Somber Sites

There were several sites we were able to visit in Germany where it did not feel quite right to cheese a big 'ol grin at the camera. Though a small portion of German history, the influence of the Nazi Party was tremendous, especially for their victims. However, we're not often taught in our history classes how so many German citizens could have been duped into turning a blind eye to the prejudice and, eventually, the deaths happening in their country due to a fanatical political party. But we must remember that Hitler did not march into power with a billboard blazing, "Germany first: next - the world!"

When Hitler arrived on the scene, Germany was actually in a horrible economic downfall. Our guide told us there is a famous picture of a man standing next to a pile of German marks that reached to his waist and was equal to exactly ONE U.S. dollar! Our guide also said that..."a man came out of the woodwork with a dream, saying 'YES WE CAN' to the German people in their economic depression. No, it was not Barak Obama, but Adolf Hitler, although, if we had the time, we could draw several comparisons between the two." (HIS words, not mine...but I thought it was kinda funny.) Hitler fulfilled his promises and suddenly there was work and order where there had only been confusion and despair for several years. He began slowly to create his poisonous propaganda which leaked into the fibers of every day life for several years before dramatic courses of action began to take place.

Here, at Humboldt University, the radical actions to "cleanse" Germany began in the 1936 -years before the war even began. Hitler conducted a bonfire in the square where Burke is standing, fueled by the books of Jewish and Communist authors. Never mind that they were destroying works by geniuses such as Albert Einstein, the bonfire was the first of many demonstrations of the need for Germany to rid themselves of the "evil" influence of the Jews. In the picture on the top right, you can see the monument that was created to remember this awful night. It is a glass pane that covers an underground room of stark white, filled with empty bookshelves. It is a haunting, yet thought provoking sight.

Another somber place we visited was The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. Like the bookshelf in the square, this massive monument which covers an entire city block, is incredibly thought provoking. There are no plaques or signs as the architect meant for it to illicit an emotional response rather than a mental response. Burke and I both felt a little more information or perhaps names would have made the monument more meaningful, but I suppose there are plenty of museums in Germany that have already presented the information in that format. Although I have read books, seen movies and heard dozens of stories about the Holocaust, it is still almost unfathomable for me to believe such an atrocity could have happened. It is hard to dwell on the horrors that took place, but important, I believe, to not forget them.