Frederick the Great

Frederick II (The Great)

Frederick the Great

            Frederick II who later becomes known as Frederick the Great was born February 24, 1712 and became the 3^rd King in Prussia in 1740 at the age of 28. His military skills and leadership during the Seven Years War is how he earned the name Frederick the Great. Through his military leadership and skills, he greatly increased the territory of Prussia. He ruled until he died in August of 1786 and was buried at Sanssouci in Potsdam.

 

Grave of Frederick the Great

His childhood was heavily based on military influence and involvement that was pressed upon him by his father King Frederick William I. From an early age he was taught French, German, and history. He didn’t see eye to eye with his father and attempted to escape to England with his close friend Hans Hermann von Katte but was arrested though later pardoned. He was forced to marry Princess Elizabeth from a German princely family, but he had little to do with her, and had no children with her so when he died,  the throne was passed on to his nephew Frederick William II of Prussia.

Map of the Growth of Prussia from 1600-1795. Silesia was
added as a result of the the Silesian Wars and West Prussia was
added with the 1st partion of Poland all of which happened under
leadership of Frederick the Great.

 

In 1740 when Frederick II became King in Prussia, Prussia was ranked 10^th among other European nations in territory size, they were 13^th in terms of population, but 3^rd or 4^th in military power. Shortly after Emperor Charles VI died war broke out because he had left no heir and no other country would recognize his daughter Maria Theresa as the ruler of Austria and they took advantage of the Hapsburg Empires weakness. Frederick II risked his throne and the status of Prussia when he attacked Austria in order to gain Silesia. He manages to succeed. This is known as the 1^st Silesia War (1740-1742). The 2^nd Silesia War (1744-1745), Prussia received the greater part of Silesia for the recognition of Maria Theresa as the heir to the Hapsburg throne. But in 1756 the Seven Years War broke out and this time Prussia faced opposition from France, Russia, and Austria. Again Frederick II through his strong military leadership and skills came out on top in that war as well and is how he gained the name Frederick the Great. In 1777, when Poland was partitioned, Prussia received the Polish province of West Prussia.

 

In addition to his strong military leadership and expansion, Frederick the Great influenced the rise of Prussia in other ways such as reform. He established religious tolerance, freedom of press, abolished judicial torture, and established a German code of law. He was considered an enlightened monarch. He thought of the kingship as his duty to the people to protect them from foreign danger, help them to prosper, provide laws that tended to their needs, and didn’t rely on a subordinate to make decisions for him. He also had buildings like the Berlin State Opera, and St. Hedwig’s Cathedral in Berlin built. Strangely though he favored French culture over German culture.

 

Music composed by Frederick the Great. Frederick the Great is often given credit for composing Der Hohenfriedberger Marsch (right). It was written right after the his victory at the battle at Hohenfriedberger during the Silesian War.This is a link to Frederick the Great's Concerto for Flute and Orchestra No. 3 in C majo:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foIIbU8qadQ&feature=relmfu

 

Frederick the Great was not just a military figure, he was also a talented musician. He played flute and composed music such as Concerto for Flute and Stringed Orchestra No. 3 in C major, Sinfornia for strings and continuo No 3 in D major, and is often credited for writing the Hohenfriedberger March. He also wrote poetry and was a philosopher.

This a painting by Adolph Menzel entitled Flute Concert with Frederick the Great in Sanssouci.

 

Though also a composer, musician, philosopher, and writer, Frederick the Great is most known for his military advances and territory expansion of Prussia. It was through his talents as a military leader that helped lead to the rise of the Prussian empire and provided a step in the direction of the eventual unification of Germany.

 

Sources:

Bakshian Jnr, Aram. 1976. "Father and Son Fredrick William and Fredrick the Great." History Today 26, no. 5: 293. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed November 26, 2012).

"Frederick II." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/217849/Frederick-II>.

McVety, Amanda Kay. “Frederick II (The Great) 1740-1786.” EbChron:The Web Chronology Project. (December 1998) Accessed on November 25, 2012 from http://www.thenagain.info/webchron/westeurope/FredGreat.html.

 

Schulze, Hagen. Germany: A New History. Translated by Deborah Lucas Schneider. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1998.

