By Cari, on June 19th, 2007%
It’s scary, but I think I agree with George W. on something. Apparently on a 2002 visit to Berlin he said the following:
“The history of our time is written in the life of Berlin.”
Somewhat frightening that I don’t think I could have said it better myself.
Today in class we had a discussion on what we’d done for the weekend and a discussion popped up on the relevance of The Wall and whether it will matter or not in 200 years. This class is actually an interesting group in that we range in age from 19-37. We have very . . . → Keep Going: Berlin: Thoughts on a United/Divided City
By Cari, on June 18th, 2007%
156 photos taken, 19 posted.
This weekend’s trip to Berlin is one that’s going to stick with me for some time to come. I really felt like I was walking through history, albeit a mostly unknown history.
Friday night I was up in our lounge where I found a copy of an old edition of Time Out Berlin. I took it with me and although I didn’t read much of it – I’d gone to bed at 2 AM and the insides of my eyelids were pretty – it was an interesting overview of the city . . . → Keep Going: Berlin: Walking Through History
By Cari, on June 6th, 2007%
“We hold in common the belief that it is the obligation of historic sites to assist the public in drawing connections between the history of our site and its contemporary implications. We view stimulating dialogue on pressing social issues and promoting humanitarian and democratic values as a primary function. As a member of the Coalition; this site shares that committment.”
~International Coalition of Historic Site Museums of Conscience
Well that sign on the walls of the “Small Fortress in Terezin was to be my only photo from the day, however it’s a devil to make a yellow text on . . . → Keep Going: Terezin
By Cari, on June 3rd, 2007%
(+14)
Perhaps it’s morbid, but to me that is Birkenau. It’s not about a museum attempting to explain what happened, it’s just the camp. The buildings, such as the quarantine bunks, are as they were. It’s more telling than trying to explain what happened, it allows the visitor to see it. Above all, however, it’s a cemetery. Not just the fields or ponds of ashes, there’s the sense that it’s all hallowed ground.
Perhaps Rob Francosi said it best:
The camp is 425 acres, a mile by a mile-and-a-half, but this information offers little guidance. The Allendale campus is more . . . → Keep Going: Auschwitz II: Birkenau
By Cari, on June 3rd, 2007%
(+7 photos)
Although I don’t recall which exhibit it was in, that quote captures the essence of my thoughts on historical pilgrimages, which is what I term trips such as this one. Before I left, we struggled. You really can’t say “have fun” on a trip like this but you can hope to have an educational trip. That’s part of why I’ve come to call these ‘historical pilgrimages.” I don’t go for a religious calling but rather as part of a need to know/understand.
I can’t pinpoint my interest in the Holocaust, but I know I was interested enough . . . → Keep Going: Auschwitz I: Auschwitz
By Cari, on June 3rd, 2007%
OK, there’s a two-fold reason for the overview post: I’m still putting together my thoughts on the trip as I go through the photos and I want the miscellaneous stuff kept separate from the camps. I think the camps are going to end up with separate posts as I see them as distinct entities in my head.
My train left from Praha – Hlavni Nadrazi at about 8:30 PM. I didn’t pay attention when choosing my carriage/section and ended up in a smoking one, but I was too lazy to move. I dozed on and off and after being woken by passport . . . → Keep Going: Historical Pilgrimage: Overview
