I was particularly intrigued by today’s visit to the Berlin Gallery. Generally, I am not someone who finds art to be interesting, but today I was drawn into all of the work. Our tour guide explained that every aspect of the gallery was intentional, and I think that is beautiful to think about. Art is also an exemplification of metaphysicality. He mentioned that what once used to represent fear, is now a gallery that portrays beauty and growth. As I walked through the gallery, I could not help but think about how far this nation has come. Although Germany is nowhere near perfect, and has even taken steps backwards in some capacities, it is an amazing sign to enjoy the gallery that stands today. Years ago, as described by Craig, Hitler viewed art as an endangerment to his party. This was not only limited to painting, but also music and other art forms. Overall, I have been outstanded throughout this trip. I have often found myself at a loss for words when absorbing all of the information that has been thrown my way. I am excited to witness the prolonged impact this trip will have on my life and career. I am forever grateful that this program exists and we have the opportunity to partake in experiential learning- the best type of education.
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One area of study I’m particularly interested in are laws regarding refugees. I’m especially touched by instances in which refugees are treated in a matter that violates the law. The individual who represented the organization that fights for refugee rights explained an instance in which a soon-to-be-mother, 5 weeks away from giving birth, had tests ran on her and was getting kicked out of the country. Clearly, this is illegal and just plain wrong. I was also touched by the other refugee who told his story of escaping the grim conditions they faced when escaping. We have discussed throughout the semester the discrimination that is prevalent throughout Germany. Besides the fact that hate is a destructive force, it is also problematic since immigrants and refugees often rely off the support and resources of Germans. This is a common theme seen in Soul Kitchen. In the film, Zinos, the protagonist, relies off the assistance given to him in order to match the “German standard.” He is also open to assimilating to the German culture, similarly to other individuals we have spoken to. All-in-all, this trip has given me a lot of clarity about my future. I feel inspired by the individuals we have come in contact with to pursue a career in law. I am grateful for the individuals who have been so open to sharing their experiences with the class.
One aspect of this trip I was most looking forward to was having the opportunity to compare and contrasting the lives of Muslim individuals to those in America. I was extremely grateful that the individual guiding our tour provided so much time for questions. He discussed the numerous issues that arose when trying to establish the mosque in East Germany, and it was absolutely heartbreaking. In one scenario, the mosque was accused of being built in an airplane line so community members could “shoot the airplanes as they flew by.” Clearly, there’s no real threat. I felt physically ill hearing all of the blatant racism the community encountered. Fear Eats the Soul was a memorable film as I was as drawn into the remarkable symbolism throughout. The protagonist was put under much stress, probably related from the immense amount of hatred he faced daily, he developed an ulcer. This represented ‘fear eating his soul’. In the same way, O’Brien explained that Germany has recoiled into discrimination against foreigners. This hatred is rooted in fear, which only serves to fuel racism and islamophobia. These messages immediately came to mind when discussing the personal experiences of the community members who faced hate daily.
Today was by far the most grueling day of this trip. My research group and I took a trip out to Marzahn which proved to be chaotic and exhausting, but that is a story for another time. This day did, however, start amazing. We made our way through the Berlin Democracy Museum (which was my favorite museum thus far) followed by the Stasi Museum. The Stasi museum was emotional yet extremely important when researching Germany's history. Schneider paints the picture of the Stasi Police as an organization that is overbearing, violent, and always watching. These individuals will also protect the communist ideals at any means necessary. One of the instillations featured a woman talking about her personal experience with the Stasi. Due to her lifelong battle with depression, the Stasi sought her out as an “easy target.” They would slash her tires, and would break into her home and move objects or destroy her food. This began to take a psychological toll on the woman since nobody believed her and as a result she began to wonder if she was going insane. It was heartbreaking to observe all of the inhumane practices done on individuals by the Stasi police. Although it was difficult to make it through the museum emotionally in-tact, I am beyond grateful for this priceless opportunity.
A large portion of our day today was filled with taking a walking tour of Wedding. I was very intrigued to be able to witness different areas of the area in terms of monetary value. Our tour guide throughout Wedding, Muhammad, shared a lot of his personal experiences regarding encounters with Islamophobia. I must admit, I have found myself caught-off-guard as previous presenters have failed to acknowledge the presence of Islamophobia within Berlin. Many of them explained racism or hate is more based on social class or a different outside factor. I am glad that Muhammad was able to counteract this and explain this deeply seeded issue further. I was astounded to be able to witness the fusion of different cultures in the area we explored today. Seeing this made me think back to when I viewed Soul Kitchen. In this film, Akin portrayed multiculturalism as an everyday part of life. In the film, this was portrayed as harmonious as well as not-so-harmonious. In addition to this, O’Brien states in his text that, “we experience a postmodern world wherever we witness the proliferation, fragmentation, and combination of identities, especially identities conventionally not associated with one another.” These ideas are what was present in my mind today. It is really apparent to see so many different identities and culture throughout this area.