Charlottenburg Palace



Charlottenburg Palace

Charlottenburg Palace

            The Charlottenburg Palace (Schloss) was built in 1699 for Sophie Charlotte, wife of Elector Frederick III who later becomes King Frederick I.  Throughout the 18^th century the Schloss was greatly expanded. It was decorated in the Baroque/ Rococo style influenced heavily by the French. It includes a large garden surrounded by woods, and other buildings including a belvedere, a mausoleum, a theatre and a pavilion built on the property. The Palace was damaged during an air raid in WWII but was completely restored. It is the largest palace in Berlin and the only building in Berlin that dates back to the time of the Hohenzollern family. It holds the largest collection of 18^th and 19^th century French paintings outside of France.

Map of the Charlottenburg Palace

 

Building/Expansion of the Schloss by Hohenzollern Dynasty

            The building of the original central part of the Schloss began in 1695 and was completed in 1699. It was meant to be a summer residence home for Elector Frederick III’s wife, Sophie Charlotte. The building was designed by Johann Arnold Nering. Between 1709-1712 after Fredrick III was made the first Prussian King, expansions of the Schloss began on the west side; adding a new wing, a cupola and an Orangery. Only minor changes to the Schloss were made during the reign of Frederick Wilhelm II and Frederick Wilhelm III. A small Theater and the Belvedere Tea house were built. In 1740, Frederick II (Frederick the Great) had the east wing added on to the Schloss and it designed by Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff. Even though Frederick the Great had the Schloss worked on, he choose to reside in the palace in Potsdam.  

                                                                                       The cupola that was added to the Charlottenburg  Palace between 1709-1712.

The "Schinkel Pavillion" or New Pavillion was built in 1824/1825

for Frederick William III (Prussian King at the time).

It is located in the garden of the Charlottenburg Palace.

 

Interior of the Schloss

            The interior of the Schloss was decorated in the Baroque/Rococo style. The Baroque period originated in Italy during the late 16th century, next spreading to France, and continued to spread throughout Europe lasting in some areas like Germany until the 18th century. The later Baroque style is often referred to as Rococo. The Baroque period was influenced by the Counter Reformation of the Catholics. The style had architectural plans based on an oval, emphasized contrast in lighting often done with the use of windows, rooms were long and narrow, made use of bright,dark colors, had vividly painting ceilings, used lots of ornaments made of wood, stucco, or marble, and emphasized curved lines. The Baroque style was very dramatic. The Rococo style was similar to Baroque but it emphasized soft, pastel colors and nature.

The Mausoleum was built in 1810 on the west side of the Park for the burial of royal family members. Queen Louise, Prince Albert, Emperor Wilhelm I, and his wife Empress Augusta, Princess Liegnitz (2^nd wife of Frederick Wilhelm III, and within a stone casket lies the heart of Frederick Wilhelm IV. 

                      The Red Room

 

 The Porcelain Room in the Palace

There are many different rooms and apartments within the Schloss. Located in the east end the Schloss are the Oak Gallery with walls paneled in oak and displaying many oil paintings, the Porcelain Gallery which has lots of mirrors and Chinese porcelain, the White Hall which was the dining room, the Gallery of Romantics which is home to the collection of paintings from the German Romantic Period. In the west wing is the Schlosskapelle which is where King Frederick Wilhelm II was married. The Golden Gallery is an important room that exemplifies the Rococo style of decorating. The walls are four times longer than they are wide, there are windows on both sides, and it is decorated with many stucco ornaments against a pink and green background.

 

The Golden Room

 

 

 

   Der Schlosspark

 

  The original park was modeled on the French Baroque style designed by Simeon Godeau. During the 18^th and 19^th century is it evolved into a more English style of landscape and then after WWII it returned to its original Baroque design. The Belvedere Tea house located in the north part of the park now contains 18^th and early19^th century Berlin porcelain.  The Mausoleum was built in 1810 on the west side of the Park for the burial of royal family members.  Also located in the park is the Schinkel Pavillion. Located near the entrance to the palace is the statue of Frederick William of Brandenburg also known as the Great Elector (der Große Kurfuerst).

 

The statue of Frederick William of Brandenburg also known as the Great Elector (der Große Kurfuerst)  was originally in place at the Lange Brücke but during WWII while being moved sunk to the bottom of Tegeler See but was recovered and is now located at the Charlottenburg Palace.

