Joined by our amazing Berliner Stevie once more, we began our day by visiting Track 17 at Grunewald Station. Track 17 is the primary location where the Nazis kidnapped deported the Jews of Berlin. The majority of which went to Theresienstadt and later death camps such as Auschwitz. The track was hidden, in a less populous part of town surrounded by a rich forest. Because of this, the Nazis viewed the track as the best location in which Jews could be deported out of the public’s sight. Nowadays, the track features a memorial listing the number and locations of the deportations alongside a monument. Stevie pointed out the Israeli flags nearby, most likely from a memorial gathering a few days prior. Besides this, the area was still filled with bikers and joggers, as well as a small grocery stand. This environment, much like what we saw at the bunker site of Hitler’s suicide, shows how Germany seeks to remember the past while remaining careful not to glorify it. This visit was a nice precursor to the Wannsee house, which we made our way to shortly after.

As we approached the Wannsee house however, it was interesting to note the area in which we were entering. The Wannsee area is a beautiful suburb of Berlin on the shores of the Havel river. The neighborhood was calm and lavish, hardly preparing us for what we were about to experience. The Wannsee Conference was held at this house, property seized by the Schutzstaffel (SS) a few years beforehand. The conference was a meeting of senior officials of Nazi Germany ordered by Obergruppenführer Reinhard Heydrich. The purpose of the meeting was to establish the logistical implementation of the “Final Solution” plan, previously agreed upon by Hitler and other high-ranking officials. Although the conference lasted a mere 90 minutes, the decisions and planning implemented here had an unimaginably destructive impact of Europe, WWII, and society as a whole. When touring the museum on the inside of the building, it was made apparent that something of this caliber could and possibly will happen again. Antisemitism, bigotry and institutionalized violence and oppression did not start with the Holocaust and it will not end with it. The house served as a reminder of scale on which these atrocities were committed. What was simply at short meeting out of thousands at the time, is now remembered as a crucial and devastating part of world history.

After leaving the Wannsee house, we made our way to a biker restaurant and indulged on some homestyle German food. We then made our way to the German Federal Foreign Office. As we were walking in, it was interesting to see a world cup viewing area, complete with a giant tv and refreshments. We then made our way to the briefing room at were greeted by a high-level official rom the Office of European Correspondent. Our briefer began by describing her role within the MFA and how her office coordinates between German’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and the European Union. The office was busy as the EU would hold a FA ministerial meeting the following Monday, a monthly attempt to coordinate member-state foreign policy according to the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and bring awareness to various issues of concern. We then moved into Q&A and discussed several current topics include migration, tariffs, and the Iran Deal. Many of us asked similar questions to those we asked in Brussels as it was interesting to hear the purely German perspective on various topics. In the realm of security and tariffs, Germany has distinctive positions, somewhat contrary to those of France and the rest of the EU. Exploring this dynamic was an interesting way to examine the issues from varying perspectives. We then delved into the transatlantic relationship and specifically, the German-US relationship which has transitioned from the Obama-Merkel bond towards a weaker relationship. We finished up with a few more questions, putting a busy and informative week in Berlin behind us.

We woke up early this morning, bid our hotel and Berlin farewell, and took two public buses to the airport for the last leg of our study abroad in Paris. After going through a very lenient baggage check and equally thorough security check, many of us spent the next several hours waiting to board the plane by preparing for our upcoming EU-US summit simulation and composing our reflections on our site visits in Brussels and The Hague to the Human Rights Watch office and International Criminal Court, respectively. Something I’ve really appreciated over the course of this summer is not only the content of our site visits and the places we travel, but how the arrangment of both is structured in a way builds upon what we’ve already learned with more complex experiential learning. One of the core components of the foundation of the European Union was a declaration by Robert Schuman announcing that France and Germany would unify the core parts of their economies, so concluding our program and study of the EU in the hearts of the capital cities of both countries seems natural and means significantly more than if we started in either city back in May.

Paris upon arrival was as breathtaking, as was to be expected. We departed the airport on the RER line into the city, transferred to a connecting metro line, and walked the remainder of the distance to Hotel Bonaparte. The hotel is quaint and within walking distance of the Seine, Notre Dame, the Louvre, and other Parisian icons, and I’m sure we will take advantage of our location for sightseeing throughout the week. After spending enough time at the hotel to freshen up following our day of traveling, we set out for our dinner cruise along the Seine to celebrate Bastille Day. What an experience! We were joined by American diplomat and Georgia Tech alumnus Johnny Jones for our cruise and shared the small boat with a group of American families.

Waiting to board our dinner cruise on the bank of the Seine

Our courses included a plate of delicious hors d’œuvres, chicken and pasta, and an assortment of desserts. The view of Paris on either side of the river while we were dining were no less rich and splendid. From our tables we watched the boat glide past the Assemblèe nationale, the Concergerie, Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, and the Eiffel Tower. I doubt we could have asked for a better introduction to the cultural treasures of city.

The Assemblee Nationale lit in patriotic colors

Our view of the Alexander Bridge

After we finished our meal, we sat outside on the deck and prepared to watch the fireworks, and it was then that the City of Light lived up to its nickname. It’s difficult to articulate in words how magnificent it was to be on the Seine looking at the Eiffel Tower sparkle with lights and explosions of color against a backdrop of more fireworks-and on France’s National Day, no less! French citizens and tourists alike lined both sides of the Seine and covered bridges, waving flags and enjoying the camaraderie of celebrating together. There was a strong sense of communal joy and excitement, and it was electrifying. I was reminded of all the times I watched the A Capitol Fourth production in Washington DC on the Fourth of July with my family, and I imagine the energy must be the same. I doubt any of us will forget the experience we shared tonight for years to come, and it was the perfect way to begin our final week of the program in Paris.