Undeniably, today’s tour of the holocaust memorials were incredibly heavy. I knew visiting these places of remembrance would be difficult, but I was caught off guard by the magnitude of sorrow that turned into anger as I went through the different memorials. We started off the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. This topic has been one of my favorite areas to study throughout the semester. I’m particularly interested in the reception of such memorials. When going through the museum connected the the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, it was evident that each individual walking through the museum was moved and filled with tears. One of the installations in the museum contained quotes from individuals before they were executed or recounted experiences of the victims. This is where I noticed numerous individuals sobbing. It was drastically different from the memorial above the memorial. Originally walking into the memorial (pictured above), I felt surrounded, confused, and as I continued to walk I suddenly felt angered. I saw children climbing and playing, a couple taking engagement photos within the memorial, and two Americans were walking through with a beer and whiskey. Our IES tour guide, Sasha, explained that he did not believe a perfect memorial existed and it was all about the personal perceptions of the individual. This definitely seemed to be the case among each of the different individuals. Schneider explains that the purpose of this memorial may be to blend in with Berlin and be an approachable remembrance to the tragic event. Regardless, this may serve as a symbol that represents the fact that many individuals did go about their daily lives, played with their children, and were relatively untouched by the Holocaust. One of my favorite aspect was when we saw glimpse of different individuals from our class. This seems to reflect much of what victims of the Holocaust faced when they saw glimpses of their families or close friends. Schneider questions the memorial through three questions: Do we need a Holocaust memorial and who is the “we” it is intended for, will it take away from the actual memorials (concentration camps), and should it be dedicated to only Jews or other victims of the Holocaust as well? This makes me think of the difference in the possible perception of the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and the memorial to the homosexuals. It was apparent that many individuals giggled at this memorial and didn’t seem to be as moved as they were from the other memorials. Overall, today’s experience was a fantastic way to explore themes we have been discussing throughout the semester. I am eager to continue learning more while on this trip.
During our second day here in Germany, we visited the Wall Museum. It is incredibly hard for me to to imagine what it must have been like to be living in Berlin when the wall went up. I think about waking up one morning at Trinity to a barbed wire barricade running across Hildebrand. I would not be able to get to work, or see my friends and family who reside on the other side of Hildebrand. This seems so frightening, yet unimaginable. Our tour guide gave us the opportunity to view the memorial for all the individuals who were killed in some aspect that was caused by the wall. In one instance, a group of kids were playing near a river bank. When their ball fell into the water, they jumped in to get it. Due to the fact that the water was property of the East and they were unable to help the kids. Unfortunately, they each died that day. It was interesting to be able to discuss some of the repercussions of the wall in which weren’t necessarily obvious. Today’s tour made me think of Goodbye Lenin in which explores themes of the past and present in Germany. The image included in this reflection was a sculpture placed at the wall memorial. This piece was incredibly moving as it shows the nature of the strain the wall put on life when it went up. Relating back to Goodbye Lenin, this piece made me wonder about the different types of impact the wall had on relationships. I believe for some, it made the relationship grow fonder. As in Goodbye Lenin, the mother and son relationship was strained as the mother struggled to grapple with the idea of her son being an Ossi. On top of this, I also thought about the way this same type of divide are present among families who hold differing political views in the United States.
Although I began this day fresh off of a flight, with only two hours of sleep, it was incredible being able to witness all we have learned over this past semester come to life. Seeing sites such as Charlottenburg, the Holocaust Memorial, the Brandenburg gate, and so much more, has filled me with anticipation to dig deeper and learn more while on this trip. When first arriving in Berlin, I recalled Schneider’s words when he explained that Berlin was an ugly capital city… and perhaps one of the ugliest capital cities. Although my initial reaction differed from Schneider in the fact that I believed Berlin to be a beautiful place upon my first glance, my knowledge of its’ history and deep rooted culture has given me an added layer of appreciation. Sure, the Brandenburg gate may be an interesting piece of architecture, but understanding the roots adds to the experience. One of the most interesting observations I made during this first day was witnessing a street lined with AfD posters. Since my research topic is German Nationalism after World War 2, it was striking to witness this blatant support for the AfD party. I am eager to engage with individuals throughout Berlin and learn more about their perspectives on German nationalism.
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