 

Significance of the Hohenzollern Family

 

The Hohenzollern dynasty was the established ruling family of Brandenburg and Prussia from the early 15th century until the end of WWI. The ruling of this family brought the hundreds of kingdoms of Germany together to form a nation-state which was unified in 1871. Before Frederick William (later known at the Great Elector) the territories under the Hohenzollern rule were not unified and often in conflict with each other. The Great Elector emphasized a strong army and weakened independence for cities. From his rule onward Prussia grew in size and influence. Frederick I established Prussia as a Kingdom and Brandenburg became part of Prussia in 1701 when he declared himself the King. Brandenburg is a small state with Berlin as its Capital. Frederick the Great greatly increased the territory of Prussia through purchase, conquest, and annexation. Frederick William IV helped lead the German kingdoms to unity and was elected the first Emperor under a united Germany though he refused the position. The significance of the Hohenzollern family in Germany is that under their leadership, Germany became united for the first time.

 

Sources:
“Baroque architecture.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 07 Nov. 2012. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1352473/Baroque-architecture>.

“Baroque Architecture Characteristics.” accessed from http://www.ukessays.com/essays/architecture/baroque-architecture-characteristics.php on November 5, 2012.

“Charlottenburg Palace.” accessed from http://www.planetware.com/berlin/charlottenburg-palace-d-bn-bcp.htm on November 5,2012.

“Charlottenburg Palace.” Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin- Brandenburg accessed from http://www.spsg.de/index.php on November 5, 2012.

“Charlottenburg Palace.” A View on Cities, accessed from http://www.aviewoncities.com/berlin/charlottenburg.htm on November 5, 2012

“Charlottenburg Palace, Berlin, Germany.” Lessing Photo Archive. Accessed from http://www.lessing-photo.com/search.asp?a=L&lc=202020204659&co=&ci=&ln=Charlottenburg+Palace%2C+Berlin%2C+Germany&p=1&ipp=6 on November 7, 2012.

Huth, Hans, “Schloss Charlottenburg by Margarete Kühn: Review”. The Art Bulletin, Vol 39 No. 4 (Dec 1957). pg 316-318. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3047738

“Hohenzollern Prussia.” Accessed from http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/de-hohenzollern.htm accessed November 8, 2012.

Serenbetz, P. “The Art of Rococo.” Clinton Public Schools. Accessed from https://sites.google.com/a/clintonpublic.net/serenbetzp/the-art-of-the-rococo on November 8,2012.

Schulze, Hagen. Germany: A New History. Translated by Deborah Lucas Schneider. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1998.

Blog #5- Failure of German Unification

The initial united German Nation was short-lived and full of difficult times and struggles. It lasted only from 1871 until the end of WWII, not even 100 years in which it endured two World Wars, a Depression, political distress, and the strong dictatorship of Hitler which ultimately led to the destruction of Germany’s unity. Perhaps because Germany was such a young nation when WWI broke out, and with their unstable political system that led to Germany’s inability to remain unified. Too many crises erupted before Germany could get a solid grip on their unity.

            Germany’s first attempts at democracy were rushed and emerged in times of desperation which explains their ultimate failure. Schulze explains their first democracy “emerged as the product not of an elected parliament and strong political parties but rather of a general staff at its wits’ end” and the Weimar democracy “came at the worst possible moment, in the hour of defeat…” (page 197).   The defeat of WWI left Germany devastated, and struggling politically, and economically. The Treaty of Versailles stripped them some of their territory, left huge reparation debt they had to pay off, and limited their military leaving Germany vulnerable and defenseless. Soon after WWI the Great Depression spread further increasing the tension and devastation among the German people. Unemployment was high, and Germany currency experienced massive inflation.   After WWI Germany experienced 16 different governments, changing almost every eight and a half months which Schulze explains was the result of “a vicious circle set in motion, for the weaker a government appeared, the more tempting it was for voters to switch to the alternative parties…” (page 207).  There was no consistency in the government as the German people were still figuring out what they wanted for a unified government.

            Hitler came to power when Germany was very vulnerable which helped increased his success in leadership over the German people gaining the support he needed to implement his ideas that led to a destructive war that did not end in Germany's favor. Hitler was smart, a very good public speaker and his political tactic was to appeal to the emotion needs of the German people (Schulze, 231). He decreased unemployment, made improvement to the deteriorating economy, and he had a plan for Germany to increase the empire which he managed to do in the beginning (annexation of Austria, and Czechoslovakia) without going to war which is how he gained much of his support. (Schulze, 257). Maybe because Germany hasn’t had much luck with political leaders up until this point but it seems the Germans may have underestimated Hitler and his ideology because those who knew of his plan for Lebensraum at the start of his political career did nothing to try to stop him until it was too late. Hitler at first seemed to be exaclty what they needed to bring them out of their depressive state and it wasn't until the defeat of Stalingrad that Hitler began to lose his support.

