Studying Abroad in Germany
A Journey of Remembrance
By: Avery Calvert
During Thanksgiving week in 2023, I traveled to Germany for a Model United Nations conference. This trip was an incredible and eye-opening experience! Although I traveled to Germany for a Model UN Conference, I learned so much about the history and culture of Germany. As a public history student, I could not help but evaluate the historical places we visited. Through my Intro to Public History class, I recently learned about the controversy of monuments. As part of this program, I engaged in heritage tours, went to museums, and visited memorial sites. The main memorial we visited was the Buchenwald Concentration Camp and Memorial. This memorial created in the 1950s was a product of Soviet-ruled East Germany. Some of my classmates and I discussed the memorial and its various features. We started at the gate of fascism and then walked down a set of steps that were lined with carved stone columns. This pathway led to a mass grave. Next, we walked the walk of nations that honored those who died in the Holocaust. On this walk, two more mass graves lead to a set of stairs. Beyond the stairs was a statue of Holocaust survivors and the Tower of Freedom. What my classmates and I found the most interesting was that the day before visiting this memorial we were taken to the Point Alpha Museum and memorial. Point Alpha is a place in Germany where the East and West Germans were divided. Post World War II the difference between East and West Germany became stark. West Germany was controlled by the United States, France, and the United Kingdom; East Germany was controlled by the Soviet Union (the same Soviet Union that created the Buchenwald Memorial). At Point Alpha, East Germans attempted to flee to West Germany; the situation worsened so much that the US stationed an observational post to keep watch over the area. The German Democratic Republic (East Germany or DRG) killed and tortured those who attempted to escape to West Germany. I found it ironic that while they were killing East Germans who wanted their personal freedoms back, they erected a memorial to honor those who were lost to the Holocaust, an event that stripped Jews and other minority groups of everything.
As I reflect on this trip, I am reminded of the value of remembering history. It also reaffirmed my belief that entities like the United Nations are important for preserving world peace, heritage, and culture. The conference was essentially a large simulation of the United Nations. It was a very special conference because it is 50 years since Germany joined the United Nations. I am very fortunate for this opportunity. One day I want to work for the United Nations, specifically in the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, so for me this experience made me realize the type of work that I want to do. I want to work on-site interpretation for internationally historically significant sites.
All Photos: Courtesy of Avery Calvert
