Apr 22 2008
Archive for April 22nd, 2008
Apr 22 2008
Day 7 - Majdanek
Today, we visited another concentration camp in Poland called Majdanek. This camp was created because of Rinehart Heydrich’s assassination in Prague, which led to the deaths of many Jews in the ghettos as well as the deaths of 1,000 citizens of Prague. Under Heinrich Himmler’s orders, Majdanek opened in the fall of 1941. It was initially a prisoner of war camp used to house Soviet POWs, however, it was eventually turned into a concentration camp. Between April of 1942 and July of 1944, extermination took place in Majdonek using gas chambers and the crematorium. The capacity of the camp was originally meant for about 50, 000 inmates and was referred to as a ‘little Auschwitz” because it contained everything that the larger camp had, but on a much smaller scale. When we arrived at Majdanek, we noticed how closely located the camp was to the city. This made us realize that the people who lived in this area had to know what was going on in the camp. It is impossible for things to go unnoticed if they occur in someone’s backyard. In fact, after the Russians forces liberated this camp, they made the residents of the town come in to bury the dead bodies. Once again, it became clear that reading about the Holocaust in class is completely different than being physically present in a concentration camp. Standing in Dachau, Auschwitz, or Majdonek is a much more emotional learning experience.
Apr 22 2008
Day 7 - Student Reflections
The seventh day has come and unlike other bus rides we’re not thinking about what is ahead of us, instead we’re thinking about what is behind us. Our thoughts turn to what we’ve seen and learned over the past six days. The long trip from Boston was quickly erased by the beautiful and unique architecture of Munich and the busy city provided an outlet of exploration very much needed. The hostel experience, new to most, was both fun and challenging. The ride to Prague was long, but restful, and we rode with anticipation of our next adventure. The rainy weather attempted to quell the excitement of the new city, but even cold, wet, and a little hungry, we all made it through the day (even Mr. Love after the 700 steps up to the Castle of Prague). Four whole days passed before the first signs of homesickness appeared. Tears were sporadic, yet noticeable, and patience was harder to find, but what followed was truly special. Relationships that were already established grew stronger, new ones formed, and others were temporarily strained. As a group, however, we showed maturity, chose to put our differences aside, and came together as a class and as friends. Throughout this personal process, we began to understand even more about each other and the importance of this trip. We are, after all, 32 individuals with 32 different personalities, and we had to find a way to align our needs and expectations and form as one. Our visit to Auschwitz reminded us that our problems were trivial, brought us closer together, and helped us gain perspective.
Apr 22 2008
Boston in Europe
Go Sox! in Germany Originally uploaded by fhaotba
Thank you all sooo much for your updates about how our Boston sports teams are doing back home!! We are representing Boston everywhere we go.
Boston Pride in Prague Originally uploaded by fhaotba