The violent and mostly depressing history of Germany’s unification leads me wonder, how it is taught in schools. Do they tell it like it happened and more of a tool to learn from past mistakes, or are German’s ashamed of their past? Are members of the German resistance, like the Red Orchestra, the White Rose, Kreisau Circle, the Confessing Church, and the many members of the multiple assassination plots of Hitler remembered as heroes for their courage or as traitors for going against the government? From an American standpoint, history seems to be told in some respects as to how we want it to be remembered for example the Civil War in American history, isn’t necessarily viewed as the war in which the United States fought against each other, but more of in the positive light as the war the ended slavery. It’s not that the US has had a completely positive past, the Vietnam War for example sparks a lot of controversy, but the US’s reputation seems to be that of the helper, offering help even when not needed/wanted but Germany has the reputation of starting the only World Wars that have existed in history (though the cause of WWI is up for debate). How do they reflect on their past?

 

This is a photograph taken in Berlin in 1945.

Photo taken from: http://sengook.com/berlin-1945.html

The Reichstag in 1945.

Photo taken from:http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?165551-Pics-from-the-Reichstag-in-1945

 

Photograph of Libertas Schulze-Boysen who was a member of the Red Orchestra. The Red Orchstra, also know as Rote Kapelle or Red Chapel, was a a communist espionage operation against Hitler and the Nazis during WWII.

Photo taken from: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/07/books/review/Herzog-t.html?_r=0

Blog #4 German identity/unification

For a nation or people that have been around essentially since the Eleventh century, it seems odd that even still by the Seventeenth and Eighteenth centuries, German is still only referred to as a language and not an identity and it wouldn’t be until the Nineteenth century that Germany became united. What is interesting though is in the Eighteenth century the German identity that began to form was not political but cultural. The growth of the educated elite, meaning teachers, doctors, civil servants, clergyman, etc., who now held positions as a result of training and skill and not inherited, led to the development of a standardized German language. German literature, drama, and opera became a link connecting the German people. Writers began publishing in German not only because it was demanded but because this language gave them a sense of identity that was different to and set them apart from the French. So at this time the educated people of Germany had some sense of a German identity (pg 89). Language and culture brought a sense of identity to these people that were separate from any political ties, so the people they associated with their identity were not political figures like princes or military leaders but were poets and philosophers of Germany. They didn’t see a problem in the territory divide; they thought what they needed to be a more unified country was more unity among the rulers (pg 91). Music and architecture were things that began to give Germany an identity. Composers like Ludwig van Beethoven were successful in their music. In architecture, a classical style was used for building in places like Berlin and Munich. Gothic architecture was at the time believed to be German style of architecture (pg 114). These things like music, and architecture were things that provided Germans something to identify themselves with; to be known for.

 

This a picture of a Cathedral in Cologne, Germany that represents the Gothic style architecture.

 

Image from: http://www.trekbd.com/2011/12/cologne-cathedral-famous-monument-of.html
 

In comparison to the U.S one can see some similarities and differences in the way national identity was formed. The United States began as colonies starting with Jamestown, VA established at the beginning of the Seventeenth century. Each colony operated under its own rule and had their own system of beliefs, value, and culture. Each colony was independent of each other though loosely connected by British rule. While essential they were all English, the colonies didn’t start off having one unified identity.  The German states too operated independently and didn’t identify themselves as a German people. One place where the two countries seem to differ is what the identity of the country would be based on. In America, the colonies united together to break off from British rule and came together to decide what this new country would look like, how it would be governed. The American identity as a nation was more closely tied to political ideas rather than a culture or language like in Germany. America’s struggles in its years of becoming unified were what would the government look like, and what freedoms should be guaranteed whereas in Germany they were struggling with which territories should be included in this unified nation; should Austria be included in the German nation or not? In both cases there was one dominating territory of influence. In America it was Virginia and in Germany it was the kingdom of Prussia. The German struggle for unity and a national identity seems to stem largely from the fact that this “German” people or empire has existed for so long without an identity. They had operated so long independently. The Americas only had thirteen colonies they had to try to unite while Germany had hundreds of small kingdoms to bring together.

