and/or look past McDonalds to achieve the same effect.

Thank you for blogging :-)

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Annette Belobokova
4/13/2018 09:31:58

Mindy,

Thank you for sharing your experience. I think it is really great that your guide explained the rationale around the design of the memorial. It often makes a big difference how you experience these sites when you have a bit more backstory.

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Annette Belobokova
4/13/2018 09:43:23

Dear Dasha,

I am really grateful that you were tasked with another (!) part of our collective history that often does not get the attention it deserves. You are absolutely right, when you wrote "Exposure and recognition is what leads to education and acceptance." The complexities and atrocities related to Colonialism demand our understanding, as you are learned from your visit to the African Quarter. A big thank you to your amazing team of educators for weaving in this important element in this year's trip.
PS Your Papa and I read these blogs together this morning and are so happy you are part of this experience. xoxo Mama

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Thien Simpson
4/13/2018 10:49:18

Wow, thank you for taking us along on your journey. I'm exhausted already.

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Rosemary Toomey
4/13/2018 14:01:29

To everyone,
Your posts are so detailed, thoughtful, sensitive and well written. You have become the teachers and we the students!
P.S. get yourselves a pretzel at a German bakery, or in round form "laugen wecke". Eat with butter. Southern Germans make them better, but still, try it.

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Kirsten
4/13/2018 18:27:00

John,Mindy, and Dasha,
Thank you so much for your descriptive and informative blogs. So amazing to be aware of all the subtlties and paradoxes presented in the sites that you visited. I have never heard of checkpoint Charlie’s. That sounds really kitschy and cool. Hopefully this reminder of the Cold War stays as a tourist trap. How amazing to learn of buildings and areas from war torn Germany from a true survivor.what an experience!! Your exposure to so many different forms of prejudice and racism combined with the resilience and hope of a new generation is truly amazing. With this experience you all will be able to educate others and pass on the message of hope and resillence. Oh by the way happy to hear Mindy’s mom got a souvenir. Hopefully your friend Maddy was shopping for her mom too. Enjoy. Thanks for comments.

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Mercedes and Philip Dennehy
4/14/2018 06:52:08

we feel like we are right there with you all! thankyou for sharing this experience with us!

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Juan Paniagua
4/14/2018 10:41:37

Thank you for sharing what you learned about German colonialism and the genocide in Namibia. I had no idea of an Afro German community, and their demands to stop honoring past perpetrators (similar to the removal of supremacist monuments here at home...)
What a great experience to connect with current activists still dealing with the consequences of the past.
Keep sharing!

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Enrico Vietri
4/15/2018 08:50:07

Dasha,
thank you for all the vivid comments on the street names that failed to change to cancel the memories of those questionable characters and for your impressions on the African quarter.
On a lighter note, I am glad you enjoyed the European Fanta. It is a great drink and very different from what is offered here in US by the same brand.
Did you try the Grape fanta flavor? It is fantastic, but the best one remains the original orange.
Keep writing if you can, you guys are all fantastic !

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Gina Smyth
4/21/2018 06:35:33

I just read in the Boston Globe today (Sat, April 21) that a bomb from WWII was defused in Berlin...yesterday! As you wrote, John, it's amazing how much history is still hiding in Berlin all these years later. Dasha, Mindy, and John, I am grateful for your stories. Along with being surrounded by Berlin's grim and heavy history, you are all soaking in the modern culture as well. I wonder how your lives have changed already after only two days.

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