On our final tour of the Berlin trip I have realized that life is not so different here than it is back home. Our lives, which might seem like they are worlds apart, are completely intertwined. The things that happen here affect us over there and vice versa. For instance, we discussed the Alien Law in class, which gave the German government more freedom to essentially keep foreigners out. We see this today in the United States with Trump, as he intends on bordering the country and keeping others out. Our lives which are separated by many miles are a lot more related than I had known.
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The school we visited today showed the true diversity that is seen in Berlin but also the new racism that we discussed in class. Hotel 38 is in Mitte, which is probably the most homogenous place I have seen. However, as we got to the school’s area, there was a lot more diversity. As we were questioning the students, they discussed how they experienced racism because of their backgrounds. They left their home countries and came to Berlin for safety, as most of them said, but occasionally get discriminated for showing their culture. While they might not have Jewish heritage, their backgrounds are different than normal Germans and this leads to problems.
The mosque we visited revealed a lot of the fears that I had about coming to Germany. Islamaphobia is still prevelant in society here. Racism is still alive. While yes, the United States exerts a different type of discrimination, there is a lot of hatred in Germany. This relates to the Muslim Question because the muslims living in Berlin face a different experience of life than the rest of the German borns here. They face an uphill battle and always have in Germany because of the fear of Islam. The relations between Germans and Muslims are getting better, but there still is a mountain to climb to achieve acceptance.
Kreuzberg and Charlottenburg. 15 minutes apart on the train, but a dichotomy that is so distinct one almost can’t believe they are still in Berlin. First, Kreuzberg. The streets are flooded with grafitti. Police men and women are walking up and down the street and their cars are taking up every other parking spot. The mosque in the center of the town is easily the most beautiful part of the small suburb. Next, Charlottenburg. Shopping, vibrant, homogenous are words that come to mind. The suburb is booming with business, is extremely clean, and on the complete polar opposite end of the spectrum than it’s close neighbor Kreuzberg.
Discussions with the German Humboldt students brought up an interesting topic we had discussed earlier in the semester. A theme we had talked about was how Jewish people were blamed for all the wrongdoings happening to Germany, and were the scapegoats used to pin the problems of the struggling country. The Humboldt students brought up the point that this legacy of violence and terror still is thought about and taught to the younger generations but with a mindset of respect. There is no tolerance for anti-semitic actions in modern Germany. The German students acknowledged the horrors of the past, but know they can work to make a better and less hateful future.
Today’s discussions regarding the holocaust memorial were moving and intriguing. It was also very interesting to see how the public interacts with the memorial. A lot of kids playing on it, happy pictures being taken, beers being drank, and happy screams were some sights I noticed specifically today. This relates to the topics discussed on February 14th where it was questioned if a memorial was even necessary. There was a lot of problems before the construction, but especially that it should reflect all groups discriminated against, not just the Jewish population. The memorial overall overwhelmed me with emotion, but seemed to be just another art exhibit for locals
The Berlin Wall Memorial reminded me of the film Goodbye Lenin. Our tour guide explained to us how most berliners were taken by shock when they had their whole lives flipped upside down by the overnight placement of soldiers dividing East and West Berlin. The deployment of soldiers caused social unrest because of the division, which led to a negative image towards politics of the time. In Goodbye Lenin the west and east Berliners were more than excited and full of joy to be reunited. Although they had been separated for years, the reunification of Berlin showed the resiliency of the Germans, and how they rally together to become a higher and stronger society.
Today in Berlin the tour guide noted how Germany was divided between the USA, Soviet Union, France, and England. This reminded me of Craig’s reference of Germany being “das Land der Mittte” because of how for so long Germany has been involved in conflict. While Craig was referring to the 15th century and the tour guide was talking about post World War II, the theme still parallels. Germany has been fighting wars and choosing sides for a very long time in it’s history, and only until the early 90’s was Germany completely freed from conflict, both inner and outer. This photo of a tank in Berlin today represents how war has been such a staple to the history of this great city and country.
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