 

This is a map of the Kingdom of Prussia and Germany. Prussia was the largest, most powerful kingdom in Germany.

Picture from: http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~lhd/biography/?language=ger

 

 

 This is a map of the Kingdoms of Germany in the Seventeenth Century.

Picture from: http://www.thebreman.org/exhibitions/online/1000kids/germanic_lands.html

Martin Luther: Blog #3

Martin Luther’s work brought about a serious change in Germany during the 16^th century at a time when change seemed necessary. Luther’s defiance against the papacy brought about a change in religious ideology but also social change. Considering the way the German nation was ruled during the 16^th century, where few people held rights and the Church was taking advantage of the people it seemed like only a matter of time before a rebellion of some sort occurred. Luther’s actions were the spark of courage the German people needed to bring about a change. While Luther was writing his 95 theses that went against the Catholic Church, he spread the idea that ordinary people had a claim in the church, not just the clergy. He gained support of his ideas very fast, which points to the idea that many people were not happy with the way things were going in the empire. In the video, it said that Luther was the first person to stand up to authority and stay true to his conscience. It speaks a lot of his character that he stood firm in his faith to stand up to the Pope considering the punishment for heresy was often death. Luckily for him, he had help on his side from Frederick the Wise. Luther was just trying to follow the Bible, which he translated into German so the rest of the people could also know truth and the word of God, but it turned into an even bigger rebellion that brought about social change. I thought it was strange that Luther seemed so appalled by the violence that had ensued because of his work but then later he instigated the violence against peasants and Jews and anyone else that stood against his ideas about religion. Luther’s reformation traveled throughout Europe, spreading and taking on different forms. There were Catholics, Protestants, and Calvinists. So in one view, Luther was a remarkable person. His courage and firmness brought about in the long run a sense of freedom of religion. In his book, Schulze explains that in 1555, the Peace of Augsburg gave the rulers of a territory the right to choose the religion of that area, but also granted a person to move to an area where the denomination they wished to practice was established. The down side to the Luther Reformation was it continued to leave Germany divided both culturally and politically since Catholics focused on art and architecture while the Protestant’s focus was on building up the church, music, language, and literature (Schulze, 58,60).


This map shows the distribution of religious government during the 16th century. The yellow indicates a Luthern government and is concentrated mostly in the north east part of the Roman Empire. The blue is a Calvinist government. The green is the Catholic government. The red line shows the boundary of the Holy Roman empire.
Map taken from: http://msaculturaltours.com/BAVARIA/index.html on 9/8/12

This map only shows the separation of the Catholic Church and the Lutheran religion. From this map one can see the division between the religions as with the map from above. The religions didn't intermix really at all. There is a clear boundary where each religion was accepted.
 Map taken from: http://www.korcula.net/history/mmarelic/luther.htm on 9/8/12

 

 This is a picture of the 95 theses that Martin Luther wrote. These strong, firm, and daring statements are the ones  that started the Reformation bringing about a religious, political, and social change in the Germany.
Picture accessed from: http://foraslanandvolstate.wordpress.com/tag/martin-luther-95-theses/ on 9/8/12



This is a picture of the Luther Monument in Worms, Germany. The monument was constructed in 1868 and designed by Ernst Rietschel. Others included in the monument who played an important part in the reformation are Frederick the Wise of Saxony and Phillip of Hesse, John Wycliffe, and Jan Hus.
Photo and caption info accessed from http://www.sacred-destinations.com/germany/worms-luther-monument.htm on 9/9/12