Our last morning in the Hague began with a quick final breakfast at the hotel buffet, with many of us managing to even slyly sneak out a to-go sandwich to eat later on the afternoon train ride. We then all piled into taxis to head to the train station, bidding farewell to the Netherlands and our time visiting the International Criminal Court, Peace Palace, and more. Our first leg of the 6-7 hour trip from The Hague to Berlin was a quick forty five minute train from the Hague to another train station in the Netherlands. We all handled the train change with surprising ease, helping each other to lug our luggage from one train to the other (and commenting on how we should’ve listened to Dr. Birchfield’s advice on overpacking). The trip flew by, with many of us napping, reading, our catching up on assignments and blog posts. When we arrived in Berlin, we again lugged our luggage from the train station to the hotel, relaxing there for a few minutes before heading off to our first group dinner in Berlin.

Our first dinner was the perfect introduction to German culture. The restaurant offered traditional German cuisine, including Schnitzel. They even had delicious vegetarian schnitzel that Dr. B, Lauren, and Sanika all enjoyed. We all passed around our large portions, sharing food and getting to take in all that the restaurant had to offer. Throughout dinner, we all chatted about Berlin and what we were most excited to see. Personally, I am most excited to see the paintings on the East Side of the Berlin Wall. While the wall alone has monumental historical significance, I think the modern touch of the paintings on the wall add a unique cultural touch, showing how the city has taken such a negative aspect of history and made it its own, while still honoring the city’s past. Other students mentioned visiting the numerous museums in Berlin, including museum island and the Holocaust memorial. With so much culture and history to take in, we were all incredibly excited for the next week spent in Germany. This excitement only increased when Dr. Birchfield briefly spoke to us about our tour guide for the next day, a lady who has been living in Berlin since the rise of the Berlin Wall.

After a long day of travel and a large dinner, we were all ready to head to bed and rest up before the tour tomorrow. A few of us stopped by the local Haagan Daz (located dangerously close to our hotel) to experience the delicious ice cream chain in its home country. We then headed back to the hotel, excited for all that’s to come in Berlin!

Schnitzel in Berlin!

Today was our day trip to Amsterdam! After a filling breakfast at the hotel, we departed on our journey. We arrived at the beautifully architected train station in the mid-morning and had a nice walk through the city to the Anne Frank house, snapping pictures of the flowers, canals, and the city’s plethora of bikes.

When we arrived at the Anne Frank House, we were given a presentation by a tour guide on Nazi Germany and the life of Anne Frank. We learned about Germany’s economic crisis in the late 1920s and 1930s and the rising anti-Semitism in Germany, two factors which contributed to Hitler’s rise to power. We saw many pictures and artifacts from this period. The one that struck me the most was this image (below) of two Jewish school children being made to stand in front of the classroom while the non-Jewish children read a message on the blackboard that states that “the Jewish people are the root of Germany’s problems.“ It makes me so upset to think of the innocent children being humiliated by their own teachers in front of their classmates.

Next, we learned the Frank family’s story. Otto Frank, Anne’s father, witnessed the highly concerning discriminatory laws in Germany towards the Jewish people, so they immigrated to the Netherlands while they could still leave Hitler’s oppressive regime. They enjoyed a few years of safety living there, but then went into hiding when Anne’s older sister, Margo received a notice in the mail that she was to report to a concentration camp. The family of four spent two years in hiding along with four other Jewish people in the annex of Mr. Frank’s business. In 1944, the Franks were betrayed (who turned them in is still debated) and all eight of the residents were sent to concentration camps.

Otto Frank, the only survivor, published the diary Anne kept during her time in hiding. Anne had eventually wanted to publish a book about her experience, entitling it “The Secret Annex” and her father wanted to carry out her dream after her death. The book has since been translated into 70 different languages and has been turned into famous plays and moves. Anne Frank’s legacy has lived on for so many years because of its deep insight into a family’s struggle for survival in the face of grave danger.

After the presentation, we began the tour of the house with the audio guide. We moved slowly through the narrow staircases and cramped corners, trying to put ourselves in the Frank family’s shoes. One of the things I found most impactful about the visit was the video on Anne Frank’s legacy at the end of the tour. The video contained quotes about the impact of the book/tour on readers/visitors. Nelson Mandela was videotaped speaking about how reading the diary gave him hope during his imprisonment. A US Army Veteran wrote in the museum’s signature book that he now realized why he fought at D-Day. John Green writes in his book “The Fault in Our Stars” about the vastness of the number of people killed in the Holocaust, remarking that there were 4 Arron Frank’s who died with no mourners, memorials, or museum to remember their life and legacy. We mustn’t forget that Anne Frank’s hardship is only one of the 6 million Jews murdered.

After our tour, we walked to the museum quarter of the city to say our goodbyes to the beloved Dr. Markley. We wished her a great rest of the summer. Next, we ate lunch at the “hipster” food trucks in the park, enjoying some delicious veggie burgers, veggie hot dogs, or chicken sandwiches. For dessert, some of us went to try some of Amsterdam’s famous delicacy, Stroopwafels!

For our free afternoon, some of us watched the England-Sweden match of the World Cup, while others walked around and explored the city. A handful of us, myself included, chose to go to The Van Gogh Museum. I loved getting to see the famous Sunflower painting as well as the Almond Blossom painting. I feel so lucky to have been able to witness some of the world’s most famous masterpieces during my time abroad. I also learned a lot about Van Gogh’s troubled life and struggles with mental illness through the museum’s extensive audio guide.

After the museum, we walked around the city for a while and then some us went to get a delicious meal in Chinatown to end a rich day in Amsterdam. I feel fortunate that we got the chance to visit a city with so much history, art, and culture.