YEAR 13 students from Hardenhuish School visited Berlin to learn about the history and culture of the city.
They explored the impact of the Cold War and visited landmarks including the Kath Kollwitz Mother and Child statue, the Jewish Memorial, the Book Burning memorial in Bebelplatz and statues of key German leaders like Bismarck and Frederick the Great.
The Chippenham students visited the Jewish Museum and the Reichstag building where they explored the political ideas set out by the Weimar Republic in 1918 and how German politics works today. During their visit to the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, students read poems to commemorate the lives lost during the Holocaust. The final day was Cold War-themed, with a visit to the East Side Gallery, a section of wall which has been preserved and is used as an outdoor art gallery.
They also went to Checkpoint Charlie, the Black Box museum, the Berlin Wall Memorial, the DDR museum, the TV Tower and, finally, Potsdamer Platz for the Christmas Markets.
On their return, Philip Arkinstall, curriculum leader for history at Hardenhuish School said: “The experience was amazing and our students were a true to delight to take to Berlin. Their interest and determination to walk the distances we did, helped to see as much of the city as possible. I am sure that this has given them a greater understanding of German history and a thirst to want to explore more.”
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