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Blog #2

       One thing that struck me as very interesting about 15th century Germany is the lack of rights that many people had. Being from the United States where rights as a citizen are guaranteed, it is hard to grasp the concept of a significant chunk of a population having limited rights. Schulze explains that nearly 80% of people lived on a farm or in a rural area while 20% of people lived in a city. In the rural area, very few had property rights though peasants did have rights to use the land. East of the Elbe River, farmers had even less rights and peasants in that area held practically no rights until the nineteenth century (page 37-39). In the cities, very few held citizenship rights. I can see where old families, governing officials and such were given citizenship rights, and to some extent I can see where domestic servants, and beggars would not, but it is astounding that people such as members of nobility and clergy were also excluded from citizenship rights. It seemed like the Church held a lot of authority at this time that it seems weird that clergy member were not given citizenship rights. Jews were another group excluded from citizenship rights which isn’t necessarily that surprising considering they have been persecuted since Biblical times. In two of the captioned pictures (page 34 and 41), Schulze describes the hardships of being a Jew whom had little rights, protection, and barred from most trades in the late Middle Ages. The other caption on page 41 explains how a city council used the time period between Emperors to drive Jews out of a city. Anti-Semitism has existed all around the world for centuries not just in Germany but my point is during this time when Germany doesn’t even technically exist as a country, the identity forming seems to be one of an unequal balance of power. Because many groups of people did not have rights, the identity of Germany seems to be made up of only the elite who had the rights to make political choices. So from an American stand point from a country that was essentially founded on the belief that everyone is equal, Germany’s early history was one where political instability defined their country.

This picture is of moneylending often done by Jews. Jews were not liked by Christians and were prevented  from most ways of making a living often including farming. Christians did not approve of lending money and charging an interest but Jews found it to be one way of making a living during this time period.
Picture and caption info from: http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/religion/jews/middleages.htm accessed 9/6/12.

This map shows the Elbe River (highlighted in red) in present day Germany. This river seemed to be a dividing point during the 15th century between the east and west. It was easier for me to visualize and comprehend what I was reading once I had located where the Elbe River was. As I mentioned above farmers east of the river suffered more from the lack of established rights. Also from a caption from Shulze's book (pg 38), he explains that little information is known about the area east of the Elbe River during the High Middle Ages.
Picture from: http://www.turkopedi.com/elbe-irmagi.html accessed 9/6/12

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Why I choose Germany

When thinking about why I decided I wanted to go to Germany, I couldn’t come up with the exact reason. I grew up in a tiny farm town of just over 200 people. I went to school with the same kids from preschool through senior year of high school. In other words, being from such a small town, there is little diversity, and essentially in relationship to the rest of the world, it is like growing up inside a closet. So college was my opportunity to broaden my horizons and traveling abroad was something I definitely wanted to do.  Because I transferred schools after my Freshman year and then changed my major during my Junior year, I didn’t have room for a whole semester abroad so this D-term trip is perfect for me.

            For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to travel yet I have never been out of the country nor have I flown on an airplane! Germany has always been near the top of my list for travels and this trip will bring lots of new experiences for me. One reason I chose this trip is the fact that Germany is part of my heritage. Both of my parent’s families descend from Germany.

           Another thing that further increased my interest in Germany is the German foreign exchange student we had during my senior year of high school. It was interesting to listen to him speak in German but also learning about the differences between the United States and Germany. For instance, their laws about the legal age of driving and alcohol consumption are different and he said they have 5 years of high school versus our 4. I also thought it was interesting that they are required to take a certain amount of English classes. He got to see the country I live in and this D-term trip is my chance to see the country where he lives. 

This is a picture of Ferdinand (right), the German Foreign exchange student we had at my high school. He had played on a volleyball team in Germany but since we didn't have a men's volleyball team, he helped the women's team. In this picture we are warming up for a game. My sister is setting the ball to me (though I am not in the picture) and Ferdinand was there to try to block the ball.



 

 

The most significant reason I choose to study abroad in Germany is an academic reason. I am a history major and recently I have been very interested in German history. Last spring I took a class about WW I and II. Much of the class focused on Germany especially once we got to WWII. My sister also took a Holocaust class and is now writing her senior seminar paper on people who rescued Jews during WWII so I have been learning a lot about that as well. But it is one thing to sit in a class room and learn about something and I imagine a completely different learning experience to actually be in the place where the events actually occurred. Seeing places like the Berlin Wall and a concentration camp will only help me to gain a different perspective.                 

                                 

This is a picture of the entrance to the Sachsenhausen Concentration camp. The words translate to "Work makes you free". The camp, located outside of Berlin, was built in 1936 and was in operation until 1945. It was used to hold prisoners and was also used as a training center for German officers. Around 50,000 people died at this camp. Being in Germany and visiting places like a concentration camp and other historical places is an experience I don't want to miss.

Picture: Accessed from http://grieftour.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/113-2.jpg on 8/30/12

Caption info: Accessed from http://traveltips.usatoday.com/concentration-camp-tours-germany-14175.html on 8/30/12

 

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I am very excited for our trip to Germany!